Thursday, November 4, 2010

Holiday Game Plan

I know I have a case of undiagnosed OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).  Those who know me personally will not argue with this statement either.  When I first recognized some of the signs, I have to admit, I was a bit concerned.  But then I made the decision to work with it, embrace it and to make good use of it.

Photo Credit 
How do I make OCD work for me? OCD comes in very handy when cleaning something.  I am particular when cleaning and not a nook or cranny is left unclean.  When I set out to do a project, I don't stop until it's done, completely done. It's especially fantastic when it comes time to set goals.  Last year, I worked out all 365 days of 2009 not necessarily because it felt good, but because I made a goal.

So in the spirit of setting goals and making progress, I've decided to workout every day during the holiday season.  Today is day four of November and it's my fourth workout.  I forgot how much working out at night helps me with my cravings, it's amazing.

The holidays are rapidly approaching and I know this goal will keep those sneaky holiday pounds from catching me off guard.  A simple workout done on a daily basis makes a huge difference.  When I started to write my book, I stopped working out so I would have more time to do so. (Not the best of ideas) The result of this decision was that I put on 10 pounds over the summer. TEN POUNDS!! Not because I ate more, but because I moved less.  Fifteen minutes on the elliptical a night works wonders and I highly recommend it.

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in Decorative Keepsake Tins
Three Blends:


Classic Poultry
Sweet Life Spice
Mulling Spice
You loved our 2009 Limited Edition Blend - Once again we are pleased to introduce a collection of three limited edition seasonal blends to support your healthy weight loss surgery Living.
Enhance your holiday cooking & share

Easy Ways To Cook Fish

We’ve all heard about

the health benefits of fish: It’s chock-full of heart-healthy omega-3s and has been shown to help prevent breast cancer, arthritis, and even depression. But while it’s easy to order salmon or tuna steak in a restaurant, it’s another matter to pick the freshest catch at the market and cook it at home. If you want to become a seafood pro, start with these simple tips.




Check the freshness

Many people say they avoid cooking fish because it smells “fishy.” But truly fresh seafood smells only of seawater, if anything, so if you detect an odor at the store, don’t buy the fish. Other clues to freshness include bright, shiny skin and firm flesh with no discoloration. (Poke it with your finger; if it springs back, it’s okay.) Fish deteriorates much faster than meat does, so cook it the day you buy it. You can also freeze it if it hasn’t been previously frozen; ask at the store

Use canned fish creatively

It’s my top choice when I’m craving seafood and nothing looks good at the market. Try this quick dinner: Flake the contents of a 6-ounce can of tuna over hot spaghetti that’s been lightly dressed with extra-virgin olive oil. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the dish and sprinkle it with chopped olives and/or capers, flat-leaf parsley, and scallions. Toss and serve.

Make a healthy fish sandwich

Forget those fried fillets at fast-food restaurants. Coat a thinner fish, like fillet of sole, in bread crumbs. Brown it in a pan with a little olive oil for one to two minutes per side. Then slice a 6-inch sourdough baguette in half, add deli coleslaw and sliced tomato on one side, and top with the sautéed fillet.

Don’t overcook

A common complaint about fish is that it comes out too dry, but that’s easily avoided. Most people don’t realize fish cooks much faster than chicken or beef, all you need is 10 minutes, maximum, for every inch of thickness.

Turn to frozen

Keep a bag of extra-large shrimp (16 to 20 a pound) in the freezer for a fast meal. Opt for “easy peel” over peeled; they’re deveined, but the shell preserves the flavor: When ready to use, defrost in cold water, peel, and marinate in olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook briefly in a skillet until they’re opaque. Toss with lime juice; serve over rice or salad greens.

Tip

Fish can be a little flaky, so you need a special spatula to ensure it stays in one piece as you flip it on the grill or stove top. I like this large Cooks’ Flexi spatula from Kuhn Rikon. It’s thin and delicate enough for even the most fragile fillets.

Turkey Wrap

Tip: Ditching the bun in any recipe is a great way to save calories

Weight Loss Recipes : Turkey WrapIngredients:

  • 6 oz 99 percent lean ground turkey breast


  • 2 leaves butter lettuce


  • 8 thin slices cucumber


  • 2 tbsp fresh alfalfa sprouts


  • 2 tbsp fresh bean sprouts


  • 2 tbsp low-fat Galeos Miso Caesar dressing


Preparation:

  • Heat grill. Form turkey into patty, about 4½” in diameter. Season patty with salt and black pepper to taste and grill 3 to 4 minutes on each side.


  • Cut patty in half and place each half in center of one of the lettuce leaves.


  • Top burgers with cucumber, alfalfa sprouts, and bean sprouts, Drizzle with dressing and wrap lettuce around burgers and vegetables.


Make 1 Servings:

Weight Loss Recipes Amount per Serving: 230 Calories, 41 g Protein, 9 g carbohydrates, 1 g Fiber, 3.5 g fat,1 g saturated fat, 70 mg cholesterol, 450 mg sodium

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

The Feasting Season - How to Cope


Little Reminders that Make a BIG Difference

Fasten Your WLS Safety Belt
Even if you are not planning to do the 5 Day Pouch Test this week or any time soon there are things we can learn from it that help keep us on track, particularly during the feasting season. Think of it this way: When you get in your automobile to drive someplace a little reminder light illuminates on the dashboard to

Weight Loss Strategies

Find out which foods help you blast fat, and get expert-approved tips for making diet changes that last

A healthy body starts with a healthy diet. Switching to nutritious, homemade food can be overwhelming initially, but whit our easy tips and simple guidelines, anyone can make the transition to a healthy eater. Take time to familiarize yourself with the eating plan. And then get ready to look and feel your best!







Best Foods for Best Results

Check out the Diet Pyramid for an easy visual reference of what to eat on a daily basis

4 Servings

Fruits and Vegetables


At least half of your servings should be veggies, the rest fruits. Eat a vegetable salad most days and enjoy at least one fruit and one veggie daily.

3 Servings

Protein Foods


Choose from three types of protein: animal, vegetarian, and low-fat or fat-free dairy. Aim for a serving at meals and half a serving with snacks.

2 Servings

Whole Grains


Whole grains undergo very little processing, so they retain nutrients. Buy breads with at least 2 g of fiber per serving and cereals with at least 5 g.

1 Servings

The extras


You’re allotted 200 calories a day for healthy fats and condiments. Spend these choices—don’t squander them on foods like candy or sweets.

You can transform your body. The pyramid (opposite) shows you which foods to focus on—and which to limit. In addition to following the serving guidelines, it is helpful to remember that 45 percent of your daily calories should come from carbohydrates, 30 percent from protein, and 25 percent from fats.

The eating plan is sensible, healthy, and flexible—and can be maintained for the rest of your lift. This is a lifestyle, not a diet. What makes it work are the principles of calorie control, carbohydrate modification, fat-intake reduction, and lean protein intake (which helps control hunger). You get to eat three meals and two snacks each day, so you never feel hungry or deprived. The program encourages you to enjoy an array of fresh, wholesome foods that vary in color and texture. Natural, unprocessed foods are an important part of the processed foods and also contain more fiber, which keeps hunger at bay longer. Below you’ll find strategies and tips to maximize your weight loss .



Calorie budgets

Though the calorie budgets are based on comprehensive body composition calculations as well as metabolic testing, a rule of thumb for those at home is that most people need a daily caloric range somewhere between 7 and 10 calories per pound for long-term weight loss success, or a minimum of 1,100 calories per day. To find out your caloric needs by weight. Check out the formula at below.

Calorie Guidelines

The simple math on how many calories you need each day for weight loss

If you weight

  • < 160 lbs eat about 1,100 calories a day

  • 160-300 lbs your present weight *7 = your daily calories needs


  • > 300 lbs eat around 2,100 calories a day


And remember that for every pound of fat you lose, you decrease the number of calories you expend each day by about 10. So when you shed 10 pounds, you will be burning about 100 fewer calories each day. If you want to keep losing weight, you have to make diet and exercise adjustments.  

Don’t skip meals

Skipping meals can actually contribute to weight gain, not loss. It has other negative health impacts: A study showed that people who skipped meals and ate all their calories at one nightly meal had unhealthy changes in their metabolism, similar to blood sugar levels observed in diabetics. Non-meal skippers consumed the same number of calories each day, but the calories were distributed more evenly throughout the day at three regular meal intervals. They maintained health blood sugar levels.  

Write it down

Though you are required to keep food journals, this is one practice that most you follow for life. You continue to use a food journal. Keep track of your food intake and exercise with the 2-week journal starting on (Link). By writing things down, you’ll learn to recognize appetite-stimulating foods (usually processed foods with high starch, sugar, or fat content) and trigger foods.  

Quality calories

Like most overweight Americans, you have a history of eating and drinking the wrong types of food and beverages, and consuming too little of the right kinds. Here are some of the problems in the average diet:

  1. Red meat, fast foods, and processed foods eaten all day long


  2. Loads of cholesterol, salt, and sugar


  3. Drink of choice: soda


  4. Chaotic schedules resulting in skipped meals


You learn to:

  1. Veggie-load in every way possible


  2. Amp up their fruit intake by skipping sugary juices and adding fresh fruit to smoothies


  3. Love and pronounce quinoa, It’s a grain and a protein


  4. Eat lean cuts of meal and poultry


  5. Eat sandwiches with one slice of Ezekiel bread, which is full of fiber


  6. Select whole grains such as brown rice and whole wheat noodles


  7. Eat fish several times a week


  8. Minimize consumption of red meat and high-fat dairy foods


Try to work these healthy tips into your diet and see how much better you start to feel in just a matter of days. And making healthier choices will start to become like second nature to you.

Berry Mixed Green Salad with Grilled Chicken

Tip: If they’re in season and on sale, try raspberries instead of strawberries.

Weight Loss Recipes : Berry Mixed Green Salad with Grilled ChickenIngredients:

  • 12 cups mixed baby greens


  • 1½ cups hulled, sliced strawberries


  • 1½ oz very finely crumbled goat cheese


  • 6 tbsp light raspberry vinaigrette


  • 1 lb lean grilled chicken breast, sliced


Preparation:

  • Combine greens, strawberries, and cheese in large bowl.


  • Pour vinaigrette over mixture and toss.


  • Divide salad among 4 dinner plates or large salad bowls. Top each with one-fourth of chicken (about 4 oz) and serve.


Make 4 Servings:

Weight Loss Recipes Amount per Serving: 242 Calories, 30 g Protein, 13 g carbohydrates, 3 g Fiber, 8 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 71 mg cholesterol, 225 mg sodium