MONDAY, JULY 18, 2022 - FIBER

 MONDAY, JULY 18, 2022 - FIBER

I write about things that interest me.  I do write about health issues.  Today’s topic is about dietary fiber and I have a history and interest here.  In March 2022, I stepped on my bathroom scale and I weighed 243 pounds.  I knew I was a bit heavier than my normal 205 pounds - but that surprised me.  I was working three or four evenings a week at the senior independent living facility, and I was eating dinner at their cafeteria with one of the people I visited.  For two dollars I could get a great meal - including dessert (frequently cheesecake), and it was good.  I almost always had a fresh baked roll (with oodles of butter).  Yes, I could understand why I was heavy - now what to do about it.

I have done yo-yo dieting in the past - lose my weight and then get complacent and add it back on.  To me, when I’m overweight, I have two factors: diet and exercise.

DIET

I like peanut butter - no - strike that, I LOVE peanut butter.  I love peanut butter on bread with oodles of butter, and lots of jelly (or jam or preserves).  I can snack by taking a spoonful or knife-full of peanut butter right out of the jar. 

So, the recommendations are always to cut out “white” - no white sugar, no white flour, white bread.  Cut out the junk food (yes, I also like Cheetos [actually I like the generic Cheetos from Dollar Tree].) Cut out the ice cream.  

From childhood, I’ve heard “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” - so I normally alternated between two eggs (overhard), and oatmeal with raisins. Then, of course, I needed lunch - a quick sandwich does the job.  

And, dinner.  And, dinner isn’t dinner without potatoes (or related starchy food).  

From when I’ve gotten serious about dieting, I’ve cut back to one meal a day.  I eat oatmeal - with extra oat bran and raisins.  No salt.  I’ve been using Stevia for sweetener, milk, and cream.  

Not quite filling - but some nutrients.

*****

Back to the theme of fiber.  So, I’ve gotten interested in fiber.  Yes - fiber - the stuff that (ahh) helps you have bowel movements.

The Mayo Clinic says: 

A high-fiber diet:

Normalizes bowel movements. 

Helps maintain bowel health. 

A high-fiber diet may lower your risk of developing hemorrhoids and small pouches in your colon
Lowers cholesterol levels.
Helps control blood sugar levels.
Aids in achieving a healthy weight. 

Helps you live longer.

*****

Yes, some companies have been promoting fiber.  Honey Nut Cheerios puts notes on their package “Part of a Heart-Healthy Diet”.  Quaker Oats tells people how oatmeal is good for your health.  

Yes, I’ve been eating oatmeal since I was little.  And, I like it - my way - raisins, spices (like cinnamon, ground clove, ground nutmeg, vanilla, allspice, and some sugar and salt.  Lately, it has been pretty basic - oatmeal, raisins, cinnamon, cloves, Stevia, milk, and cream.  That’s my main meal.  

*****

Okay, so I started to lose weight.  YEA!!!!  I got down to about 225.  I was walking about 5 miles a day (10,000 steps).  Then things slowed up.  

And, I got constipation.  My reasoning, when you don’t have much in your stomach and digestive system, you don’t have much to eliminate.  The solution?  FIBER  FIBER  FIBER!!!

So, I’ve gone crazy with fiber.  I made pork and beans (or more like beans and pork) with pinto beans (34% of my daily fiber).  I got fiber pills (not the Metamucil brand, but similar).  When I shop (for my limited groceries), I check the fiber.  I got quinoa (okay, when my ex-wife wanted me to try quinoa, I balked a little).  It’s okay.

I also know that I need protein, and I get that through boneless chicken breasts mostly (I have tried the pork loins a few times).  

I do still have some bad habits - I still love bread and butter.  I have tortilla shells (so a little bread) and put real butter on quarter shells.  I got a watermelon the other day - I figured watermelon wouldn’t bother my dieting!!!  

There are times when I don’t eat well - like when I went for lunch with a friend and we had General Tso Chicken and rice.  (Breading and white rice aren’t good for diets and fiber).  I had half a slice of cake at the bridge group.  But, I’m down to 210 pounds.  

This time I’m looking to get to 195 pounds!!!!

More on fiber tomorrow!!!  

LOVE WINS

(And Fiber helps)

Karen

July 18, 2022