Hosea 4:6 My People are ruined because they don’t know what’s right or true. (MSG)
There is so much information out there, information that I’ve gotten from friends, family, the internet, solicited and unsolicited, that at times my head is spinning and I need some chocolate to get me centered. (Just kidding!)
In this post I’ve shared what I thought was right or true about dieting and weight loss, but through my own research and experience learned otherwise.
If I’m eating salad, I’m eating healthy.
Salad in and of itself is generally healthy; however, the problem comes with the salad dressing. I was so proud of myself eating salads with lots of leafy greens and other veggies, no carbs, I was like…yea look at me the picture of healthy eating! I knew ranch wasn’t good so my healthy salad dressing choice was honey mustard….yum. I was entering my salad into my food tracker and when I looked up the calories for the Quiznos honey mustard salad that had become my go-to salad, my jaw dropped. A small honey mustard salad with lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese is 110 calories; with 2 TBS OF HONEY MUSTARD DRESSING: 290 CALORIES FOR THE DRESSING ALONE, a total of 400 calories! That was a huge eye opener! From that point on I started making sure I read the label and know how many calories the salad dressing has. I’ve discovered several light salad dressings and vinaigrettes that are 40-65 calories for two tablespoons. My favorites are:
Ken’s Light Sweet Vidalia Onion; Newman’s Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette; Kraft Light Honey Mustard and Brianna’s Strawberry Vinaigrette.
The numbers on the scale determine my weight loss success or failure.
This was a big one. When I first started on this lifestyle change I was determined not to get on the scale every day. Once I started losing weight I found myself on the scale more and more, and pretty soon I was getting on the scale every day, and whether that number was up or down would affect my mood or attitude. The bottom line is this, there are always all sorts of things going on with your body that affect your weight (some of which we have no control), and even if you weigh yourself butt-naked, at the same time every morning after you’ve pooped and peed that number will fluctuate. If you know that you’ve been sticking to exercising and eating healthy don’t let the scale ruin your day. I’ve said it before, the clothes don’t lie. Often times I noticed my clothes getting loser before I noticed a big change on the scale. When I stick to only weighing myself once I week, I find that I am much less aggravated by the scale. If you just cannot keep yourself off that scale every day, then take an average of your weight after 7 days, and that will be a more realistic number of your weight.
“ Remember: the scale will tell you how much you weigh, but you have to tell yourself how you're doing. And when you're trying to figure out how you're doing, instead of looking to an LCD readout, look to what you're actually doing to affect your weight or your health.” Tamara Duker-Frueman, MS, RD, CDN, a NYC-based registered dietitian whose clinical practice specializes in digestive disorders, Celiac Disease, and food intolerances
I can lose weight by exercise alone.
Nope, you can’t. Again, we’re busitin’ myths here and myths get busted by trying the myth and seeing what happens. In all of my previous attempts at losing weight when I did exercise alone, I didn’t lose very much weight. However, when I went on an Atkins-type diet, I lost like 7-10 lbs in 14 days, with no exercise at all. Fact is, it was the combination of changing my eating habits and exercising that got me the best results. And here it is: 75% to 85% of weight loss is what you eat and 15%-25% is exercise. Boom….moving on to next myth.
My weight loss goal is a number.
False! I’ve learned that my weight loss goal should be a behavior, not a number. When I first started off my goal was to lose 1-2 pounds a week; but there are some things were out of my control, and there I would be on that scale every day, wanting to throw it out the window when I didn’t lose 5 lbs overnight! What helped me was to make my goal to be more focused on what I could control, like eating an apple instead of a piece of cake, or eating two servings of vegetables for dinner instead of mashed potatoes; or sticking to my goal of exercising 5 times a week for at least an hour. Once I began to focus on what I could control, what I ate in a day and how much I moved around, the weight came off, I felt much better, and found that I didn’t have to get on the scale to validate my success.
Brown sugar is healthier than white sugar.
I sure thought this was true. Got this one from Tamar Duker-Frueman a registered dietician out of New York and thought I’d throw it in:
“While brown (whole-wheat) bread is indeed healthier than white bread, and brown rice is more nutritious than white rice, this parallel does not hold true when comparing brown sugar (a.k.a. "Sugar in the Raw," or raw turbinado sugar) to white sugar. While marketing would lead you to believe that this sugar is somehow "more natural," it is most certainly no healthier. Raw sugar has just as many calories per teaspoon as more refined white sugar, and your body certainly can't tell the difference when it comes to metabolism. Defenders might argue that brown sugar has more vitamins and minerals than the white stuff, to which my response is: If you're eating enough raw sugar that it's serving as a measurable source of vitamins or minerals in your diet, you should make an appointment to come see me.”
I can lose weight by going a really restrictive diet.
Several years ago I went on a diet with my hubby that was basically a liquid diet for the first 14 days, where you drank specific shakes and drinks then replaced 1 to 2 shakes a day with a small meal. Yes, I lost weight as long as I struck to drinking the shakes. But once I starting eating solid food, not matter how healthy, I gained weight! By the time I got through the 14 days, those shakes were so nasty to me I had to choke them down! So doing that long term wasn’t going to work, even with one shake a day. I came across this article that summed it up best:
Food is Not Just Fuel, and That Matters for Your Diet, Why blindly restrictive dieting never works
By Yoni Freedhoff April 17, 2013
The past 60 years of dieting, both for health and for weight management, have certainly seen a great many different approaches and options. But the one shared commonality is that, for the vast majority of dieters, diets are short-lived, white-knuckled affairs that, regardless of their actual dietary edicts, can be fairly described as planned suffering. And therein lies the rub.
We're not particularly good as a species at perpetual and unnecessary suffering. And just as we have been celebrating and comforting with food since time immemorial, so too have we tended to avoid unnecessary suffering. Ultimately, when life inevitably throws a blindly restrictive dieter a curve ball, dietary suffering tends to fall by the wayside; and when life lets up, the tendency for most is not to pick it up again.
I sometimes think of blindly restrictive dieting like an icy cold lake on an unseasonably hot day. You work up the nerve to dive in and, after the initial shock wears off and numbness sets in, you splash around happily for a while. But once you climb out, the memory of that initial frigidity is enough to keep you warmly on dry land— diving back in is almost never an option.
So instead of adopting a blindly restrictive, icy-cold lake diet, my advice is for you to practice thoughtful reduction. It's not about whether or not a food or an indulgence is allowed; it's whether or not you feel it's worth it to you, where worth isn't determined solely by calories or content, but also by circumstance, desire and the human condition.
Sometimes it's worth comforting or celebrating with the most nutritionally terrifying of foods. Just make sure, if you've decided it's worth it, to also ask yourself what's the smallest amount of that delicious awfulness that you need to like your life. A small bit of here-and-there awful, and maybe you'll actually stick to your new and improved dietary intake. But deny yourself that chance, and I'd bet, eventually, you'll find yourself right back at your all-you-can eat, unhappy square one.
I’m sure there are lots of other myths out there that you’ve busted….feel free to share your story of discovery during your quest to a healthy lifestyle.
Remember…Don’t weight to be healthy! Live a healthy life now!
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Drink Water and Live!
Proverbs 8:1 Listen as Wisdom calls out! Hear as understanding raises her voice!
I used to seriously be anti-water. I didn’t like it, didn’t want it, and would drink pretty much any other kind of beverage and only drank water if absolutely necessary (like to take my blood pressure pill – the irony!). I had several reasons to support my dislike of water; I didn’t like the way it tasted, it would make me feel nauseous if I drank it on an empty stomach, I couldn’t drink it with food; and on and on. Instead I was a connoisseur of sweetened beverages; anything from soda, to sweet tea, apple juice, fruit punch, or one of my favorites, Peach Orchard Punch. I mean really, I LOVED sweetened beverages. I would guzzle down juice to the point of getting a stomach ache…don’t let it be ice cold, I could probably drink a half gallon by myself!
Several years ago while I was attending a women’s conference, the speaker preached a message called “Drink Water and Live.” During the message the speaker talked about how she had been having a number of health issues, but the one that drove her to the doctor was her loss of memory. In the past she had been known for her ability to memorize and quote scripture, and generally recite information off the top of her head almost effortlessly. She had noticed lately that it was getting more and more difficult to remember things. She went to the doctor and learned that she was severely dehydrated. She was shocked to learn from her doctor that her lack of water was causing her fatigue, constipation, and yes, her memory loss. She immediately began drinking more water and noticed a dramatic improvement in her health. At that conference I had a revelation about the importance of drinking water. The single thought that drove me to start drinking water was this: If I were diagnosed with something that required me to daily take medicine (like high blood pressure or diabetes), I would without hesitation, get that prescription and take the medication faithfully. Why in the world then wouldn’t I do something so simple, so inexpensive that is so good for my overall health like drink water? My doctor once told me there are three things that will literally add years on to your life: 1. Not smoking 2. Exercising 3. DRINKING WATER.
The biggest trigger for daytime fatigue is lack of water.
-Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water per day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
-A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on a computer screen or printed page. (I have enough trouble with math, I don’t need a lack of water to contribute to my struggle)
-Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of Colon Cancer by 45%, Breast Cancer by 79%, and Bladder Cancer by 50%
-Drinking enough water can also play a big role in weight loss. In fact all the time, people complain
about always wanting to “snack” on foods. Most people confuse HUNGER with DEHYDRATION!!
The body is actually dehydrated and literally BEGGING for water and then you go and eat some
M&M’s!
Once while I was in the room waiting to see the doctor (you know how they put you in the room by yourself with the gown on and then have you wait another 30+ minutes) I began leafing through some pamphlets about different health issues like gout, constipation, acid reflux, diabetes and hypertension…all of them had a common theme in that they listed drinking water (at least 64 ounces a day) as a way to help prevent, manage or control the condition. Hummmmm…..
Water is vital for:
Joints
Body
Temperature
Constipation
Skin
Preventing Cancer (YES PREVENTING Colon, bladder and even breast cancer!!)
Appetite control
Metabolism
Some facts about water and the human body:
Our Body is made up 69% of water!
The Brain is 85% water–Drinking water=mental clarity!!!
Bones are 35% water (bones? Really? Who knew!!)
Blood is 83% water
Liver is 90% water.
By drinking that important H2O, you are basically allowing your body to hydrate everywhere it
NEEDS it!
Ok, just in case you still need convincing; here’s some info on how bad soda and sugary drinks are for you:
You can significantly reduce your daily caloric intake by drinking water instead of soda or some other sugary drink (yes even 100% fruit drinks). Let me put it in perspective for you:
Number of calories in a 24 oz glass of: Water 0, Soda 250, Apple juice 320
I was easily drinking more than 72 ounces of soda or juice a day. That’s 960 calories if I drink three 24 ounce drinks of apple juice! No wonder I had gained so much weight! I was consuming 960 calories…and that didn’t include one morsel of food! Yikes! That fact alone helped me to get over myself and drink at least 64 ounces of water a day, and even more than that once I started exercising.
I’m not saying I don’t ever drink sweetened beverages, but I don’t drink anywhere near what I used to. I encourage you today, don’t ignore wisdom, drink water and live!
P.S. A shout out of thanks to my awesome son, D’lon who designed the new logo for my blog. My
college investment at work! I love you son!
Monday, February 17, 2014
The Munchies
Ecclesiastes 3:13
And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.
Today's topic was originally going to be on a different subject, but a friend of mine asked for some suggestions for healthy snacks. She's pregnant right now, so the munchies tend to hit her especially hard, and in this case, in the middle of the night.
I've found several healthy snacks that help me through those times of when I get the munchies. Changing to a healthy lifestyle doesn't mean no more snacks, just better, healthier ones. Life is meant to be enjoyed, not endured; including snacking!
Fruit - seems simple enough right? I always keep my favorite fruit on hand. I really like Halo oranges, they are seedless, nice and cold out of the fridge, and they're so little and cute!
Apple slices - Need I say more?
Grapes, another quick go-to snack for when you want something sweet. You can throw them in the freezer, they are a wonderful frozen treat. You can also toss frozen grapes into a glass of water for some easy flavored water.
Strawberries - by themselves of course are pretty outstanding, but dipped in some unsweetened dark chocolate kicks them up to another level...yum.
I think you get the idea with fruit, so say you have a salty tooth, then what? Here are some of my favs:
Snap Pea Crisps by Calbee (Caesar is my favorite flavor) - these have replaced potato chips in my life! They are baked, full of fiber and protein, and you can eat like 20 of them and they are only 50 calories & 15 grams of carbs!
100 calorie packs of almonds by Evergreen . There are roasted flavors such as, cinnamon roast, vanilla roast, or dry roasted. I keep few packs of these in my purse so I can always have a healthy snack on hand.
A note to self on 100-calorie packs; they are not all created equal. I stick to 100 calorie packs of nuts instead of cookies or crackers even if they are baked. The nuts have no carbs and no sugar, the others, although they are 100 calories, still have carbs and sugar.
Zucchini crisps - this one is great if you have a little time to make them. You slice up some zucchini & toss them with a beaten egg; then mix together in a separate bowl a 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic & 1/4 cup of panko bread crumbs & a little pepper. Toss the egg-coated zucchini in the dry mixture; then spread them out flat on a cookie sheet & bake in an oven pre-heated to 450 degrees for about 30 minutes & voila, a tasty, healthy, homemade snack.
Popcorn - l love popcorn! Get some natural white popcorn, (none of this microwave in a bag stuff) put a tablespoon of coconut oil in a heavy pot with a lid, melt the oil and put in a 1/3-1/2 cup of popcorn, put the lid on and shake constantly over a med-high heat until the kernels stop popping. Pour into a heat resistant bowl, salt lightly. Super tasty! Be creative and flavor with cayenne pepper if you like it spicy, or some parmesan cheese. Or hey you could sprinkle some parmesan cheese and cayenne pepper on your popcorn for cheesy & spicy at the same time...I'm gonna have to try that!
Veggies - Can't go wrong snacking on veggies, I have found that making a healthy dip helps me to eat more veggies. There are two that I really like, one is a Garlic & White Bean Dip from Eating Well Magazine, and a Feta and Herb Dip, also from Eating Well Magazine. I dip anything from celery, broccoli, asparagus or snap peas in these tasty dips. See below for recipes.
Garlic & White Bean Dip
For this simple-as-can-be dip, rich-tasting poached garlic is pureed with convenient canned beans, a little bit of onion and a dash of lemon juice. Use it as a dip for crudités, veggies or as a spread on a sandwich.
2 cups garlic oil & 2 cups bean dip | Active Time: 50 minutes | Total Time: 2 1/2 hours
Ingredients
Poached Garlic & Garlic Oil
4 cups water
4 heads garlic, cloves separate but unpeeled
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Bean Dip
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed (see Tip)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Preparation
To prepare poached garlic & garlic oil: Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat, add garlic cloves and stir to submerge. Let stand until the garlic skins are softened and cool enough to handle, about 50 minutes. Strain the garlic, remove the skins and cut off the hard nub where the clove was attached to the head.
Place the garlic, canola oil and olive oil in a medium saucepan; bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Reduce the heat to low and maintain a very gentle simmer (it may be necessary to slide the pan to the edge of the burner). Simmer until the cloves are golden and very soft when pressed with a fork, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes.
Transfer the cooled garlic to a sieve to drain, reserving the oil. Transfer the garlic to a food processor and puree until smooth, scraping down the sides occasionally. (If it makes more than 1/2 cup, store the extra in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.)
To prepare bean dip: Combine 1/2 cup of the reserved garlic oil, onion and salt in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat until the onion is softened but not browned, 6 to 9 minutes. Stir in beans and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the food processor, add lemon juice and puree with ½ cup garlic puree until smooth. Serve warm or cold. (Store extra garlic oil in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.)
Nutrition
Per 2-tablespoon serving : 123 Calories; 8 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 5 g Mono; 0 mg Cholesterol; 12 g Carbohydrates; 3 g Protein; 2 g Fiber; 139 mg Sodium; 173 mg Potassium
Tips & Notes
Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate garlic puree for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 6 months; refrigerate oil for no more than 1 week. Cover and refrigerate the dip for up to 3 days.
Tip: While we love the convenience of canned beans, they tend to be high in sodium. Give them a good rinse before adding to a recipe to rid them of some of their sodium (up to 35 percent) or opt for low-sodium or no-salt-added varieties. (Our recipes are analyzed with rinsed, regular canned beans.) Or, if you have the time, cook your own beans from scratch.
Feta & Herb Dip
Lots of freshly chopped herbs add zing to our white bean dip. Serve with assorted vegetables, such as baby carrots, bell pepper strips, radishes, snow peas, broccoli and cauliflower florets.
8 servings, 1/4 cup each | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
Preparation
Place beans, yogurt, feta, lemon juice, garlic salt and pepper in a food processor and puree until smooth. Add herbs; puree until incorporated. Chill until ready to serve.
Nutrition
Per serving : 32 Calories; 1 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 0 g Mono; 4 mg Cholesterol; 5 g Carbohydrates; 2 g Protein; 1 g Fiber; 167 mg Sodium; 77 mg Potassium
Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1/2 very lean meat
Tips & Notes
Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
What are some of your go-to healthy snacks! I'd love to hear from you....until next time, bless you!
And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.
Today's topic was originally going to be on a different subject, but a friend of mine asked for some suggestions for healthy snacks. She's pregnant right now, so the munchies tend to hit her especially hard, and in this case, in the middle of the night.
I've found several healthy snacks that help me through those times of when I get the munchies. Changing to a healthy lifestyle doesn't mean no more snacks, just better, healthier ones. Life is meant to be enjoyed, not endured; including snacking!
Fruit - seems simple enough right? I always keep my favorite fruit on hand. I really like Halo oranges, they are seedless, nice and cold out of the fridge, and they're so little and cute!
Apple slices - Need I say more?
Grapes, another quick go-to snack for when you want something sweet. You can throw them in the freezer, they are a wonderful frozen treat. You can also toss frozen grapes into a glass of water for some easy flavored water.
Strawberries - by themselves of course are pretty outstanding, but dipped in some unsweetened dark chocolate kicks them up to another level...yum.
I think you get the idea with fruit, so say you have a salty tooth, then what? Here are some of my favs:
Snap Pea Crisps by Calbee (Caesar is my favorite flavor) - these have replaced potato chips in my life! They are baked, full of fiber and protein, and you can eat like 20 of them and they are only 50 calories & 15 grams of carbs!
100 calorie packs of almonds by Evergreen . There are roasted flavors such as, cinnamon roast, vanilla roast, or dry roasted. I keep few packs of these in my purse so I can always have a healthy snack on hand.
A note to self on 100-calorie packs; they are not all created equal. I stick to 100 calorie packs of nuts instead of cookies or crackers even if they are baked. The nuts have no carbs and no sugar, the others, although they are 100 calories, still have carbs and sugar.
Zucchini crisps - this one is great if you have a little time to make them. You slice up some zucchini & toss them with a beaten egg; then mix together in a separate bowl a 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic & 1/4 cup of panko bread crumbs & a little pepper. Toss the egg-coated zucchini in the dry mixture; then spread them out flat on a cookie sheet & bake in an oven pre-heated to 450 degrees for about 30 minutes & voila, a tasty, healthy, homemade snack.
Popcorn - l love popcorn! Get some natural white popcorn, (none of this microwave in a bag stuff) put a tablespoon of coconut oil in a heavy pot with a lid, melt the oil and put in a 1/3-1/2 cup of popcorn, put the lid on and shake constantly over a med-high heat until the kernels stop popping. Pour into a heat resistant bowl, salt lightly. Super tasty! Be creative and flavor with cayenne pepper if you like it spicy, or some parmesan cheese. Or hey you could sprinkle some parmesan cheese and cayenne pepper on your popcorn for cheesy & spicy at the same time...I'm gonna have to try that!
Veggies - Can't go wrong snacking on veggies, I have found that making a healthy dip helps me to eat more veggies. There are two that I really like, one is a Garlic & White Bean Dip from Eating Well Magazine, and a Feta and Herb Dip, also from Eating Well Magazine. I dip anything from celery, broccoli, asparagus or snap peas in these tasty dips. See below for recipes.
Garlic & White Bean Dip
For this simple-as-can-be dip, rich-tasting poached garlic is pureed with convenient canned beans, a little bit of onion and a dash of lemon juice. Use it as a dip for crudités, veggies or as a spread on a sandwich.
2 cups garlic oil & 2 cups bean dip | Active Time: 50 minutes | Total Time: 2 1/2 hours
Ingredients
Poached Garlic & Garlic Oil
4 cups water
4 heads garlic, cloves separate but unpeeled
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Bean Dip
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed (see Tip)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Preparation
To prepare poached garlic & garlic oil: Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat, add garlic cloves and stir to submerge. Let stand until the garlic skins are softened and cool enough to handle, about 50 minutes. Strain the garlic, remove the skins and cut off the hard nub where the clove was attached to the head.
Place the garlic, canola oil and olive oil in a medium saucepan; bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Reduce the heat to low and maintain a very gentle simmer (it may be necessary to slide the pan to the edge of the burner). Simmer until the cloves are golden and very soft when pressed with a fork, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes.
Transfer the cooled garlic to a sieve to drain, reserving the oil. Transfer the garlic to a food processor and puree until smooth, scraping down the sides occasionally. (If it makes more than 1/2 cup, store the extra in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.)
To prepare bean dip: Combine 1/2 cup of the reserved garlic oil, onion and salt in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat until the onion is softened but not browned, 6 to 9 minutes. Stir in beans and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the food processor, add lemon juice and puree with ½ cup garlic puree until smooth. Serve warm or cold. (Store extra garlic oil in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.)
Nutrition
Per 2-tablespoon serving : 123 Calories; 8 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 5 g Mono; 0 mg Cholesterol; 12 g Carbohydrates; 3 g Protein; 2 g Fiber; 139 mg Sodium; 173 mg Potassium
Tips & Notes
Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate garlic puree for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 6 months; refrigerate oil for no more than 1 week. Cover and refrigerate the dip for up to 3 days.
Tip: While we love the convenience of canned beans, they tend to be high in sodium. Give them a good rinse before adding to a recipe to rid them of some of their sodium (up to 35 percent) or opt for low-sodium or no-salt-added varieties. (Our recipes are analyzed with rinsed, regular canned beans.) Or, if you have the time, cook your own beans from scratch.
Feta & Herb Dip
Lots of freshly chopped herbs add zing to our white bean dip. Serve with assorted vegetables, such as baby carrots, bell pepper strips, radishes, snow peas, broccoli and cauliflower florets.
8 servings, 1/4 cup each | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
Preparation
Place beans, yogurt, feta, lemon juice, garlic salt and pepper in a food processor and puree until smooth. Add herbs; puree until incorporated. Chill until ready to serve.
Nutrition
Per serving : 32 Calories; 1 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 0 g Mono; 4 mg Cholesterol; 5 g Carbohydrates; 2 g Protein; 1 g Fiber; 167 mg Sodium; 77 mg Potassium
Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1/2 very lean meat
Tips & Notes
Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
What are some of your go-to healthy snacks! I'd love to hear from you....until next time, bless you!
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Kill the Lazy Bug
The next part of the Put That Fork Down & Start Moving Around plan was to start moving. At different times I had used every excuse in the book, like:
I don't have time
I'm too tired to exercise when I get home from work
I don't have time to exercise in the morning before I go to work
I don't want to mess up my hair
I don't want to spend money on a gym membership
Any of these sound famiiar? When I really thought about it, the real reason was because I was too lazy. As long as I used any of my trusty excuses, I felt like my lack of exercise was justified. The Bible has a lot of scriptures about laziness, but the one that I thought summed it up best is Proverbs 13:4 Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.
You can want to get healthy and loose weight all you want, but you will get no results. OR you can work hard and prosper in your body with a healthy life!
At my job, I sit at a desk pretty much the majority of the day, and I would go home after work and aside from cooking and eating, then I would basically sit in my favorite recliner, wiped out from the day. I was hardly moving around at all. However, my ever tightening clothes led me to get moving. I didn't run out and get a gym membership, I didn't start out trying to run a half marathon, or buy P90X (although I already had P90X, and hadn't touched it in over two years).
Like I've said earlier, when I had this whole get healthy revelation, I was recovering from surgery, so my ability to exercise was limited; but I didn't want to wait until I had clearance from the doctor before I started full-blown exercise. So I started where I was, used what I had and did what I could.
At my job there's a small gym, so I would walk on the treadmill twice a day for 15 minutes on my breaks. I wasn't power walking or anything, just a nice and steady 2.5 to 3.0 pace. That way I stayed within my medical restrictions, didn't sweat out my hair, and got away from my desk. Just that 30 minutes of walking each day I would burn up to 90 calories! I would walk on my lunch our to go and pick up my lunch. On at least one day of the weekend I would walk around my neighborhood for anywhere from 15-20 minutes.
I was using Myfitnesspal to track my movement and I was pleasantly surprised to discover how many calories I was burning by simply walking.
This alone eliminated most my excuses I had for why I wasn't exercising: I had the time during my breaks at work, I wasn't sweating out my hair, and I hadn't spent one penny...it doesn't cost a thing to walk!
Once I got clearance from the doctor, I started gettin' my groove on at Zumba. I don't like exercise, but I love Zumba; for me it's a great way to trick my body into exercising by telling it we're dancing! In an hour of Zumba, depending on the energy you put into it, you can burn 300-500 calories! If you're not familiar with Zumba, it's a dance fitness program created by dancer & choreographer Alberto "Beto" Perez. Zumba has dance and aerobic elements and the routines have moves like hip-hop, samba, salsa, and merengue with the occasional squats and lunges thrown in. You might think, "How is dancing gonna get me to loose weight?" I'm here to tell you, Zumba gets your heart rate up, you are moving and shaking things you forgot you had, and you get your sweat on! There are classes everywhere, just Google what's in your area. If you're in the Las Vegas area, there are two FANTASTIC instructors whose classes I go to: Sheila Poole (who happens to be my sister) www.sheilapoole.zumba.com and Blanca Fehlman blanca702.zumba.com. Click on the link for more information about their classes.
My point is, once I got moving, combined with cutting back the amount of calories I was eating, I felt better and I looked better. I was getting my stamina up (when I first started Zumba I felt like I was gonna go into cardiac arrest), and I was getting stronger.
I discovered with exercising, I had to find something that I really enjoyed. I had tried gym memberships, P90X, and other things that I really didn't like, therefore I never did any of it for very long.
I encourage you to find what you like, try new and different ways to get moving, every little bit counts! Kill that lazy bug, and burn baby burn!
In my last blog I promised some recipes, I just tried this one tonight. It had been swirling around in my head for some time, it's based on a recipe I had found that used rice. I substituted quinoa for the rice, threw in lots of veggies and came up with this recipe...I found it to be very tasty. I hope that you will try it and let me know what you think.
Very Veggie Quinoa Gratin
1/2 Cup uncooked quinoa
1 Cup low sodium chicken broth
1/3 Cup chopped celery
1/2 Cup chopped onion
1 Tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow squash sliced to 1/4 inch thick
2 zucchini, sliced to about 1/4 inch thick
4 roma tomatoes, sliced to about 1/4 inch thick
Table salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup rough chopped of your favorite mushrooms
1 cup spinach & kale salad mix
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, divided
Preheat oven to 450°F.
In a sauce pot, melt the butter and sauté the onion, celery & minced garlic over medium low heat. Cook, stirring constantly for 4-5 minutes until the onions begin to get translucent.
Add the chicken stock, cover & bring to a boil.
Once it's boiling, add the quinoa, reduce the heat to medium low to low heat, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until all of the liquid has been absorbed & the quinoa has fluffed up.
While quinoa cooks, coat two large baking sheets each with a tablespoon of of olive oil. Spread the squash & zucchini on one baking sheet and the tomato slices on the other baking sheet in as close to a single layer as you can. Sprinkle with salt & black pepper. Roast tomatoes for 10 minutes and zucchini for 15, then remove from oven. Leave oven on.
Combine mushroom, kale & spinach, quinoa, eggs, thyme, half of your grated cheese and a half-tablespoon of olive oil in a bowl. Add a bit of salt & pepper. Use the remaining olive oil to coat an 8x8 baking dish. Spread the rice mixture in bottom of dish. Arrange a layer of the zucchini & squash, then a layer of the roasted tomatoes. Sprinkle with remaining grated cheese and bake until set and golden brown, about15- 20 minutes. Remove from the over and let set for about 5 minutes. Serve hot.
A few people have said they've had trouble posting a comment on the blog, I've discovered that you have to have a gmail email account in order to post. The good thing is that creating a gmail email is free!
Until next time, keep it moving!
I don't have time
I'm too tired to exercise when I get home from work
I don't have time to exercise in the morning before I go to work
I don't want to mess up my hair
I don't want to spend money on a gym membership
Any of these sound famiiar? When I really thought about it, the real reason was because I was too lazy. As long as I used any of my trusty excuses, I felt like my lack of exercise was justified. The Bible has a lot of scriptures about laziness, but the one that I thought summed it up best is Proverbs 13:4 Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.
You can want to get healthy and loose weight all you want, but you will get no results. OR you can work hard and prosper in your body with a healthy life!
At my job, I sit at a desk pretty much the majority of the day, and I would go home after work and aside from cooking and eating, then I would basically sit in my favorite recliner, wiped out from the day. I was hardly moving around at all. However, my ever tightening clothes led me to get moving. I didn't run out and get a gym membership, I didn't start out trying to run a half marathon, or buy P90X (although I already had P90X, and hadn't touched it in over two years).
Like I've said earlier, when I had this whole get healthy revelation, I was recovering from surgery, so my ability to exercise was limited; but I didn't want to wait until I had clearance from the doctor before I started full-blown exercise. So I started where I was, used what I had and did what I could.
At my job there's a small gym, so I would walk on the treadmill twice a day for 15 minutes on my breaks. I wasn't power walking or anything, just a nice and steady 2.5 to 3.0 pace. That way I stayed within my medical restrictions, didn't sweat out my hair, and got away from my desk. Just that 30 minutes of walking each day I would burn up to 90 calories! I would walk on my lunch our to go and pick up my lunch. On at least one day of the weekend I would walk around my neighborhood for anywhere from 15-20 minutes.
I was using Myfitnesspal to track my movement and I was pleasantly surprised to discover how many calories I was burning by simply walking.
This alone eliminated most my excuses I had for why I wasn't exercising: I had the time during my breaks at work, I wasn't sweating out my hair, and I hadn't spent one penny...it doesn't cost a thing to walk!
Once I got clearance from the doctor, I started gettin' my groove on at Zumba. I don't like exercise, but I love Zumba; for me it's a great way to trick my body into exercising by telling it we're dancing! In an hour of Zumba, depending on the energy you put into it, you can burn 300-500 calories! If you're not familiar with Zumba, it's a dance fitness program created by dancer & choreographer Alberto "Beto" Perez. Zumba has dance and aerobic elements and the routines have moves like hip-hop, samba, salsa, and merengue with the occasional squats and lunges thrown in. You might think, "How is dancing gonna get me to loose weight?" I'm here to tell you, Zumba gets your heart rate up, you are moving and shaking things you forgot you had, and you get your sweat on! There are classes everywhere, just Google what's in your area. If you're in the Las Vegas area, there are two FANTASTIC instructors whose classes I go to: Sheila Poole (who happens to be my sister) www.sheilapoole.zumba.com and Blanca Fehlman blanca702.zumba.com. Click on the link for more information about their classes.
My point is, once I got moving, combined with cutting back the amount of calories I was eating, I felt better and I looked better. I was getting my stamina up (when I first started Zumba I felt like I was gonna go into cardiac arrest), and I was getting stronger.
I discovered with exercising, I had to find something that I really enjoyed. I had tried gym memberships, P90X, and other things that I really didn't like, therefore I never did any of it for very long.
I encourage you to find what you like, try new and different ways to get moving, every little bit counts! Kill that lazy bug, and burn baby burn!
In my last blog I promised some recipes, I just tried this one tonight. It had been swirling around in my head for some time, it's based on a recipe I had found that used rice. I substituted quinoa for the rice, threw in lots of veggies and came up with this recipe...I found it to be very tasty. I hope that you will try it and let me know what you think.
Very Veggie Quinoa Gratin
1/2 Cup uncooked quinoa
1 Cup low sodium chicken broth
1/3 Cup chopped celery
1/2 Cup chopped onion
1 Tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow squash sliced to 1/4 inch thick
2 zucchini, sliced to about 1/4 inch thick
4 roma tomatoes, sliced to about 1/4 inch thick
Table salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup rough chopped of your favorite mushrooms
1 cup spinach & kale salad mix
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, divided
Preheat oven to 450°F.
In a sauce pot, melt the butter and sauté the onion, celery & minced garlic over medium low heat. Cook, stirring constantly for 4-5 minutes until the onions begin to get translucent.
Add the chicken stock, cover & bring to a boil.
Once it's boiling, add the quinoa, reduce the heat to medium low to low heat, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until all of the liquid has been absorbed & the quinoa has fluffed up.
While quinoa cooks, coat two large baking sheets each with a tablespoon of of olive oil. Spread the squash & zucchini on one baking sheet and the tomato slices on the other baking sheet in as close to a single layer as you can. Sprinkle with salt & black pepper. Roast tomatoes for 10 minutes and zucchini for 15, then remove from oven. Leave oven on.
Combine mushroom, kale & spinach, quinoa, eggs, thyme, half of your grated cheese and a half-tablespoon of olive oil in a bowl. Add a bit of salt & pepper. Use the remaining olive oil to coat an 8x8 baking dish. Spread the rice mixture in bottom of dish. Arrange a layer of the zucchini & squash, then a layer of the roasted tomatoes. Sprinkle with remaining grated cheese and bake until set and golden brown, about15- 20 minutes. Remove from the over and let set for about 5 minutes. Serve hot.
A few people have said they've had trouble posting a comment on the blog, I've discovered that you have to have a gmail email account in order to post. The good thing is that creating a gmail email is free!
Until next time, keep it moving!
Friday, January 10, 2014
Change your confession
Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue…
Once I had made the decision that I was sick and tired of being sick and tired, the next thing I did was take action. For the next 14 days I ate no carbs and no sweets. When I would tell people that's what I was doing, many times the first thing they would say is "Oh I couldn't give up my bread", or " No pasta? No way! Can't do it." The Bible is clear when it says you will have what you say, and changing to a healthy lifestyle was no exception. I too felt that I could not live without bread (oh how I love bread) and sweets; but I found that in addition to taking action, I had to change what I was saying about what I could and could not eat. I had to change what I was saying in order to get different results.
Was it that simple? Just stop eating carbs and sweets? No, BUT I had made a decision, and I was going to stick to it. When I began to think about how many carbs & how much sugar I was eating in a day, it helped me stop eating so many carbs and so much sugar. Here's what a typical carby, sugary day in my life was like:
Breakfast:
1-2 cups of orange juice
hash browns
cheese eggs
2 pieces of toast
2 pieces of bacon
Lunch:
5 Guys Little Cheeseburger
more fries than the law should allow (you know they give you too many fries!)
Regular size Dr. Pepper
Dinner:
Fried Chicken
Rice & Gravy
Green Beans
Dinner Roll
1-2 cups fruit punch
Snack:
Kit Kat
Potato Chips
Popcorn
Jelly Beans
Total calories: approx. 2858!!!!!
Total Carbs: approx. 346!!!!!
WHAAAAT! Need I say more?!?
Instead of saying how I couldn’t live without bread and sweets, I started saying that because I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, I can stop eating these things that I know are not good for me. Instead of focusing on what I couldn't have, I focused on what I could have. I could still have all of my favorite proteins like chicken, fish, steak, bacon, etc. There are so many low to no carb cooks books & meal planners out there, and with the power of Google, recipes were very easily accessible. I often just eliminated the carb part of a meal and replaced it with a small salad. For example, if I fixed pork chops, cabbage and scalloped potatoes for my family, I would replace the scalloped potatoes with a small salad for myself.
Here’s what a typical no carb, no sugar day was like:
Breakfast:
Hot tea sweetened with Stevia
2 Egg Omelet with spinach, feta cheese & green onion
2 pieces of turkey bacon
Lunch:
Grilled Chicken salad with spinach, arugala, tomato, cucumber & feta cheese
Water
Dinner:
Baked chicken
Collard Greens
small side salad
Water
Snack:
100 calorie pack of almonds
water
Total Calories: 1244
Carbs: 13
Man, what a difference it made! After 14 days, the main thing I noticed was that I didn’t feel bloated all the time. I didn’t realize that the carbolicious life had me constantly feeling bloated.
After the 14 days, I incorporated small portions of carbs (no more that the size of the side of my fist) back into my diet, and for sweets I would have fruit. Something like this:
Breakfast
Once I had made the decision that I was sick and tired of being sick and tired, the next thing I did was take action. For the next 14 days I ate no carbs and no sweets. When I would tell people that's what I was doing, many times the first thing they would say is "Oh I couldn't give up my bread", or " No pasta? No way! Can't do it." The Bible is clear when it says you will have what you say, and changing to a healthy lifestyle was no exception. I too felt that I could not live without bread (oh how I love bread) and sweets; but I found that in addition to taking action, I had to change what I was saying about what I could and could not eat. I had to change what I was saying in order to get different results.
Was it that simple? Just stop eating carbs and sweets? No, BUT I had made a decision, and I was going to stick to it. When I began to think about how many carbs & how much sugar I was eating in a day, it helped me stop eating so many carbs and so much sugar. Here's what a typical carby, sugary day in my life was like:
Breakfast:
1-2 cups of orange juice
hash browns
cheese eggs
2 pieces of toast
2 pieces of bacon
Lunch:
5 Guys Little Cheeseburger
more fries than the law should allow (you know they give you too many fries!)
Regular size Dr. Pepper
Dinner:
Fried Chicken
Rice & Gravy
Green Beans
Dinner Roll
1-2 cups fruit punch
Snack:
Kit Kat
Potato Chips
Popcorn
Jelly Beans
Total calories: approx. 2858!!!!!
Total Carbs: approx. 346!!!!!
WHAAAAT! Need I say more?!?
Instead of saying how I couldn’t live without bread and sweets, I started saying that because I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, I can stop eating these things that I know are not good for me. Instead of focusing on what I couldn't have, I focused on what I could have. I could still have all of my favorite proteins like chicken, fish, steak, bacon, etc. There are so many low to no carb cooks books & meal planners out there, and with the power of Google, recipes were very easily accessible. I often just eliminated the carb part of a meal and replaced it with a small salad. For example, if I fixed pork chops, cabbage and scalloped potatoes for my family, I would replace the scalloped potatoes with a small salad for myself.
Here’s what a typical no carb, no sugar day was like:
Breakfast:
Hot tea sweetened with Stevia
2 Egg Omelet with spinach, feta cheese & green onion
2 pieces of turkey bacon
Lunch:
Grilled Chicken salad with spinach, arugala, tomato, cucumber & feta cheese
Water
Dinner:
Baked chicken
Collard Greens
small side salad
Water
Snack:
100 calorie pack of almonds
water
Total Calories: 1244
Carbs: 13
Man, what a difference it made! After 14 days, the main thing I noticed was that I didn’t feel bloated all the time. I didn’t realize that the carbolicious life had me constantly feeling bloated.
After the 14 days, I incorporated small portions of carbs (no more that the size of the side of my fist) back into my diet, and for sweets I would have fruit. Something like this:
Breakfast
Turkey Bacon & egg over easy on wheat flat bread
Great tea sweetened with Stevia
Lunch:
Roast Beef & Turkey Sandwhich from Port of Sub on wheat bread
Baked chips
Water
Dinner:
Blackend Catfish
Grilled Zucchini
Side Salad
Water
Snacks:
Apple
Naked popcorn
Snap pea crips
Water
Total Calories: 1477
Great tea sweetened with Stevia
Lunch:
Roast Beef & Turkey Sandwhich from Port of Sub on wheat bread
Baked chips
Water
Dinner:
Blackend Catfish
Grilled Zucchini
Side Salad
Water
Snacks:
Apple
Naked popcorn
Snap pea crips
Water
Total Calories: 1477
Total Carbs: 145
After 14 days I had lost about 4 pounds, and was well on my way!
After 14 days I had lost about 4 pounds, and was well on my way!
Another thing I did that was critical to my success was I tracked everything that I ate. I had tried this in the past and was never very successful; I didn’t want to always be counting the calories, carbs and sugar of everything I ate! Oh but the power of technology makes it so easy! I found an app called myfitnesspal and with it was able to track the food I ate and my exercise pretty easily. After each meal I would enter what I had eaten and it would track everything and tell me if I had hit or missed my target calorie intake for the day. I could even use my smartphone to scan a label of something and it would put the informtation in my food journal.
I encourage you not to kill your quest for a healthy lifestyle before it even gets started by saying what you can’t do and what you don’t like; I challenge you to change your confession and every time you are about to say what you can’t do, and what you don't like, speak the word only and say, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!” (Philippians 4:13)
Once you made the decision to change to a healthy lifestyle, what steps did you take to put action to it? I would love to hear from you!
Next week I’ll talk about the second part of the Put That Fork Down and Move Around plan…EXERCISE! (and some recipes too!)
Friday, January 3, 2014
Make A Decision
The purpose of this blog is to share with people what I've done and found to be successful in my healthy lifestyle journey. That's right, not weight loss journey, but my healthy lifestyle journey. The weight loss was a result of changing to a healthier lifestyle.
Another purpose of this blog is for you to share you story. Share what's worked for you, what hasn't worked, anything from advice, exercises, recipes...I would love for this to be a place where we can come for encouragement, ideas, practical advice and information.
I do not claim to be a health expert by any stretch of the imagination. All I know is that I was 47 years old, and 40 pounds overweight; I didn't like the way I looked or felt, and I knew I had to take action.
Which leads me to the first thing that I had to do to get on the road to a healthy lifestyle.
Make A Decision
Yup that's it, the first thing I had to do was decide...decide that I wanted to get healthy and lose weight more than I wanted to eat everything that wasn't nailed down. I don't know about you, but the older I get, the better food tastes, and the more I want to cook it AND eat it!!! Having that attitude I was gaining weight at a rapid pace, and my clothes were letting me know it. I'm here to tell you, that the clothes don't lie, I don't care what that scale says, the clothes tell you the truth, and the truth was I had gone from a teight (a tight 8 not quite a 10) to a comfortable 10, and truth be told, the 10's had gotten tight. I'm only 5 feet tall, so a size 12 really wasn't an option for me.
During all of this time that I was gaining weight (literally years) I would continually threaten to do something about it. BUT, those pastries were tasting better and better, I was perfecting my chocolate cake recipe and honing my baking skills in general, not to mention I could fry up some catfish, greens and cornbread that would put a hurtin' on you! The bottom line was I liked the way food tasted much better than even the thought of exercise.
At my job we have a health coach that comes every week to check your weight and blood pressure. I had been telling this woman that I was going to start eating better and exercise almost every week for two years, and had done absolutely nothing! As my pastor says, until you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, you won't to anything to make a change.
I did get sick and tired of being sick and tired. On July 8, 2013 I decided that I was ready to commit to changing my life for the better by eating right and exercising. What led me to this decision? Two things. During that time I was recovering from eye surgery that required me to stay face down 24/7 for 10 days. I figured that if I had enough discipline to stay face down for 10 days, I could be disciplined to lose weight. The other motivating factor was that I could not hide my stomach any more! I would be taking a picture, and you know how especially when you're taking a picture you suck your stomach in, well with my stomach sucked in I still looked like I had a watermelon under my shirt! Once at church, a little girl asked me if I had a baby in my tummy! I couldn't even be mad....I had to take action; and I did. What did I do? My sister calls it the Push the Plate Back & Exercise plan, my husband calls it the Moderation & Movement plan, or as I call it: Put That Fork Down and Start Moving Around Plan!!!
I made a decision, put action to it and stuck to it. That's it, that's all. In 4 months, my eating habits have dramatically changed, I'm exercising 3-5 times a week and I've lost 22 pounds.
In the coming weeks I'll share what I did more specifically, I'll share recipes, tips and advice that have helped me along the way.
When did you decide to make that change? What did you do? I would love to hear from you!
Or maybe you're that person that needs to make the decision...do it now, don't weight to be healthy, start today and change your life for the better!
Another purpose of this blog is for you to share you story. Share what's worked for you, what hasn't worked, anything from advice, exercises, recipes...I would love for this to be a place where we can come for encouragement, ideas, practical advice and information.
I do not claim to be a health expert by any stretch of the imagination. All I know is that I was 47 years old, and 40 pounds overweight; I didn't like the way I looked or felt, and I knew I had to take action.
Which leads me to the first thing that I had to do to get on the road to a healthy lifestyle.
Make A Decision
Yup that's it, the first thing I had to do was decide...decide that I wanted to get healthy and lose weight more than I wanted to eat everything that wasn't nailed down. I don't know about you, but the older I get, the better food tastes, and the more I want to cook it AND eat it!!! Having that attitude I was gaining weight at a rapid pace, and my clothes were letting me know it. I'm here to tell you, that the clothes don't lie, I don't care what that scale says, the clothes tell you the truth, and the truth was I had gone from a teight (a tight 8 not quite a 10) to a comfortable 10, and truth be told, the 10's had gotten tight. I'm only 5 feet tall, so a size 12 really wasn't an option for me.
During all of this time that I was gaining weight (literally years) I would continually threaten to do something about it. BUT, those pastries were tasting better and better, I was perfecting my chocolate cake recipe and honing my baking skills in general, not to mention I could fry up some catfish, greens and cornbread that would put a hurtin' on you! The bottom line was I liked the way food tasted much better than even the thought of exercise.
At my job we have a health coach that comes every week to check your weight and blood pressure. I had been telling this woman that I was going to start eating better and exercise almost every week for two years, and had done absolutely nothing! As my pastor says, until you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, you won't to anything to make a change.
I did get sick and tired of being sick and tired. On July 8, 2013 I decided that I was ready to commit to changing my life for the better by eating right and exercising. What led me to this decision? Two things. During that time I was recovering from eye surgery that required me to stay face down 24/7 for 10 days. I figured that if I had enough discipline to stay face down for 10 days, I could be disciplined to lose weight. The other motivating factor was that I could not hide my stomach any more! I would be taking a picture, and you know how especially when you're taking a picture you suck your stomach in, well with my stomach sucked in I still looked like I had a watermelon under my shirt! Once at church, a little girl asked me if I had a baby in my tummy! I couldn't even be mad....I had to take action; and I did. What did I do? My sister calls it the Push the Plate Back & Exercise plan, my husband calls it the Moderation & Movement plan, or as I call it: Put That Fork Down and Start Moving Around Plan!!!
I made a decision, put action to it and stuck to it. That's it, that's all. In 4 months, my eating habits have dramatically changed, I'm exercising 3-5 times a week and I've lost 22 pounds.
In the coming weeks I'll share what I did more specifically, I'll share recipes, tips and advice that have helped me along the way.
When did you decide to make that change? What did you do? I would love to hear from you!
Or maybe you're that person that needs to make the decision...do it now, don't weight to be healthy, start today and change your life for the better!
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