Slider Foods Spell Weight Regain For Weight Loss Surgery Patients

For most people eating sliders is a good thing. Popularized by the American food chain, White Castle, a slider (originally slyder) is a miniature grilled hamburger or cheeseburger on a steamed bun often served with onions and dill pickle and other condiments. They originally sold for a nickel a piece in the 1940s making it affordable to add a side of fries for just pennies. By all accounts this is a good kind of "slider" food.

To the weight loss surgery patient slider foods are the bane of good intentions and ignorance often causing dumping syndrome, weight loss plateaus, and eventually weight gain. Slider foods, to weight loss surgery patients, are soft simple processed carbohydrates of little or no nutritional value that slide right through the surgical stomach pouch without providing nutrition or satiation. The most innocent of slider foods are saltine crackers, often eaten with warm tea or other beverages, to soothe the stomach in illness or while recovering from surgery.

The most commonly consumed slider foods include pretzels, crackers (saltines, graham, Ritz, etc.) filled cracker snacks such as Ritz Bits, popcorn, cheese snacks (Cheetos) or cheese crackers, tortilla chips with salsa, potato chips, sugar-free cookies, cakes, and candy. You will notice these slider foods are often salty and cause dry mouth so they must be ingested with liquid to be palatable. This is how they become slider foods. They are also, most often, void of nutritional value.

For weight loss surgery patients the process of digestion is different than those who have not undergone gastric surgery. When slider foods are consumed they go into the stomach pouch and exit directly into the jejunum where the simple carbohydrate slurry is quickly absorbed and stored by the body. There is little thermic effect in the digestion of simple carbohydrates like there is in the digestion of protein so little metabolic energy is expended. In most cases patients in the phase of weight loss who eat slider foods will experience a weight loss plateau and possibly the setback of weight gain. And sadly, they will begin to believe their surgical stomach pouch is not functioning properly because they never feel fullness or restriction like they experience when eating protein.

The very nature of the surgical gastric pouch is to cause feelings of tightness or restriction when one has eaten enough food. However, when soft simple carbohydrates are eaten this tightness or restriction does not result and one can continue to eat, unmeasured, copious amounts of non-nutritional food without ever feeling uncomfortable.

Many patients turn to slider foods for this very reason. They do not like the discomfort that results when the pouch is full from eating a measured portion of lean animal or dairy protein without liquids. Yet it is this very restriction that is the desired result of the surgery. The discomfort is intended to signal the cessation of eating. Remembering the "Protein First" rule is crucial to weight management with bariatric surgery.

Gastric bypass, gastric banding (lap-band) and gastric sleeve patients are instructed to follow a high protein diet to facilitate healing and promote weight loss. Bariatric centers advise what is commonly known among weight loss surgery patients as the "Four Rules" the most important of which is "Protein First." That means of all nutrients (protein, carbohydrates, fat and alcohol) the patient is required to eat protein first.

Protein is not always the most comfortable food choice for weight loss surgery patients who feel restriction after eating a very small amount of food. However, for the surgical tool to work correctly a diet rich in protein and low in simple carbohydrate slider foods must be observed. The high protein diet must be followed even after healthy body weight has been achieved in order to maintain a healthy weight and avoid weight regain.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Kaye_Bailey/10510

Raw Food Weight Loss - A Primer

Raw food weight loss occurs while consuming a largely uncooked diet.
Our discussion will be restricted to uncooked vegetables, fresh fruits, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.
Raw meats, shellfish, and unpasteurized milk will not be included in our conversation. The potential for food borne illness is much too high with these foods.

Many sources of information are available for you to explore these items on your own. Just be careful and have a full understanding of the ramifications of adding uncooked meats and seafood into your diet.

Typical American Diet
This is nothing new. They have been the staple of human food supplies since Adam and Eve. Remember the apple? It was raw fresh fruit!

However, it can be assumed that most people today consume much more cooked foods than they have in the past. A good example is the so-called Typical American Diet (TAD), which consists mainly of refined, highly processed and cooked foods.

The Typical American Diet is blamed for many of the illnesses and diseases people currently suffer from.
It is often postulated by proponents of raw foods that much pain and suffering (not to mention health care costs) could be saved if the majority of people consumed such diets.

Common Foods
Weight loss using these foods can be accomplished with a minimum of fuss because it consists of common foods.

Raw vegetables, fresh fruits, sprouts (like alfalfa or bean sprouts), nuts, seeds, and legumes (such as lentils) are familiar raw foods. Grains, preferably whole grains instead of refined grains, are found on grocery store shelves everywhere.

It is generally accepted amongst those consuming raw food diets that foods should not be heated above 115 degrees Fahrenheit.

Raw food weight loss diets are a very natural way to lose weight. Unlike fad diets that promote extreme weight loss at the expense of your health, raw food diets offer many healthful benefits.
Don't be afraid to embark on an exciting journey into the new world of healthy weight loss diets. It just may be the best thing you can do for yourself.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Dr._Dale_Heil/375377

Recipe Re-Do: Chicken Cordon Blue

Like many households, chicken is a staple for dinner for my family. But, it does get tired doesn't it? There are only so many ways to cook a chicken, especially if you generally use the boneless, skinless variety. Several years back, we discovered these really tasty meals in a plastic bag. They are single serving chicken entrees.

Our favorite is the chicken cordon blue. Unfortunately, the ingredient list and the fat and calories in these little numbers don't make it past my nutrition standards. My re-do of this dish is really quick and easy; perfect for busy-night dinner. You can even prepare them the night before and just pop them in the oven when you're ready. Be sure to check out the stats at the end of the recipe.

CORDON BLUE ROLL-UPS
4 small chicken breasts (1 lb total)
8 thinly sliced deli ham slices
4 tsp low-fat cream cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put each chicken breast on a cutting board, cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and pound to about a quarter of an inch thick. Cut each breast in half. Spread ½ tsp of cream cheese on each piece of chicken. Put a slice of ham over the cream cheese. Roll up each piece of chicken and place seam-side down in a baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Cook for 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

4 servings, 2 rolls each
CORDON BLUE ROLL-UPS STORE BOUGHT
calories 185.0 calories 350
fat 3.5 grams fat 15 grams
sodium 345.0 mg sodium 880 mg

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Betsy_McGuire/1068404

Baked Chicken Recipes - Would You Like My Amazing Chicken Pie Recipe?

It is no wonder that baked chicken recipes have become so popular. After all, it has a low fat content, is readily available and has a pleasant flavor and a nice mild texture when prepared properly.

Unfortunately, the very mild texture of most supermarket chicken will be too bland for most palates if the cook doesn't "jazz it up" a bit. Fortunately, even simple seasonings work wonders on chicken. Since the flavor options are limitless, chicken can be your "blank canvas" to create some culinary masterpieces with different flavors each time.

One of my very favorite baked chicken recipes is my Chicken Pie Recipe. I currently have a dear friend who is seriously ill. I love to see her face light up when I walk in with my Chicken Pot Pie! This is one of those wonderful "Comfort Foods" that just tend to make you feel that all is well while you are eating it. Fabulous on a chilly day, preferably next to the fireplace!

I don't like to use a bottom crust. I like to top is with a wonderful, easy puff pastry topping called Bladerdeeg - which originated in the Netherlands. This recipe makes enough for two pies, I usually freeze half. Be sure to cut attractive "vents" in the top. I always make a little heart out of some scraps of dough and put it in the middle before I bake it. My friend Susie loves that part! Enjoy!

Baked Chicken Recipes: Chicken Pie Recipe
* 1 cup potato, diced
* 1 cup onion, diced
* 1 cup celery, diced
* 1 cup carrot, diced
* 1/3 cup melted butter
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 2 cups chicken broth
* 1 cup half-and-half
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 4 cups chicken, cooked and diced
* 1 cup green peas
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Making sure that you start with a rather large pan, saute all the veggies (except the peas) in the melted butter for about 10 minutes.
3. Add the flour and stir well. Keep stirring for one minute.
4. Combine the broth with the half and half and stir this gradually into your veggies.
5. Cook over medium heat - keep stirring - until thick and mixture is bubbling.
6. Now stir in salt, pepper, chicken and peas. Thoroughly combine.
7. Pour everything into a shallow 2 quart baking dish and top with rolled out puff pasty of your choice - or use the Bladerdeeg recipe below. I usually use the lid of my dish as a guide to cut out the perfect size topping of puff pastry.
8. Bake for about 45 minutes until top is nicely browned and the filling is bubbling.

Netherlands Puff Pastry (Bladerdeeg)
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sour cream

I usually use the food processor for this. Simply cut the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like crumbs and stir in the sour cream. Turn this out onto a floured surface and knead until it holds together. Form into a disk and wrap with plastic wrap. Put it into the frig for at least two hours or make it the day before. Roll out half and freeze half for another pie!
I truly hope you will enjoy one of my favorite baked chicken recipes!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Lynne_Klosterman/410561

Choosing the Right Weight Loss Foods

If you have ever tried to diet or loose weight before, you are well aware of the fact that weight loss foods are seemingly hard to come by and even when you do find something that is of some nutritional value, or weight loss importance it tastes horrible! Luckily for those who have a hard time staying away from sweets or whatever else seems to be calling your name at every hour of the day, their is hope for weight loss yet!
The science behind weight loss is very simple. You must burn off more calories than you take in. This makes sense and should be the basis of any weight loss philosophy. Those who realize this mantra will also realize that you do not have to starve yourself, nor do you have to eat a salad a meal every day. The solution however is simple, although at first it may be hard to cope with.

You should start out by eating the same that you have always eaten, the only difference is to eat half of each portion. So for instance, if you generally drink two cups of coffee in the morning, drink one. If you generally eat two pieces of bread with dinner, eat one. You see the trend here? Now you need not be a math teacher to understand the fact that if you eat half as much you will loose some weight, it is pretty cut and dry. Once you have been working with that process for some time, you should also consider performing some form of cardio several days per week, this will enhance the benefits of losing weight.

If you feel that you are beginning to plateau your gains by eating half as much as everything, you should then look at your daily intake. Try to cut down on the number of carbohydrates and fats that you are consuming, and start to consume more and more protein into your every day diet. Solid forms of protein include chicken, fish, and nuts. Also you should be consuming a good amount of water as well as a good amount of fruits and vegetables.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Peter_Foti/90420

The 4 Best Natural Foods For Weight Loss

Many people like popping pills to aid in weight loss. The problem with this is that most if not all of these pills come with some warnings attached to them.

A more effective and safe way of losing weight is to go with natural foods. Yes, I know that natural foods can be dangerous as well, but in most cases the amount you would have to eat to cause you harm is out of the range for most people. So that should not be that big of a concern.

In fact, some of the best natural food sources to aid in weight loss is at your disposal now. The following is a list of 4 of them.

4 Best Natural Foods for Weight Loss
Fiber Rich Foods If everyone would increase fiber in their diet to the recommended amount per day, this is the one food that would help to alleviate many health problems, especially obesity. As for how much you should have in your diet, for women whose calorie needs are 2000 Calories per day, they should ingest 28 grams per day. For men whose calorie needs are 2800 Calories, they should ingest 36 grams per day. For men and women, this comes out to be 14 grams, per 1000 Calories.

Low Glycemic Foods Low glycemic foods are extremely beneficial to your health and to weight loss. This is because they help to control the spiking of your blood sugar, which is a major cause to obesity and is also a cause of type 2 diabetes.

As far as determining which foods have a low glycemic index, there is no fool proof way since it depends on how the food source is digested, for instance cooked or eaten raw. Though there are many list showing the glycemic index of foods, as a general rule and if you are unsure about a food source, notice if the food is whole grain and high in fiber. These types of foods tend to be linked to a low glycemic index.

Green Tea Individuals who have taken green tea extract high in catechins, namely epigallocatechin gallate, EGCG, have been shown in studies to have a greater decrease in body weight, as well as in their body mass index and visceral fat then those who did not take the supplement.

As for how much to take, studies have shown good results for those who have taken less than 300 milligrams per day. However, those who have taken more, in one study 600 milligrams a day, showed greater fat loss than those who did not take as much. So, to enjoy its benefits, look for green teas that show there ECGC amount.

Acai berry Acai berry is another wonderful natural food. Completely safe, this berry has become popular because of its high antioxidant capacity, more formally, Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, ORAC. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, blueberry has an high ORAC. However, acai berries have more than 5 times the amount of ORAC than blueberries.

Moreover, not only does this berry help to reduce free radicals in your body, it has also been shown to aid in weight loss, reduce pain and soreness, help to fight cancer, and help protect against heart disease. To enjoy its benefits, you can pick up a bottle at your local grocer or at a health food store.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/John_C_White/159409

Fast Food in Your Weight Loss Plan

Let's face it. Fast food chains are not known for healthy weight loss options. As two thirds of the United State's population is now overweight, we are starting to take a closer look at their dining habits. Fast food chains are responding to the demand with menus that include more fruit and vegetables, smaller portions and even vegetarian options. Their marketing campaigns are well funded and designed to keep your business but where does fast food really fit into your weight loss plan?

Let's look at some top industry players and what they're up to these days.

• Subway: Possibly the first fast food chain to jump on the weight-loss wagon was Subway. In 1999 Jared Fogle, an unknown college student, became known as "The Subway Guy," when he told us that eating Subway sandwiches helped him lose 245 pounds in a year- dropping from a whopping 425 pounds to a healthy 190 pounds. He tells the story of how his diet consisted of two meals per day: a turkey sub for lunch and a veggie sub for dinner. Subway's menu continues to focus a number of its choices on low fat, low carbohydrate and other 'healthier' choices.
• McDonald's has been modifying their menu ever since Wayne Spurlock created the Super Size Me documentary in 2004. In addition to a wider choice in salads and grilled chicken they added apple dippers and a fruit and yogurt parfait. They are even test-marketing a smaller version of the Big Mac in some areas.  Their website has a "Nutrition and Fitness" section for customizing healthy options to your needs.
• Burger King has dished up some creative food, and is one of the first fast-food giants to offer a vegetarian option with their BK Veggie Burger. They recently added scaled-down items called BK Burger Shots and BK Breakfast Shots. Essentially they are smaller versions of Burger King's standard burgers and breakfast sandwiches.
• Jack In The Box is on the healthy bandwagon with their Healthy Dining Menu. Eight in ten of these menu items have less than 500 calories and 10 grams of fat per serving, in addition to mango smoothies and fruit cups. I see in the news that they have joined the movement and are testing Mini Sirloin burgers in San Diego.

You can see at a glance that the fast food industry provides options with lower calories and less fat and saturated fat. That's a great start, but while calories and fat matter a great deal when trying to lose weight it's also important to note that maintaining a healthy body requires adequate nutrition.

Unfortunately fast food menus lack much of the nutrition that is required for a healthy body. Fast food salads usually use iceberg lettuce, not the darker lettuces. Organic steamed or raw vegetables are non-existent. Most proteins come in the form of greasy burgers and fried chicken, rather than legumes, nuts, and fresh fish. Stripped down white bread replaces whole grains.

Our bodies are starved for nutrition, which causes our brain to tell us we're hungry. If we fill up on empty, nutrition-lacking calories we aren't feeding our body and our brain will continue to tell us we're hungry. This is partly why you can eat a whole bag of potato chips and still be hungry.

Can you lose weight in fast-food restaurants? Absolutely. Jared proved it to us and now I see that a man in Virginia has lost 80 lbs. by eating nearly every meal at McDonald's. Our bodies are designed to survive and are highly adaptable at doing so. Whether we are dieting or not, my biggest concern is that we have become too dependent on fast food and by doing so have lost our connection to our food. I suggest that if you want to lose weight and keep it off in the long run, keep your fast food meals to a minimum. I recommend that you focus on preparing fresh meals as often as you can and really feed your body. This will help you lose weight and keep it off!

Do you want to be able to go shopping for a bathing suit and not become depressed afterward? Visit Healthy Weight Loss Ideas [http://www.healthy-weight-loss-ideas.com/] for free tips, ideas and the newest trends for quickly losing weight and keeping it off!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Kathy_Shute/324662