Health & Fitness

Category: Terry Foster's battle with diabetes

Drinking water is a key step

One of my boys noticed my weight loss and wanted to know how he could shed a few pounds. I will hide his identity but if you see a short and squat gentleman who could stand to shed 40 pounds then you've got your guy.

He loves fried chicken wings, burgers, fries and pizza and is not willing to give it up just yet. I told him fine. You can keep eating the way you want for now, but take the first step by giving up regular soda and drinking two liters of water a day.

You would have thought I told him to drink gasoline and set his mouth on fire.

"Are you kidding me?" he screamed. "Man, I got a job and I got to work. I will be in the bathroom all day if I do that."

I never said any of this was easy. If you are not willing to take the first baby step then you are not going to lose weight. Getting rid of soda was my first step and it was not easy. I was addicted to Coca Cola, Pepsi and Vernors. I'd drink four cans a day and loved the burn and sweet taste of the pop on my tongue. Sometimes I loved the taste so much I'd close my eyes after taking a big gulp. But pop is filled with sugar. And when you are a diabetic, sugar must be limited.

If you are trying to lose weight,cut out the soda because is filled with way too many empty calories. Did you know that a large pop in a restaurant is about 320 calories? That is almost as much as a typical sandwich.

I take care of my soda addiction with two bottles of Wal-Mart flavored water a day. There are no calories or carbs and it is sodium free. Meijer has similar flavored water that is almost as good. My favorite flavors are grape, key lime and peach.

When you give up pop and replace it with water I can almost guarantee you will lose five pounds in a week. But it is not easy. I had headaches and felt light headed when I gave up pop. It was almost as if demons were escaping my body. If you do not want to give up soda I recommend Coke Zero and Pepsi Zero. They are filled with flavor and no calories.

One more thing. My friend was right. When you drink this much water you do use the bathroom a lot. But your body adjusts and you don't live in the bathroom after a while. You simply lose weight.

I can be reached at Terry.Foster@detnews.com or 313-222-1494. You can follow me at twitter.com/bigscoop.

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Tips to prevent digestive health pitfalls this holiday season

The sharply plummeting temperatures and pending time change this weekend have awakened a cruel reminder: summer's gone, and cold weather health habits may soon take over.

Comfort food beckons, we become less physically active and fruits and vegetables will become scarcer at the store, prompting us to make less healthy choices.

With the impending holidays, activities like traveling, hosting guests, and drinking alcohol at parties can all wreak havoc on the digestive tract. Poor diet, inadequate fluid intake and inactivity can all potentially lead to digestive issues including constipation.

Because this is an issue that affects over 65 million Americans,renowned gastroenterologist Dr. Cynthia Yoshida, has tips to navigate the tricky changes in health habits in winter.

1. Try simple changes first. A good first step is making changes that can slip easily into even the most hectic schedule without affecting your overall enjoyment of the season. For instance, drink water in between sips of an alcoholic beverage to help prevent dehydration. Or, since exercise may also help promote regularity, work in a brisk walk around the block with a favorite relative to maximize family time and keep your digestive system healthy.

2. Check your medicine cabinet. If the holiday foods have prompted you to use antacids that contain aluminum and calcium, or to take calcium and iron supplements, you could be vulnerable to constipation as a side effect. Also, prescription medications including blood pressure drugs, narcotics, and anti-depressants may produce constipation as a side effect. Pay attention to what you're taking if you find yourself experiencing irregularity, and if you're on any prescription medications, be sure to speak with your doctor about potential side effects.

3. Look to an over-the-counter choice. Sometimes, even with lifestyle tweaks and medication adjustments, occasional constipation still occurs. In these situations, Dr. Yoshida recommends MiraLAX, which does not cause harsh side effects such as bloating, cramps, or sudden urgency.

Category: Terry Foster's battle with diabetes

Five meals a day

There are many parts of dieting that can be a struggle. The part I struggle with is that my doctor and personal trainer (we will get into that later) wants me to eat more meals during the day.

The goal is to eat five smaller meals a day to keep metabolism going so my body is burning more energy. I am a creature of habit. I am used to eating three bigger meals and calling it a day. I am not a big snack guy but I am trying to abide by the five meal rule.

My breakfast usually consists of oatmeal and a natural sweetener called Agava. The reason it is good is because it does not cause blood sugar spikes. Also I might have half a bagel and a scrambled egg on top.

My lunch is soup and salad. And dinner I have chicken breasts or fish and salad and vegetables. I sometimes treat myself with a roll and butter. But I have cut down on bread.

Now what do I snack on? I am still discovering things and I sure could use some help on this. (See, I do not have this totally figured out. )

But here are some of the things I love to eat to fill out my five meals. Grapes and berries. Sliced green or red pepper with a low-fat dressing or crab dip. Dip and crackers.

The key is to find something that is fattening that you like. They want me eating every three hours during the day. I struggle with that because of my work schedule. But if you have any ideas please share with the group.

I can be reached at Terry.Foster@detnews.com or 313-222-1494. You can follow me at twitter.com/bigscoop.

Category: Terry Foster's battle with diabetes

Watch how much you eat when you cheat

After telling me I was diabetic my doctor asked me what I loved to eat. I told her I love pizza, burgers, beer, ice cream and steak.

She said "guess what. You can still have all of that. Being diabetic and losing weight does not mean you have to give up all of your favorite foods. You can still have dessert and enjoy yourself. You have to do it in moderation. Maybe you only have one burger a week, not three times a week. I want you to treat yourself."

I have cheat days. I have cheat meals but I do not go all out like I used to. Before going on this diet I probably cheated twice a day. Now I cheat two or three times a week. But I cheat in moderation.

When I went to New York I was going to have some Juniors cheese cake. Instead of eating an entire slice I split slices with my Son Little B. We decided what flavor we wanted and made joint decisions.

I cheat at McDonald's with two regular hamburgers, a small fry and water.

I cheat at the bar by drinking lite beer and having a drink with diet soda.

But I do not cheat every day. I save it for the weekend or special occasions. You have to be disciplined and you have to fight this battle every day. But you need a break. You need to cheat now and then. But even when you cheat, do it in moderation.

I no longer eat pies and cake. My treat for the weekend is two giant cookies. One on Saturday and one on Sunday. When I have pizza I eat two slices rather than four. Moderation. Try frozen yogurt and fruit instead of ice cream and chocolate sauce. But even when you cheat make sure you drink plenty of water. That should never change.

I can be reached at Terry.Foster@detnews.com or 313-222-1494.

Category: Health

Tips on how to handle Halloween and treats

Talk about scary: Halloween is a difficult time to stick to your healthy diet. What can you do when those 5-pound bags of candy go on sale at the grocery store or when your kids have laid out their loot on the living room floor? Weight Watchers has some helpful strategies to help you manage.

Resist the sales: "Don't fall for the coupon in the sales paper," said Weight Watchers CEO Florine Mark. "A 5-pound bag of Snickers on sale is still a 5-pound bag of Snickers."

Buy late: "The closer (to Halloween) you buy your candy for trick-or-treaters the better," Mark said. "Don't even think about opening the bag before that first trick-or-treater hits your door." Less temptation = easier to cope.

Buy candy you don't like: "If you don't like it, chances are you won't eat it," Mark said.

Go out on a full stomach: If you have to walk your kids around to trick or treat, make lunch your big meal of the day so you're not walking around hungry with bags full of candy. Carry a Thermos of something hot to sip or chew mint gum throughout the night. It'll help kill your urge to put candy in your mouth.

Freeze! Put leftover favorite candy in the freezer. If you get weak and find yourself digging into it, those little candy bars will be rock solid and it will take time to get through even one.

Ditch the sense of occasion: Remind yourself that you can buy yourself candy any time of the year. There's no need to load up on fun-size bars on Oct. 31 when you can enjoy them whenever your heart desires.

Keep things in perspective: Eating a little bit of candy on Halloween doesn't make a person overweight, it's constant overeating that can pile on the pounds. So don't assume you can't enjoy even a single treat, especially because deprivation is a dieting tactic that often backfires.

Slimming treats: Halloween means candy wherever you look and it can be difficult denying yourself outright. For those who like to have a candy bowl nearby, we searched the shelves for candy that was lower in Weight Watchers POINTS® value, but still give a bang for the buck. Miniatures are a great deal in terms of portion control, chewy candies turn out to be a big mouthful bargain and hard candies and lollipops score high for long-lasting satisfaction. Here's a sampling:

Jolly Rancher Hard Candy Twists (3 pieces): 1 WW point
Charm's Blow Pop (1 junior or regular pop): 1 point
Weight Watchers by Whitman's Mint Patties (1 piece): 1 point
Tootsie Roll Tootsie Pops (1 regular): 1 point
Weight Watchers by Whitman's Peanut butter crunch (1 piece): 1 point
Skittles Original Bite Size Candies (fun size bag): 2 points
Candy corn (1 oz): 2 points
Kellogg's Rice Krispies Treats (1 bar): 2 points
Jolly Rancher Gummis (9 pieces): 2 points
Jelly Belly Jelly Beans (35 pieces): 3 points
Twizzler's Cherry Bites (17 pieces): 3 points
Junior Mints (16): 3 points
Tootsie Roll Tootsie Rolls (12 small): 3 points
Weight Watchers by Whitman's Caramel drops (7 pieces) 3 points

If you want to get pregnant, relax, study shows

Women who participated in a stress management program prior to or during their second in vitro fertilization cycle had a 160 percent greater pregnancy rate than women who did not participate in a program, according to a study presented today at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine's 65th Annual Meeting.

The study, funded by Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc., and conducted in conjunction with The Domar Center at Boston IVF revealed a pregnancy rate of 52 percent among women who participated in a stress management program as compared to a 20 percent pregnancy rate for women who were not exposed to the stress management program.

The program was designed to educate women on the utilization of cognitive, relaxation and lifestyle techniques to manage stress.

Stress management had an even greater impact on pregnancy rates for women who showed higher baselines symptoms of depression.

Pregnancy rates jumped to 67 percent for women with signs of depression at the start of the study who engaged in the stress management program versus no pregnancies for those that did not.

"Reproductive health experts have long wondered about the impact that stress may have on fertility, thus impeding a woman's ability to conceive," says Alice Domar, Ph.D., Executive Director of The Domar Center for Mind/Body Health at Boston IVF and assistant professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology at Harvard Medical School.

"This study shows that stress management may improve pregnancy rates, minimizing the stress of fertility management itself, improving the success rates of IVF procedures, and ultimately, helping to alleviate the emotional burden for women who are facing challenges trying to conceive."

Stress management in this study was achieved through a 10-session mind/body program that included relaxation training, cognitive-behavioral strategies and participation in group support

Category: Terry Foster's battle with diabetes

I am having an affair with Mrs. Dash

The first plan of attack for becoming healthy was hitting the kitchen and getting rid of everything with high sodium. That meant tossing Montreal steak seasoning, Lawrys seasoning salt and some of the marinades that make your chicken and pork taste so good.

In addition to being diagnosed with diabetes my doctor said my blood pressure was high as was my cholesterol. So salt was a no-no also.

Now I have a new woman in my life and my wife actually approves. Her name is Ms. Dash.

No sodium and the taste is just as good. I now buy Ms. Dash by the barrel and season my food with it. There is even a Ms. Dash marinade that I enjoy. Accent is not bad either. It only has 80 mg of sodium as opposed to 360 for Lawry's.

So step one is eliminating as much salt from your diet as possible. Step two was throwing out all soda and replacing it with water. Pop has tons of sugar. You must get rid of it. I now drink two liters of water minimum a day. If you need taste with your beverage I recommend flavored water from Wal-Mart and Meijer. There is no sugar, no calories and no sodium.

Doc said to have one steak or burger a week. OK. I have two a week. Rome was not built in a day but the bottom line is I have cut down on red meat. I can still have burgers and steak but everything must be done in moderation. If you must have a big T-bone steak four times a week, try this trick. Cut it in half, fill out the rest of your meal with salad and vegetables and lots of water. Then have the second half of the steak at a later meal or the following day.

My outdoor grill will be running all winter and I will be grilling boneless chicken breasts and fish. Those are the main staples of my diet. Boneless chicken breasts, fish, my new girl Ms. Dash and lemon. It is healthy but also delicious. I don't care how cold it gets. I am sticking with the game plan. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices to remain on a diet.

My next blog will center on why I eat more often to lose weight.

If you have questions I can be reached at Terry.Foster@detnews.com or 313-222-1494. You can follow me on twitter.com/bigscoop.

Category: Terry Foster's battle with diabetes

Fighting for the family

I was not afraid. I did not view it as a death sentence. I simply thought of my wife and kids after I was told I had type 2 diabetes. I was determined to fight this disease with every ounce of energy I had.

I have known of people who had kidney failure, had limbs chopped off and went blind. A family friend had diabetes. She was a numbers runner who somehow kept the books despite almost being completely blind. I remember my Aunt Margo used to take her grocery shopping because she could not drive. And this woman named Blanche wore the thickest glasses I'd ever seen. But she kept the books.

I do not want to end up this way. I need to help my family for as long as I can. My daughter Celine recently turned 10. My son Brandon turns 8 in December. I helped bring them into the world now I must try to carry them for as long as possible.

I recently heard from a man who said he weighs more than 300 pounds, has diabetes and said he drinks a liter of Pepsi a day along with burgers and fries and whatever else he wants. He said he cannot stop his addiction to food. He also has two children. My advice to him was simple: Think about the kids. It is not just about you and your health. It is about raising a healthy family and our children and wives need us to be there.

With that in mind it was time to take step one of battling diabetes and controlling my weight.

I can be reached at Terry.Foster@detnews.com or 313-222-1494. Follow me on twitter.com/bigscoop.

Category: Terry Foster's battle with diabetes

I had to admit I was fat

I can already tell I need to more serious and more timely with my diabetes blogs. I relaxed a bit and my email was flooded with people -- mostly men -- wanting to know how I lost weight and began this fight against Type 2 diabetes.

Step one was when my doctor told me four months ago that my blood work showed I was diabetic. She said when your A1C creeps over 6.0 you are a diabetic. Mine was 8.3 and I was rolling in at a chunky 232 pounds.

Today my A1C is 5.9 and I weigh around 210 pounds. So how did I do it? Well first of all the battle is not done. I want to get my weight below 200. And secondly I had to admit to myself that I was fat and that was the leading cause of the diabetes.

Whenever someone would say "Hey put on a little weight?" I would smile and seethe inside. I didn't think I looked that big. Or I tried to justify things. If the kids can have ice cream why can't I have a scoop?

Hey it was just one half pound burger, but I didn't eat all of my fries.

I was justifying everything fattening that I ate.

When my doctor examined me she asked what are all the things I love to eat? I told her burgers, fries, ice cream, cheese cake and steak. She said I can have all of that. I just have to eat in moderation and I cannot have a burger three times a week. Maybe once.

I do not have to clean everything on my plate at a restaurant. Eat until you are filled. Don't eat until you are satisfied because you always want more.

One of my first real test came when we took our family vacation to New York City. Now I was gonna have some cheese cake during our five day trip. But I never ate an entire piece. Instead my son Brandon and I would go through the menu of cheese cakes at Juniors, decide what flavor we wanted and we split it.

I didn't need an entire piece and neither did he.

Now what do I eat now? Stay tuned for the next blog.

I can be reached at Terry.Foster@detnews.com or 313-222-1494. You can follow me at twitter.com/bigscoop.

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It's old fashioned math: Burn more calories than you eat to lose fat

Perhaps the most popular exercise myth is that there is a specific range of heart rates in which you must exercise to burn fat.

Many people mistakenly believe they should not exercise above a certain heart rate, as if it were bad to run or bike with intensity.

Target heart rate has become a buzz phrase. Even many cardio machines in gyms display a "fat-burning zone" on their panels, encouraging people to exercise in a specific heart rate range. But do you really have to exercise in a specific heart rate zone to lose fat? And what happens if you venture out of that zone?

The research, presented in the October issue of IDEA Fitness Journal, sheds facts on this:

Since more fat is used at low exercise intensities, people often assume that low-intensity exercise is best for burning fat, an idea that has given birth to the "fat-burning zone."

However, while only a small amount of fat is used when exercising just below the lactate threshold, the rate of caloric expenditure and the total number of calories expended are much greater than they are when exercising at a lower intensity, so the total amount of fat burned is also greater.

What matters is the rate of energy expenditure, rather than simply the percentage of energy expenditure derived from fat.

In short, this means that the highest rate of fat use during exercise occurs when you are working at a hard aerobic intensity that typically corresponds to the lactate threshold.

"Since people use only carbohydrates when exercising at a high intensity, does that mean that if they run fast or take a high-intensity indoor cycling class, they won't get rid of that flabby belly? Of course not!" says Dr. Jason Karp, author of the article.

"Despite what most think, people don't use fat during exercise to lose fat from their waistlines. Have you ever seen a fat sprinter? Sprinters primarily train anaerobically, never using fat during their workouts. Yet they're still very lean. Carbohydrates are actually the muscles' preferred fuel during exercise."

For fat burning and weight loss, what matters most is the difference between the number of calories you expend and the number of calories you consume.

Fat and weight loss is really all about burning lots of calories and cutting back on the number of calories consumed. For the purpose of losing weight, it matters little whether the calories burned during exercise come from fat or carbohydrates. How people become better fat-burning machines is by enhancing the metabolic profile of their muscles.

For those who want to burn fat and lose weight, high-intensity exercise will burn more calories both during and after their workouts and will also increase the muscles' ability to use fat. People need to stop worrying about staying in their fat-burning zone"because there's no such thing. It's good old-fashioned math: caloric output needs to exceed their caloric intake.