FINDING MY PATH TO A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE! by Trina

Finding My Path to a Healthier Lifestyle-one that will help me reach my weight loss goals

 where I began

Over the past few years I have done a lot of research trying to find the perfect exercise and eating plan. I've reviewed, read and/or purchased a NUMBER of books including the following:

*Change One                                      *You: On a Diet

*Curves                                              *21 Pounds in 21 Day

*Living Low Carb                              *The Best Life Diet

*The Fat Flush Plan                           *The Biggest Loser

*The Weigh Down Diet                       *Atkins Diet

*Eat This, Not That                            *The All New Atkins Advantage

*Never Say Diet                                  *The South Beach Diet

*The All-New Free to be Thin             *The Calcium Key

              and many others including the what's listed below

Here's what I've discovered...

• I am a perfectionist. So after one mistake or slip up and I throw in the towel for that day or week, waiting for a fresh start.
• I haven't developed effect methods to deal with stress
• I am an emotional eater.
• Most experts have their own ideas concerning what constitutes a healthy diet and MANY DO NOT AGREE what that is; even the research being done is sometimes contradictory. The views on how to develop a healthier lifestyle/diet range from - eat all fruit, eat vegetables and fruit, no protein, yes protein, high protein, low protein, no grains, yes grains, low carb, high carb, no salt, yes salt, raw food, cook food, etc. So how do I, a non experts choose what is right.

By beginning with what I know:

          *I was created by God so it make sense for me to look to Him to help    

          me decipher all this information and choose what would be best for me.    

         

 So I plan to use information from following to help me find my path to a healthier lifestyle and to achieve my weight loss goals:

*The Bible/Prayer

*Bob Greene Total Body Make Over

*A List of Healthy Habits I believe God gave to me

These 4 things along with Weight Watchers help me to lose over 25 pounds

*The Fat Flush Plan                                      *Faithfully Fit

*The New! Abs Diet for Women                     *The Conscious Cleanse

*Jenny Craig's What You Got to Lose?           *The Vice-Busting Diet

*The 7 Principles of Fat Burning                   *Eat To Live

See Part II for what I like about these books and how I will to use what I've learned to implement my plan for a healthier lifestyle.

A Day Trip - Jekyll Island

A fun day trip trip to Jekyll Island to meet the author of "Splendid Isolation". The historical novel about the Jekyll Island Millionaires' Club written by Pamela Mueller. 

We combined reading the book with a quick tour of the Millionaires' village. Knowing the history really made the buildings come to life.

It was very interesting talking with Pam not only about this book but about writing in general. She gave us some really good tips. (Just in case we ever want to write a novel or our own diet book:-)

We had a great time and met some new friends!

Do something new and have fun today! 

Patti

A Recipe for Nancy and Mary - Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

Just for you guys...

One of the things I'm trying to do on this healthy habits journey is to add new things to my diet. This recipes includes both a new grain and a new oil that I've never used before.

It's actually pretty tasty so I hope you'll give it a try!

A few facts about quinoa:

• pronounced - Keen-Wa
• a complete protein - contains all 9 essential amino acids 
• contains iron, lysine and magnesium 
• high in fiber

What you need:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups chicken or veggie stock or water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 red pepper,chopped
1-2 chopped garlic cloves
1 - 15 ounce can of black beans rinsed and drained
Juice from one lime (about 2 Tablespoons)
2 Tablespoons sesame oil
hot pepper flakes - depending on how hot you like it


Place the quinoa in a colander or sieve and rinse under running water. The water will look almost soapy be sure to rinse until the water runs clean.
Place the quinoa, salt and the liquid in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and allow to cook about 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender.

Put the veggies, garlic and black beans in a bowl and add the sesame oil and the lime juice. Toss and allow to marinate while the quinoa is cooking.

Sesame seeds and oil are high in many vitamins and minerals such as calcium.
Good for your heart and bones. 

For more intense lime flavor you can grate some of the rind as well.



Once the quinoa is finished allow to cool slightly then add to the veggies and black beans. Toss together.

Add a few flakes of hot peppers. Taste and adjust to your liking. Some like it hot so you may want to add more or just serve extra hot pepper flakes at the table.

Let the mixture marinate for at least 2 hours to blend the flavors.

Serve on a bed of lettuce like a salad or you can serve this with nacho chips as a dip.
This is even good when used as a filling in a wrap.


Nancy and Mary...I hope you'll give quinoa one more try!

Eat Well and Try Something New Today!

Patti

A Big Salad and a Green Drink by Patti

First let me say that it has taken me quite a while to actually drink a green drink. Something about ground up greens and that bright green color left me a feeling a little queasy...

But after much research and a desire to add more veggies to my diet I decided to just go for it. Kind of treat it like a medicine. Just get it down.

I experimented with a few recipes and finally hit on one that I actually like. As long as I follow a few basic rules.

1. It has to be super cold.
2. I have to drink it with a straw. (Can't really stand that fresh mowed grass smell. Actually I like the fresh mowed grass smell just not in something I'm going to ingest.)
3. It has to be made with pineapple and definitely not cherries. (Cherries change the bright green color to something far worse.)

Place 4 cups of washed kale greens in a blender, add 1 cup of juice or water and 1 cup fresh or
canned (in juice) pineapple. Hit the grate button and finish by blending till you have the
desired consistency. Store in the fridge. 

I enjoy this green drink with breakfast and lunch. It helps to curb my appetite and it provides one serving of fruit and two servings of veggies.

My typical lunch...a big salad and a green drink...

4 cups of romaine, 1 cup of cucumbers, some grated carrot and chopped onions
and pepper. For protein I added 1 cup of kidney beans.
The dressing just a little honey and mustard mixed with a spoonful of the green drink. 

I'm pleasantly surprised that something I once thought of as pretty gross has grown into a drink that I find very refreshing and filling. Will wonders never cease?:-)

Eat well and enjoy a little green today!

Patti

What I Ate Yesterday - Patti

This is what I ate yesterday...

Breakfast:
Coffee - no cream or sugar
Omelet made with 1 egg, 1 cup sliced zucchini and 1/2 cup chopped onions and peppers. Cooked in olive oil and topped with 2 Tablespoons grated cheese.
1 slice sprouted Ezekiel bread with a little butter.
Green drink.

Mid morning snack:
1 cup of unsweetened Almond milk blended with 1 banana and 1 Tablespoon ground flax seed.

Lunch:
Salad made with 4 cups romaine, 1 cup cucumbers, grated carrots and beets and 1 cup kidney beans. Topped with 2 Tablespoons of 1 point dressing. (Braswell's Summer Tomato and Vadialia Onion)
Green drink.
Grapes
Cherries

Snack:
By 3:30 I was hungry so I ate 4 saltine crackers with 1 Tablespoon peanut butter and I finished off the green drink.


Dinner: 
1 cup whole wheat spaghetti noodles with marinara sauce.
Green beans
Small salad
1 piece of garlic bread with mozzarella cheese.

Snack:
After our evening walk I had a small vanilla cone from Dairy Queen.



I pretty much stayed within my eating plan.

Today (Thursday) is my official weigh in day. Since last Thursday I've lost 2.2 pounds. Yippee!!!

Eat Well and Enjoy the Day!!!

Patti

Patti's Plan to Get and Stay Healthy - What I Eat

Since embarking on this get healthy and stay healthy journey I've read dozens of diet and exercise books, countless blogs and viewed more Youtube videos than I can count. 

The one thing I've learned is that everyone has their own idea of what works in the weight loss arena. 

After muddling through all the information and misinformation available this is what I've come up with as a good eating plan for me. (It's working so far. I've been following this basic plan for about 3 weeks and I've lost about 3 pounds.)

Disclaimer- I came up with the eating plan for me and my personal use. I'm not a doctor or nutritionist. I think it's a good plan but I'm not sure that it meets all the requirements. Don't blindly follow any plan. Do research and decide what works best for you.

While firming up my plan there were a few things I incorporated:

• Uncomplicated. I don't mind counting points (Weight Watcher's Points Plus) because I'm used to that but I don't want to spend a great deal of time looking up food for calories and nutrients. 
• Use readily available foods. I'd like to use local grown, organic foods but it isn't always available or cost effective. 
• Provide the vitamins and nutrients I need to maintain strong healthy bones.
• Include all food groups and not exclude any one completely. 
• Include foods I like to eat. This includes an occasional ice cream sundae or chicken pot pie. 
• Allow me to eat the same foods I feed my family. 

My way of eating is a combination of information from several sources including: 

• Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman
• The 7 Principles of Fat Burning by Eric Berg
• The Whole Food Guide to Strong Bones by Annemarie Colbin
• Weight Watchers (although I'm no longer a member of WW I do think it's a pretty good program and I still count points most days and follow some but not all of the WW guidelines)

My Plan- include each day:

Cranberry water - 3 times per day 

• I've found several variations of this recipe but I like the one from "The 7 Principles of Fat Burning" by Eric Berg. Go HERE to see a video about this drink. 

Protein - 2 servings-examples of a serving:

• 1 egg
• 3-4 ounces of lean meat, poultry or fish
• 1-2 cups legumes

Whole Grains and Starches - 2 servings - for example

• 1 cup cooked oatmeal
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1 cup whole wheat pasta
• 1 cup cooked quinoa 
• 1 slice of Ezekiel bread
• 1 Shredded Wheat Biscuit (the big kind)
• 1 Medium baked potato or sweet potato 
• or a combination to equal 2 servings - 1/2 oatmeal for breakfast + 1/2 brown rice for dinner = 1 serving

Fruit - at least 3 - 4 servings a day 

• Limit banana to one per day
• Small amounts of dried fruit such as dates or raisins may be used as a sweetener in oatmeal or in salad dressing. 
• Kale and Pineapple drink (recipe below) counts as 1 fruit and 2 veggie servings
• Can use a small amount (no more than 1 cup per day) of unsweetened fruit juice in salad dressing or smoothies

Vegetables - unlimited (I avoid corn) but at least two veggies for every fruit I eat

• Eat at least two veggies for every one fruit consumed. 
• Eat at least 4 cups of raw greens per day (counts as 2 servings)
• Drink Kale and Pineapple drink(recipe below) 3 times per day (counts as 2 veggie and 1 fruit)

Legumes 

• Use 1/2 - 1 cup of beans on my salad (in addition to the beans consumed as a protein serving)

Nuts and Seeds -about 1 ounce

• Should be raw
• Sunflower seeds and almonds are my favorite

Healthy Oil - 1 - 2 Tablespoons per day used in cooking or salad dressing

• Coconut oil (yummy on sweet potatoes)
• Olive Oil 
• Sesame Oil 

Dairy - limited to very small amounts - for example

• 1or 2 tablespoons of shredded cheddar cheese 
• 1/4 cup milk on cereal (not everyday)
• A little bit of butter (1- 2 teaspoon)
• 1 Tablespoon sour cream 
• Plain yogurt
• Low fat cottage cheese 

Calcium source will be mainly from food other than dairy.** For example:

• Unsweetened Almond milk 
• Green veggies such as broccoli, kale and spinach
• Whole grains 

**The book listed above by AnneMarie Colbin is an excellent source.

So that's my plan. 

I may not follow it to the letter everyday but I'm trying and something is better than nothing!  

Eat well and enjoy your day!

Patti

*Kale and Pineapple Drink 

(adapted from various sources)

Makes about 3 one cup servings
4 cups kale
1 cup pineapple - if canned use the no sugar added type
1 cup 100% pineapple juice-no sugar (can use water instead of juice)

Place all ingredients in a blender and liquefy or grind.
Drink will be very thick. Can be thinned with additional liquid if desired. 
Store in the fridge in a glass jar. 
Divide and drink with breakfast and lunch and before dinner.
Consuming the whole recipe is equal to 1 serving of fruit and two servings of veggies. 

7 Principles of Fat Burning

Interesting information on body type and possible reasons it's difficult for some of us to lose weight. This information presented by Dr. Berg is definitely worth serious consideration.
Dr. Berg book is called The 7 Principles of Fat Burning
Youtube videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NPVnXixQ8c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6yutHLYz6I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCdpF5FFYPo


Trina