Snacking...

Snack to Lose Weight

If you are trying to lose weight, a common misconception is to stop snacking. Try the inverse if you want the truth. Healthy snacking is an important part of any successful diet and can help you lose weight.

When you go to your personal trainer or your next-door neighbor for workout advice you were told to use the largest muscles to burn the most calories, right? The same can be said for using the largest system in the body to burn the most calories. Your digestive system is enormous. The more you exercise it the more calories you burn.

By eating small portions of nutrient-dense foods throughout the day, you will let your digestive system function to its fullest. Unlike your muscles, digestion does not get tired and stop working. If that happened you would no longer be worried about your weight.

Proper, healthy snacking can actually boost your metabolism. Eat often and healthy, balanced meals and snacks to keep the body's furnace burning. This will also stop those pesky hunger pangs. Those will lead to overeating and craving junk.

OK, so we now know that snacking can help. Here is the punch line: use snacks to balance the day's healthy eating requirements! How many servings of veggies does your normal diet contain? How many servings of fruit? How much fiber do you get normally? Is it enough?
Use your snacks wisely. Keep a food journal if you like (and you should). Total the suggested requirements for each food group. Wherever you are short a serving or two use your snacks to balance the day.

For those concerned with blood sugar, snacking can help support the body's ability to regulate glucose and insulin in the body. A continuous supply of the proper nutrients for the body will help steady the blood chemistry and avoid glucose spikes.
So now we know that we NEED to snack. All you have to do is focus on the types of snacks you eat. You don't want extra empty calories, fat, salt, or sugar in your snacks. You also do want protein and fiber in your snacks.

Snacks are supposed to feed both the body and spirit. Pay attention and this will pay off for you.

In case nobody told you...

Tips on what you can do

KEEP HEALTHY DISTANCES
Stay at least 6 feet away from others. 

Stay at home as much as possible, especially if you are sick, older, or have serious medical conditions.

KEEP OTHERS IN MIND
Avoid being around others with more serious chronic conditions, i.e. heart disease, diabetes, lung disease. This will help keep down their risk.

KEEP A HEALTHY ROUTINE
Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, often. If you don't know what 20 seconds feels like sing "Happy Birthday" while washing your hands. Don't stop until the song is done.

Cough or sneeze into a tissue or the inside of your elbow.

Don't do this!

Clean surfaces daily with soap and water or detergent before disinfecting.



If you've been exposed to COVID-19 or are experiencing cough, shortness of breath, or fever, please call your doctor right away.

Quarantine Tips

Helpful Information from the CDC

How Germs Spread

Washing hands can keep you healthy and prevent the spread of respiratory and diarrheal infections from one person to the next. Germs can spread from other people or surfaces when you:

• Touch your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
• Prepare or eat food and drinks with unwashed hands
• Touch a contaminated surface or objects
• Blow your nose, cough, or sneeze into hands and then touch other people’s hands or common objects

Key Times to Wash Hands

You can help yourself and your loved ones stay healthy by washing your hands often, especially during these key times when you are likely to get and spread germs:

• Before, during, and after preparing food
• Before eating food
• Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea
• Before and after treating a cut or wound
• After using the toilet
• After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
• After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
• After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
• After handling pet food or pet treats
• After touching garbage

Follow Five Steps to Wash Your Hands the Right Way

Washing your hands is easy, and it’s one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. Clean hands can stop germs from spreading from one person to another and throughout an entire community—from your home and workplace to childcare facilities and hospitals.
Follow these five steps every time.

1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

Use Hand Sanitizer When You Can’t Use Soap and Water

You can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.

Washing hands with soap and water are the best way to get rid of germs in most situations. If soap and water are not readily available, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. You can tell if the sanitizer contains at least 60% alcohol by looking at the product label.


Sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in many situations. However,

• Sanitizers do not get rid of all types of germs.
• Hand sanitizers may not be as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy.
• Hand sanitizers might not remove harmful chemicals from hands like pesticides and heavy metals.

Caution! Swallowing alcohol-based hand sanitizers can cause alcohol poisoning if more than a couple of mouthfuls are swallowed. Keep it out of reach of young children and supervise their use.

How to use hand sanitizer

• Apply the gel product to the palm of one hand (read the label to learn the correct amount).
• Rub your hands together.
• Rub the gel over all the surfaces of your hands and fingers until your hands are dry. This should take around 20 seconds.

And now a tip from me...

Before the stay-at-home order, I worked outside the home. We were required to wear gloves at all times. One thing I noticed was that others would take off their gloves and forget to wash their hands. The gloves may be contaminated and if you touch the gloves with your bare hands, your hands are contaminated. Wash your hands after removing your gloves, please.

In the Beginning...

The last 8 months of 2019 were stressful for me in the extreme. There was no time or energy to ride a bike, hence I never considered it a possibility. The last time I rode a bike was 1963. I was given a very nice bike around Christmas week. I was 35 pounds over my comfortable weight. I had not worked out in over a year. You can see where this is going, right?

A dear and wonderful friend sent me an invitation to do a body challenge. The timing was perfect. I agreed and began on January 6, 2020. We have just finished week 12 of the 16 weeks. I am healthier than I have been in years. My FitBit now records an average of 12000 steps daily and cardio minutes between 45 and 200 each day.

FitBit Charge 3


 When I started the challenge, The FitBit was registering 5000 steps and seldom went to 15 minutes of cardio. Yes, I am also 19 pounds lighter. My clothes fit differently and I can do so much more. My bicycle is now a good friend and we spend more time together, miles and miles.

Now you are thinking, "OK, how did he do it?". The answer is still in process but so far I have used Isagenix products to replace some meals and perform a deep, internal body cleanse. I do not feel deprived, hungry or short on energy.

I began with a firm resolve and wishful thinking. By the end of the first week I knew I needed something else. I ordered the package on the right labeled "Good", The 9 day Cleansing Pack. I followed the instructions in the guide included in the package. I felt better after the first 6 days and ordered the "Better", The Shake and Cleanse Pack. It was working so well that in week 5 of the challenge, I ordered the "Best", 30 day Cleansing System. I had good feelings about the products from the beginning but now I am a true believer.

If I can do it, so can you!