Granted but you like this contractor so much you keep finding more & more work around the house just so you can keep the contractor in your life. Soon you are bankrupted.

I wish Boo's renovations would just magically be complete. No muss or fuss, just done with a finger snap and some magic words like "shiminey-jiminey-doo-I-think-I-smell-poo" and presto all the renovations are done.

That cheesecake sounds yummy!

Eric -- I've started a new thread about the glycemic index here in the SketchUp Fit Club.

Kelly - does the Atkins Diet have any good snack ideas? My understanding of it is it is relatively pro-protein. I know when I have a Finn Crisp (or Wasa crisp) with a piece of chicken, lean ham, or turkey meat I'm very satisfied. Now that I'm paying more attention to it, I'm really surprised how low in calories many meats are.

Regards, Ross

Popcorn may be a good snack or it may not. With regards to calories, taste, and general enjoyment it is a great snack. Its downside is that it has a relatively high glycemic load. If you think in terms of good carbs vs. bad carbs then popcorn is one of the 'bad' ones. Eat a handful of popcorn and your blood sugar levels will shoot up. If your typical pre-diet snack was a bag of potato chips & dip then having popcorn is a very good alternative.

I've seen it recommended that if you are eating popcorn you should increase your water consumption & drink the water as you eat the popcorn. The popcorn is like little sponges and proper digestion requires lots of water.

Regards, Ross

Eric -- Ten pounds is great news! I'm now at about 33 pounds lost and my jeans are getting baggy. The belt buckle has moved up three notches to keep the pants on.

I'm glad you are liking almond butter. Don't eat too much! Have a small amount and treat it like a luxury item to be savoured. I'll sometimes just have a small spoonful by itself, eat it slow, and really concentrate on its texture & flavour. It is a simple pleasure. Ummmm...

I've recently started adding some bread back into my diet. My wife picked up some frozen 'Ezekiel 4:9 Sesame Bread' by 'Food For Life Bakery' at a health food store. It is amazingly good. It is organic and made without flour. Instead it uses sprouted grains. What I like is it has a delicious hearty taste & texture and I find it more satisfying than the regular whole-wheat bread I used to eat. This sprouted grain bread certainly has something special about it. I think it's a great 'snack'.

Regards, Ross

Yes Almond butter is relatively high in fat. As per the link above about Almond butter, the fat is still good for you in moderation. In general I'm on a low-fat diet. I'm quite happy to be have almonds as on of the sources of the limited amounts of total fat I'm eating. You do need some fats in your diet. If you can't find almond butter at the grocery store you likely will find it at a health food store.

I buy those Wasa crisp breads too. They are actually quite different from the Finn Crisps. The Finn ones are much thinner and a little bit crispier. My problem with Wasa (and rusks too) is I used to eat them before dieting. A wasa smeared with a bunch of cream cheese & a pile of smoked salmon is very yummy! So it is when I eat one now I miss the non-diet toppings of my former lifestyle. Still a wasa crisp with a slice of turkey is pretty good. The hearty taste & texture can be quite satisfying -- just don't think about cream cheese & smoked salmon.

Another topping for a wasa I like is hummus. I make my own but in many grocery deli's you can buy it premade.

Regards, Ross

I like to snack with a single Finn Crisp smeared with a little almond butter. The flavours of this quick snack (strong rye + toasted almond) are very pronounced and I find I can savour it rather than just gobble the snack down. Simply exquisite! I can buy Finn Crisps & almond butter at my local grocery store. The Finn Crisps are found near the melba toasts & packed bread sticks in the cracker aisle. Almond butter is found near the peanut butter. If you read that link above for almond butter, you'll see that almonds can have a very beneficial effects.

I also snack occasionally on one of those small cups of no-fat yogurt. I buy the ones with a natural sweetener because I want to avoid all the artificial sweeteners. The naturally sweetened ones do have more calories but I feel they are better for me.

Regards, Ross

That's a great update Eric! I'm currently at about 35 pounds lost in eight weeks. That works out to an average loss of 4.375 pounds/week. My jeans are noticably more loose. The other day I had to punch a new hole in my belt so it could continue to keep the pants up.

I'll have to look for that Bob's Red Mill "Mighty Tasty GF Hot Cereal". I'll give it a try but only in small amounts as I'm trying to avoid eating corn products.

Regards, Ross

In the last five weeks I've lost about 27 pounds. I'm planning to loose another 38 pounds to get my weight to 190 pounds. That's what I weighed in my early twenties. I'm now 45. My weight gain to around 256 pounds was a very gradual one. It coincided with a gradual increase in the amount of beer & booze I was drinking and other gradual lifestyle changes. My wife had similar changes but gained relatively less weight.

We heard about Dr Joshi's Holistic Detox diet and did some searches on the Internet to learn more about it. With four or five hours of reading what we found online, we didn't feel the need to buy the book. The ideas of the Dr Joshi's plan are simple enough.

Basically it involves a 'Detox' idea. By going cold turkey and completely cutting out a number of things from your diet, you give your body a chance to rid itself of accumulated toxins like chemical food preservatives, artificial flavors and other unnatural compounds our systems were never designed to ingest. The result is better health with enhanced absorption of nutrients, an absence of cravings, more energy, alertness, and general well-being.

My wife and I decided to do a detox together. Doing it with another person has been great. Much easier than doing it alone, I'm sure. Together we have cut out all booze, coffee, added salt, gluten (no wheat products), corn products, yeast, red meat, potatoes, white rice, cheese and diary products [we have continued eating some yogurt], and refined sugar. During the 21-day detox period Dr Joshi also advises to cut out all fruit except bananas. If you smoke or take recreational drugs I'm sure Dr Joshi would want you to stop them completely too.

The list of don'ts sounded very intimidating at first but we soon realized it wasn't very difficult. Stopping coffee did lead to withdrawal symptoms (bad constant headache) for the first couple of days. Stopping the booze was surprisingly easy. [Between us we were spending about $60-$70 per week on beer/vodka/rum by each having a couple of beers and a couple of doubles, a daily thing. We knew we were drinking too much and over the years the trend had become a slow steady increase in amounts]. Because we knew booze and coffee were really bad for us, cutting them out definitely has had a positive psychological effect -- making us feel good that we have no dependence on them. Loosing weight also has had a positive psychological effect!

What we are eating has not really felt like a sacrifice at all. We are eating lots of big salads. with them we'll eat a few ounces of chicken, turkey, or lean pork. Sometimes we'll have fish, shrimp, or scallops with a salad. In a typical salad we'll have organic greens, some almond slivers, perhaps a few organic raisins, and sesame seeds, with a light vinaigrette dressing. For breakfast & snacks we'll often have a small bowl of cereal -- typically millet flakes (no gluten), a little granola, and soy or almond milk -- sometimes with some sliced banana. Another snack I like is a slice of chicken or ham on a thin toasted slice of imported real Dutch pumpernickel bread -- the kind that is basically just fermented rye kernels -- yum. We will also eat a two or three eggs per week, legumes like a bean salad or hummus. Sometimes we'll have a wild blend of brown rices. We eat some tofu and will make thin soups like meso. To drink, we are now drinking lots of filtered water, caffeine-free herb teas, some low-caffeine green tea, and my wife likes sparkling mineral water. She has had a few glasses of red wine. We have had no deserts.

The simple nature of the diet has not required much planning. We just make sure we have lots of salad-making supplies, appropriate meats/seafood, cereal, bananas, etc. in the house. It is very easy to quickly whip something tasty together without a recipe or any fuss. The grocery bills are a little less expensive. We feel very nourished and always have enough to satisfy -- no starvation going on here! Our two boys (9 & 13) aren't on the diet with us but our new attention to feeding ourselves quality foods has had us feeding them better. They also are getting more aware of healthy eating and are asking for better snacks.

When we've had to eat out at restaurants we have not found it too difficult. Typically we'll just order a salad with boneless chicken and drink water. My wife went out to a bar drinking with friends. While the friends got drunk she just sipped sparkling water. She found she still had fun and didn't miss the booze.

Eventually when we've reached our target weights, I don't see us going back to our old habits. I suspect at that time having the occasional beer or desert will just have us maintain our weight. The way we are eating now I feel that eventually my body will find the weight it wants to be.

I should add that we have increased our amount of exercise. We now try to walk the dog for two 3km walks each day. Additionally we walk on the treadmill for at least another 3km.

I hope this information encourages someone. You can be healthier!

Regards, Ross

Lee Valley Tools sell some nice models: http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.as ... 60&p=51170

They also have a sharpening kit for Jeff.

I actually own a scythe. It's probably 50 years old and unfortunately it seems to have been designed for someone shorter than me. When I try to use it the angle of the blade is a little off and won't cut very well. Years ago I tried one that suited my stature better and it was very easy to use.

Anyways, I'm ready for being a Grim Reaper for Halloween.

I like the idea of using a reel mower for exercise. Cool. Besides getting fit, it is also much better for the environment.

Regards, Ross

I wonder if they'll be smashing up a few of these fast babies in the next James Bond flick? It would be cool to see 007 in one of these speeding down a Los Angeles freeway at over 500km/hr while, say, Bond girl Paris Hilton chases him in a helicopter (Paris at the controls of course -- that would be Hot).

I'll wait 'till they come out with the family-sized minivan version with more room for groceries & kids.

Eric -- Each time I make a cup (or pot) of Rooibos tea I put the spent teabag in a cup of water and put it into the fridge to chill. Then later I'll toss the bag and enjoy the chilled tea. For me it isn't as good tasting an ice tea as the fruity Celestial Seasonings ones but it is refreshing & I know I'm getting as many antioxidants from the tea bag as possible.

I'm making a pot of Rooibos right now for my father --- I want to see if I can hook him so he can forget his regular tea for this healthy one.

Regards, Ross

If you can by it on our little Island then chances are you can buy it almost anywhere else. They certainly will sell it at your local Health Food stores. If you look carefully in the tea shelves & the organic food shelves of your local grocery you may find it.

My favorite is just the plain Rooibos. Plain Honeybush is similar and I love it too. I'm steeping a cup right now. Both have really grown on me --- my very first cup of the plain rooibos didn't really turn my crank. By the time I'd had a few I've really grown to appreciate it. I now have zero interest in coffee even though I used to really-really enjoy it.

Eric -- if you really want a nice ice tea try any of the Celestial Seasonings fruity teas. Their 'True Blueberry', 'Tropic of Strawberry', Country Peach Passion', and 'Lemon Zinger' all make very tasty unsweetened ice teas. They won't have the anti-oxidants of the Rooibos but they will be very refreshing and have zero calories.

Eric - further to when Juju writes "it rocks" note that the Intabas - Teas of Africa website has some interesting recipes that use Rooibos & Honeybush teas. The mixes with fruit juices sound good.

Here in Canada we call it "diaper-rash". Those South Africans call their diapers "nappies". At least they make good tea. (What I mean is South Africans know how to make good tea - Nappies most definitely do not make good tea. Yikes!)

@unknownuser said:

%(#400080)[Apart from their popularity as pleasant tasting, caffeine-free alternatives to black and green tea, more and more evidence is coming to light that these unique herbal infusions have favourable medicinal effects. The claim that rooibos and honeybush are healthy beverages is gaining credibility as ongoing scientific research and case studies confirm their benefits.

Rooibos and honeybush teas are:

• completely pure and natural, containing no additives, preservatives, flavourants or colourants.

• naturally caffeine free, thus have a soothing effect on the central nervous system and are strongly recommended for people suffering from irritability, headaches, insomnia, hypertension, nervous tension and mild depression.

• rich in antioxidants that boost the body's immune system and help slow the ageing process.

• calorie-free and make refreshing drinks for people on a calorie-restricted diet as they have a naturally slightly-sweet taste.

• anti-spasmodic, thus relieving stomach cramps and colic in infants. Rooibos first gained popularity as a health drink in South Africa when it was discovered that it had a soothing effect on babies suffering from these common ailments.

• low in tannin, therefore will not impair the absorption of iron and protein in the body.

• helpful for the relief of stomach and digestive problems like nausea, heart burn, stomach ulcers and constipation.

• anti-allergic; rooibos tea has a soothing effect on irritated skin when directly applied to the affected area. In South Africa, it is a popular topical remedy for nappy-rash.

• free of oxalic acid, thus safe to drink for people suffering from kidney stones.

• beneficial in the management of allergies like hay-fever, asthma and eczema.

• natural sources of several minerals, complementing our daily intake of iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc, especially needed for maintaining a healthy immune system.]

I found the above info on the Intaba - Teas of Africa website and thought it might be a useful addition to this thread.

If you get a chance to try Honeybush tea - do so. It is good too.

Regards, Ross

That's great Eric. I hope you stocked up some good healthy foods.

In my local grocery store I found they sell plain rooibos tea. I'm liking it more than the vanilla one I originally bought.

The plain one comes in a brand called 'INTABA - Teas of Africa' produced by Cape Natural Tea Products of South Africa. Liking it I decided to try another of their teas: Honeybush. Like Rooibos, Honeybush is also rich in antioxidants, caffeine free, and very low in tannins. They both are excellent and with each cup I'm getting more & more attached to their flavours. At this point I definitely prefer both to coffee so I don't ever see myself drinking coffee again. (I used to be a big coffee fan). The brand is quite reasonably priced at my grocery.

I notice on the website I link to above that the company will private label their teas too. Perhaps we should go into the tea business?? 'SU Fit-Club Teas' --- sounds good!

Regards, Ross

Csaba - Even water-soluble vitamins can be problematic. Here's what that article I linked above had to say about it:

@unknownuser said:

Randomly megadosing on single nutrients (which includes Vitamin C) creates a risk of significantly imbalancing one's system, and it makes little difference whether water-soluble vitamins like Vitamin C and B-vitamins are used or not. While excessive intake of fat-soluble vitamins as well as overdosing on a number of trace minerals can be toxic, even water-soluble nutrients can do an amazing amount of damage when regularly overdosed on during their sometimes short journey through the body.

At 1.5mg/ml it seems unlikely you'd ever overdose on Vitamin C by drinking Rooibos tea. I suppose if you drank it cup-after-cup all day you might have a problem. Here's an article about excessive Vitamin C and its effects. Considering some people take vitamin C supplements to the tune of 5,000 to 10,000 mg/day it makes sense that it is taking supplements that can lead to overdosing. It would seem that obtaining your vitamin c from food sources, and teas, is very unlikely to lead anyone to an overdose. Also significant is the vitamin c in Rooibos is provide with a cocktail of other necessary minerals. It is not isolated vitamin c as occurs in supplements.

Regards, Ross