"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: 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