I’ve been thinking quite a bit about this the last month. You see, I’ve been skinny and I’ve been fat (this is the largest I’ve ever been but the doctor says not to be too hard on myself). Skinny is inherently better!

I’m joking. Somewhat. I’m not actually after skinniness again, but I am after health and to get that health I’ve got to lose weight. Seven years of pounding the keyboard – even just being enamoured by the knowledge share online – hasn’t done my body any favors. There have been other stresses that caused me to find solace in food, but really, there is no excuse. At least no medical excuse for being this size.

And so, I’ve gained 40 pounds.

The last two weeks have netted great change. A stronger body, my clothes fitting looser and less strain on my knees when I take long walks or play on the WII. All I have done is a 20 minute workout daily (The 30 Day Shred with Jillian Michaels), watch my fat intake, and take a 1 mile walk every now and then (every second day – more or less).

If I was smart, and I’d like to be, I’d be drinking more water (right now I drink next to none) and getting more sleep to aid in my success at losing weight and growing healthier. Well, Rome wasn’t built in a day so I’ll incorporate those new habits into next week’s agenda.

As for my title “Skinny is Better” I can remember how I felt when my jeans were just slightly lose in the right places, when a t-shirt fitted snugly and looked great, when no matter where I went or what I did I felt free enough to flirt, smile and walk with my head high at all times. Does it make me shallow that I don’t feel that free today, knowing that thin is better? Absolutely not! If I was shallow I’d also be insecure about my age, my wrinkles – but those I wear with honor as a rite of passage into 45+, the weight on the other hand and in my case is an act of negligence, “not paying attention”.

This low GI, no added sugar banana bread recipe passed the Veronica test! I enjoyed it too and we at our slices for a snack after dinner without butter as it was certainly moist enough.

• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 smashed over-ripe bananas
• equivalent of 1/2 cup sugar (I use Suzanne Somers SomerSweet – in this case, 8 of the tiny scoops was perfect for this recipe)

I’m not one for cooking and baking by perfect directions, the use of 5 bowls or precise measurements. I actually used a little less than 1/4 cup of butter in my last test as I’m also trying to lose weight (less fat, less sugar recipes).

I can tell you this though – if your banana bread is always coming out of the oven 1/2 baked inside and too dark outside, get a wider loaf pan and make a loaf that shorter in height. When you remove any banana bread from the oven let it sit for 5 minutes in the pan as it will continue baking inside (remember that the interior of the bread is still 350 degrees even after it is removed from the oven.

Finally, if it isn’t cooked right through, remove it from the pan after cooling and pop it into a low powered microwave on high, or a high powered microwave on medium for 60 seconds. That should finish cooking it through consistently.

Standard size banana bread loaf pan is 8″ x 4″. Bake at 350F for 55-60 minutes.

Some people have never heard of the Glycemic Index and how food is ‘weighted’ and why the process is even necessary.

Even more people have heard of GI, but don’t know much about it, and their lives are just too busy already to learn something new about the way food affects the human body.

This post is a primer of sorts, an introduction to the Glycemic Index, an explanation of why this is important for overall health, and where to get more information on the subject of Low GI eating.

Keep in mind that this is a far more advanced concept of understanding food’s effect on your body than simple calorie counting. Although the caloric value of a food is somewhat important for health and well-being, far too many people place far too much emphasis on calories when watching their weight – one of the major reasons that diets don’t work! (more…)