The Key to Successful Weightloss

The secret is...  hard work and perseverance...  That's it!  I've lost 6 lbs. this week alone by really busting my butt in the gym and eating "clean".  PLUS staying inspired!  Find pictures that inspire you...whether it be you at an unflattering weight or at your best shape...or a fitness model or pics of a diseased heart...whatever it is...keep yourself motivated!

Daily Nutrition & Fitness Log Example:

Diet

• 7:30 am    Coffee w/half & half
• 9:30 am    2 Egg Whites w/1 cup of raw cabbage & 2 tsp. of Apple Cider Vinegar
• 12:30 pm  Lean Taco Salad (lean ground beef w/spices over romaine lettuce hearts, 0% Greek yogurt, salsa and sprinkle of cheddar cheese)
• 3:30 pm    Protein Shake (Isopure Zero Chocolate)
• 5:30 pm    Lean Pork Steak with Broccoli
• 7:30 pm    10 Almonds & Decaf Coffee w/half & half

Exercise

• 7:00 am  15-20 minute walk outside (I live in NYC...it's a walking town)
• 2:00 pm   Upperbody Circuit Training (arms, shoulders, chest, back)
• 2:30 pm   Treadmill on 6.0 Incline at 4.0 speed
• 4:30 pm  30-45 minute walk outside  :)

Supplements

• 500mg of Calcium w/500 iu of D3 (twice a day)
• 500mg of Reservatrol (twice a day)
• 5000 iu of Vitamin D3 (once in the evening for better absorption, I'm D deficient, thus the high level of supplementation)

Water intake 6-8 12 oz glasses

While losing weight, I stay away from sugar, alcohol, soda/diet soda/CO2 and empty carbs.

Hope this is helpful.

Have a great day!
-Bex

Back to Life, Back to Reality

Back to the here and now, oh yeah...

I've been neglecting my poor blog and myself for quite awhile lately.  My projects have taken over my life, and while I give everything to these endeavors, I haven't given enough to myself....thus, I'm going backwards in my health and fitness.  No Bueno!  So here I am...20 lbs heavier than I was 6 months ago and feeling physically weak and out of control of my body.  OK!  Time to take back control and do more for myself, because without my health and my functionality, then nothing else can function.  A vicious circle, I know!

A little background of what's been going on.  I am not sorry for all the work I've put into my companies.  I've gone from Opera Singer to Opera Producer / Impresario / Director / yadayadayada...add Follies Burlesque Performer / Producer and we've got my current career path.  Thus I'd like to introduce you to Opera Moderne and The Hot Box Girls!  My two lovely production companies and my babies.  As you know with every new baby, there's some baby weight, but now it's time to become a fit mother (in more ways than one).

As a producer, I'm pretty good at scheduling and making a plan of action.  Not only that, but as a successful producer, I have proven that I can carry out said "plan of action" and that's exactly what I plan on doing here!

Plan of Action:

1.  Change mindset from comfort food eating and cheats to wholesome, body healing foods!
2.  Eat wholesome, healthy foods.
3.  Move more.  (Yes it's winter, but get out there...anywhere...just move.)
4.  Integrate regular exercise back into your daily life.
5. Log all foods and activities.
6. Get in 8 glasses of water a day.
7. Cut the chemicals (unfortunately, this means my diet soda addiction...eek!)
8. Get in some natural and healthy supplements like fresh green juice and Wellness Formula.
9.  Eat more raw veggies!
10.  Find a way to stay motivates.  (I think this is the hardest for anyone...consistency is key!!!)

I think that's a pretty good start...did I forget anything?  Please feel free to chime in if you have thoughts on keeping motivated.  When I blog and log my efforts, it seems to help keep me on track of my goals.

Today's weight:  161.5 (ugh)

Breakfast:  Egg white Omelet w/spinach, tomato & feta
                 Coffee w/half & half

so far so good...

and yummy!!!

Have a Great Day and stay motivated!
-Bex

Invention on Nutrition

After much dieting and experimenting over the years, I've pretty much figured out my body chemistry and what works for me.  AND as successful weightloss has been on the Dukan diet, I find myself nutritionally lacking...THUS I'm changing it up, once again.

What seems to work:  I have found that protein, green/low glycemic veggies, dairy and a little fruit work great in my diet.  I feel fueled, and pretty much satiated throughout the day.  Nuts are also a good factor in my body, as long as I keep the daily intake low (10-15 nuts a day).

What does not seem to work:  Any gluten based foods, starches, and beans.  I have to stay off any legume that is more starch than protein, breads and flour foods are evil and make me bloat and swell within 20 minutes of consumption.  And rice, corn and potatoes, don't seem to allow my body to lose any weight. 

SO we're gonna try this new eating plan and see what happens.

Sample Eating Plan:

7am:  Jackie Warner's Shake Recipe (or quick solution, a coffee & a banana)

Ingredients

1 scoop protein powder

1 teaspoon Glutamine Powder

1 teaspoon BCAA powder

1 tablespoon L. Carnitine

1/2 tablespoon Flax Seed Oil

1 cup of spinach with fruit

Directions

Mix every thing together in the blender. Blend. Drink.

9am:  Low-Fat Cottage Cheese w/crudite (celery, raw bell pepper, carrots)

12pm:  10-15 Nuts (Almonds or Walnuts are best) - NO Peanuts, they're a legume

3pm:  1/2 cup of healthy tuna or chicken salad on a bed of greens (made with low-fat mayo & chopped veggies)

6pm:  1/4 Rotisserie Chicken w/side salad or green veggie

9pm:  NO CALORIES past 9:00pm (2 hours before bed) - if I'm desperately hungry, I'll drink a glass of milk

Sample Work-Out Plan:

2pm:  HIIT Training

(30 minutes - treadmill)

7pm:  Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred DVD

Quickie

Just shooting a quick note here today.  All is well.  Opera Moderne's production of "Turn of the Screw" is of to a great start!

I've been eating clean all week!!!  Yay!

I gave up diet soda this week...boy this is hard...talk about craving...I'm so addicted!  But haven't touched a one since Sunday.

Went to the gym today and did my HIIT training on the treadmill.  NICE to be back!

All in all a good day  :)

Food Addiction or Overtired

Do you fight the good fight, but sometimes it just seems impossible?   Are you overtired, over stressed, over... it?  Yeah, me too.  It's hard to stick to our diet and exercise regiments day in and day out, especially when daily life gets in the way.  There are several culprits that could be sabotaging your saintly expedition to a healthy and happy bod.

Thanks to women's fitness, we will look at some of the reasons...let's start with the Top 10:

For some women overeating means bingeing and for others it means consuming more or other than planned. Most of us are overeating for a hundred different reasons. We are eating due to stress, irritation and frustration. It may be worry or overwork. We eat because our stomach feels ‘blah’. We are eating out of habit and with no real direction or thoughts about what we are doing with our face in the fridge.

Let's try to identify, the ten "triggers" for overeating and then try to overcome them:

1.  Boredom- You eat when you're bored or do not have anything interesting to do or look forward to. TV is a favorite pass time especially when you are alone at home and bored. When food commercials are running 200 images per hour into our cerebral cortex it is difficult not to be draw towards the refrigerator. If food commercials are a trigger, watch nature shows or commercial-free TV.

Beat it by: If you are just grabbing anything out of the refrigerator, make something healthy like cut veggies and leave them in the fridge.

2.  Feeling Deprived- You feel deprived of the foods which you enjoy and this leaves you craving for them even more. Media's attitudes towards emphasizing thinness as ideal has lead to restrictive dieting and avoidance of whole groups of foods. Unfortunately, because the foods being avoided are abundantly available, and food visibility and availability are powerful eating stimuli, the restricter often breaks her "plan" and eats a forbidden food. Once this happens, overwhelming guilt followed by feelings of low self esteem motivate the individual to go on over consuming the avoided food in an attempt to numb these negative feelings.

Beat it by: Focusing on balancing the calorie input to calorie output. Model healthy eating and exercise habits. Do this as a genuine concern for your own well-being. Eating high fat foods in moderation will do no harm.

3.  Feeling Disgust or Hatred with Your Body- Check if your focus is on the things which you feel are wrong with your body. One of the reason women are unable to over come eating triggers is the inability to accept the body in spite of the bombardment on our souls of absurd body ideals.


Beat it by: seeking professional advice from a dietician or psychologist who will help you overcome the feeling of disgust and hatred. Map out a recovery plan in close consultation and then try to stick with it to develop a positive self-image. Define your own personal values – those that are right for your individual authentic self. Each of you must discover who you are inside, what your innate talents and gifts are and then find the joy and strength to nurture those gifts to their fullest – regardless of anyone else’s opinions.

4.  Glucose intolerance- This is a physiological trigger. In a healthy body, carbohydrates are converted to glucose and a blood glucose level of ~60-120mg/dl is maintained without thought to the dietary consumption of carbohydrate. In the glucose intolerant population, carbohydrates are readily converted to glucose and the pancreas responds to this shift in blood sugar by secreting an excessive amount of the hormone, insulin. Insulin’s job is to remove the glucose from the blood stream and help it to enter the body cells. If done properly, the blood glucose level returns to the normal range regardless of the amount of carbohydrate consumed. If this system is not working correctly, a quick rise in blood glucose followed by an over production of insulin occurs. The excessive insulin is not recognized by the body cells so is unable to remove the glucose from the blood stream. The result is an increase in blood insulin levels, which has an appetite stimulating effect. The person is driven to eat and if simple carbohydrates are chosen, the cycle continues.

Beat it by: Spreading the calories out by eating a small amount frequently can help maintain a normal blood gluclose level. This means every ~3 hours. A recommendation is to be slightly hungry before the next eating event. If famished, then the interval between eating events is probably too long or too little was eaten at the last eating event. If one approaches the next eating event full then too much was consumed at the last eating event. The macronutrients, protein and fat, in combination with carbohydrate have the potential to delay the rise in blood glucose. Protein is preferred as fat interferes with the effectiveness of insulin. Complex carbohydrates leave the stomach more slowly than simple carbohydrate and therefore can also help in blood glucose regulation. Complex carbohydrates contain fiber. Soluble fiber is especially beneficial for this condition. If blood glucose levels do not rise rapidly, there is less likelihood of excessive insulin secretion and less appetite stimulation. It’s important to increase water consumption along with an increase in protein or fiber. Water carries nutrients and oxygen to cells and removes waste. Eating a high fiber diet requires extra water to process the additional roughage and to prevent constipation.
5.  Habits- Your daily habits are not as healthy as they may be and you may not even be aware of some of them. Often, excessive eating, lack of physical activity and stress tips the scales of our otherwise balanced lifestyles. Many women have found that overeating tends to occur in specific places and times, such as in the evening when you're at home and watching television.
Beat it by: Turning off the TV off and engaging in a hobby that keeps your mind and hands busy. Another solution to stress-related overeating is to address the sources of stress. Acknowledge and address feelings of depression, anger or anxiety. Do whatever you can to reduce feelings of stress, like writing a journal, talking with a friend, or exercise.

6.  Lack of Energy and Feeling Tired- You are putting up with so much in your life that this is constantly draining your energy, leaving you feeling tired. "When your energy level is low, you may look for food to pick you up," says Robert E. Thayer, Ph.D., professor of psychology at California State University at Long Beach. Unfortunately, most women reach for calorie-laden treats instead of an apple or banana.

Beat it by: Identifying your low-energy times of day and substitute them with other activities for eating. Take a 10-minute walk or a water-cooler chat break. There are healthier ways of nurturing yourself, such as getting plenty of rest and relaxation, reading a good book, or taking a quiet walk.

7.  Needing Love and Comfort- You turn to food when you're really needing love and comfort. With the pressure of work both at office as well, at home women tend to be burned out. All this is acceptable if supported with constant appreciation and love. Lack of appreciation, discouraging remarks leave women sad and lonely, who tend to turn towards food to find consolation.

Beat it by: Taking out some time for yourself and relaxing. Pamper yourself by going out for a facial, manicure or pedicure. Take out the children to a nearby park where you can walk and relax along with the kids.

8.  Feeling Overwhelmed- You have got so much that you feel you must do that you find it difficult to take the first step. Pressure of work and deadlines leaves many discouraged, who finally drop-out without giving a try. Take the first step, then the second and third and move on...

Beat it by: Do what can be done. Trust me, you will be amazed with your own capacity of performance. Reinforce the feeling of achievements in you instead of submitting to the pressure. Emotional eating is sometimes considered well within the range of normal behavior. However, problems arise when emotional eating becomes excessive and interferes with lifestyle quality and good health. If you feel emotional eating is a problem, it may be wise to work with a counselor trained in eating disorders.

9.  Feeling Upset and Hurt- You turn to food when someone says or does something that feels upsetting or hurtful to you. Anxieties and emotions can also trigger the desire to eat. Some women eat because they are sad or stressed out or even to celebrate when they are happy.

Beat it by: Going out in the open air and walk, The mini-blast of oxygen will vanquish tiredness and mental exhaustion. Leave your worries behind and be in the moment. Look at the birds. Be thankful. Let go, breathe deeply and relax. You may discover God has always been with you!
 
10.  Lack of Willpower- Your attitude is shaped by your thoughts, feelings, and actions. It's really easy to feel good when the going is good. The key to vibrant energy and a powerful attitude is to MAKE yourself feel good, ESPECIALLY when the going's tough, and you don't feel good, or you don't want to feel good. Willpower is one of the tools you need to employ in order resist the powerful cravings associated with food. The cravings will attempt to control you. It is your willpower, determination and self-discipline that you will use to fight back.

Beat it by: developing a strong will-power. Every women has the capacity to build up or strengthen her willpower by exercising it in times of need. Lifting weights develops muscles, and exercising willpower makes it stronger. Add self-discipline in your life to become more aware of how you use your willpower in the course of all your daily activities.

Another possibility could be a Food Addiction:  Look at this great article from WebMD about Mental Health and Food Addiction.


You can also consider low level of serotonin, especially if you're craving carbs:  Another article from WebMD discusses Carbohydrate Cravings and Depression.


AND NOW FOR A BONUS!!!  Here's a final article from WebMD, Your Guide to Never Feeling Tired Again!

Toxic Holidays

I think I basically poisoned myself this past Holiday weekend.  It all started with an "innocent" Easter Brunch that turned into a wine and pasta-fest later.  This past week, I've been detoxing and getting rid of the toxins in my body, and what do I do this weekend?  I sabotage the whole enchilada.  Starting with a mimosa on Easter morning and ending with way too much wine and Alfredo pasta in the end.  I was sick all night with fever and achiness.  My body just can not consume alcohol and straight up carbs anymore.  I suffer every time.  But instead of saying no, I think of food as some type of reward system.  My addiction is terrible.  I LOVE junk food, breads, cereals, and anything fried.  I also love yummy grilled veggies, salads and all kinds of grilled and roasted meats.  So WHY do I think one is more rewarding than the other?  I enjoy them equally...don't I?  The one exception is that while on keeps me satisfied and functioning throughout the day, the other turns me into a whiny mess.  Guess which is which...that's right...the yummy grilled proteins and veggies are what my body hums and purrs on whilst the carb/sugar loaded diet makes me go on a insulin roller coaster ride with a side of flu-like symptoms.  So uncool!

Now back to eating clean and to seeing if I can't get my body to forgive my abuse.

Below is an article I'm reposting from LighterLiving.com...

Gluten - the most common Protein may be secretly poisoning you

Do you suffer from symptoms of abdominal pain, stomach aches, difficulty losing weight or excessive weight loss, bloating, gas, diarrhea, fatigue, bone or joint pain, skin rashes, mouth ulcers, migraines, difficulty concentrating or irritability?

You may have Celiac Disease (CD) or Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS) which leads to malabsorbtion of the nutrients you need to live a symptom free, vibrant life. To find out if a gluten free diet is for you, take our Gluten Intolerence Quiz.

Gluten sensitivity has also been associated with infertility, miscarriage, autoimmune thyroid disease, dermatitis, depression, immune system disorders, developmental brain problems in infants and children, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and autism. These conditions are often treated with medications, when a simple change in diet could really help.

Gluten is composed of two protein groups; gliadins which give dough its flow characteristics and glutenins, which provide elastic consistency. It is found in the grains of wheat, barley, rye and oats has been hybridized and cultivated to be disease resistant, refined with chemicals and exists in thousands of processed foods. Gluten is also found in every day products such as stamp and envelope adhesive, many different medicines and vitamins.

Even though the consumption of oats has recently proven to be safe you should try to purchase your oats from companies that only process the oat grain because often farmers grow their oats and wheat in the same field making the possible cross contamination of the two grains virtually impossible. For more information please read our solution article.


Because the gluten protein is a very large, complex food molecule it is very hard to digest. In a gluten sensitive person, it actually attacks the intestinal lining with a thick mucous, flattening the microvilli that help with absorption, creating inflammation and tearing microscopic holes in the small intestine causing Leaky Gut Syndrome. This allows bacteria and toxins to leak into your blood stream setting causing your immune system to overreact leading to the symptoms mentioned above.

It is speculated that 50% of the average Western diet includes wheat based bread, cereals, pastries and pasta, making millions of people with undiagnosed gluten sensitivity inexplicably ill.

While gluten antibodies can damage the bowels, they also cause problems in the nervous system. Dr. M Hadjivassiliou of the UK, a neurologist at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield tested patients who had "neurological dysfunction" with no obvious cause for gluten sensitivity. He found that more than half tested positive for Celiac Disease and 1/3 of those tested positive never had the typical gut symptoms. In those cases, gluten damaged the cerebellum and the peripheral nervous system.

Worldwide nearly 1 in 200 people have the most severe form of gluten sensitivity known as Celiac Disease (CD) though it is estimated that more than 90% are undiagnosed! If you have Celiac Disease it is permanent and can not be treated with medications. Diet is the only treatment and it has been reported that as little as 0.1 grams of ingested gluten can trigger irritating yet tolerable symptoms. People who have CD or NCGS also have a very high incidence of lactose intolerance.

Up to 1 in 7 people have lesser forms of gluten sensitivity (NCGS) and their symptoms can disappear or improve on a 30-90 day gluten free diet. Once the gut has healed from the effects of gluten and your total toxic load is eliminated by internal cleansing, you may slowly reintroduce gluten, using the food log provided in solutions.

Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity and Celiac Disease can be genetically inherited.

GLUTEN AND WEIGHT GAIN

Gluten is insulinogenic, meaning it stimulates insulin release, and thereby promotes weight gain and inflammation by abnormal blood sugar control. It has been found that diabetes and Celiac D`isease often go hand in hand and that hundreds of thousands of people with Insulin Resistance Syndrome also have gluten sensitivity.

FEEDING YOUR BRAIN? CRAVING BREAD AND BAKED GOODS?

Is this you? Do you crave bread or baked goods? Once you start eating them you can't stop? Gluten has an effect on the opioid receptors in your brain, which control pain and pleasure. Carbohydrate addiction can be a symptom of NCGS.

When gluten is broken down it produces opiate like compounds which bind to the opioid receptors in the brain. Initially they make you feel good and satisfied, but over time it can create havoc with your health. These compounds are so strong that when exposed to strong digestive enzymens in the lab, they did not break down! Sometimes when people remove gluten from their diets, they actually have withdrawal symptoms from the removal of the opioids. They have greater cravings, just like drug withdrawal and you will need encouragement to hold the course.

Exposure of these opiod proteins from food, has shown to be a neurotoxin and destroys brain cells especially in infants and young children. Ongoing research suggests that these proteins also lead to autism, developmental brain and behavior problems. Preliminary data states that the dazed, unfocused look of the autistic child may be due to the opioid effect of gluten and can resemble a look similar to a person who is high on drugs. These opioid proteins can be tested for in urine and are called polypeptides. *PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE PUTTING YOUR CHILD ON A GLUTEN FREE DIET.

AUTOIMMUNE CONDITIONS

The Digestive Diseases and Science Journal NOTED that people with CD and NCGS have a high rate of autoimmune conditions such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Type I diabetes, liver disease, Sjogren's syndrome and thyroid problems.

A study from Italy showed that the longer gluten sensitive people eat gluten, the more likely they are to develop autoimmune diseases. Various antibodies (i.e. thyroid antibodies) that indicate autoimmune disease can actually disappear after 3-6 months of a gluten-free diet. That is a small price to pay for health.

DERMATITIS HERPETIFORMIS

Caused by allergic reactions to gluten, Dermatitis Herpetiformia was first described in 1884 by dermatologist, Louis Duhring, at the University of Pennsylvania. This type of dermatitis is extremely painful and I have heard people describe the pain as thousands of red ants stinging while sand is being rubbed into the skin at the same time. The typical features are small grouped incredibly itchy blisters, often on red plaques, on the back of the elbows, forearms, buttocks and front of the knees. Other less common sites may be the face, scalp and trunk.

CANCER

A long known fact is that Celiac Disease and Hodgkin's Lymphoma are connected. In the 1960's a study reported 100-fold increase of this cancer in people who have issues with gluten.

From 1982-2005 1,968 people with CD were followed by a team of researchers. This study found that increased risk of developing cancer (such as small bowel adenocarcinoma) directly corresponds with the age of diagnosis of CD. In this group, the longer a person ate gluten the greater the risk of developing cancer. With 90% of people with CD or gluten sensitivity undiagnosed, the uncovering of this sensitivity can have an impact on the rising rate of lymphatic cancer.

OSTEOPOROSIS

A study reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine investigated the link between CD and osteoporosis. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine recruited 840 subjects, 260 of the subjects had been diagnosed with osteoporosis. Blood tests and other diagnostic tools revealed that CD was much more common among subjects with osteoporosis and those with the most severe cases of CD tended to have the most severe cases of osteoporosis.

Lead researcher, Dr. William Stenson, stated that he and his colleagues believe that the gluten in the diet caused malabsorption and the inability to absorb normal amounts of calcium and vitamin D leading to osteoporosis. When these women were put on a gluten free diet it lead to intestinal healing, better absorption of calcium and vitamin D and a reversal of bone loss!

MISCARRIAGE AND INFERTILITY

Reported in the British journal The Lancet, Dr. Antonio Gasbarrini of Gemelli Hospital, Catholic University, in Rome, studied 44 patients who had a history of spontaneous abortion, 39 patients who had fetuses with intrauterine growth retardation and 50 normal controls. For each group the researchers measured markers for gluten sensitivity and CD.

According to Dr. Antonio Gasbarrini, the patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion and those with intrauterine fetal growth retardation had a significantly higher frequency of markers of CD and NVGS than the controls.

A UK study from the Centre for Pregnancy Nutrition, Section of Reproductive Medicine at University of Sheffield found that CD can be a cause of unexplained infertility in women. Studies suggest that dietary treatment of these women with a gluten free diet may result in successful conception.

SHORT STATURE

Short stature or being significantly under the average height is often a repercussion of childhood celiac disease which prevents nutrient absorption during the years when nutrition is critical to a child's normal growth and development. Children who are diagnosed and treated before their growth stops may have a catch-up period.

In summary, you do not have to be gluten sensitive or have Celiac Disease to go on a gluten free diet. Hundreds of patients benefit from trying this diet for one month or more.

If you suspect that you may have Celiac Disease or Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity, complete the Gluten Intolerence Quiz for your risk index.

Today's Food Log:

8am - 2 hard boiled eggs w/salt
1pm - Chicken Salad w/real mayo, dill pickle on a bed of lettuce
4pm - Kettle Cooked Peanuts w/sea salt & cracked black pepper

Weight: 147.5 (up 3 lbs. since last weigh in).

Boiled Eggs & A Flat Belly

I have found that having boiled eggs, or eggs in general in my diet everyday has helped with my weight loss efforts.  Granted I'm on a high protein, low carb diet, so just cutting the crap out of my diet helps.  However eggs are a quick and easy way to get good solid protein and fats into the diet AND I like them! 

A study published in the International Journal of Obesity reveals that those who have an egg breakfast, have a waist circumference that is more slender than those who ate the same amount of calories from bagels. But, although it’s good to eat boiled eggs, limit it to six points or less per week. (Read more: How to get a flat stomach naturally at Healthy Living Guide http://www.al7alem.com/how-to-get-a-flat-stomach-naturally/#ixzz1rAsqYY36)

If you're a cholesterol worrier, you can always do egg whites which are fantastic pure protein with low to no fat. AND by the way, eggs aren't the dietary demons they're cracked up to be. Common misconceptions keep many people, especially those worried about heart disease, from eating eggs. In a July 2006 issue of the Harvard Heart Letter, they unscramble the dietary facts and myths about the ever controversial egg.

Fact: Eggs are a good source of nutrients. One egg contains 6 grams of protein and some healthful unsaturated fats. Eggs are also a good source of choline, which has been linked with preserving memory, and lutein and zeaxanthin, which may protect against vision loss.

Fact: Eggs have a lot of cholesterol. The average large egg contains 212 milligrams of cholesterol. As foods go, that’s quite a bit, rivaled only by single servings of liver, shrimp, and duck meat.

Myth: All that cholesterol goes straight to your bloodstream and then into your arteries. Not so. For most people, only a small amount of the cholesterol in food passes into the blood. Saturated and trans fats have much bigger effects on blood cholesterol levels.

Myth: Eating eggs is bad for your heart. The only large study to look at the impact of egg consumption on heart disease—not on cholesterol levels or other intermediaries—found no connection between the two. In people with diabetes, though, egg-a-day eaters were a bit more likely to have developed heart disease than those who rarely ate eggs.

If you like eggs, eating one a day should be okay, especially if you cut back on saturated and trans fats. Other ways to enjoy eggs without worrying about cholesterol include not eating the yolk, which contains all the cholesterol, or using pourable egg whites or yolk-free egg substitutes.  Personally, I boil mine which cuts down on the extra stuff you need to cook them in, and it makes them easily transportable.  :)


Now for today's log and the numbers...


Food Log:
8am - coffee w/half & half and sweet & low
11am - 2 hard boiled eggs w/salt
12pm - grilled chicken parm
2pm - iced decaf coffee w/half & half and sweet & low
4pm - 60 calorie Jello Dark Chocolate Temptations
7pm - 4 grilled chicken skewers w/taziki sauce

Activity Log:
15 minutes walking at 3.0 pace
60 minutes walking at 3.0 pace

Day 4 weight: 145 lbs (down 6 lbs.)

Day 3 and Detoxing

Day 3 and feeling even more tired...wtf?  Its not like I've started my hardcore work-outs yet.  It must be my body dealing with the detox of getting rid of all the sugar, carbs and gluten.  However my liver is feeling happier already.  Did you know that there is a very strong theory that a toxic liver can cause arthritis?  Well not only a toxic liver, but kidneys and digestive systems fall under this as well. 

In many forms of arthritis (especially RA) pain and inflammation can be caused by an overabundance of circulating cmmune complexes (CIC’s). According to some theorists, CIC’s are formed in the body when larger than normal molecules escape from the gastrointestinal tract due to decreased integrity of the gut lining. Other antigens can be introduced as environmental pollutants that enter the body through various mechanisms. These molecules are recognized by the immune system as a foreign invader, which incites the formation of antibodies, which then couple with the antigen, forming the CIC.

In a healthy person, CIC's are sequestered and neutralized, but in arthritis(and other diseases) they accumulate and begin to overburden the eliminative organs and initiate allergic and immune responses. When too many CIC's accumulate, the kidneys and liver become overburdened, and cannot break them down. The CIC's are often shunted to the connective tissue (including the joints) to be destroyed by the immune system. White blood cells are summoned by cytokines to destroy the CIC's. However, in this process, normal or 'innocent bystander’ tissue can be attacked and damaged. High levels of antioxidants should be standing ready to regulate and monitor this process, but in all cases of arthritis, regardless of the type, a deficiency of antioxidants is the rule. Pain, inflammation, and stiffness results from these repeated, unregulated attacks.

I personally know from experience that when I eat clean and stay active, my liver functions properly and most, if not all of my joint pain and stiffness goes away.  This is coming from a young 30-something year old female who is relatively active!  Take care of your organs people, they mean everything.  Healthy living inside and out!

Interesting article at the following link about the liver and detoxification:  http://www.positivehealth.com/article/detoxification/nutritional-approaches-to-liver-detoxification

Now for today's log and the numbers...

Food Log:

8am - coffee w/half & half and sweet & low

11am - 2 hard boiled eggs w/salt
2pm - Lamb & Salad
3pm - decaf iced coffee w/half & half and sweet & low
6pm - artichoke hearts w/fresh lemon


Activity Log:

15 minutes walking at 3.0 pace

45 minutes walking at 3.0 pace
30 minutes walking at 3.0 pace


Day 3 weight: 146 lbs (down 5 lbs)

Day 2 and Fructose?

So it's day 2 of being back on the straight and narrow of shaping up, and boy am I tired.  That's the problem, I've been tired for the past 3 weeks or so and unmotivated to eat well or exercise.  Thankfully I live in NYC, so you can't help but be active...My commute alone keeps me walking briskly and climbing up and down stairs.  I didn't work-out as hard as I had planned yesterday, but I did burn calories by going out of my way and walking at any open moments in my day.  Plus I love walking when the weather is sunny and beautiful...NYC in Spring / Summer is great! (Fall's not so bad either).

My eating was decent yesterday, and I'm happy about the added green juice in there.  Micronutrients are so important, and an all green juice is a quick and easy way to introduce them into your diet.  Go Green!

I got a call yesterday and found out that my friend's father, who has been sick for several months, has a fructose allergy.  He's not allowed any fruit or products containing fructose and is finally getting better.  I know that sugar intolerance is very common, but I didn't know it could be a direct fructose type allergy and intolerance (two different things).  I'm going to read up on this and find out more, I find this fascinating (see article at bottom of this post). 

Personally I don't generally have fruit in my diet because I react to all sugars due to my family's history of hypo & hyperglycemia (diabetes).  I have found that if I stay away from simple carbs, sugars and glutens, I function well.  I have a feeling that the reason I haven't been feeling well this past month has EVERYTHING to do with my crappy diet.  I shall continue down the low carb path and see where it takes me.

I'm also keeping my caffeine intake down, because its been shown in studies to increase excess insulin in the body.  Oh and alcohol is out, unless I'm cleaning a wound with it or something  : /


Food Log:
8am - decaf coffee w/half & half and sweet & low
10am - 2 hard boilded eggs w/salt
2pm - baked, breadless chicken wings w/buffalo sauce
5pm - decaf coffee w/half & half and sweet & low


Activity Log:
15 minutes walking at 3.0 pace
30 minutes walking at 3.0 pace

Day 2 weight:  147.5 lbs  (down 3.5 lbs)


ALLERGY TO FRUCTOSE (an article from LivingStrong.com)

Fructose, or fruit-based sugar, is the most commonly used sugar in food products. Most table sugar is made from cane, which is a plant-based sugar. An allergy to fructose can make it difficult for someone to find foods that are safe to eat without experiencing adverse reactions. According to Allergy Escape, the most common food allergies are to eggs, milk, yeast, wheat, corn, soy and sugar. An allergy to fructose will have similar signs and symptoms to that of other food allergies. Talk with your doctor for a proper diagnosis.

Cause

A fructose allergy is a malfunction of the immune system where the body doesn't recognize certain substances in the sugar. The immune system mistakes fructose as a harmful substance and attacks it with IgE antibodies. The antibodies start a reaction in the body that causes certain cells in soft tissue to produce histamine. The release of histamine in turn results in inflammation and irritation in the nose, throat, lungs, skin and mouth, according to MayoClinic.com.

Symptoms

Symptoms of a fructose allergy appear within minutes after ingesting the sugar. The most common symptoms of a fructose allergy are digestive issues, respiratory complications and skin rashes. Digestive issues include vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain and cramping, according to Allergy Escape. Respiratory complications may include asthma, nasal congestion and eye irritation. Common skin rashes that can develop are hives and eczema, causing the skin to swell and become itchy.

Diagnosis

To diagnose a fructose allergy, you will have to see an allergist. An allergist will perform a skin and blood test to determine if the symptoms are from a genuine allergic reaction to fructose. The skin test will show irritation in the skin when the fructose is injected, and the blood test will show increased levels of IgE antibodies when the sugar is consumed.

Consideration

A fructose allergy should not be confused with fructose intolerance. Fructose intolerance does not involve an immune-system reaction. It is the body's inability to properly process the sugar and typically leads to digestive complications, according to Medline Plus. Only a medical doctor can determine if you have a true fructose allergy.

Warning

MayoClinic.com warns that a severe allergic reaction to fructose can lead to death. Signs and symptoms that are alarming are hives, swelling of the throat, lips or tongue, a sudden drop in blood pressure, dizziness and feeling faint. If these symptoms develop, get immediate medical attention.

References

Allergy Escape: Food Allergy

MayoClinic.com: Food Allergy

Medline Plus: Fructose Intolerance

Article reviewed by Eric Lochridge Last updated on: Nov 1, 2010

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/293802-allergy-to-fructose/

And We're Back

Life has been a bit crazy lately, what with a busy performing and producing schedule.  It's not easy building an empire.  ;) 

Today is the first day back to clean living.  I've been off the wagon nutrition and activity wise these past 3 weeks and now I have to do damage control. So back on a high protein, low carb diet, and say hello to exercise once again.  A friend of mine is a personal trainer and he wants to get me on the CrossFit bandwagon.  I'm not sure what that entails, but I hear it's intense...guess I'm going to find out soon enough.  Wish me luck!  eek!!!

If I calculate correctly, I can get a good 5 lbs. off this week.  I've pretty much gotten weight loss / damage control down to a science.  I definitely know that once I pull gluten out of my diet I start to shed the pounds, and with my work-outs, they shed pretty quickly.  Knowledge is power.

Hope all is well with all of you in the world.  Drop me a line and let me know how your diet and exercise programs are going. 


Going to start logging food and activity...so updates will be posted throughout the day.

Food Log:
8am - decaf coffee w/half & half and sweet & low
10am - 2 hard boiled eggs
12:30pm - 1 oz beef jerky
2:30pm - 20 oz Green Juice (all greens)
5:30pm - 3 portabella mushroom cap "pizzas" w/turkey pepperoni & part skim mozzerella

Activity Log:
15 minutes of walking 3.0 pace
45 minutes of walking 3.0 pace
30 minutes of walking 3.0 pace

Starting weight: 151 lbs.

Diets and Work-outs and Hormones, OH MY!

I've been riding the Dukan diet bandwagon lately and have been seeing pretty good results.  Currently in the "Attack Phase", 4.5 lbs have fallen off in less than a week.  Not to mention that I've been hitting the "30 Day Shred" and the treadmill at the Gym lately.  I plan on losing a good 10 lbs. by the time New Years rolls around and to be in pretty decent shape by Jan. 25th for a possible show.  THEN I want to be in top "bikini model" shape for this upcoming summer.  Once I've droppped the pounds of lovely female insulation, I plan on really toning up the bod before the Spring's end.

Unfortunately, I think the one factor that is working against me is my hormones.  I think I'm hitting PMS this week and I'm starting to lose focus.  Everything makes me angry, pissed off and sad this week.  I seem to hate everyone and cry at commercials on the telly...very possible this is all hormonally based, or I'm just a sad, angry person...I'm going with "sad, angry person"  lol!  But seriously, it's crazy how hormones can affect our logic, our reason, our desires and our willpower.  How many times have you been off "chemically" or "hormonally" and found yourself saying "Ah F#$K it! I'll eat what I want, forget my diet...I'm just too stressed...or tired...or ________ (insert excuse)"?  Yeah, that's life, and we have to deal.  SO, I'm trying to keep my cool, not lose my mind, deal with crap that the world throws at me and persevere through.

Today I have a gym date to do some guerilla cardio on the treadmill with my girl Kristina.  She's been a good gym buddy and has lost 40 lbs. in the past year with diet and exercise.  My girl Vicki has lost 28 lbs. so far in the last 2 months (thank you Dr. Dukan) and has about 30-40 more to go before her beach wedding this coming August.  I know she'll stick with it and look fantastic for her big day...we won't let her do otherwise ;)

All in all, life is good.  I'm seeing successes in my diet, my fitness, and my career...my love life on the other hand is a bit strained, which can really throw a wrench in anything you do.  Emotional distraction and distress cloud one's judgement and sucks the energy and will right out of you.  We just have to trust ourselves, know our strengths and really push forward no matter what...In fact, nothing makes you feel better than a good work-out.  Get your anxieties out in the gym, go for a run, pop in a killer work-out DVD or go for a long swim...trust me, you'll feel better afterwards and look great too!

Have a great day!

Bex

Recovery Week

The Grand Thanksgiving Feast is done, the leftovers consumed, the alcohol in dregs and the dent in the sofa is ever deeper.  Now it's time to turn from our glutenous and slothful ways, back to the healthy eating and the frequent visits to the gym...its time for Recovery Week!  If you've found yourself plumper than the turkey that was on your table this past Thursday, then it's time to take action.

My personal approach is to detox, eat lean, green and healthy, and to not forget those calorie shedding moments in the gym.  Today I started back with a mostly lean protein, green veggie diet with a morning fruit/green protein shake in the morning (also great for a pre-workout shake).

 Jackie Warner's Secret Shake:

• 1 cup frozen spinach
• 1 cup frozen berries (I like a higher Strawberry ratio in this)
• 1/2 tbsp. Flaxseed Oil
• 1 tbsp. L-Carnitine (I like the rasberry liquid version from Vitamin Shoppe)
• 1 tsp. BCAA
• 1 tsp. L-Glutamine
• 1 Scoop of Whey Protein (the lowest carb version you can find...I use Zero Carb Isopure Vanilla)

I would blend the liquids, powders and protein first in the blender, adding a splash of water as needed.  Then add your cup of frozen spinach and blend until your shake is green and smooth, then finally adding in the frozen berries until fully blended.  Drink immediately.

This is such a great start to my day, and really gets my metabolism going.  I have my shake at 7am and I'm easily hungry again by 9am, so then onto egg whites or 0% Greek yogurt.

Here's a sample of my daily nutrition on this lean diet and the work-outs I get in:

• 7am - the not so "Secret Shake"
• 9am - 3 Egg whites (and a nice cup of hot green tea)
• 11am - 0 % Greek Yogurt
• 1pm - Chicken Breast and mixed veggies (mostly green and cauliflower)
• 2pm (30 minute Guerrilla Cardio at the gym on the Treadmill)
• 3pm - 10 to 15 raw almonds (maybe another cup of green tea)
• 6pm - Portabella Mushroom "pizza" with lean ground beef bolognese and skim shredded mozzarella (I make my own bolognese because I can control what goes into the sauce, keep the sugar out, add the protein in and keep it low fat.)
• 7pm (Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred DVD)

During this phase, I keep my dairy intake low (it contains lactose), drink tons of water (at least 64 oz), cut all sodas (diet, I never drink regular) out, drink 1-2 cups of green tea per day, and try to keep the rest of the day low in caffeine and sodium (too much caffeine induces the liver to produce excess insulin plus can increase cortisol, and sodium keeps us puffy).

I also like to track my food, water intake, weight and exercise at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ ... I've found that if you log it, you're more likely to stick with it.

Ok, so now you have the tools to drop the Holiday poundage...go for it.  I have found that I average about .5 - 1 pound per day for the first two weeks.  It's a great way to shed unwanted bellyfat and bloat.  After the first two weeks, I add in more legumes like black beans and kidney beans to keep my energy up with the increase in exercise (the "secret shake" is great for energy as well plus muscle repair).

Feel free to hit me up with any questions or comments.

Have a great day,

-Bex

I'm baaack

Well after a crazy summer of hitting Austria's many wonderful music and dance festivals, a successful launch to a new opera company, a tour with the National Lyric Opera's production of Tosca and an incredible evening of comic opera set in a speakeasy...I finally have one moment to breathe and blog.

Austria:  The summer was a whirlwind of events and travel for me.  I found myself involved with a great group of artists and Austrians, and thus ended up in Austria this summer for 2 weeks.  On my travels I visited Vienna, Graz, Salzburg and Carinthia.  What a lovely country with lovely people.  I can't wait to go back.  And the music was sublime.  The only downside is that the food is so delicious that I had to do some serious damage control once I got back to the States.

Opera Moderne:  My new opera company Opera Moderne launched on August 31st...and the New York Times gave us a very favorable review among a few other reviewers.  And just recently we performed the rarely done Wolf-Ferrari comic opera "Le Donne Curiose" to a completely packed house at The Players Club this past Friday.  It was a roaring success with everyone dressing in 1920s fashion and enjoying an evening of prohibition cocktails, great jazz & opera singing, and the wonderful Hot Box Girls who came in and entertained during the intermissions.  It was a night not to be missed!

Diet & Exercise:  After my ridiculous eating in Austria, I came back to NYC and found myself a bit chubbier than I like.  So my girls and I put ourselves on the Dukan diet.  Wow did this work!  I lost a good 13 lbs. in a month and was very pleased to take on some performing when it came to me on Oct. 20th (it was a new twist on Musetta, the clothing was minimal).  Now I've been slacking off a bit and need to get myself and my mindset back on track.  Not to mention, it's time to find myself regularly at the gym, especially with the changing weather coming in (no more beautiful, warm, outside work-outs).  I've got no excuse.  I've gotta bust my butt...if nothing else than to be in great shape in February for when I go back to Vienna to sing this same Musetta role.  I want to look like a freakin' bikini model if I can help it.  I guess it's Dr. Dukan and Jillian Michaels to the rescue.  One thing I have realized on the Dukan diet is that when you have Protein Veggie days, please make sure to get LOTS of green vegetables.  I suggest having a pure green juice if you can get it...those micronutrients are so important and your body needs it.  I'll stick to Dukan until my goal weight of 20 lbs. down from now, and then I'm switching over to slow carb, because I love me some legumes.  I know Paleo works, but I miss my dairy and legumes...so that is the choice I've made.

Simply Green Juice

- 1 cup of spinach

- 2 cups of kale

- 2 cups of parsley

- 1 cucumber

- 3 celery stalks

Add a little garlic and/or ginger if you like. Wash thoroughly and juice.

Well, I hope you are all healthy, happy and fulfilling your goals.  And if you have any questions on these latest adventures, please feel free to hit me up.

Have a great day!

-Bex

My Carb Addiction

Why is it so hard to kick the carb habit?  I'm all for moderation, but it's an everyday struggle for me.  Once I have those sugary goods, I can't help but want more, no matter how bad it makes me feel.  It's sick, really sick that I would want to eat something that makes me feel like crap moments later...why can't I help myself?

Perhaps the reason is, I'm an addict.  And the sooner I realize that and take control, the sooner I get of the stuff that can lead to a sad demise of obesity and diabetes (which happens to run rampant in my family.)

This article from Details Magazine gives you a pretty good understanding of refined carbs and their addictive properties:

ARE CARBS MORE ADDICTIVE THAN COCAINE?

YOUR BODY IS VIRTUALLY DEFENSELESS AGAINST A DEPENDENCY ON CARBOHYDRATES—THE SUBSTANCES THAT REALLY MAKE YOU FAT—AND IT'S TIME FOR AN INTERVENTION.

BY PAUL JOHN SCOTT,

MARCH 2011 ISSUE OF DETAILS MAGAZINE

Photographs by Zachary Zavislak

I'm sitting in a comfortable chair, in a tastefully lit, cheerfully decorated drug den, watching a steady line of people approach their dealer. After scoring, they shuffle off to their tables to quietly indulge in what for some could become (if it hasn't already) an addiction that screws up their lives. It's likely you have friends and family members who are suffering from this dependence—and you may be on the same path yourself. But this addiction is not usually apparent to the casual observer. It has no use for the drama and the carnage you associate with cocaine and alcohol. It's slower to show its hand, more socially acceptable—and way more insidious.

I'm in a Panera Bread outlet. The company is on Fortune's 2010 list of the 100 Fastest Growing Companies and earned more than $1.3 billion in 2009, mainly from selling flour and sugar by the railcar. Last year, Zagat named it the most popular large chain in the United States and ranked it second in the Healthy Options category. The company responded by touting its "wholesome" food. Sure, Panera sells a few salads. But why do the scones, pastries, baguettes, and bear claws get all the good lighting? Why are the grab-and-go packs of cookies and brownies next to the register? What need is fulfilled by serving soup bowls made of bread, with a mound of bread for dipping, and then offering more bread on the side? How come it's noon and the couple behind me are eating bagels while the guy to my right is sawing into a cinnamon roll with a fork and a knife like it's a steak?

The answer is that fast-burning carbohydrates—just like cocaine—give you a rush. As with blow, this rush can lead to cravings in your brain and intrusive thoughts when you go too long without a fix. But unlike cocaine, this stuff does more than rewire your neurological system. It will short-circuit your body. Your metabolism normally stockpiles energy so you can use it as fuel later. A diet flush with carbohydrates will reprogram your metabolism, locking your food away as unburnable fat. When you get hungry again you won't crave anything but more of the same food that started you down the path to dependency. Think of this stuff as more than a drug—it's like a metabolic parasite, taking over your body and feeding itself.

You aren't supposed to talk this way about carbohydrates. According to USDA dietary recommendations, they are not only healthy but are supposed to make up the majority of the food we eat—45 to 65 percent of all calories. Carbs, which are classified as starches and sugars, make up the essence of bread, cereal, corn, potatoes, cookies, pasta, fruit, juice, candy, beer, and sweetened drinks—basically anything that isn't protein or fat. Our government's recommendations were established in the 1970s and have since been accompanied by an explosion of obesity and diabetes. The advice came about as early nutrition scientists rallied around a misguided maxim that remains embedded in the fabric of our attitudes toward food to this day: Eating too much fat makes you fat. But science never bore out this pre-Galilean view of nutrition. What is now clear is this: At the center of the obesity universe lie carbohydrates, not fat.

"You could live your whole life and never eat a single carbohydrate—other than what you get from mother's milk and the tiny amount that comes naturally in meat—and probably be just fine," says Gary Taubes, the award-winning author of Good Calories, Bad Calories, which is helping to reshape the conversation about what makes the American diet so fattening.

If all you knew about food is what you read in the USDA guidelines, you'd think our bodies conveniently come into the world seeking the one nutrient that is cheap and amenable to commercial mass production: carbohydrates. "Sugars and starches provide energy to the body in the form of glucose, which is the only source of energy for red blood cells and is the preferred energy source for the brain," says the latest edition of the guidelines. Wrong, says Taubes, who just released Why We Get Fat, a layman's version of his influential scientific tome. In the absence of carbs, your body will burn fatty acids for energy. It's how you sleep through the night without eating for eight hours. "The brain does indeed need carbohydrates for fuel," Taubes says, "but the body is perfectly happy to make those out of protein, leafy green vegetables, and the animal fat you're burning." As a pair of Harvard doctors (one an endocrinologist and one an epidemiologist) wrote in the Journal of the American Medical Association last summer, carbohydrates are "a nutrient for which humans have no absolute requirement."

•••

The Diets That Work

You wouldn't know it from reading the latest dietary headlines, but all of the popular diets—from Atkins to Dean Ornish (Bill Clinton's weight-loss plan) to the diet-of-the-moment, Paleo—are successful because the most important change they advise is the same: stop eating refined carbohydrates. This only reminds us of what had been the conventional wisdom in medicine for hundreds of years before the USDA stepped in: that sugar, flour, potatoes, and rice are what make a person fat, not meat and milk.

Forty years into the low-fat, high-carbohydrate way of eating—we can thank it for "diabesity," shorthand for the societal prevalence of type II diabetes paired with obesity—it seems clearer than ever that our problem lies not simply in carbohydrates, but in their fundamental addictiveness. They sidestep our defenses against overeating, activate brain pathways for pleasure, and make us simultaneously fat and malnourished. They keep us coming back for more, even as they induce physical decline and social rejection. They achieve this more effectively than the controlled substances that can get a guy thrown into jail. Maybe the question isn't whether carbohydrates are addictive, but whether they are the most addictive substance of all.

In 2007, researchers at the University of Bordeaux, France, reported that when rats were allowed to choose between a calorie-free sweetener and intravenous cocaine, 94 percent preferred the sugar substitute. The researchers concluded that "intense sweetness can surpass cocaine reward. . . . The supranormal stimulation of these receptors by sugar-rich diets, such as those now widely available in modern societies, would generate a supranormal reward signal in the brain, with the potential to override self-control mechanisms and thus to lead to addiction." Nicole Avena, an expert in behavioral neuroscience at the University of Florida in Gainesville, has spent many hours analyzing the behavior of rats enticed into sucking up sugar. She says that feeding on sugar can, like snorting coke, lead to bingeing, withdrawal, and craving. It does this by lighting up the same circuitry within the brain triggered by cocaine and amphetamines, the dopamine center.

But a carbohydrate addiction is potentially more destructive than an 8-ball-a-day habit, because it hijacks your metabolism. If you eat a low-carb diet, you are able to remain satiated between meals, because the body will burn its fat stores. But eating carbs, especially refined varieties like sugar or flour, sweetened drinks, or starches, causes the body to release the hormone insulin. The body secretes insulin as a response to high blood sugar—a serious, even potentially lethal health risk over time. The hormone directs cells to extract sugar from the blood and store it as fat, and what's worse, in order to get sugar out of the blood as efficiently as possible, insulin makes it extremely difficult for the body to burn its fat stores. Over time, the presence of insulin in our carb-heavy diet causes diminishing returns. As our cells become resistant to the effects of insulin, our bodies frequently release even more of it to compensate. The result is a blood-sugar vacuum: The body craves more of what the hormone feeds on and triggers our hunger mechanism, which works subconsciously, to direct us toward the nutrient causing all the problems in the first place—carbohydrates. You get fatter and your body craves even more carbs in order to maintain your increasing weight. Drug cartels can only dream of a narcotic with an addiction cycle this powerful.

Once hooked, can you quit your carb addiction? It's not like there's a carb-cessation program at Promises, after all. Taubes says it won't be easy, but given the alternatives, you simply have to try. And cold turkey is as good a method as any. "Anecdotal evidence suggests that the craving for carbs will go away after a while," he says, "although whether a while is a few weeks or a few years is hard to say." And frighteningly like an addict in recovery, you're unlikely ever to be totally cured, and you'll always be tempted to relapse when the opportunity arises. Be warned: The number of Panera Bread outlets is 1,421 and counting.

•••

How You Get Hooked (Over Time)

1. When you take in carbs, like Gatorade or whole-wheat bread, you secrete the hormone insulin. Even thinking about carbs causes this to happen.

2. Refined carbs spike blood sugar, and this is a big problem. The first result is that your body immediately stops burning its existing fat stores.

3. Too much blood sugar is a dangerous situation, and in response, insulin, a hormone, rips it from your blood and tells the body to store the energy as fat (in men this first happens around the waist).

4. Normally your liver controls blood sugar, but because you eat so many carbs you have a constant supply of insulin circulating. This turns out to be bad—very bad. This causes you to become resistant to insulin.

5. Insulin resistance means your body pumps out more insulin to make up for the deficit. Now you're getting fat, but what's worse is that your body desires even more carbs as fodder for the excess insulin.

6. You get fatter and fatter and your body craves more carbs to feed your increasing girth. This destructive cycle is why Americans are so overweight (the process doesn't happen overnight).