The Plan A Diet – Cyd Notter

Artificial Sweeteners: not so sweet for your health

January 10, 2019 By Cyd Notter Leave a Comment

Photo credit: CME FISH on Foter.com / CC BY-NC

Artificial sweeteners seem like attractive alternatives to sugar because they’re intensely sweet and add no calories to your diet. Such sweeteners are widely used in processed foods such as soft drinks, candy, jellies, dairy products, puddings, and pretty much anything labeled “sugar-free.” The most popular fake sweeteners on the market today are Equal and NutraSweet (aspartame); Splenda (sucralose); Sweet One, ACK, and Sunett (acesulfame); and Sweet ’N Low (saccharin).

I notice a lot of people drinking diet sodas and adding fake sweeteners to their coffee, tea, and even food, just to save a few calories. But is that really a good idea? Consuming chemically altered, man-made products which are not found in nature DOES have it’s consequences. Fake sweeteners in general seem to have one thing in common – they all negatively affect our health, even in small concentrations.

Here’s a few reasons why we should take a pass on fake sweeteners:

Increased fat storage and the risk of obesity
Increased risk of metabolic syndrome
Induces glucose intolerance and affects A1c levels, contributing to type 2 diabetes
Linked to hypertension
Alters our gut bacteria (which has been observed to increase rates of irritable bowel, inflammatory bowel, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease), and detrimental for those who already suffer these conditions

Artificial sweeteners made in a laboratory contain no nutrition and should be avoided. Stevia is the only packaged sweetener I’m comfortable recommending for beverages. To date, there are no known health issues when stevia is used sparingly. Other alternatives include date paste or date syrup, which are made using only whole dates, or natural sugars used sparingly as shown in my previous post.

To learn more, check out Dr. Greger’s videos:

Splenda side effects
Aspartame and the Brain
Does Aspartame Cause Cancer?

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31 (GW)

Planning to diet this January? Do this first!

December 27, 2018 By Cyd Notter Leave a Comment

The holidays and the leftover desserts will soon be behind us, which means that many Americans will once again be resolve to make some changes beginning January 1. Several statistical websites reveal that the top three resolutions typically include losing weight, getting fit, and living life to the fullest. Fortunately, all three of those goals can be achieved with one lifestyle change….namely, diet.

There are hundreds of diet plans on the market today. In addition to the mainstream diet plans we see advertised with their celebrity spokespeople, a quick google search reveals such things as the Cabbage Soup diet, the Cookie diet, the Leek diet, the Baby Food diet, various e-diets, and so on. Some people fall prey to these questionable, unhealthy diet plans as their unrealistic hunt for the next magic bullet continues. Then there are the more popular fad diets, including calorie restriction diets, blood type diets, keto diets, anti-grain diets and caveman diets, which are typically low-carb, high protein diets; these types of plans can be quite dangerous, as I’ve explained in previous columns.

Here’s the plan you need if you want to lose weight permanently and improve or REGAIN your heath while doing so!

Don’t dwell on past failures – instead look ahead to the fit, healthy person you’re designed to be!

But the Lord says, “Do not cling to events of the past or dwell on what happened

long ago. Watch for the new thing I am going to do.

It is happening already—you can see it now!

I will make a road through the wilderness and give you streams of water there.

Isaiah 43:18-19, Good News Translation (GNT)

The “Plan A” Diet Book Update

October 19, 2018 By Cyd Notter Leave a Comment

Hey everyone,

The “Plan A” Diet book project is coming along! Having declared 2018 as “the year of the book,” it’s fortunately still on track to happen.

Below is the latest update….. But to stay in the loop, how about signing up for my monthly newsletter here? I’d love to keep in touch with you on a more personal level, and by adding your name to the newsletter, you’ll be assured to receive book updates (and any pre-launch specials), links to great articles, book reviews, recipes, and maybe a corny joke or two.

Posted October 14, 2018:
I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! Having just completed “The 21-day Meal Plan” chapter, there are only 2 chapters remaining which should be pretty straight-forward. I hope to have the completed written version submitted to my publisher by November 1.
Here’s how God has blessed me beyond measure once again. I contacted a friend in Florida continue reading here.

Will 2018 finally be the year?

December 26, 2017 By Cyd Notter Leave a Comment

Will 2018 finally be the year……..

- - to get off the yo-yo diets and stop starving yourself to lose a few pounds only to gain them back (plus some)?
  - to stop looking for the next magic supplement for your health improvement?
  - to commit to eating the way you are DESIGNED to eat?
  - to stop making excuses, and to really explore and resolve your stumbling blocks?
  - to resolve to eat healthy for YOU and no longer allow the peer pressure of friends or family to compromise your health?

If the answer is YES – good for you! – then the ideal time to start planning for January 2018 was yesterday. But take heart, it’s never too late to begin anew at ANY time! Whether you jump in with both feet or prefer a more gradual dietary transition, just keep moving forward with the firm goal in mind that you’re not going back to the wrong food choices or unhealthy diet plans.

Start with a plan to clear the bad foods out of the house as you experiment with some very simple recipes (see resource link below). By sticking to The ‘Plan A’ Diet, you won’t have to wait long before you’ll begin to see results.

Wanted: Good Temple Managers

September 28, 2017 By Cyd Notter Leave a Comment

(An excerpt from the upcoming book The ‘Plan A’ Diet: Enjoy the Starches You Were Designed to Eat)

There has been long-term debate over the question: Are you a body with a soul, or a soul with a body? Some people would answer that question as “YES”. In other words, they believe we are both. However, scripture is quite clear and there is little room for debate when it comes to the biblical teaching that our bodies are the temple (dwelling place) of God’s Holy Spirit. Those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior are indeed such a temple, and that great privilege came at an exceedingly high price – the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus’ death on the cross.

Don’t you know that your body is a temple that belongs to the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit, whom you received from God, lives in you. You don’t belong to yourselves.

You were bought for a price. So bring glory to God in the way you use your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (GW)

If you are a Christian, taking this teaching to heart may lead to a new perspective about your responsibility to keep your body fit and healthy; it is, after all, the temple of God’s spirit! God actually resides in you. Are your lifestyle and dietary choices making him comfortable? Are you bringing glory to Him in the way that you treat and use your body?

These are important questions to consider since the majority of Christians in the U.S. are overweight and unhealthy; it’s apparent that we’re not paying much attention to how food is affecting our health. When we realize that our bodies are temples of God, the way we view our lives and our food choices will move into clearer focus. We may no longer be so willing to blindly live according to our culture. We may no longer be willing to let ‘The 10 Barriers to Change’ continue to defeat us. We may no longer be willing to bury our heads in the sand or pretend we don’t know there’s a problem with our food choices and other lifestyle habits. We may finally be ready to bring glory and honor to God by doing whatever it takes to be responsible in this matter.

Please prayerfully consider your responsibility as you ponder these matters in your heart.

Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 John 1:2

The ‘Plan A’ Diet Food Pyramid

The ‘Plan A’ Diet Mission and Philosophy

News and Recipes from My Blog