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A New Year A New Beginning with Losingtogether
Other Helpful Info

On this page you will find articles and suggestions submitted by the men and women on the losing together list. We really hope this information helps you to your goal.

HINTS AND TIPS

Save points by just dipping your fork tongs into salad dressing then into the salad. (no scooping the dressing on the tongs now)lol this will dramatically decrease the amount of salad dressing you use.

Request teriyaki sauce instead of salad dressing. very tasty and very low in points

I use heart smart squeezable butter it is 0 points for up to 4 TBS. The only draw back is that you cannot use this in recipes that need to be cooked. But it tastes great, just like Country Crock.

Caffeine Contents of Various Drinks
Note: these facts were obtained from the alt.drugs.caffeine FAQ.
Units are mgs per 12oz can.
Jolt 100.0
Sugar-Free Mr. Pibb 58.8
Mountain Dew 54.0
Mello Yellow 52.8
Tab 46.8
Coca-Cola 45.6
Diet Cola 45.6
Shasta Cola 44.4
Shasta Cherry Cola 44.4
Shasta Diet Cola 44.4
Mr. Pibb 40.8
Dr. Pepper 39.6
Pepsi Cola 38.4
Aspen 36.0
Diet Pepsi 36.0
RC Cola 36.0
Diet RC 36.0
Diet Rite 36.0
Canada Dry Cola 30.0
Canada Dry Diet Cola 1.2
7 Up 0

By means of comparison, a 7 oz cup of coffee has the following caffine (mg) amounts, according to Bunker and McWilliams in _J Am Diet_ 74:28-32, 1979:
Drip 115-175
Brewed 80-135
Instant 65-100
Decaf 3-4








HELPFUL ARTICLES


Slim-Down Secret
by Jonny Bowden, M.A., C.N.S.

When just about all nutrition professionals are in agreement about some aspect of weight control or health, my ears perk up and so should yours.

We know, for example, that vegetables are in this rarefied category of "things about which there is complete agreement." What other food or supplement qualifies for this VIP status?

Turns out it's not a food at all but a food journal. Most clinical nutritionists agree that it is critical to weight loss success. Here's why.

When you keep a food diary, you're basically undertaking a project the sole purpose of which is to better understand you. The ancients believed that naming something allowed you to master it. Journaling gives you mastery by using the power of your own voice. In our case, the universe we're attempting to master is that of our own bodies, but the possibility exists that we'll end up mastering so much more.

Fact vs. Fiction

The journal helps you to crystallize what you're feeling and focus in on what is actually going on. Feelings are often diffuse, elusive, and hard to pinpoint. Separating "what happened" from the story we make up about it is easier when we write it down. (Think Sgt. Joe Friday in Dragnet: "Just the facts, ma'am, just the facts.") Always remember my favorite mantra: The facts don't make us miserable the meaning we attach to them (our "stories") does.

I lost out on an audition. My boyfriend didn't call me. I gained ten pounds. These are simple, neutral facts. Where they get us in trouble is when we begin to make them "mean" something. "I'm a crummy actress that no one will ever hire," or "No man will ever find me attractive," or "I'm a fat slob with no will power" are examples of the "stories" that we make-up about the previously mentioned facts.

A good exercise for separating fact from personal fiction is what I call the "So what?" exercise. State the "fact" that you think is upsetting you as plainly and neutrally as you can; then add the comment, "So what?" (I gained ten pounds. So what?") "SO WHAT?" the little voices in your head screams. "SO I'm a big fat slob with no will power and I'll never have a life -- that's so what!" But that is not "the fact" at all. The "fact" is this: You gained ten pounds. That you will never have a life is a story. The journal let's you clarify this all-important distinction, so that you can deal with the facts ("So what?") and leave the story behind. (Hint: The facts by themselves are NEVER as bad as the stories you tell yourself about them).

Conscious Eating

Food journals also have the more mundane purpose of letting us really see what goes into our mouths. A lack of consciousness is the biggest enemy of success in weight loss. Most overeating -- in fact, most eating -- is unconscious. It's a mindless, habitual, conditioned reaction to a wide variety of cues, few of which have to do with hunger.

By forcing your feelings into consciousness by writing down what you're doing, when you're doing it, and how you're feeling at the time, you get the opportunity to really examine what's what and to transform automatic behavior into conscious choice.

Food and Mood

Journals also let us begin to make connections between food and mood. One of the problems with the American diet is that we eat so much and our physical and emotional reactions to food are often so delayed, that we lose sight of the effects food has on our moods, energy levels, and mental outlook.

By making room in the journal for notes about what is happening and what we were feeling, we can also bring into clear focus just what conditions are dangerous triggers for non-nurturing eating behaviors.

No Judgments

Finally, for many people, the journal is one of the only places where we can really be alone with ourselves. Freed from the knowledge that someone else will see and judge what we're feeling and saying, we can make many discoveries about ourselves. We can explore feelings, behaviors, fantasies and even "unacceptable" thoughts that we spend a great deal of energy keeping hidden, not only from our loved ones but from ourselves. The journal is your private letter to yourself. Freed from the constraints of social acceptability and "proper behavior" you're able to really delve into the deepest parts of yourself.

In 10 years of practice, I've yet to meet someone who gave journaling an honest try and didn't get some benefit out of it, often a benefit that was wholly unexpected yet profound. The beautiful part of it is that there's no "right" way to do it. You can scrawl angry words on a page, "say" things to parents, husbands, and loved ones that you've never been able to "say," or just make a simple old list of what you're eating and when.

Be willing to be surprised by the results. You almost certainly will be.


"Top 10 Tips For Fast, Healthy Weight Loss!"
copyright 2001 by Greg Landry, M.S.

Most people want to lose weight as quickly
as possible while not sacrificing their
health in the process. Here are my top ten
tips to help you accomplish that goal..

1. Do some type of aerobic exercise
(walking, jogging, swimming, stationary
cycling, aerobic dancing, etc.) on a DAILY
basis (preferably in the morning) for 30
to 60 minutes! It elevates several of
your body's hormones that tell your body
to burn more fat. It decreases hormones
that tell your body to store fat. And,
it gives your metabolism (basal metabolic
rate) a boost and burns calories.

Here's the bottom line folks - when you're
sedentary, your body loves to hold on to
fat. It likes to "store" as much as it can.
Conversely, when you exercise, your body
loves to "dump" fat. It does everything it
can to get rid of fat. DAILY exercise!

Forget this twice-a-week stuff. Your body
was designed to be active on a daily basis.
When you are, the fat will go!

2. Tone your muscles with weight training
three days per week. Toned muscles look great
and they supercharge your metabolism! This
should be done just after your aerobic exercise
session so that your muscles are warm and
supple and less prone to injury.

3. Do an additional 15 to 30 minutes of
aerobic exercise in the evening, five days
per week. Some people like to do this just
before their dinner meal to decrease their
appetite, but after dinner is fine too.
In the interest of injury prevention and
not getting bored with your exercise, try
to alternate the type of exercise you do.
For example, walking in the morning and
cycling in the evening.

4. Incorporate "intervals" into most of your
aerobic sessions. Intervals are a powerful
tool to help boost your metabolism. they
are explained in detail in my article,
"Intervals for Weight Loss"..
<a href=" mailto:Intervals@Landry.com ">Fit</a>

5. Develop a more active lifestyle. Look
for the "hard" way to do things - the way
that requires the most energy expenditure.
Park as far from the store as you can rather
than looking for the closest parking spot.
Use the stairs rather than the elevator, a
rake rather than a blower, etc.

6. Always eat breakfast! Skipping breakfast
sends the message to your body that you're
"starving" because you haven't had food in
18+ hours (dinner meal one day to lunch meal
the following day). As a protective
mechanism, your metabolism slows down. Food,
especially complex carbohydrates, fuels your
metabolism.

7. Find exercise that you enjoy doing.
For example, many people enjoy walking in
the beautiful outdoors, or if they don't,
they make it enjoyable by listening to music
or taped books, exercising with a friend, or
perhaps by varying their route or the type of
exercise they do.

8. Don't weigh yourself every day. Your
body has daily fluid fluctuations that
show on a scale day to day but aren't
reflective of fat loss or gain. Weigh
yourself once a week at most and preferably
less than that.

9. If at all possible, exercise in the
morning. 90% of people who exercise
*consistently*, exercise in the morning.
If you want to exercise consistently, odds
are in your favor if you exercise first
thing in the morning. When you exercise in
the morning you'll be *energized* for the
day! Read my article on morning exercise..
<a href=" mailto:Morning@Landry.com ">AM</a>

Also, many people find that morning exercise
"regulates" their appetite for the day - that
they aren't as hungry and that they make
better food choices. Many people have told
me that it puts them in a "healthy mindset"

10. Train for a local 5k or 10k walk or run in
your area or set higher goals and train to
walk or run a marathon. This can be great
motivation to exercise on a regular basis.

Many of the people that are most successful
at weight loss have a specific goal of
participating in some type of race.
Remember, achieving the goal is not in
winning the race but in preparing for the
race and participating!

I've seen many people transformed from couch
potatoes to lean, mean exercising machines,
because they decided to enter and train for
a competition. Don't think you can't do it..
YOU CAN! Get movin'!

Caution: Always make gradual changes in the
intensty and duration of your exercise sessions.

Author and exercise physiologist, Greg Landry,
offers weight loss success stories and unique
weight loss and fitness programs at his site..
<a href=" http://www.Landry.com ">Fitness</a>

copyright 2001 by Greg Landry, M.S.



"Intervals for Weight Loss"
copyright 2001 by Greg Landry, M.S.

If you're like most people, finding time to
exercise can be a challenge, so you want to
get the most out of the time you do have.
Including "intervals" in your exercise
routine can help you maximize your weight
loss and fitness results.

Intervals are brief periods (about one minute)
of more intense exercise mixed into your
regular aerobic exercise sessions. For
example, if you're walking, you would do a
one minute interval of faster walking about
every five minutes throughout your exercise
session.

Here's how it will look.. you'll start with
your normal three to five minute warm-up and
then five minutes into your workout you do
your first interval, one minute of faster
walking (or perhaps jogging). At the end of
that minute you should be "winded" and ready
to slow down. You'll slow down to your normal
exercising speed for the next four minutes
and then your fifth minute is another one
minute interval. This pattern continues
throughout your exercise session.

You'll derive several benefits from intervals..

1. Intervals can help you to get past a
weight loss plateau.

2. Intervals increase your aerobic fitness
level by "pushing the envelope". While doing
your interval you cross the anaerobic
threshold into anaerobic metabolism, forcing
your body to become conditioned to more
intense exercise.

3. Your increased level of fitness means that
a given level of exercise will feel easier
and that you will be able to exercise at a
higher intensity which "burns" more calories.

4. Your increased level of fitness also means
that you will be less fatigued from daily
activities and you'll have more "energy"
throughout the day.

5. Intervals increase your basal metabolic
rate (BMR), causing you to burn more calories
24 hours-a-day.

6. Intervals cause you to "burn" more calories
during your exercise session and for several
hours afterwards.

7. Intervals will tone the involved muscles
to a greater degree than your regular aerobic
exercise would.

8. Intervals can make your exercise less
monotonous and help the time pass more
quickly.

9. Intervals will energize you!

If you'd like to put a little excitement into
your exercise, and you're looking for better
results, give intervals a try!

Author and exercise physiologist, Greg Landry,
offers weight loss success stories and unique
weight loss and fitness programs at his site..
<a href=" http://www.Landry.com ">Fit</a>

copyright 2001 by Greg Landry, M.S.


In order to boost your body image, build your confidence, and get a better
body. You need to be active. It's essential for both looking and feeling
your best.
START IN FIRST GEAR
A common mistake when starting a fitness program is setting expectations too
high. Then you become discourage and quit when you don't reach those goals.
Instead, picture a ladder, with your big goal at the top. Develop short-term
goals for each run on that ladder. If your ultimate goal, for instance is to
walk a 5-K race, make the first rung a 10-minute walk, and then work your way
up. Each small success your realize builds your confidence about reaching
the big ones.
FOCUS ON BONUSES
Exercise's benefits go way beyond cosmetic. When you establish a goal to
lower your blood pressure or your cholesterol, for exmple, you have something
besides your clothing size to measure your progress - and you'll feel better
about your body on another level.
SUPPORT A CAUSE
Getting involved in runs, walks, or bike rides for a cause that's important
to you- whether it's breast cancer, AIDS, or multiple sclerosis-makes you
feel good. It also makes you grateful that you have a healthy body that can
exercise.
SEIZE THOSE SECONDS
Just because you don't have 45 minutes to work out doesn't man you should
skip exercising entirely. Doing something is always better than nothing. It
all adds up in the long run. Even if you exercise for only 10 minutes, mark
it on your calendar as a day you worked out. Being consistent will make you
feel better about yourself and help you lose weight.


Poor body image often comes with a little sound track in your head that
repeats this tune: "My weight loss efforts have never worked before, and
they won't work now. I'm a failure! If you keep that negative sound track
playing, you probably will fail.
TALK BACK
One quick way to stop the negative voices in your head is to simply tell them
to quiet down. "Most people walk around putting themselves down without even
realizing it. Pay attention when those self-defeating thoughts pop up. Every
time your internal voice starts saying, "I'm to fat, I'm too uncoordinated, I
can't do it; answer back: That's enought, I can do whatever I put my mind
to".
WRITE YOUR RESUME
Confidence changes from situation to situation. It might be high in the
office, yet low at tthe gym. You want to transfer all the assurance you can
from one situation to the other. Think of it as writing your resume. You
don't always have the experience a job calls for, but you do have the skills.
"Write down the skills you have to succeed at a fitness plan. List
attributes such as I'm a hard work, I manage my time well, I'm a fast
learner. Then use these skills to suceed at your fitness program.
RECOGNIZE SUCCESS
Think of develooing confidence like building a house with a strong foundation
brick by brick. "Each little sucess is a brick" "Calling a gym that
interests you is one brick. Going to observie an aerobics class is another.
Don't disregard all these liggle steps: Applaud yourself for making progress.
FIND NEW FRIENDS
A weight loss buddy can go a long way toward building self-confidence. The
more like-minded people you have to support you, the more confident you'll
feel, and the more likely you are to succeed. "Take advantage of the
bullentin boards at the gym. Or you can find a fitness buddy online at
Preventions Healthy ideas website www.healthyideas.com. Click into the
weight loss and fitness area, then register under finding support in the
weight loss program section.



It's common to avoide situations that make you feel worse about yourself,
such as shopping for clothes or going to parties. Feeling better about
yourself requires facing those situations. Pick one thing you avoid, such as
wearing a bathing suit, and take small steps to conquer that fear. First,
just buy the suit. The next day, wear it around the house for 10 minutes.
Later, wear it in front of a friend. Soon, you;ll feel comfortable enough to
swim laps or take part in an aqua aerobics class.
BE POLITE
If you had a friend who said, "What a big butt you have!" every time you saw
her, you wouldn't reman her friend. Don't folerate that treatment from
yourself either. Every time you start putting yourself down, stop cold.
Insteqad, encourage yourself as you would a friend. Say, "Yeah, my shape
isn't what I would like, but I'm taking steps to change it. And that's a
positive thing.
DITCH THE MAGIC NUMBER
Some women have their whole body image wrapped up in a number on the scale.
If theyr're just a couple pounds off, they feel horrible about themselves.
"Give yourself an aceptable weight range between 5 and 10 pounds, so you can
have healthy, normal weight fluctuations and still feel good about your body.
HOLD YOUR HEAD HIGH
When your're busy thinking your thighs are too big, you assume everyone else
is thinking that too, so you feel self-consious. "People never judge us as
harshly as we judge ourselves. If you hold your head up, smile, and project
a healthy, confident person, that's what they'll see -and that's how you'll
feel.



YOU WALK EVERY DAY. You watch what you eat. So why are you still struggling
to lose weight? The answer may be all in you head: Hating your body-a
common reason for wanting to lose weight in the first place-can actually
sabotage your weight loss attemps. The good news: You can learn to like
your body and more than double your chances of getting slimmer. Researchers
at Stanford University School of Medicine in Palo Alto, CA., found that
people who started a weight loss program feeling happiest with their body
were more than twice as likely to lose weight as their counterparts who were
least satified with their body.
But how do you get happy with your body before you lose weight? With
Prevention's feel-good plan.
Step 1:
RESPECT YOUR BODY
People who worry about how their body looks often avoid the bery things that
can help them look and feel better, such as exercising and developing better
coping skills. "Once women improve the way they feel about their body, they
take better care of themselves, which helps them lose weight.
LOOK IN THE MIRROR
Instead of cringing every time you see yourself, start acceptin yourself.
Slowly acclimate yourself to the image in the mirrow by spending a few
seconds a day looking at your body clothed. Slowly wear less and less,
working up to viewing yourself unclothed for a few minutes. In a few weeks,
you'll become comfortable with your reflection and realize that you have some
positive physical qualities. You also begin to realize that you got yourself
into the shape you're in, so you can also get yourself out of it.



8 Steps to a Healthy Weight



Welcome to 8 Steps to a Healthy Weight


You can eat any food you like and still enjoy a nutritionally balanced diet with Winning Points. That's because foods that are "good" for you are naturally low in POINTS.

Weight loss can improve your health, especially when you're doing it in a healthy way. Guide your weight-loss journey with these principles and you'll feel great!


8 Steps to a Healthy Weight
1. Pay attention to serving sizes.
2. Choose at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
3. Choose at least 2 servings of milk and milk products a day (3 if you're over 50).
4. Include protein-rich foods in your diet.
5. Choose a variety of grains daily, especially whole grains.
6. Limit alcohol, high-sugar and high-fat foods.
7. Drink at least six glasses of water every day.
8. Insure your nutritional well-being by taking a multiple vitamin-mineral supplement every day.


Step 1: Serving Sizes
Pay attention to serving sizes.

While there's no need to measure everything you eat, you do need to be sure that the amount you're eating matches the number of POINTS you're counting for it.

You can use everyday objects including plates and serving spoons to estimate portion sizes. Your hand and fingers can also be helpful guides.

Use your hand to help you "guesstimate" these portion sizes:
Your fist = 1 cup or 1 medium whole fruit
Your thumb (tip to base) = 1 ounce of meat or cheese
Your thumb (tip to first joint) = 1 tablespoon
Fingertip (tip to first joint) = 1 teaspoon
Index finger (first to second joint) = 1 inch
Cupped hand = 1-2 ounces of nuts or pretzels
Palm (minus fingers) = 3 ounces of meat, fish or poultry



More Portion Tips


Scoops, ladles and serving spoons often correspond to household measures and are especially helpful for portioning casseroles and the like. Serve food with ordinary kitchen utensils after you've checked the amount they hold.


Eating out can be especially challenging when you're trying to control portion sizes. It can help to divide your plate into quarters, filling 1/4 with a grain-based side dish, 1/4 with your entree, and the remaining half with 0-POINTS vegetables.


Misjudging portion sizes can hinder your weight loss. Recheck your portion sizes every few weeks to ensure they don't creep up in size over time.



Step 2: Fruits and vegetables
Choose at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

Fruits and vegetables are nutritious, delicious, plus they're very low in POINTS. Lots of vegetables have 0 POINTS!

Here are some whys and hows for filling your fruit and vegetable quota.


More and more studies are confirming the health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. From reducing the risk of heart disease to improving regularity, these foods get the green light. And recent research suggests that, for vegetables in particular, variety is the key to successful weight management.


You can fill up on vegetables and fruits without spending a lot of POINTS. Most vegetables have 0 POINTS (see the box below), while starchy vegetables (like corn, green peas, and potatoes) and fruits have 1-3 POINTS per serving.


As a general guide, 1/2 cup of a vegetable counts as a serving. For raw, leafy vegetables, like lettuce and spinach, a serving is 1 cup.


0-POINTS Vegetables (per cup)
asparagus

mixed vegetable juice
beans green

mushrooms (fresh)
beans wax

okra
beets

peppers (all varieties)
broccoli

pickles (unsweetened)
Brussels sprouts

pumpkin
cabbage

radishes
cauliflower

salsa
celery

sauerkraut
cucumber

scallions
eggplant

snow peas
endive

spinach
escarole

sprouts
fast food side salad (without dressing)

squash (spaghetti, summer and zucchini)
greens

sugar snap peas
hearts of palm

tomatoes
leeks

tomato juice
lettuce

turnips
mixed green salad (without dressing)

watercress



Step 3: Milk Products
Choose at least 2 servings of milk and milk products a day (3 if you're over 50).

Milk and milk products are not only a terrific source of calcium, they also provide protein, zinc and other nutrients that are important to healthy weight loss.

Plan on spending about 4-6 POINTS from your Daily POINTS Range to meet this guideline. If youre lactose-intolerant, look for dairy products that are labeled lactose-free or lactose-reduced. If youre not getting enough calcium, consider taking a supplement or choose foods that provide the calcium equivalent to a serving of milk (25% or more of the Percent Daily Value or Recommended Daily Intake).

Calcium-Rich Foods

The following chart lists foods that have about the same amount of calcium as 1 cup (or 1 serving) of milk or yogurt. When choosing these foods, be sure to count the POINTS values towards your Daily POINTS Range.

Milk and Milk Products
Calcium-Rich Foods & POINTS
Cappuccino,* 1 grande 2-4points
Cereal bar, calcium-fortified 2-4 points
Cereal, fortified, 1 cup 2 points
Cheese:
cottage cheese,* 2 cups 6-10 points
hard or semi-soft,* any type, 1 1/2 oz 2-4points
ricotta,* 1/2 cup 2-6points
Dairy shake, reduced-calorie,* 1 packet 2points
Hot cocoa, instant, calcium-fortified, 6 fl oz 1-2points
Juice, calcium-fortified, 1 cup 2points
Latte,* tall 2-5points
Meal replacement/nutrition supplement products:
bar for weight loss, 1 (1 oz) 3points
drink,* 1 cup 5points
drink for weight loss (prep. from powder using ff milk, or canned),* 1 cup 3points
Milk shake, fast food,* 1 (10 fl oz) 9points
Pudding, reduced-calorie (made with fat-free or 1% milk),* 1 cup 2points
Rice drink, calcium-fortified, 1 cup 2-4points
Soy milk, calcium-fortified, 1 cup 2-3points
Waffle, low-fat, frozen, calcium-fortified, 3point


*Counts as 1 serving of milk products.

Step 4: Protein-Rich Foods
Include protein-rich foods in your diet.

In addition to the protein you get from having 2-3 servings of milk products each day, you should also include additional sources of protein in your eating plan.

Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dry beans, soy products, and nuts are all terrific sources of protein.

Choose lean cuts of meats to get the biggest portion per POINTS and limit saturated fat. When looking for lean cuts, choose the loin, round or leg and trim visible fat.

Take the skin off poultry (either before or after cooking).

Protein Sources

Did you know that you get protein from lots of different foods? While meat, meat alternatives, and dairy products are especially rich in this important nutrient, you also get some protein when you eat breads, grains, cereals and vegetables.

Step 5: Grains
Choose a variety of grains daily, especially whole grains.

These nutritious, delicious foods form the foundation of a healthy diet.

Whole grains provide fiber, other nutrients and protective factors that are often missing from their refined counterparts. In addition, the fiber can help to fill you up faster and keep you satisfied longer.

Look for foods that are labeled "whole grain" on the package and choose them often.

Whole grain foods & POINTS
1 cup cooked brown rice 4points
1 cup cooked whole wheat pasta 3points
1 cup cooked oatmeal 3points
1 slice whole wheat bread 2points
1 cup whole-grain ready-to-eat cereal 2points
1 (6-inch) corn tortilla 1points
3 cups air-popped popcorn 1points
3/4 cup bran flakes 1points
1 slice reduced-calorie whole wheat bread point

Step 6: Alcohol, High-Sugar and High-Fat Foods
Limit alcohol, high-sugar, and high-fat foods.

This is one area where most of us eat more than we should. That doesn't mean, however, you can't include them in your menus. Simply choose your POINTS carefully and keep portions moderate so that you enjoy the pleasure of these foods without hampering your nutritional well-being.

Sugars, syrups and oils are often added to food during processing or preparation. The only way you can tell if they've been added is by reading the ingredient listing. For sugars and syrups, look for ingredients such as corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, fruit juice concentrate, and malt syrup.

To limit saturated fats, it's a good idea to steer toward liquid oils and away from solid fats and hydrogenated fats when selecting foods.

To avoid the ill-health effects associated with alcohol, experts recommend that alcoholic beverages be limited to no more than one a day for women and two a day for men, and that they be enjoyed with meals.

Step 7: Water
Drink at least 6 glasses of water every day.

It's refreshing, can help curb your appetite and has 0 POINTS. Any type of water plain, sparking, club soda and unsweetened, flavored seltzer counts. You can also have 3 of your 6 glasses as juice, milk, decaffeinated beverages, or any other beverage that doesn't contain alcohol.

These 6 tips will help you get your 6 glasses of water a day:

1. Carry it around. Buy a large, plastic, refillable bottle and take it with you wherever you go. Fill it with two thirds ice and one third water, and it should stay cool for a good part of the day.
2. Flavor it. Add slices of fresh lemon or lime for a little zing. Or freeze orange, cranberry or grapefruit juice in an ice-cube tray, then toss a few juice cubes into a glass of sparkling mineral water.
3. Make iced tea. Steep caffeine-free tea bags such as peppermint-lemon or mango passion in a large pitcher of water for a few hours in the sun. Add a twist of lemon and some ice and enjoy.
4. See it, sip it. Fill a pitcher with water and leave it on your desk or kitchen table. The more you see it, the more you're likely to drink it.
5. Make it a ritual. Plan to drink one glass of water with breakfast, lunch and dinner that's an easy three down.
6. Take water breaks. Set a timer to ring every hour or two on your computer or watch, reminding you to drink up.

Step 8: Multiple Vitamin-Mineral Supplements
Insure your nutritional well-being by taking a multiple vitamin-mineral supplement every day.

Reading the labels will help you choose a product that's right for you. Here are some extra tips to take note of:

Choose a general formula that provides you with no more than 100% of the Percent Daily Value (%DV), Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI), or Dietary Reference Intake (DRI).

A single serving of any food that's been fortified to provide at least 26% of the Percent Daily Value (%DV), Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI), or Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) can be used in place of the multiple-mineral supplement.

Fortified foods that "count" as the multiple vitamin-mineral supplement & POINTS
Cereal, ready-to-eat, fortified, 1 cup 2points
Meal replacement/nutrition supplement products:
bar for weight loss, 1 (1 oz) 3points
drink, 1 cup 5points
drink for weight loss (prepared from powder using ff milk, or canned), 1 cup 3points
Many people take additional dietary supplements for personal and medical reasons. You should follow your physician's advice for supplements in addition to the recommendations made here.

I finally got around to reading First for Women - 12/31/01 issue. An inter
esting article on eating for your type. And it definitely could fit in nic
ely with WW. You ask yourself 3 questions: #1 - If I eat a light breakfas
t: A. I'm famished by midmorning and have trouble controlling my appetite
or B. I'm hungry, but I can still wait for lunch. #2 - I'm comfortable o
n a calorie-restricted diet as long as I can eat a large: A. Breakfast or
lunch. or B. dinner. #3 My food cravings are at their worst: A. By mid-af
ternoon. or B In the evening. If you are mostly A's it means you are a ty
pe A Plan and If you are B's you are a Type B plan. Both plans suggest hav
ing about 45% carbs, 30% fat, and 25% protein. But type A's space out thei
r day this way:

Breakfast - 1 fat, 1 carb, 2 protein, 8 oz skim milk
Lunch - 1 fat, 1 carb, 2 protein, 8 oz. skim milk, 1/2 c fruit
Dinner - 1 fat, 1 carb, 3 protein, 1 c fruit

And Type B's look like this

Breakfast - 1 fat, 1 carb 1 protein 1 c fruit
Lunch - 1 fat, 2 protein, 8 oz skim milk 1/2 c fruit
Dinner, 1 fat 1 carb 4 protein 8 oz skim milk

I answered the questions and I'm a type B. A very noticeable difference be
tween the two is that more protein is given at lunch and dinner for type B'
s - also no fruit at dinner for type B's. The higher protein towards the l
atter half of the day is what keeps you from being a binge eater after dinn
er.

When you look at your journals, you can look at them with another perspecti
ve if you are having trouble losing your weight or staying on track. I kno
w that most of you are using the new points system, but sometimes we forget
to see what we are eating and how our points are distributed. So this is
just some "food for thought".

Flowersun in Florida
WW Start Date 1/2/02 - Lifetime over goal

Tuesday, January 22, 2002; Page HE02


Imagine if a few scribbles daily could help control
weight. Sounds too hokey to be true, doesn't it?

Well, think again. Just jotting down what you eat each
day is scientifically proven to be one of the most
powerful predictors of not just losing weight but also
keeping off pounds long-term.

For this reason, recording the food you eat -- not
limiting it -- is the newest goal for The Lean Plate
Club Everyday Challenge. The challenge is designed to
promote more healthful eating and a less-sedentary
lifestyle with an eye toward holding the line against
weight gain. Do that alone and you'll be ahead of the
game, since most Americans gain a little weight every
year. And if you happen to also shed a few unneeded
pounds, that's okay, too. (For earlier installments of
the Everyday Challenge, which began Jan. 8, go to
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/health/columns/leanplateclub/.)

Numerous studies show that "people who keep the most
food records lose the most weight," says Victor J.
Stevens, assistant director for epidemiology and
disease prevention at the Kaiser Permanente Center for
Health Research in Portland, Ore. Turns out that
simply jotting down what you consume each day focuses
your attention on -- what else? -- food.

Yes, it's simple and, yes, it works. "Just that act
alone is very helpful," Stevens says. "It provides
awareness and accountability."

It also tends to reduce mindless consumption of
calories throughout the day, helps promote the
scrutiny of nutrition facts on food labels and
highlights the huge portion sizes that have become
standard fare. "People come in and say, 'I had no idea
that macaroni and cheese had this much fat, or that I
was eating three servings of meat instead of two,' "
says psychologist Tracy Sbrocco, who uses food records
as part of a weight-loss research program at the
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
in Bethesda. "They learn that their portion sizes are
way off the mark."

So beginning this week, record the amount and type of
food and drink that passes your lips. It's important
to record everything, even those "harmless" little
candy snacks you sneak during the workday, or those
morsels you eat right from the carton standing in
front of the open refrigerator. (We've been watching.)
For each thing you do, write down the food and amount
(using product labels, measuring cups, a diet scale or
some other way to get an accurate measure of your
intake).

How you record what you eat is up to you. Studies show
it doesn't matter whether you use low-tech paper and
pencil or one of the new high-tech computer programs
now available online or downloadable to hand-held
devices. You may want to carry a pocket notebook,
place a clipboard in the kitchen or get one of the
many portable food diaries you see in book stores.
"One of my most successful weight-loss clients wrote
everything she ate on 3-by-5-inch cards that she kept
in her pocket," Stevens says. "Any method that you can
stick with is the right method for you."

Don't change your eating patterns -- and be honest in
your records. Making yourself appear to eat more
healthfully than you do is a fool's game. Just jot
down what and how much you consume. There's also no
need to count calories -- at least not yet. The goal
this week is just designed to make you more aware of
what you eat. (If you feel compelled to count
calories, check out the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's Healthy Eating Index at
www.usda.gov/cnpp/, which counts calories, tells how
your daily fare stacks up against the Food Guide
Pyramid and will save up to 20 days of meal data
online. Bookstores also carry many printed guides that
include nutritional information for common foods.)

If you really want to be daring, show your daily food
intake log to a buddy. Stevens and his colleagues have
found that doing so improves accountability even more
than tracking it by yourself.

In the meantime, be sure to keep up the new, healthy
habits that you've already begun under the Everyday
Challenge: Continue eating those five servings a day
of fruit and vegetables and be sure to drink enough
fluids -- figure on about five to eight cups of water
daily.

The new exercise goal for Week Three is simply to add
a couple minutes -- target 14 minutes a day -- to the
daily routine. Remember, you don't have to get this
activity all at once. Don't miss the opportunity to
meet your goal with lifestyle exercise: Walk the dog,
take the stairs, walk to work, sweep the front walk,
get off Metro a stop early and hike the rest of the
way, take your kids to the playground -- and go down
the slide, too.

Eating five servings of fruit and veggies a day,
drinking five to eight cups of water, recording your
food intake and getting 14 minutes daily of exercise.
Meet those goals to keep up with the Everyday
Challenge and you're well on your way to a healthier
lifestyle -- and, if you need or want it, maybe even
losing a little weight, too.

-- Sally Squires

How are you meeting the Everyday Challenge? Share your
tips -- or ask a question about any aspect of healthy
eating -- when Sally Squires hosts The Lean Plate
Club, our weekly online chat about healthy eating,
today at 1 p.m. on www.washingtonpost.com.