I found this in the February/March 2006 issue of “Light & Tasty”

What is the best kind of exercise to burn fat? I’ve heard that vigorous exercise burns sugar but not fat. Does that mean I should avoid strenuous workouts if I want to burn fat?
—P.M., Columbus, Indiana

During a workout, your body uses up excess sugar first. This is because the body burns carbohydrates before turning its attention to any stored fat.

The longer your exercise sessions last, the more chances your body has to tackle stored fat and the more calories you burn overall.

Easy to moderate, prolonged exercise is key because the average person can work out at a moderate pace for longer than if he or she exercised vigorously. In other words, most people are more likely to walk for a longer period of time than they are to jog.

Strenuous exercise can help you shed pounds if you use a special technique called interval training. This type of workout relies on a session of easy activity that’s accompanied by short bursts of vigorous exercise. For instance, consider breaking up your daily walk with a few short bursts of jogging.

Because the high-energy jogging shouldn’t cause excessive fatigue, you should still be able to complete the route of your daily walk. As such, you will burn more calories than if you jogged a short distance.

No matter what form of exercise you enjoy, keep in mind that you’ll generally shed fat and pounds if you consistently burn more calories than you consume.

Gosh, fall off the map for a couple of days and this place explodes!

I’m going to try to read everyone’s new posts, but I don’t know if I’ll comment on all of them, so let me just say “Welcome!” to the new comers and a warm “Hi!” to those already here.

Friday is my weigh in day. I picked that day because it allows me to splurge over the weekend and make up for it all week long while I’m at work! It seems to work usually, but this past week I didn’t quite “make up” for it. So, Friday I hit the scale and found (to my dismay) that I’d gained a 1lb.

I can hear [over the eyeball rolling] some folks now, “One pound? Ooooh.” Hang on, let me clean up the puddles of sarcasm real quick… right, well, for me 1lb is a big deal because I’ve been a consistant “loser” for the last few months. Yes, I’m glad to be “maintaining” for the most part through the holidays, but I can feel some of the old habits sliding far too easily back into place…

… not walking (because it’s cold or rainy), grabbing an extra handful of something on the way past the kitchen (instead of ignoring it), chosing pasta or a bacon cheeseburger off the menu when we go out with friends (instead of a chicken breast meal or something healthier), or adding that extra teaspoon of sugar to the coffee (because I’ve gotten a taste for sweets again).

1lb is enough to remind me that I’m going in the wrong direction. So, it’s back to being focused and finding another way to exercise as the winter days dig in! We’ve tossed out all the snacks given to us at Christmas (oh, the pain) because I know it’s easier to resist the temptation if it’s not sitting there taunting you from the pantry! and I’ve filled the fridge with veggies and fruits once more.

I’m gonna make that 1lb and his friend disappear this week – damnit.

Today we’re off to the larger farmers’ market in nearby Oakland. I ususally walk with the baby every Tuesday morning to the small farmers’ market nearby, but today we need a change of pace and it’s a beautiful sunny morning. If you have a farmers’ market near your home, I HIGHLY recommend it. I do realize that many of you live in places where farmers’ markets are not available in winter — I’m spoilt living here in California… but go in spring and summer whenever you can!

It’s so fun to shop and to also try fruit and vegetable varieties that aren’t offered in the grocery store. Farmers’ markets offer up the freshest produce, you can sample it and also talk to the vendor about how to prepare it. Often times the price is less expensive as well. It sure gets me excited about eating my fruits and vegetables! Often I will purchase what looks good, then once at home I will look for recipes online or in my cook books to see different way to prepare it. I’ll post again later to share with you what I bought today.

Maaaybe 13. It’s not much, but it feels like plenty. I finally weighed this morning, in prep for thinking about considering comtemplating actually doing something about being uncomfortable in my clothes. The weighing was a boost. Gack. 3 pounds over the fat filled, wine soaked holidays. OK, I’m feeling a little motivation creeping up my full fanny.

It seems that since the surgeries that if I eat anything I shouldn’t my body rebels. Like Chips Ahoy Chocolate cookies. Not one but two. That was Friday afternoon. I don’t even eat cookies and there I was eating them. AARRGGHH! Then I felt so awful I had to go to bed. And, not eat the lovely dinner of roasted chicken and root vegies w. salad.

guess it’s good that my body is right there, first in line to say: “Hey, we don’t want that! What do you think your doing? ”

I did not feel much better yesterday, but managed to take the girls to the Mall (I so hate the mall!) to spend their GC’s they got at X-mas. We went early, before crowds. Came home and rested. Then packed up all the decorations. DH loves to go out to eat, and we haven’t been out much, so we went out to dinner. I had a salad. Amazing how much salad can fill you up.

I have been doing a lot of thinking about what holds me back or gets in my way. Other than myself, of course. I always start out thinking I can do way more than is possible. When I don’t get it done, I get in the “what’s it matter anyway mood”. And, blow everything off and nothing happens. My house gets in my way. I find it hard to concentrate w. all stuff that has to be done. The laundry is always piled up and I do 3 loads a day! Today will be more like five. Somehow, I have to get a system that works to keep the house somewhat tidy, get rid of the stuff we don’t need, get the kids to do more and they do a lot. I make lists and schedules and then something happens and I feel like I am not following thru. What a cycle I have put myself in. I HATE IT!!!

Not to whiney am I? Want some wine water and cheese fruit to go with that?

Today we grocery shop and I am cooking a turkey or chicken today. Depends on what looks good. I want to have turkey or chicken salad for lunch this week. BTW the new Cooking Light had some good recipes this month.