Lamb...

Lamb is a clean-burning protein, full of nutrients like B12, which are critical if you'd like to maintain your weight once you've reached your weight loss goal!  Yay!  I will be having Lamb for dinner Easter Sunday when I get home from my trip from the West Coast!  Not sure how Bob is going to prepare it, but I know it will be delicious!

Until Monday - Keep thinking veggies and protein!

More on Coffee...

Coffee may do more than help wake you up!  A recent study found that subjects who'd had caffeine processed positive words faster than negative or neutral ones. While positive words are generally recognized more quickly than others, that caffeine boost enhanced this process. Maybe that's why we prefer reading the newspaper over a morning cup o' joe!

Work Out On Your Lunch Break... 

Think you don't have time for a midday workout? Think again! Not only can you fit in an effective fat-burning session in just 20 minutes, but research shows that taking some time to exercise in the middle of the work day can make you even more productive overall. Now that Spring is around the corner, I will go out for a walk after lunch a few times a week and I got my jump rope! You will stoke your metabolism, strengthen your muscles, and return to your desk with the energy and focus you need to fly through your to-do list in record time!

Diet Food: Grapefruit...

Grape fruit has become my mid morning daily snack!  Ruby reds are my favorite!  We are very fortunate at work, they put out fresh fruit everyday.  I try to make sure I make it to the test kitchen to snag that grapefruit!  I call myself - the grapefruit whore!  Studies show that the chemical properties in grapefruit can reduce insulin levels, which promote weight loss and boosts metabolism, plus it's an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C potassium and fiber!

Three Squares a Day Works as Well as a "Many Mini Meals" Plan...

TRUE: Dieters who stick to breakfast, lunch, and dinner are often no hungrier than those who opt to have frequent small meals and snacks throughout the day, a new study found. Actually, if you're a dieter who doesn't want to have to be extra careful about portion control, eating three squares might be a better strategy. Often people misinterpret the size of a 'mini meal' and end up taking in far more calories than they realize!  Also, more meals means more exposure to food, which creates more opportunities for overeating.

Make this work for you: Whether you want to be a traditionalist or a conscientious "mini meal" strategist, the most important thing is not to go too low: Dieters who dine only once or twice a day tend to get ravenous - and we all know where that leads.  I opt for the 3 meals and healthy snacks between meals!

Anatomy of a Peep...

Novelty Easter candies have been lining grocery store shelves since retailers whisked away leftover Valentine’s sweets on February 15. And while you can’t deny the popularity of jelly beans or Cadbury Creme Eggs, Americans’ love for them pales in comparison to Peeps.

As the brightly colored foamy marshmallow treat celebrates its 60th anniversary, let’s analyze these addicting balls of sugar.

One serving of Peeps is five chick-shaped pieces, each containing 28 calories. This may not seem like a lot, but almost all of these calories come from sugar (one Peep has 7.2 grams of carbs, 6.8 of which are sugar), meaning they’re as empty as it gets.

To put it in perspective, consider that a 2012 study showed that a high-intensity kettlebell snatch workout could burn upwards of 20 calories per minute. This means that you’d need to perform a 15-minute high-intensity kettlebell workout in order to burn off the calories from snacking on one pack of Peeps (there are two servings per pack).

What else is in Peeps other than sugar? Not much. The Peeps nutrition facts reads as follows: Sugar, corn syrup, gelatin, contains less than 0.5% of the following ingredients: yellow #5 (Tartrazine), potassium sorbate (a preservative), natural flavors, carnauba wax.

Yes, carnauba wax (which is apparently non-toxic)—the main ingredient in car wax—rounds out the ingredients list of Peeps. Strangely enough, Peeps are not the only indulgence to uses carnuaba wax; it’s also found in chewing gum and chocolate-coated nuts and coffee beans.

I personally will be passing on eating Peeps at Easter, as I’ve always thought that any food preferably eaten stale shouldn’t be one that you eat at all.

Until Monday - Keep thinking veggies and protein!

The Biggest Loser Winner...

WOW!  You Go Girl!  This was my first season watching the program and I found it extremely inspiring!  Everyone on the show is a winner!  What amazing transformations!

Danni Allen, 26

Before: Danni, like her father, had battled a weight problem for most of her life, and after starting the show at 258 pounds, she left the ranch 95 pounds lighter.

After: Danni had remained motivated even after becoming a team of one early in the season. Her impressive total weight loss after the final weigh-in: 121 pounds, and a killer, healthy new bod that led her to win $250K and rock a form-fitting little cocktail dress as the Season 14 champ.  She looks amazing!

First You Burn Calories, Second You Burn Fat...

The term “fat-burning” is thrown around willy-nilly in fitness circles, but as an expression of weight loss, it’s indirect. Before you “burn” fat, you burn calories, whether those calories come from stored carbohydrates (glycogen and blood sugar) or from stored body fat. The more calories you burn during each workout, the bigger deficit you will create and the more fat you will lose.  Have to run - my treadmill awaits!

Emotional Eating: Why We Do It, and What to Do About It...

The concept of "eating your feelings" is not new... But have you ever wondered why we associate food with feeling good?  In a poll on the eating habits of American families, more than a quarter of the families cited food as a way to show affection, and around half of the families said they treat celebrations as a time to drop concerns about indulging! In studies of chimps and other primates, researchers observed tendencies to use food as a way to strengthen alliances and make new friends. Very interesting! Of course, another side of emotional eating is mindlessly chowing down when we feel sad, bored, stressed, or tired. While it's best to avoid eating in response to feelings other than hunger (and overeating, in general), there are some things you can do to minimize the damage to your diet when you do give in. Be prepared with lightened-up foods to feed common cravings, and always keep an eye on your portions. 

Going on Food Journal 200...

This week marks another millstone for me - I have been keeping a food journal for 200 weeks!  It has kept me focused, honest and pretty much maintaining my ideal weight!  Yes it was a chore in the beginning, but now it is just part of my daily routine.  It is such a successful way to also keep track of my exercise regiment!  I get to look back and compare my data.  Some of my entries have turned into little stories, especially concerning the “evil” cookies during the Holidays!  I have certainly learned what my trigger foods are, I have learned not to dwell on my mistakes and to certainly choose my own battles!  By doing the “write” thing I can go back and and always get myself motivated whenever I find myself in a slump!  I highly suggest keeping a journal, it will help you set yourself up to succeed and always keep you eye on  the prize!

A Few Tricks to Help Lose Weight...

Honestly, I am not a big fan of actual calorie counting, but I am a huge advocate of being calorie-conscious, which a food journal can capture nicely. But journaling may not be for everyone, especially if you have the memory of an elephant or if you tend to think about what you are eating 24/7. Other tactics to help you remember what you ate include:

1. Slowing down. The slower you eat and the more time you take to savor every bite, the more likely you probably are to remember what you had.

2. Playing food paparazzi. Supposedly some restaurants have a problem with patrons snapping photos of their meals, but there’s nothing like a great pic of your entrée to keep the memory of that dish alive, so I say go for it.

3. Keeping the evidence. At a party, hold onto the stirrers from your cocktails and the napkins from hors d'oeuvres so you have an easy count of how many you consumed.

4. Being shell-shocked. Buy nuts in the shell, keep the remains nearby, and count them when you are finished. It will hopefully lead you to put the bag away.

So here’s to a having a good memory in the hopes that it might keep you more in-tune to what you already ate and the potential to eat less later on. 

Until Monday - Keep thinking veggies and protein!

Sushi: Not that good for you after all?  

I've said it before and I'll say it again!  If you're thinking of sushi as a lighter lunch option, you may want to think again. Turns out that sushi, especially supermarket sushi is much more like typical fast food than you'd think, with a couple of California rolls packing as many calories and twice as much sugar as a Big Mac and French fries from McDonald’s. The culprit: All that deliciously seasoned white rice wrapped around the minuscule pieces of fish and vegetables. A typical sushi roll contains 290 to 350 calories and has the carbohydrate equivalent of two-and-a-half to four slices of bread.  So a California roll equals two sandwiches filled with crab sticks, a sliver of avocado, and a tiny bit of veg.

Contrary to popular belief, the word “sushi” refers to the rice served with the (usually) raw fish, not the fish itself, which is considered more of a garnish. The rice is seasoned with sugar-and-salt infused vinegar and can make up 75 percent of each bite you take, which means that while you may be eating heart-healthy fish and vegetables, you're not getting much of them in each serving. Brown rice may have more fiber and nutrients but it doesn't contain fewer carbs or less sugar.
Two servings of Genji Sushi California rolls - one of the easiest to find take-out options at Whole Foods markets around the United States - has 740 calories and 22 grams of sugar. A McDonald's Big Mac and a small order of French fries total 780 calories and 9 grams of sugar. Think you'll cut calories by choosing veggie sushi instead? Not so fast: an eight piece serving of Genji Sushi's (avocado and cucumber roll) has 400 calories and 11 grams of sugar - more than a McDonald's Premium Bacon Ranch Salad with Crispy Chicken on top (390 calories, 7 grams of sugar). Add a little soy sauce to the sushi and you can really do some damage to your sodium levels. Two take-out packets of soy sauce add about 1,000 milligrams of sodium - nearly as much salt as 5 slices of bacon. 

When it comes to fat content, though, sushi is easily the better fast-food choice. Two servings of Genji Sushi California Rolls contain just 10 grams of fat, compared to 29 grams of fat in a Big Mac alone. Even oily fish like salmon and tuna contain far less fat than a serving of ground beef.
To make any sushi a little better for you, stick to rolls that don't include cream cheese or mayonnaise-based sauces, which can add a lot of fat. Sushi that contains tempura may be delicious, but the fried ingredients add extra calories. If you're indulging at a restaurant, go for the sashimi - strips of fish with the rice on the side - will really help you cut down on carbs. 

Butt - Bridge...

Easy exercise to do anywhere!  Lie on your back and bend your knees, hands and feet flat on the floor. Push through your heels and raise your hips. Keep the core engaged at all times and use the glutes to lift the body. When your shoulders, hips, and knees form a straight line, pause and give your butt a final squeeze before lowering back down. Increase the intensity by lifting one leg in the air.

Cola...

Another great way to get rid of any “cola” in your house!  Get rid of burn stains from pots with cola.  Let your pots and pans soak in the cola overnight and the stains will wipe right off, thanks to the acid in the soda!  I don’t think I will ever drink this stuff again knowing what it can do for pots and pans!

Sugar - Bad for for Your Skin...

We never stop battling with our skin. Just as it seems we've finally conquered acne, it's already time to fight fine lines and wrinkles. And all the while we're navigating SPF and vitamin D—skin care is certainly trickier than those face wash commercials would have us believe.

If starchy foods that break down quickly into sugar are an issue, it's no surprise that straight sugar can be problematic for the skin in much the same way. High blood sugar can weaken the skin by affecting tissues like collagen, according to Daily Glow, and leave you more vulnerable to lines and wrinkles.

Which is why it's likely not anything particular to chocolate, a rumored breakout culprit, that's giving you trouble, but the high sugar content of that sweet treat. If you're worried about breakouts, but dying for a nibble, stick with the dark stuff—it packs the most health benefits anyway!

Vitamins from A-Zinc...

To keep itself running smoothly your body requires an array of essential nutrients, ranging from disease-fighting antioxidants to bone-building heavy metals. Although you can get many of these nutrients in a daily supplement, nearly all of them can also be found in the foods you eat—or should be eating—every day.

Vitamin K

Why you need it: Vitamin K is a crucial ingredient in coagulation, or blood clotting. Without it, your body would not be able to stop bleeding when you bruise or cut yourself.

Where to get it: Green, leafy vegetables are the best source of this vitamin, also known as phylloquinone. Kale leads the pack with 1.1 mg per cup, followed by collard greens and spinach (about 1 mg per cup), and more exotic varieties like turnip, mustard, and beet greens.

Until Monday - Keep thinking veggies and protein!

Millet an Oatmeal Alternative...

I never heard of millet or spelt until a few weeks ago when we went on a distillery tour and got to try different bourbons and rye's with different grains! 

All grains offer a unique taste, texture, and nutrition profile as an alternative to oatmeal!  Switching it up will keep things exciting and give you a wider range of the nutrients you need. The only downside is that most require some simmer time on the stove, so if you want the same speedy convenience as instant oats, prepare a batch the night before. Then all you have to do is pop a bowl in the microwave the next morning. 

This gluten-free grain offers a mix of important minerals, including phosphorus and magnesium, to keep bones strong and muscles and nerves performing at their best. A 2012 study from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Ohio found that magnesium also works as a powerful anti-inflammatory in cells and has the potential to be helpful in conditions ranging from asthma to diabetes.

Break your breakfast rut:  Millet can be creamy like mashed potatoes or fluffy like rice, depending on how you cook it. Use 2 cups of liquid for every 1 cup millet for a light, dry texture, or add more water if you prefer a thick, mushy mash. 

Nutrition score per serving (1/4 cup dry): 180 calories, 2g fat, 36g carbs, 8g fiber, 6g protein

Jumping Rope...

This will be my next purchase!  Can't muster the motivation to make it to the gym? Skip it! Jumping rope burns more than 10 calories a minute while strengthening your legs, butt, shoulders, and arms. And it doesn’t take long to reap major rewards. You can burn more than 200 calories in two, 10-minute sessions each day (that's 1,000 calories a week)!

Jumping rope is also a great way to fit in an effective cardio session when you're on the go; just toss it in your carry-on! You'll probably feel completely energized after jumping rope too. What are you waiting for? Hop to it!

Meatloaf...

Ha ha - Bob got the “perfect meatloaf” as seen on TV!  He saw it on GROUPON GOODS and decided to give it a try!  It really works great!  We have been experimenting with making a healthy version of a common comfort food.  He nailed it last night!  It was a Mexican version.  He got 88/12 lean ground beef.  We soaked some dried black beans the night before, mushrooms, poblano pepper, onions, garlic and lot’s of Spanish spices.  To top it off he made a non fat tomatillo sauce, (grilled tomatilloes, garlic and cilantro).  Served with some roasted cauliflower!  Comfort on an evening waiting for the winter storm - that seems to be a day late!

Caving...

Sunday morning after my run I had such a craving for pancakes!  Haven’t had them in years!  We almost headed out to brunch and I decided I just didn’t want to partake in the calorie overload.  Sorry Bob!  Instead my wonderful husband went out and got whole wheat flower, fat free milk, fat free ricotta cheese and some frozen mixed berries!  We added some chia seeds and oat bran.  It was a treat and probably the best pancakes ever :) 

Clean Eating (part 3)...

Do: Enjoy a colorful array of foods.

Don’t: Limit yourself to your comfort zone.
Dark green, blue, red, yellow, orange, purple, and even white vegetables deliver a range of phytochemicals for fighting inflammation and stopping invaders dead in their tracks to keep you healthy. The better you feel and more energy you have, the more you can commit to butt-kicking workouts. Bonus: The better you nourish your skin, the more glowing and elastic (read: fewer wrinkles) it will be.

Until Monday - Keep thinking veggies and protein!