A New Chapter

It’s been a long time since my last post. While I haven’t been writing my blog, I have been writing my book! Sales of the Kindle version began today here: https://a.co/d/at2Wiga . The paperback version will be published on April 11th. Hardcover to follow, but the printing costs for that one are a bit steep.Continue reading “A New Chapter”

Looking Backward to Move Forward

We can be inspired by anyone, from loved ones to new acquaintances to our own innermost thoughts and dreams. The important thing is to keep that inspiration alive – to keep moving forward on our journey to achieving and maintaining our health. Today I had a conversation with one of my sisters and we discussedContinue reading “Looking Backward to Move Forward”

Climbing Out of a Slump or Hole

How to you get out of a slump – where you just don’t want to do anything? Looking at the photo above, we can see both a ladder and a helping hand – two ways out of the hole. To quote Dr. Seuss, “When you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun.Un-slumping yourselfContinue reading “Climbing Out of a Slump or Hole”

Keys to Success: Wrapping It Up With Accountability

This is my sixth post on the keys to successful maintenance over the past two months. It will be the final one unless I get additional input in the comments below. Through a bit of reading, we learned about many of these keys: Is there something you’d add to this list? I’m thinking about accountability.Continue reading “Keys to Success: Wrapping It Up With Accountability”

Keys to Success: Introduction

Today’s post is an introduction to the study of factors which have been scientifically shown to aid in long term weight management. This is the first in a series of posts. Let’s look at key factors that directly affect successful weight maintenance. And let’s put to rest factors which have been shown to be insignificant.Continue reading “Keys to Success: Introduction”

In the News: Sodium and Artery Blockage

Today’s post is not about losing weight, though that may be a result of balancing your sodium intake. And I’m not going to tell you to cut out all salt, because that can be unhealthy too. But the latest reporting from Harvard Health Publishing shares a warning regarding excessive salt intake: “Salty diet linked toContinue reading “In the News: Sodium and Artery Blockage”

Probiotics, Prebiotics, & Weight Loss

I am always looking for any help in maintaining my weight. There have been several studies in the past few years that have found that probiotics and prebiotics can be beneficial for weight loss. Including probiotics and prebiotics in your diet can provide that extra boost we need. Caution: some people with immune disorders orContinue reading “Probiotics, Prebiotics, & Weight Loss”

Weight Gone – POOF!

Today I read a post on Facebook by a dieter who said she needed her excess weight to be gone – POOF! I was kind of alarmed when I read further and saw that she’s doing intermittent fasting for 20 hours a day, only eating during a 4 hour window. She’s dropping pounds quickly evenContinue reading “Weight Gone – POOF!”

High-Fructose Corn Syrup & Other Sugars

Most of us are quite aware that sugar – other than what occurs naturally in fruits and vegetables – is not healthy for us. And this is true whether or not you have an issue with your weight. Let’s dig into the reasons for this, looking especially deep into that sweet culprit, high fructose cornContinue reading “High-Fructose Corn Syrup & Other Sugars”

Set Point & Settling Point Theories

Imagine our prehistoric ancestors – captives of seasonal food availability, no security net to provide food during times of famine, no advanced medical care to set a broken bone. Something like stumbling down a ravine and breaking your ankle could be fatal if your body couldn’t sustain itself when food was scarce. Luckily, our bodiesContinue reading “Set Point & Settling Point Theories”

Maintain Habits to Maintain Weight Loss

As you may know, I belong to several Facebook weight loss and maintenance groups. Oftentimes the questions I read there are the inspiration for my blog posts. This happened recently, when I read about a dieter who is near her weight loss goal. She wanted to know what comes next. And that is exactly whereContinue reading “Maintain Habits to Maintain Weight Loss”

My Life Is a Mess – I Deserve a Brownie!

The title of this post is the same as scholarly paper by Ali Tezer and Kamila Sobol. I love the honesty of it – who hasn’t had a similar experience? Having a bad day can result in justifying behavior that’s…less than optimal. And companies use this insight to influence your decisions when you’re at yourContinue reading “My Life Is a Mess – I Deserve a Brownie!”

What Do You Do When the Refrigerator Calls? Solutions for Cravings

Lately I’ve been reading a lot of Facebook posts about cravings and snacking. It’s very easy to succumb to the siren call of the refrigerator. Sure, you can avoid keeping treats in the house, but if you have a car or public transportation, you can easily get the snack or delicious drink you’re craving. WhatContinue reading “What Do You Do When the Refrigerator Calls? Solutions for Cravings”

Non-Scale Victories

We need to keep our motivation up throughout our journey to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Often it seems like the scale just isn’t cooperating, especially during the holiday season. Even healthy changes, like increasing our strength training, can result in a plateau. At times like these, we should celebrate the non-scale victories inContinue reading “Non-Scale Victories”

Healthy Fast Food Options

Fast food has the reputation for being unhealthy, and in most cases this is richly deserved. However, there are always healthy options that won’t derail your progress. The choice seems to be yours, but we need to be aware of marketing practices that could lead us into choosing what profits the restaurant rather than us.Continue reading “Healthy Fast Food Options”

Setting Goal Weights

Whether you are currently in the maintenance or the weight loss phase, establishing goals can be motivational. This is an important step we may take many times during our journey. Let’s learn more about setting goal weights that can help us to move forward even when it feels like progress is slow. For more onContinue reading “Setting Goal Weights”

Food Prep: Very Low Calorie Foods

Looking for foods to help you feel full without derailing your eating plan? As it turns out, there are many low calorie options, and some of them are great alternatives to the more calorie dense foods you may be craving. To learn more about cravings and how to address them, please see https://lindawbrowning.com/2023/03/18/dealing-with-cravings/ Remember toContinue reading “Food Prep: Very Low Calorie Foods”

Dealing With Cravings

A craving is a strong eating motivation for a specific type of food. At times we can feel a compulsion to eat these particular foods even when we are not hungry (1). Let’s look at why we have cravings, and what we can do to help decrease their influence over our eating choices. Cravings “actuallyContinue reading “Dealing With Cravings”

TOPS: Take Off Pounds Sensibly

75 years ago, Esther Manz invited friends into her Milwaukee, Wisconsin home for a weight loss, mutual support meeting. Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS) is still helping dieters with weekly meetings throughout the United States and Canada, as well as Zoom meetings for those unable to attend in person. Other tools and videos available onContinue reading “TOPS: Take Off Pounds Sensibly”

Water Essentials

You’ve likely heard that the human body is largely made up of water – the exact percentage varies considerably based upon age and sex (1). And, it’s common diet knowledge that many of us don’t drink enough water, which can actually slow weight loss or even lead to weight gain. How can water help us?Continue reading “Water Essentials”