Weight Loss Info Center

Do you find yourself wanting to nibble but not wanting to blow your healthy eating habits?  If so, this list is for you.  These snacks are 100 calories or less.  Happy munching!

• 1 piece of string cheese
• 4 chocolate kisses
• 1 hard-boiled egg
• 3 vanilla wafers with 1/2 cup fat-free milk
• 1 frozen fudge pop
• 1 miniature bagel topped with 1 tbsp. reduced-fat chive and onion cream cheese
• 2/3 cup Cheerios with 1/4 cup fat-free milk
• 3/4 cup minestrone soup
• 1/2 English muffin topped with 1 slice of tomato and 1 tbsp. shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, broiled
• 1 medium ear corn on the cob with 1/2 tsp. butter
• 1/2 small baked potato topped with 3 tbsp. salsa
• 1 small banana
• 1 medium plum
• 3/4 cup blueberries
• 3/4 cup red grapes
• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 medium celery sticks with 1 tbsp. reduced-fat cream cheese
• 3/4 cup sliced strawberries with 2 tbsp. reduced-fat frozen whipped topping

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So how many calories can you eat and still lose weight?  Here is a super easy way to find out.

If you only do light activities, take your goal weight and multiply it by 13.  For example, if you weigh 175, but your goal weight is 145, you would multiply 145 x 13 to get 1885 calories.

If you exercise for 30 minutes, 4 days a week or more, multiply your goal weight by 15.  Using the example above, 145 x 15 = 2175 calories. 

The above is the method I used to determine my suggested caloric intake when starting my weight loss journey after the birth of my first child.  I think I tweaked it just a little because I was weight training, but it will definitely give you a good starting point.

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Even though I am back to working out with Debbie Siebers, creator of Slim in 6, I am still wearing my pedometer and my goal is 10,000 steps per day, which I usually meet or exceed.  When looking at that number, 10,000 steps seems overwhelming, so I have been keeping track of how I get that many steps in a day.

Getting kids ready for school.  I put my pedometer on as soon as I get out of bed (every extra step counts!).  I get up at 5:30, do my morning routine, and then get my kids up at 6:00 a.m.  and they leave at 7:00 a.m.  My minimum has been 1300 and a maximum of 1600 (if it’s a really hectic morning).  Steps gained:  1300

Taking breaks.  I work at home (most times in my pjs!), so taking-the-steps-instead-of-the-elevator advice or the park-as-far-away-from-work-as-you-can spiel doesn’t work for me.  My office is only about 10 steps from my bedroom and 10 steps from my kitchen.  My work also requires a lot of sitting at a desk, and since I work quite a few hours a day, I had to come up with a way to get in some steps.  I take lots of breaks!  No, it’s not always feasible, but it helps get the step count up.  I take a break and get something to drink, walk around, whatever I feel like doing.  Steps gained:  1000 

Working out.  I’ve noticed that my short 24-minute workout (Slim in 6’s Start It Up) gives me an extra 1300 to 1500 steps.  The longer the workout, the more steps I will get.  Definitely wear your pedometer when working out and log those extra steps - they count!  Steps gained:  1300

Talking on the phone.  I don’t know about you, but I cannot sit still when I am on the phone.  I have always been that way.  I have to be up moving around, multi-tasking or just moving in general.  Not sitting still while on the phone gives me at the minimum 600 steps.  If it’s a longer conversation, I log more steps.  Steps gained:  600

Vacuuming.  With 2 kids, I can definitely find a room to vacuum on a daily basis.  Steps gained:  at least 600

We’re about halfway to 10,000 steps!

Fixing dinner.  Self-explanatory.  Steps gained:  minimum of 800

Shopping.  Lately I have had to run to the grocery store at least 2 times per week.  Now, this is a great way for me to get in some steps because I am usually all over the store since there is no rhyme or reason to the way I shop.  For example, I may visit the electronics department once, go to the freezer section and remember I needed something else from electronics, and then go back, then resume shopping in the frozen aisles.  I get, at a minimum, 2,000 steps on one shopping excursion!  On days that I have no shopping to do, I find other ways to replace them.  Steps gained:  2000

Laundry.  Again, with 2 kids and 2 adults, there is always something to be laundered.  I usually get a minimum of 1,000 steps for about two loads of laundry.  However, if I really need the extra steps, I will place clothing that is already on a hanger on the bed and walk a piece at a time to where it needs to go.  Steps gained:  1000

Tidying up.  Dusting, putting away books and toys that are strewn all over the floor, hanging up coats, clearing out clutter - they all count!  Steps gained:  500

After school activities and play time.  Going for walks with my kids, play time, after school sports activities gives me a good many steps as well, usually with a minimum of 1,500.  Steps gained:  1500

Total steps for the day:  10,000+

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I have struggled with depression for quite some time.  I think the first time I was officially diagnosed was approximately 5 years ago, but after having put a name to it, I think I had been dealing with it for a good part of my life.  I have tried numerous prescription medications and none of them seemed to work for me.  Yes, they helped with the depression, but the side effects weren’t worth it (lack of emotion, irritability, weight gain, etc.).  So I started looking for more natural ways to deal with my depression, such as herbs and supplements, exercise, deep-breathing techniques, yoga, and meditation.  Certain times of the year are worse for me than others, so I like to be prepared for when the depression strikes.

I have been looking for some time for a natural supplement that will boost serotonin levels.  When I was out shopping about three or four weeks ago, I happened to find a product called Natrol 5-HTP, which is a product used to boost serotonin, thereby decreasing depression.  It wasn’t that expensive and I thought I would give it a try to see if it would work.  I then came home and did some research.  I found some information related to 5-HTP that stated it didn’t only help with depression, but also aids with weight loss. 

The only good thing I can say about my experience with 5-HTP is that it did, in fact, make me feel relaxed, which is never a bad thing.  But along with that relaxation came drowsiness.  I was so drowsy that for the first week I had to lay down every afternoon and take a nap!  That is so unlike me because I am just not a napper.  I thought I would then try it at night before going to bed.  It did help put me to sleep.  But I would also be extremely fatigued the next day.  I couldn’t do much of anything, really, except sit around and “think” about doing something, but never successfully getting things done.  I think the fatigue was one of the worst things about these supplements.  I was also very irritable, but that was probably related to the fatigue.  I was only taking 50 mg, but I know that there are some people who suggest taking 100 to 200 mg per day!  There was no way I was going to do that.

The other side effect I experienced was muscle aches in my legs.  I would walk 10 feet to the kitchen and my legs would feel like I had just walked 10 miles instead of 10 feet.  I have never, even with starting a new workout routine or weight training routine, felt the kinds of aches in my legs that I did on this supplement.  Mind you, the aches were more of an irritant than painful, but it was concerning. 

5-HTP is supposed to help decrease appetite and decrease carbohydrate cravings.  I will admit that my appetite decreased, but that’s probably because I would have to go to sleep after taking it!  How can you be hungry when you’re asleep?

Three days ago, I decided to stop the 5-HTP.  It’s just not worth it to me to feel so tired and fatigued that I cannot think straight, not have enough energy to get off the couch really, be so irritable that my kids and my husband could barely tolerate me (I couldn’t stand myself, so I don’t blame them), and to feel like I can barely walk a few steps without suffering from muscle aches.  I am happy to report that I feel g-o-o-d today!  I am not fatigued, I am not irritable, and I am not having muscle aches.  

Oh, and by the way, I lost not one pound on 5-HTP.  I actually gained 2 pounds!

I suggest for anyone considering taking 5-HTP for its supposed weight loss benefits, check with your doctor first, and research, research, research.  In my first initial research of this product, I only found rave reviews and articles that stated there are no side effects.  After starting to have muscle aches, I looked into it a little further and found a good deal of information that lists the side effects of 5-HTP, and muscle aches is definitely on the list, along with a whole host of other side effects.

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