Diet Villain ALERT: Tranny Granny

TRANNY GRANNY:
Consuming trans fats, hydrogenated oils, and other harmful preservatives and additives

Hydrogenated and Partially Hydrogenated Oil:
Hydrogenation is the process of heating oil and passing hydrogen bubbles through it. By hydrogenating oil, either partially or fully, you are creating a solid and dense consistency. Because of this consistency, and because it is cheap, hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oil is a favorite butter substitute among food producers. The American obesity epidemic began when oils like coconut oils were replaced by partially hydrogenated oils.

Hydrogenated oil is not the only thing you need to be aware of and alarmed about, you should be aware of all MAN-MADE, PACKAGED AND PROCESSED FOODS:

Processed Foods
According to many fitness and health professionals, about 90% of Americans’ food budget are used to buy processed foods. Gone are the days when wholesome foods in their natural form were the main staple of the American diet. Food products have taken that place–and we wonder why we are over-weight and unhealthy.

1. Do you eat a lot of man-made, packaged, processed foods?
2. Do you read labels?
3. Are you selective in my food choices when it comes to man-made, packaged and processed foods?
4. Or do you just glance at labels?
5. Or maybe you don't read labels at all?

Always know what you are eating and what the ingredients in your food are—or at least have a good idea (do your own research). This major adjustment to old eating habits will guarantee weight loss, improved health, and longer life.

Clean calories (reading labels/things to look for)

• Preservatives and additives
• Flavoring agents, coloring agents, sweeteners (artificial and natural), emulsifiers, texturizers, stabilizers, etc.
• Chemicals and other fake foods
• Hidden fats (hydrogenated vegetable oils and other unneeded and unhealthy fats)
• Hidden sugars (maltodextrin, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, etc.)
• Hidden sodium (salt, MSG, sodium benzoate, sodium nitrate, ferrous sulfate, etc.)
• Hidden flour (white flour, baking powder, starch, dextrin, etc.)

* Notes

• Clean and pure calories are very important in MY DIVA DIET (in both Phase One and Two) because health should be the number one goal in any weight-loss program. In fact, if you are healthy you will find it much easier to lose weight.
• Cleaning up your calories is more important than decreasing your intake, and the best way to do it is to select natural and fresh foods over packaged, processed, man-made foods.
• Some diets are based on eating a great many unclean calories that help you lose a few pounds but place you at risk for health predicaments like fibromyalgia, headaches, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and others.

“If you make only one change in your eating habits, it should be in choosing clean, pure calories.”

* Clean Calories Rule

There are two main rules in this category:

• Become informed about food additives and preservatives.
• Read labels, read labels, read labels!

Blog to teach you how to read labels -- Read Food Labels: Your Health & Fitness Levels Depend on It!

“The Golden Food Rule: If God (nature) made it, it is safe. If it is man-made, it must be examined thoroughly.” www.MyDivaDiet.com

"diet villain" ALERT: DAIRY MAIDEN (Got Milk? Know the Facts)

DAIRY MAIDEN: Consuming too many dairy products (milk, cheese, ice cream, butter, etc.)—especially non-organic

GOT MILK?  Know the facts:

Total daily dairy intake

Although Americans consume some milk and milk products from sheep and goats, the American diet derives most of its dairy products from cattle. We at MY DIVAD DIET love cows and know that dairy is big business, but there are mixed reviews from nutritionists, fitness professionals, and even those in the medical field about the benefits of cattle dairy products, ranging from the belief that they are harmful to the conviction that they are a great food source. MY DIVA DIET takes the middle ground and finds dairy and dairy products acceptable as long as they are clean and pure and are not consumed in excess.

* Notes

• We tend to drink too much dairy (milk) and eat too many foods and products that contain dairy, and there are drawbacks to this habit. 
• The lactose that is found in milk (and all dairy products) is a form of naturally occurring sugar, but many dairy products contain added sugar (for example, some yogurts = 36 grams of carbohydrates, and 31 of them are from sugar). 
  
• Dairy and dairy products do have some protein, but they are high in fat unless you get low- or non-fat types (the two exceptions are cottage cheese and some yogurts). 
  
• Unless you use organic dairy and dairy products, you risk the possibility of consuming a product from a cow that was injected with hormones and antibiotics. Also, consider the cow’s feed (which affects its milk) as well as its health, treatment, and living conditions. 
• The big push for milk is because of the calcium it contains, but you can select other healthy foods that are good sources of calcium. 
  
• In one cup of beet greens, broccoli, chicory, Chinese cabbage, collard greens, kale, rhubarb, or spinach you can get anywhere from 10% to 35% of the RDA (recommended daily allowance) of calcium without the fat, sugar, or sodium. 
  
• These foods also provide other important vitamins, minerals, and fiber. 
  
• You can also get calcium from sardines and salmon, tofu, soy or rice milk, soybeans, nuts and seeds, and other leafy green vegetables. 
  

* Total Daily Dairy Intake Rules

• Dairy and dairy products are okay but are not the total answer to your mineral requirements and can add unhealthy calories to your diet (unless you are extremely careful with your choices). Your best bet is to keep dairy and dairy product consumption down to one to two times per day (or less if you can). 
  
• Less dairy (except for yogurt) is best when you are trying to lose weight, but this also holds true for maintenance and overall health. 
  
• Choose low-fat or non-fat organic milk & cottage cheese and low- or non-fat, no- sugar-added yogurts. 
  
• Cottage cheese is a great way to get protein into your diet. 
  
• Yogurt is a good source of acidophilus—a beneficial bacteria that helps prevent the growth of harmful bacteria in the body (gastrointestinal tract). 
  
• Choose yogurt and cottage cheese that contain live active cultures. 
  
• Because of its high fat content, cheese should be consumed in small amounts. 
  
• In the Diva Reduction Phase, Parmesan, Romano, feta, skim mozzarella, and string cheese are acceptable because a small amount goes a long way. 
  
• In the Diva Maintenance Phase, you can add other kinds of cheese in small amounts. 
  
• Other commonly used dairy products are butter and cream. These are high in fat and should be used sparingly. 
  
• For those of you who are lactose-intolerant (unable to absorb the natural sugar in dairy) or who don’t really care for dairy, rice or soy milk and other soy and rice products are good choices. 
• Be aware that dairy is used as an ingredient in many other foods, so you need to monitor this aspect as well. 
  
• Try goat’s milk—e.g. popular alternative to cow’s milk.

Does milk do a body good?  Only if it is the the right kind.  

To learn more about your "diet villains" check out the MY DIVA DIET website "diet villain" page.  

Here's a secret from a retired fitness competitor and bodybuilding--If you want to get really lean, skip ALL dairy except the yogurt recommended above and small amounts of organic low-to no-fat milk (or switch to soy milk).  

Wild Cow Productions!  

To see the entire Ms. San Luis Obispo, 1989 -- You Tube for MY DIVA DIET 

"diet villain" ALERT: SHOOGA (sugar)

SHOOGA: Using too much sugar, and too many sugar derivatives, and sugar substitutes

"Diet Villain" ALERT: SHOOGA--PART ONE: Sugar and sugar derivatives - part two will be "sugar substitutes"

Overconsumption of sugar is a rapidly growing problem in America today. The Center for Science in the Public Interest notes that we eat 20% more sugar now than in 1986. The average American eats twenty teaspoons of added sugar a day, aside from natural forms of sugar like lactose in milk and fructose in fruit. With so much sugar being consumed, it’s no wonder we face growing problems with obesity, diabetes, and other health issues.

Sugar:

Sugar primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beets and goes through a refining process. Table sugar (granulated white sugar), which is stripped of all vitamins, minerals, fiber, amino acids and trace elements during the refining process, is pure sucrose. Sugar can affect health in a myriad of ways–suppress the immune system, cause free radical formation in the bloodstream, produce a significant rise in triglycerides and increase in total cholesterol, cause hypoglycemia, kidney damage, produce an acidic stomach, overstress the pancreas, increase risk of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, increase the amount of fat in the liver, cause hormonal imbalance, increase in the body’s fluid retention, lead to many mineral deficiencies, speed up aging, cause headaches, including migraines, promotes tooth decay and periodontal disease. Sugar also contributes to hyperactivity, anxiety and depression, diabetes, osteoporosis, weight gain and obesity. And this is the abbreviated list.

Dietary sugar is primarily comprised of refined sugar cane or sugar beet. Table sugar (granulated white sugar) is pure sucrose and is stripped of all vitamins, minerals, fiber, amino acids, and trace elements during the refinement process.

* Notes

• One level teaspoon of table sugar contains 15 empty calories, which means that these calories have little, if any, nutritional value.
  
• Beyond the sugar we add to our coffee or tea, we consume sugar in a myriad of packaged foods where its content is disguised by other names, like “high fructose corn syrup”, which can cause fat gain and health problems.
  
• Read the ingredients panel on just some of the hundreds of cereals currently on the market today. See my blog "Food Facts: Cereal"
  
• Just because you don’t use table sugar or eat high-sugar cereals doesn’t mean you are avoiding sugar in your diet. Just read the labels on other packaged, man-made food products.
  
• Be aware of other sources of sugar, like molasses, syrup, jams, etc.
  

* Total Daily Sugar Intake Rules

• Avoid eating or adding table sugar to your food.
  
• Since there is plenty of sugar occurring naturally in some foods (e.g. dairy products, fruits, vegetables), try to keep your extra sugar intake to no more than 50 grams per day.
  
• Be very selective in your extra sugar sources.
  
• If you need sweet, use honey (1 Tbsp. = 17 g) or agave nectar (1 Tbsp. = 8.2 g).
  
• Begin to read labels on packaged foods—you will be truly amazed at how many products contain sugar and/or sugar derivatives--IT IS EVERYWHERE
  
• Train your taste buds to start enjoying the natural tastes of whole food and liquids, and you will reap the rewards of a leaner body, better health, and a more vibrant look. And, you will avoid many potential health issues.

FYI
Fructose and High Fructose Corn Syrup:
Fructose is one of three simple blood sugars that are primarily found in honey, fruits, and some vegetables. While fructose is a very important source of energy for many body processes, over-consumption can overwhelm the body’s ability to process it, causing the excess to be converted to fats in the bloodstream (triglycerides). The presence of excess triglycerides has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, appetite de-regulation (feelings of dissatisfaction or hunger which may lead to weight gain), and potential insulin resistance (which leads to the onset of type II diabetes).

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is pure corn syrup (100% glucose–another simple sugar) added to glucose, which has undergone a process that increases the amount of fructose in the final product. There are different grades of HFCS, each primarily for a different purpose.
• HFCS 90: 90% fructose, 10% glucose (used in baked goods),
• HFCS 55: 55% fructose, 45% glucose (used in soft drinks), and

• HFCS 42: 42% fructose, 58% glucose (used in sports drinks).

If you are serious about losing weight and gaining (re-gaining) your health, sugar is one "diet villain" you need to be aware of and conquer! It is is MOST man-made, packaged, and processed foods. So save the sugar for those rare times you want to "cheat on your diet"!

Stay tuned for Diet Villain ALLERT -- PART TWO: "sugar substitutes"

"diet villain" ALERT: CAFF (caffeine)

CAFF: Drinking too much caffeine from liquid sources like coffee, sodas, and other high-caffeine drinks with no nutritional value.  And consuming other products containing caffeine like medications and diet pills.  

Coffee and other caffeinated drinks
If you think that just because you don’t drink coffee or you drink decaf that you aren’t consuming any caffeine, think again. Under current federal regulations a product labeled “decaffeinated” can still contain 2.5% of the original amount of caffeine, and caffeine is also found in tea, soda, energy drinks, chocolate, candy, medications, and diet pills.

* Notes

• Coffee itself is not the problem so much as is consuming too much caffeine.
  
• Caffeine acts as a stimulant and can cause your heart to pump faster and your breathing to quicken.
• Caffeine acts as a diuretic, which increases the body’s need for more water.
  
• Caffeine is also a drug that can be addictive, so people who consume caffeine every day will usually need to continue to consume the same amount of caffeine just to feel normal.

* Coffee and Other Caffeinated Drink Rules

• Coffee is okay in moderation, especially without sugar and cream.
  
• A little honey or agave nectar is good for sweetening coffee, as is low-fat milk because of its lactose (milk sugar) content.
• Skip dry creamers—they contain hydrogenated oil as well as sugar and other unwholesome ingredients—try a little low-fat soy milk or rice milk instead.
• Watch out for those fancy coffee drinks—they are full of fat and sugar.
  
• Tea is a great substitute for coffee—it’s low in caffeine and has other beneficial qualities (will posted about tea next).
• Avoid soda—not just because of the caffeine but for other reasons as well.
• Be cautious of so-called “energy drinks”, as they usually contain high amounts of caffeine.
• Chocolate is okay on occasion, but choose dark chocolate instead of milk or white.
• Be aware of caffeine in medications you are taking.
  
• Stay away from diet pills! 

* FYI’s

• Coffee beans are produced by the Coffea plant, a small evergreen plant. Once ripe, coffee berries are picked, processed, and dried, then roasted to varying degrees (depending on desired flavor) and brewed for coffee.
• It’s been suggested that coffee may provide health benefits because of its antioxidants, which help prevent free radicals from causing cell damage.
• Coffee’s negative health effects are mostly due to excessive consumption of the caffeine it contains, which research suggests may create temporary problems such as increase in the stiffening of arterial walls, magnesium deficiency, and a mixed effect on short-term memory. 

Final Note:  I love my coffee (having some now)!  Coffee is NOT the villain here, it is the excess intake of caffeine (that you will find in many products other than coffee). Not to mention, what we add to our coffee!  Since, coffee comes from a plant it has antioxidants and it is a natural way to get a "jolt" to help you exercise!  

To learn more about coffee has its benefits:

• Web MD:  "Coffee: The New Health Food?" 
  
• Positively Coffee Org
  
• Coffee Detective
  

Learn more about MY DIVA DIET "diet villains"

"diet villain" ALERT: MR. BAKERMAN (white flour and more)

Mr. Bakerman: Using and overusing white flour and other baking ingredients like starch, baking powder, and dextrin. And, consuming too many baked goods like cookies, donuts, pies, and cakes.White flour intake (bread, cereals, crackers, noodles, pasta, pastries, tortillas, etc.)

White flour encompasses a big part of the American diet. It is included not only in the foods list above but in many others like gravy, dips, and condiments. 

A diet of refined foods can leave many women malnourished, constipated, and vulnerable to chronic illnesses. We eat a great deal of white flour—and then wonder why we are sick and fat!

* Notes

• Highly processed white flour (enriched wheat flour) is missing the two most important, nutritious, fibrous parts of the seed: the outside bran layer and the germ (embryo).
  
• These contain nutrients like fiber, B-complex vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and folate), and iron and trace minerals.
  
• Phytochemicals (naturally-occurring health-promoting substances found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts) are also lost during the refining process.
  
• Other ingredients we need to be leery of are the ones we frequently use in our cooking and baking and that are found in many man-made products: breads and baked goods, beer, wine, cereal, waffles, pancakes, pudding, sauces, condiments, etc. Common ingredients found in these products include yeast, starch and starch derivatives like maltodextrin, and baking powder, just to name a few.

* White Flour Intake Rules

• Avoid white flour (enriched wheat flour).
  
• Select breads and other products made with grains (grain products) that use the whole grain and have the whole grain listed first on the ingredients panel.
  
• Some of the best grain products are “sprouted” grains which provide better nutrition, enhanced digestion, and less allergic potential. You can find good sprouted products at: 

1. Food For Life (www.foodforlife.com)
   
2. Trader Joe’s sprouted breads and other healthy grain products(www.traderjoes.com)
   
3. Your local health food store

• “Stone ground” grains are also wholesome, and are usually coarser and have the germ intact. The bran portion may or may not be included.
  
• Be sure to check the ingredients in man-made food products for white flour and other baking ingredients, which should be avoided.
  
• Be extremely cautious with pancakes, waffles, muffins, tortillas, etc., even if they are labeled healthy.
  

* FYI’s and Other Flour Rules

• Wheat is not the only grain used to make flour. Others include amaranth, arrowroot, barley, buckwheat, corn, flaxseed, kamut, oats, quinoa, rice, rye, soy, spelt, teff, and triticale.
  
• Vegetable and nut flours are also available, including bean flour, chickpea flour, chestnut flour, peasemeal (pea flour), potato flour, sweet potato flour, and almond and hazelnut flours.
  
• Flour and products made with flour other than wheat or white are okay to eat providing the other ingredients are clean and pure.
  

The good news is that you don't have to give up your bread to be fit and healthy!  

Paw “10 Directives to Bread” Guide

• #1.  They should be made with whole grain like amaranth, barley, millet, oats, quinoa, rice, rye, spelt, and wheat.
• #2.  They can contain added legumes, nuts, and seeds–if they are pure.
  
• #3.  They are best if they are organic and sprouted or stoned ground.
  
• #4.  Flour-made breads are okay, as long as it is not white flour.
  
• #5.  Gluten-free, wheat-free, and yeast-free are good options.
  
• #6.  They can have multiple ingredients but should be made with only clean and pure ingredients
• #7.  They should be high in protein, fiber, and other nutrients, and low in fat.
  
• #8.  They should be low in preservatives and additive-free.
• #9.  They should have limited or no sugar, sodium, or oils, however, if they do contain these they should come from natural and healthy sources
  
• #10.  MY DIVA DIET:  A Woman's Last Diet Book offers a list of recommended breads. They are calorically dense (a slice or two equals anywhere from 100 to 250 calories and 2-20 grams of fiber) and they require refrigeration.
  

To  learn more about the "diet villains" and how you can defeat them check it!  

"diet villain" ALERT: VEGG (lack of exercise)

VEGG: Lack of exercise, always inactive and lazy

Americans’ attitudes toward exercise reflect other values in our culture today: we have grown lazy and passive, expecting rewards to come to us without effort and hoping that others will do for us what 

we can and should do for ourselves. In terms of physical activity, the result is that our health & fitness levels have fallen dramatically.

* Notes

• The wide-ranging health benefits of regular exercise include:
  
• Reducing the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, diabetes, and obesity
• Helping keep joints, tendons, and ligaments flexible
  
• Helping increase metabolism, energy, and endurance
• Reducing some of the effects of aging
  
• Contributing to mental well-being (including alleviating depression, stress, and anxiety) and ensuring better sleep
  
• A properly designed and executed exercise program can improve or protect posture, help keep bones and muscles stronger, and maintain joints, tendons, and ligaments injury-free.
  
• Exercise can help improve your skin and enable your internal organs to function better.
  
• Exercise helps you lose body fat by:
• Burning calories when you are exercising and increasing your metabolism for many hours afterward 
• Increasing your lean body mass, which:

Equals a higher sustained metabolic rate

Leads to a firmer, more sculptured physique

• Exercise makes you healthier, feel better, look younger and more alive—it’s sexy!
  

* Exercise Rules

Exercise is FACTOR #5 of MY DIVA DIET'S "Five Factors Affecting Body Fat and Health" 

• There is only one main exercise rule when your goal is to lose fat and gain health: exercise is mandatory. So find something active you enjoy doing and make it part of your life right now.
  
• Exercise is crucial for fat loss and good health. It is also essential for maintaining low body fat and a fit physique. However, the frequency, duration, and intensity of your exercise will vary depending on your goals and other circumstances.
  
• Don’t be extreme with your exercise program.

* A Quick Guide to exercise

• The best thing to do when you’ve been cleared by your doctor and are ready to begin an exercise program is to hire a Certified Fitness Professional. That way you will not waste time, money, or risk injury.
  
• An exercise program should consist of the six components shown in the following chart. Each workout should fit your age, current fitness level, and any medical or physical limitations you may have. Your goals, lifestyle, exercise interests, and commitment level should also be taken into consideration when your exercise program is designed.
  

Six Components to an Effective Exercise Program

Purpose–Types of Activity–Frequency–Duration–Intensity 

#1 Cardiovascular conditioning

• Purpose: Supports your heart and lungs, has many other health benefits; has a major impact on fat loss
  
• Types of activity:
  

1. Biking, running, fast walking, stair climbing, rowing, etc. (outside or indoor) 
   
2. Consider: A spin class or a group aerobics class

• Frequency: 3 to 5 times per week
  
• Duration: Approximately 30 to 45 minutes
• Intensity: 75 to 85% of your maximum heart rate
  

#2 Strength and endurance training

• Purpose: Helps build muscle, strength and endurance, and bone density; has many other health benefits; increases lean body mass, which supports fat loss and makes you look firmer.
  
• Types of activity:
  

1. Weight training with free weights and some machines
   
2. Circuit training
   
3. Consider: Pilates, which covers some strength, core, and flexibility training

• Frequency: 3 to 5 times per week
  
• Duration: Approximately 30 to 45 minutes
  
• Intensity: Depends on the number of sets and repetitions, weight load, and the rest period between sets

#3 Flexibility training

• Purpose: Enhances your joints’ ability to move through a full range of motion. Keeping your muscles flexible will help improve physical performance and posture and reduce the risk of injury, low back pain, and muscle soreness; increase the flow of blood and nutrients to tissues; and help improve muscle coordination. It not only will make you feel better but function better.
• Types of activity:
  

1. Stretching exercises (either alone or within a class setting)
2. Consider: A yoga class
   

• Frequency: 3 to 5 times per week (perhaps after an exercise program)
  
• Duration: Approximately 10 to 20 minutes (or more, if you have the time)
• Intensity: To the point of tightness, not pain
  

#4 Core and balance training 

• Purpose: Supports the balanced development of the deep superficial muscles that stabilize, align, and move the trunk of the body, especially the abdominals and muscles of the back.
• Types of activity:

1. Core conditioning can be done with weights, exercise bands, medicine balls, or a Swiss ball (a large rubber ball used for exercise and physical therapy)
   

• Frequency, duration, and intensity: Core training can be incorporated into your exercise program (either with your weight training or in a class setting)

#5 Corrective exercises

• Purpose: Help improve posture and target ideal posture, defined as “that state of muscular and skeletal balance which protects the supporting structures of the body against injury or progressive deformity.” It is during ideal posture that the muscles function most efficiently.
  
• Types of activity:
  

1. Exercises that help offset any muscle imbalances you may have developed through work injuries, sports, a poorly designed exercise program, or simple neglect. Corrective exercises help put your body back into its proper postural alignment so you not only function better but look and feel better. You can use weight training and flexibility techniques as well as a Swiss ball, foam rollers, and other modalities.
   

• Frequency, duration, and intensity: You can incorporate corrective exercises within your regular exercise routine, as long as they are tailored to your particular postural issues.

#6 Functional training

• Purpose: Improves functional movements that the body is engineered to do in everyday life—walking, running, climbing, lifting, bending, etc.— through a complex series of motions by several of the body’s systems, including the nervous system, the muscular system, and the skeletal system.
• These movements are important because they give us the ability to perform a variety of tasks—at work, at home, for recreation—now and in the future.
• Types of activity:
  

1. Functional training should be a part of your exercise program so that your body can do all the things it was meant to do—even at age 80!
   

• Frequency, duration, and intensity: You can fit your functional training into your weight training sessions.

* Exercise Resources

• Paul Chek of the Chek Institute
  
• ACE (American Council on Exercise)
  
• NESTA (National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association)
  

ACE Certified Fitness Trainer, 

Christine Lakatos 

"diet villain" ALERT: AL and & his twin COLE (alcohol)!

DIET VILLAINS EXPOSED 

Al & his twin sister, Cole:
Drinking too much alcohol

Alcohol
The behavioral problems that can result from alcohol use and abuse are well documented. However, alcohol consumption also has a direct impact on your health as well as your body-fat level.

* Notes

• Alcohol has short-term effects on health and body fat.
  
• Alcohol is easily converted to fat, has empty calories, can cause dehydration, and creates electrolyte imbalances.
• While your liver is busy metabolizing alcohol, it is unable to metabolize fat.
  
• Alcohol has more severe long-term effects on health and body fat.
  
• Excessive alcohol use can result in dependency, nutrition deficiency (mainly B-complex and iron), liver dysfunction, brain cell damage, increased cancer risk, increased heart disease risk, digestive system dysfunction, reproductive problems, and mental health effects (like depression).

Does Alcohol make you fat?  Check out these articles! 

WeightLossforAll.com

RealWomen'sFitness.com

AmericanChronicle.com

How to Attack and Defeat these two "diet villains"!  

* Alcohol Rules

• If you are serious about losing fat and upgrading your health, alcohol has to be off limits during the Diva Reduction Phase of MY DIVA DIET. When you are in the Diva Maintenance Phase, you can have alcohol in moderation, but you will need to monitor it so that the fat does not come back and your health won’t suffer. (If you do-drink responsibly!)  

* FYI’s

The following chart shows you the average caloric content of some common alcoholic drinks.
Drink -- Calories
Wine (4 oz.) -- 90
One beer (12 oz.) -- 150 to 200 (depending on brand)
Bloody Mary --  115 calories
Whiskey sour -- 122
Gin and tonic -- 171
Piña colada -- 262
Vodka / other alcohol (4 oz.) -- 250 (depending on choice)

Calories from wine, beer, alcohol, alcoholic mixed drinks (the mix adds an additional 100+ calories) add up quickly—a few drinks can total up to one half of your daily calories or more.

=================

How do AL & COLE fit into the "Five Factors Affecting Body Fat and Health"?
They are part of Factor #1!
Factor #1: Liquid Consumption
Too many poor liquid choices add unnecessary and empty calories to the American diet, and an inadequate water intake leaves women dehydrated, unhealthy, bloated, and overweight.

Factor #2: Quantity and Distribution of Calories

* Daily caloric intake (uncontrolled calories—too many or not enough)
* Daily nutrient ratio: protein/carbohydrates/fat (unbalanced calories)
* Number of meals in each day (too many or not enough)* Meal size (uncontrolled portions)
* Meal timing (unmonitored timing)

Factor #3: Quality and Purity of Calories

* Fat calories
* Unhealthy calories
* Dirty calories
* Impure calories
* Old and dead calories
* Non-kosher calories

Factor #4: Restrictive and Unbalanced DietingBecause most women look for quick-fix solutions to our obesity and poor-health epidemic, we buy into gimmicks and false promises. We subscribe to dangerous pills and special packaged foods. We suffer needlessly. Sometimes we lose weight only to “rebound”—gaining more weight than when we started and usually at the expense of our health. We end up confused and more desperate. So instead of seeking the proper way to lose weight, we start the cycle all over again.

Factor #5: Exercise
Lack of exercise is a major factor in our health and often explains why we may be fat in the first place. We are a “remote-control” country: we lack physical activity and are frequently too lazy to exercise.

======================

Take the "Diva 32-Question Quiz"  and expose all of your "diet villains"!  

Stay tuned for more diet villains, diva reduction recipes, and diva news! 

See our blog MY DIVA DIET "Tools for Success", giving you practical tools and valuable information so that you CAN win the battle for health and fitness-attain a lean, healthy, fit and more functional body–for life!  

Thanks from SUPER DIVA and PAW! 

"diet villain" ALERT: POPS (dehydration)

We are your "fitness superheroes" SUPER FIT DIVA and Paw–ready to EXPOSE, ATTACK and DEFEAT the "diet villains" in your life! In fact we were designed to teach and coach you through the entire MY DIVA DIET program and encourage you to take charge of your bodies as you wage war against the true diet enemies!

From time to time, we will EXPOSE a new "diet villain" and give you INFORMATION – NOTES – RULES.

This will help you attack and defeat them!

They say, "a picture is worth a thousand words"! Our illustrations (diet villains) are visual aids for you to see the effects of certain lifestyle habits (diet and exercise)! We want to make certain you take notice so you will be more empowered to conquer these malicious enemies and WIN the battle for health and fitness–to attain a lean, healthy, fit, and more functional body–for life.

FEATURED "diet villain"

POPS: Dehydration from drinking too little water and too many bad fluids like soda and other sugary drinks.

Information:

Water is essential for life–it makes up about two-thirds of a person's body weight and is the second most important nutrient next to oxygen. We can live without food for weeks, but only a few days without water. Drinking plenty of water stand alone as the best thing you can do for your body.

Notes:

1. Water is critical to good health.
   
2. Water is necessary for nearly every bodily function, including circulation, digestion, absorption, excretion, and nutrient distribution to all cells.
3. Adequate amounts of water are vital to lung function; mitigate high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, obesity, diabetes, asthma, gastrointestinal problems, hiatal hernias, headaches, angina, allergies, and constipation; prevent kidney stones; and slow aging.
   
4. Lack of water can affect our weight-loss efforts.
5. Most of us retain water because we do not drink enough water.
   
6. We mistake thirst for hunger, so we eat instead of drinking water.
   
7. Dehydration not only has health consequences but also affects our mood and can make us lethargic, making it impossible to exercise and eat correctly.
8. Thirst cannot always be relied on as the best indicator of water requirements. If you're thirsty, you're probably already dehydrated.
   

Rules

1. Supply your body with enough water each day and you will reap the rewards of health, vitality, energy, great skin, appetite control, reduced fat and bloating, and much more.
   
2. Drink an average of eight to ten cups of water each day (depending on your body weight).
   
3. You may need more water if you are exercising, drinking coffee or other caffeinated drinks, taking medications, and/or consuming alcohol.
   
4. It's best to drink room-temperature water–iced water can delay digestion if consumed with a meal.
   

FYI

Drinking bottled water is probably better than drinking tap water.

Another option is tap-water filtering system, which is less expensive than bottled water.

In previous posts we have exposed three of the 18 "diet villains" found in MY DIVA DIET: A Woman's Last Diet Book. Here is a recap.

• Dr. Pill: Using and pushing diet and weight-loss drugs.

• Nurse Gimmick: Using every "quick-fix" diet plan and gimmick weight-loss diet book, program, and product.

• George Gotta Go: Exercising obsessively, using steroids and other performance enhancing drugs, and abusing so-called "body-altering" drugs, whether synthetic or natural.

To learn more about the 18 "diet villains" check out our website www.MyDivaDiet.com.

You can also take our 32 Question Diva Diet Quiz.

Stay tuned for our next featured "diet villain"!

Until then E.C.L. Empower–Challenge–Legacy

Super Fit Diva and Paw

A Huge Thanks–To the People that Have Supported the MY DIVA DIET Mission

MY DIVA DIET:  A Woman's Last Diet Book is more than a book–it is a program with a mission–E.C.L. =  Empower–Challenge–Legacy.  The MY DIVA DIET Mission is to empower women so that they can get into great shape, to challenge them to be better women, 

and to ensure a legacy of good health for the next generation.  As the superhero of this mission, I want to help you expose, attack and defeat the "diet villains"

-today we will focus on two, Dr. Pill and Nurse Gimmick!  

As SUPER DIVA, my mission includes saving WOMEN from the prevalent "dieting madness" and help them understand that losing fat shouldn't include:  

• Confusion 
• Deprivation
  
• Starvation
• Unbalanced Nutrients 
• No Carb Diet 
  
• One Type of Food Diet  
  
• One Meal Per Day diet 
  
• Liquid Diets 
• Fake Foods 
• Diet pills 
  
• Magic potions 
  
• And any other quick-fix solutions 

If you find and use these type of systems you will only reap the following:

• Poor Health
• Dehydration 
• Loss of LBM
  
• Decrease in Energy 
  
• Loss of Sanity
  
• Bad Moods 
  
• Yo' Yo' Dieting 
• Body Fat will Increase 
  
• Bad Example for our Children 
  

Together we can stop the cycle of ignorance, confusion and desperation in the area of dieting for weight loss.  We can learn how to lose weight, the safe, healthy and lasting way, and then we can pass this on to our children (something that is so dear to my heart)!  That way we can make certain our children avoid the needless pain and insanity we may have encountered or witnessed!   Our children deserve BETTER! 

We began our journey of promoting this mission and the  MY DIVA DIET:  A Woman's Last Diet Book in September of 2008.  It is now February 2009, and we have had many join us on this adventure.  I have had the pleasure of communicating with many wonderful people through e-mails, blogs, websites, and in social networks.  Some of you bought the book,  some added us to your site, some blogged about it and so much more–ALL getting the word out!  I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your support–you have made a difference. 

• Below you will find the link to some very special people–more to come because we have just gotten started!  Thanks to those of you who purchased the BOOK (number 1 in a series of 5)!  If you want to be added to this list, contact me–would value your input!

Bodybuilding.com

Central Coast Women's Network 

The Self-Publishing Experience 

BuyLiveBetter.com

FindtheBuzz.com 

theDomesticDiva.org

Ladybargain.net 

Upside40.com

The Fitness Books Channel

SupplementHunter.com

Start up Nation by Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs

NING sites 

Fitness Star Network "MY DIVA DIET Tools For Success" forum 

FBB, Fitness & Figure Admirers -- front page ad!

World Physique "MY DIVA DIET group" 

WAHM Divas – front page ad!

Start Up Space "MY DIVA DIET" group 

WO Zone "Lets Get Fine in 09"group

Check out and sign up for our latest FREE tip line "MY DIVA DIET Text Messages" brought to you by Scholars Advocate, LLC www.textadvocate.com.

MY DIVA DIET tip of the Day...

 "Shop from the outside isles in. The outside aisles have all the fresh produce, herbs, meats and fish, as well as dairy and other products that require refrigeration. These are where most of your "good foods" are. -mydivadiet.com"

Receive FREE MY DIVA DIET tips like this directly to your cell phone throughout the day (3 times) to help you with your health and fitness goals.  Simply text the word "Healthy" to 336-317-6449 to start receiving your messages today!  

Get your daily dose of health and fitness tips from MY DIVA DIET directly to your cell phone, on twitter, and/or follow my blogs here and MY DIVA DIET "Tools For Success"–information and inspiration–Knowledge is Power!

Remember I am a "fitness superhero" not a computer whiz, so if I missed anything or anyone, or if YOU are interested in being part of this "wholesome mission" contact me at christine@mydivadiet.com www.MyDivaDiet.com.  xo from Super Diva