Updated 12/12/98 Click here for the latest.
Follow the musings of A. Orca in A. Orca's Thoughts and Observations, an ongoing search for a plan for healthy living. (Updated 12/12/98, added 8/30/98).
If you've come across any words of wisdom in the area of weight, size acceptance, nutrition, and/or exercise, let me know! I'll be glad to post them here!
This is an ongoing effort, and I'd really like to have input from as many folks as possible. What's worked for you? What have you seen/read/heard that you think would work for others? Post you input in the OrcaTalk Forum, or email to me and I'll post it here.
Oh yeah - Share what doesn't work along with what does?
NEW STUFF! Entries made 12/12/98.
The following articles were stolen from Depression.com. You can find their website at http://www.depression.com.
- Depression Can Kill: Effects of depression on illness.
- Cognitive Therapy and Depression: An alternate approach for treating depression, or supplementing existing treatment.
- Relaxation Response, Meditation, and Visualization as Therapy: Another alternate approach.
- Nondrug Therapies for Depression
Cognitive Therapy: Another article giving a more detailed overview of cognitive therapy.
Overview of Therapies: Article stolen from Health-Net.com; information on various therapies for depression.
Entries made 9/6/98. The following articles were stolen from the American Dietetic Association Site (ADA). You can find their website at http://www.eatright.org.
American
Dietetic Association FAQs
Frequently asked questions about nutrition and weight loss, answered by a
dietician.
Body
Mass Index (added as separate file, 9/13/98)
A chart for finding your body mass
index based on your height and weight. The formula for computing body mass index is
included.
Weight Management
Managing weight vs dieting from the ADA
Weight
Management Facts and Questions for Women
From the ADA's Women's Health Campaign.
The
Lean 'n Easy Way to Enjoy Meat
Recommendations on how to enjoy meat without excess fat in your eating plan.
Fats
and Oils in the Diet: The Great Debate
The type of fat may be as important as how much fat for managing weight
and cholestrol.
Discover
the Secrets of Pyramid Snacking
Even snacking can be healthy. Here's a quick guide with a recipe.
Balancing
Snacking With Physical Activity For A Healthy Lifestyle
Another article on healthy snacking, this time in conjunction with (shudder)
exercise.
Entries made 8/28/98. The following articles were stolen from the Healthy Living Site.
Diet and Nutrition FAQsClick on the above line of text to go to an article summarizing current American Heart Association Dietary Guidelines. The key now is flexibility!
American
Heart Association Dietary Guidelines
Click on the above line of text to go to an article summarizing current
American Heart Association Dietary Guidelines. The key now is flexibility!
Evaluating
Weight Loss Programs
Ever been confused by the numerous weight loss programs and diets out there?
Check out this article for some helpful pointers.
Added 8/14/98
Posted on QuitNet
Portion control is key to diet success; Kathleen Emmons, icFlorida
Here are some images suggested by the American Dietetic
Association. Use these as a guide to help keep your portion sizes under control:
One ounce of meat - a match box
Three ounces of meat - deck of cards/bar of soap
Eight ounces of meat - a thin paperback book
A medium apple or orange - a tennis ball
A medium potato - a computer mouse
One cup of lettuce - four green leaves
A slice of bread - a cassette tape
An average sized bagel - a hockey puck
One ounce of cheese - four dice
One cup of fruit - a baseball
Entries made 8/1/98:
EMOTIONAL EATING - CAUSES AND STRATEGIES FOR CRAVINGSClick on the above line of text to go to a table on cravings and their causes, and strategies for fighting them. The information in the table is summarized from an article in First for Women (3/3/97, pages 90 through 93) about "emotional eating."
Aroma Therapy: Jasmine: increases alertness by stimulating beta brainwaves; increases serotonin production, boosting confidence and optimism. Anyone know more about aroma therapy? I keep seeing it mentioned, but just little blurbs.
Some goodies from Woman's World, 5/12/98:
- "A new study has shown that women who work out at home lose more weight than those who exercise at a gym." Suggested reason: exercise at home is more flexible, women are more likely to stick to their commitment.
- A reader reported a trick she and some friends used to motivate each other. Every week, each person contributes $5.00 to the kitty. Whoever reaches his or her goal first wins the pot.
- Suggestion from Richard Simmons: Deep breathing not only helps with not smoking, it also helps speed up your meatoblism.
First for Women, 2/2/98: Three suggestions for beating cravings:
- Eat three well-balanced meals a day. Not only does skipping meals just make you hungrier for the next meal, but regular meals help to keep the insulin levels steady.
- Drink plenty of water. Thirst may be felt as hunger, so try drinking a glass of water before feeding the food craving.
- Have a cup of hot soup. Hot foods are more comforting than cold ones (all other things equal), plus the heat forces you to eat slowly. Why soup? Because it can be fixed quickly and easily.