I know it has been a long time
I totally forgot I posted this like a year ago. Life...and now I will have 31 grandkids by Sept and yes they keep me going. I still have the fibro and RA and I tore my rotator cuff in Oct, forcing me to modify Cathe workouts tremendously. I am happy to say I am still on board with her and almost us to par. Still cannot do man push ups. Only girl ones and not as many as I used to. Let me share my modification.
If I low impact a workout, I add another riser. I low impact alot more now than I used to.
I did not but the STS series. It sounds like it was a huge hit on the forum but I was not in a position to do it at the time. I could cry but I won't. Tell me more about them now that you have them. Is it a workout you think is good for 'our' age?
I have a bad back, really what I have is a muscle spazzy butt that tightens up and pulls my lower back out. I discovered the little yoga balls that are soft and firm and after every workout I sit on those things and roll my bottom until the muscle relaxes and I have not had my back go out for several months now.
My newest diet change...well let me say this, I don't diet. I just eat well. I will copy and paste a letter I sent to my friend and you may be interested in it.
I have found the super foods lists vary throughout the internet but for the most part...it is my diet. I eat all the super foods for my daily food and I did not even know they were super. Truly...exercise it key with a clean diet and healthy eating habits. This is not to say that all goodies are out and all you live on is raw spinich and carrot juice. LOL It is more about balance and eating the piece of cake or cookies without feeling like you are sinning or something
Just do all the other stuff and that juck will be used for
energy and the rest will be waste material instead of waist material. LOL
My new fix: I do 3 protein scoops a day. I also buy sweet potatoes or yams and steam them. Cut them up small and freeze them. I use approx 1/2 cup frozen sweet pot in every
smoothie for extra nutrition. I will often add a stalk of celery to it too.
That is if you have a blender that will handle it. Sweet potatoes have a low
glycemic index which makes it safer for diabetics. ( I am not diabetic) The celery is purely for the help with edema properties. Just eating celery will help you with that.
favorite LARGE smoothie for me is:
1 and 1/2 cup OJ
2 scoops van pro powder
1/2 frozen sweet pot
start blending slowly
add 1.2 to 1 C water slowly and then 4-6 cubes of ice on high.
Opt: one stalk celery added in pieces after water and before ice.
This would be a meal in itself
Here is a great site I found:
http://www.diabetic-diet-secrets.com/super-foods-that-heal---sweet-potato.html
Health Benefits of Sweet Potato
An endorsement of sweet potatoes as a nutritious food helpful in the
prevention of disease comes from the North Carolina Stroke Association,
American Cancer Society, and the American Heart Association. And they're not
the only ones noticing the attributes of sweet potatoes.
In 1992, the Center for Science in the Public Interest compared the
nutritional value of sweet potatoes to all other vegetables. Considering
fiber content, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron, and
calcium, the sweet potato ranked highest in nutritional value. According to
these criteria, sweet potatoes earned 184 points, 100 points over the next
on the list, the white potato. The Center strongly recommends eating more
sweet potatoes since a nutritious diet is one that is high in fiber,
provides many nutrients, is rich in complex carbohydrates, and is low in
fat.
More Fiber
The sweet potato is a good source of dietary fiber, which lowers the risk
for constipation, diverticulosis, colon and rectal cancer, heart disease,
diabetes and obesity. The fiber in sweet potatoes provides a feeling of
fullness and satiety, which helps to control food intake.
More Antioxidants
Antioxidants play a role in the prevention of heart disease and cancer, and
sweet potatoes supply plenty of the antioxidants, vitamin E and
beta-carotene. These substances are effective in neutralizing free radicals,
which are responsible for damage to cell walls and cell structures. Vitamin
E also protects against heart attack and stroke by reducing the harmful
effects of low-density cholesterol and preventing blood clots.
Antioxidants are essential for good brain functioning and in delay in the
effects of aging on the brain. A low level of vitamin E has been linked with
memory loss. A Columbia University study showed a delay of about seven
months in the progression of Alzheimer's disease when subjects consumed high
levels of vitamin E. This fat-soluble vitamin is found mainly in high-fat
foods such as oils, nuts, and avocados. Only the sweet potato provides
vitamin E without the fat and calories.
Sweet potatoes contain 30 mg (50,000 IU) of beta-carotene (vitamin A) in one
cup, which is four times the USRDA. You would have to eat 23 cups of
broccoli to consume the same amount of beta-carotene. Health professionals
believe that carotenoids give protection from the formation of free radicals
and are chemo-protective against cancer.
The Finnish study of 10,000 smokers, reviewed in the New England Journal of
Medicine in 1994, tested the effects of taking beta-carotene supplements to
prevent lung cancer. It was based on the earlier finding that individuals
who have higher blood levels of beta-carotene have a lower incidence of lung
cancer. To the researchers' horror, those who took the supplements actually
had a higher rate of lung cancer and the study was discontinued. Researchers
concluded that beta-carotene has a protective effect only when consumed in
food, the original and best source. The nutrient-packed sweet potato is the
richest source of this protective substance.
Low Glycemic Index
Different foods have different effects on blood glucose. The glycemic index
is a measure of how quickly glucose is absorbed after a person eats, how
high glucose rises, and how quickly it returns to normal. A low glycemic
index is desirable and is characterized by slow absorption, a modest rise in
blood glucose, and a smooth return to normal. Fast absorption, a surge in
blood glucose, and an overreaction that plunges glucose below normal are
undesirable and are the result of eating foods with a high glycemic index.
This distinction is especially important for people with diabetes, whose
good health is dependent upon stable blood glucose levels. As a result,
getting enough carbohydrates without causing glucose spikes can prove
challenging. For example, white potatoes, corn, rice, and white bread all
have a high glycemic index and can cause a spike and an ultimate drop in
blood sugar. Diabetics and others wanting to avoid glucose highs and lows
can turn to sweet potatoes, which have a low glycemic index.
Excellent Source of Potassium
Potassium plays a major role in maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance
and cell integrity. Controlling potassium distribution is a high priority
for the body because it affects many aspects of homeostasis, including a
steady heartbeat. Fresh fruits and vegetables are the best sources of
potassium, and sweet potatoes are among the top three richest sources, along
with bananas and white potatoes.
Dr. Robert Cordell, emeritus professor of cardiothoracic surgery at Wake
Forest University School of Medicine, highly recommends sweet potatoes.
"Sweet potatoes, a readily available and wonderfully tasteful root vegetable
in the southeastern United States, are frequently overlooked regarding their
health value. Most remain unaware of the significant health benefits of this
low-fat, high fiber vegetable that is such a rich source of vitamins A and
E. Sweet potatoes, therefore, contain significant deterrents to heart
disease and stroke, both of which tend to be higher in our part of the
country. In addition, reports have suggested anti-cancer effects. With these
facts in mind, all of us should make sweet potatoes a more frequent part of
our regular diet."
Nutrition Facts
serving size: servings: 11.0
Calories per serving:
calories 224.79;Calories from fat 0.5
% daily value*
Total Fat 0.5
Saturated Fat 0.1
Trans Fat 0.00 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.49 g
Monounsaturated fat 0.07 g
Cholesterol 0.00 mg
Sodium 421.26 mg
Potassium 713.31 mg
Total Carbohydrate 40.36 g
Net Carbohydrate 27.26 g
Dietary fiber 13.10 g
Sugars 0.00 g
Protien 15.35 g
Vitamin A 0.00 Vitamin C 2.12 mg
Calcium 49.56 mg Iron 5.20 mg
Actual values are used in this label instead of % of DRV
Total Protien 26.60%
Total Carbohydrate 69.95%
Total Fat 3.45%
Serves 1.0 •
224.79 Calories per serving. • PCF Ratio: 27-70-3
Protein per serving: 15.35 g g • Carbohydrate per serving:
40.36 g g •
Fat per serving: 0.89 g g
