Took my adopted niece out today for low carb shopping at Trader Joes.  She wants to lose a little weight and it is totally do-able.  With her great exercise, if she were to carefully choose her carb content, she will lose Picked tasty things for her to eat.  Lots of goodies.  Different kinds of chicken sausages,, turkey sausages, turkey bacon, cheeses, humus spread, low carb tortillas, fruit, low carb salads, low carb protein bars.  Just good choices.  Some salads with chips and noodles were like 45 carbs and some were only 10 or 13.  You have to read labels.  Every single thing we picked up, She felt empowered and it was great to see it.  When you exercise a lot and don’t watch your portion size, and don’t eat 6 small protein meals a day (with low carbs, keeping it to a minimum of 50 to 100g of carbs per day), you will not lose weight.  Losing weight takes some thinking and for those who think they can do it and keep it off by exercise or by diet alone–are fooling themselves.  Going home now to make some low carb tortillas!

If you want to eat in a balanced way, you need to eat four small servings of vegetables in a day. If you stay away from the starches like potatoes, corn, peas and stick with the less carby vegetables, the better for your diet. Things like asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, etc.  Carrots are a starch, so keep them at a minimum.  If they grow underground, then they are a starch.  There are so many great veggie choices, you should not feel too frustrated.

There are fast ways to cook veggies and I have a sheet which has cooking times.  But, veggies can be boring and sometimes you won’t want to eat them because they are boring.  So, spice them up!  Especially for the kids or the husband who hates them.  One way my husband likes to cook broccoli or asparagus is to spray them with olive oil, put them in tin foil and BBQ them for a few minutes.  If you don’t have a BBQ, then put them in your broiler and do it that way.  They are crispier and tastier that way.  Also, you can sprinkle them with your favorite cheese product, which is low or has NO carbs.  You can use seasoning too.  Don’t just steam them.  Maybe you like them that way, but if the rest of your family is bored by that, then it isn’t just about you!  So, help everyone out and make them tastier.  Heck, even a little marinara sauce might help!

I was just writing to my sister-in-law and the idea for a topic popped up in my head.

I think there is a correlation of people who are people being overweight.  Now, hear me out on this.

Let’s say you live with a family who eats whatever they want and they give you are a hard time about your diet, or try to point out what you may or may not be doing wrong (as they stuff themselves with Cheetos!).  How annoying, right?  Well, if you aren’t assertive, you might just either feel bad and eventually eat the Cheetos in a binge cycle because you feel like it is hopeless or you feel ashamed to be the only one with a “problem.”  (a slow metabolism is part of life, but it does not make you a mutant).

But, if you are assertive, you will tell everyone that they are sabotaging your efforts to diet and if they loved you, they would never eat that stuff in front of you and terrorize you with it or they would join you in your quest for healthier food.  We all know that no matter how easy it is to maintain your weight, eating things that are full of processed garbage ultimately is not good for your blood glucose, your gut or your brain and you will eventually pay the price for those poor food choices.  Try watching Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition.  The people with supportive families always do better than those with families who do not JOIN them in their quest for better health.

Let’s also say that you go out with friends who want you to eat crappy food with them or go for ice cream or cake.  You have to be assertive enough to demand a place that has decent choices for you, or just have the ability to not go if they can’t be flexible to your needs.  Real friends would NEVER sabotage your health or your goals.  Friends who sabotage and want it to be only their choice are not the kind of friends that you should want in your life.  And only go for a dessert where there are low cal choices like the low cal cheesecake at Cheesecake Factory is less than 20g of carbs per slice (thank you for telling me, sister-in-law!).  And there is Carbolite, sold at some frozen yogurt stores.  There is also just ordering some strawberries with whipped cream on them.  You gotta have the balls and the fortitude to care enough about yourself to say no to high carb foods, whether other people like it or not.

In psychology, it is discussed all of the time about “Homeostasis.”  Definition: Homeostasis: Humans seek balance in their lives. When things are out-of-order or imbalanced, it tends to cause problems. This is true particularly with regard to our internal state or well-being. Homeostasis refers to this tendency to maintain a balanced or constant internal state that is optimal for functioning. For example, you have a specific “balanced” or “normal” body temperature that is approximately 98.6 degrees. When there is a problem with the internal functioning of your body, this temperature may increase, signaling and imbalance. As a result, your body attempts to solve the problem and restore homeostasis; your normal body temperature.

Read more: http://www.alleydog.com/glossary/definition.php?term=Homeostasis#ixzz26ORs1ojU

So, in families and friendships, if the balance of things (eating crap) is messed up by a dieter, the system (family members and friends) will do things to try to bring the old balance back to the system, and this is usually done subconsciously through SABOTAGE.  If you are aware of this, you can fight it and eventually a new homeostasis is created and then there is less to fight.  You just have to wait it out and after maybe 6 months or more, people just get used to it.  This happens all of the time in life.

Learn to be ok with changing the system, being the rebel.  Be like Steve Jobs.  He was the rebel and now we have the IPhone and the IPad!

Remember! It is for the better.  What if your family was Bonnie and Clyde?  You would then just be a bank robber too?  If you have a heavy family and you fight the system, the good news is that at least you will be thin and maybe the side effect is that they will get healthier too.  So, think of it this way.  Your fighting the system could save not only your life, but the lives of your friends and family as well.  Be strong!

There are hidden sugars out there and they are making you fat!

Let’s talk about sugar!  Do you realize how much sugar is in the stuff you eat?  Don’t forget you don’t want to eat more than between 50 and 100 g of carbs in a day to lose weight.

Cereal.  Do you realize how many carbs are in a bowl of cereal?  Even the healthier ones like Special K has 25g of carbs per CUP (measure out a cup, it isn’t a lot!), and then you add milk right?  There are 10g of sugar in one cup of Special K.  That is approximately 4 packets of sugar in your cereal.  Would you go out of your way to eat 4 packets of sugar for breakfast?  So, why eat this cereal?  There is even more in the more sugary cereals!

A cup or 8 ounces of milk, full fat or even skimmed, has about 12 g carbs.  So, if you drink milk, that is also like 4 more packets of sugar.  So, you are basically eating 8 packets of sugar for breakfast.

So, for breakfast you are having about 36g of carbs or MORE, depending on how much you put in your bowl and about 8 plus sugar packets for breakfast.

Then, if you don’t lose weight eating Special K or any other cereal, and you are wondering why–it is because there are a LOT of carbs in cereal and milk.

I don’t eat cereal anymore.

I eat eggs, chicken sausage from Jenny O (available at many stores and in bulk at Costco), turkey bacon, regular bacon.  All of this NO carbs.  I pretty much eat these meats for breakfast daily.

You can buy low carb pancake mix from Lindora.com or Carbessentials.net or Netrition.com  You should work in the carb amount with the rest of your day’s food.  I don’t do these more than twice a week.

I will sometimes eat Lindora’s oatmeal at 19g minus 5 g of carbs, so net 14g  carbs per serving or you can buy some steel cut oatmeal and measure out a small amount to eat.  Steel cut is WAY better for you than instant, because there is more sugar in instant–like 13g (4 sugar packets)  vs. the 1g  (1/3 of ONE sugar packet) of steel-cut oatmeal like in McCanns Oatmeal.  Most regular oatmeal is 25g carbs minus 4g carbs is 21g net carbs. And you can use water in oatmeal.  Yes, it is not as creamy, but you can use a drop or two for taste.

If you must have toast, you can buy the low carb breads by Julian Bakery or look at the carb contents on the loafs.  Do you really want to waste over 15g of carbs on one silly slice of bread?  I would rather have my low carb oatmeal or pancakes or eat the lower carb bread than waste my time on a piece of high carb bread.  Look for high protein bread.  Your body needs protein to burn off the fat.

I eat hard boiled eggs a lot of the time because I am running out the door and I pop it in my mouth.  You can boil them yourself or you can buy them boiled and peeled at stores like Trader Joe’s and Costco!  One egg has about 6g protein and about 3g of protein for bacon.

There are few protein bars that are low in carbs and if you think that Pop Tarts or Granola bars are healthy….well:  Only 2-4g protein.

Pop Tarts:  JUST ONE ranges from 32 to 75g per tart!    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/nutrition-facts-calories/kelloggs-pop-tarts

Granola Bars:  serving size in a packet is two bars totaling about 27g of carbs.

Egg McMuffin:  29g carbs

Juice:  27g carbs in a cup and only 2g protein. SUGAR!  21g of sugar, about 7 sugar packets!  (Give your kids a piece of fruit instead–much less sugar and better for you).

Remember that you still have 3 protein snacks and 2 more meals (lunch and dinner) to go for the day.  So, consider your carbs wisely in the morning.  Could you imagine making an omelet with some veggies thrown in?  What a great way to start your or your family’s day!  Protein, little to no carbs and lots of vitamins and minerals.

Make wise choices and set your day up well!

Yesterday, I made cauliflower-based pizza with my friend’s daughter.  She struggles with the same past weight issues I struggled with and I enjoy assisting in coming up with new ideas and motivation.

I came to think about how family matters with diet, whether it is biological or close family friends.  Everyone needs motivation to stay focused on their change in eating lifestyle.  I have seen many clients who have been on a diet and fall off of the wagon because they don’t have their friends and family on the same wagon with them.  It is hard to be a food addict or a carb addict when you are surrounded by friends who try to get you to order an appetizer with them because they either don’t have a weight issue YET or they are not in the same mind space to lose the weight yet.  It is also hard when you go home and your family or significant other can eat whatever they want (albeit pure crap and not healthy for their overall wellness), and you are stuck eating the lower carb items.

So, in order to stay motivated.  You have to learn what foods to buy that are healthy and yet, are tasty and fun so that when you smell someone’s nasty cheeseburger, it doesn’t trigger you because you have something else to eat, which will satisfy you.  You also have to learn to speak up and let your friends and family know that the reason you might be falling off of the wagon is because it is hard to stay on a wagon when you have so many potholes around you in your own space!

THE BEST WAY TO LEARN CARBS IS TO START LOOKING UP FOOD ITEMS ONLINE.  Google them and find out the carb content.  Learn!

I had a friend who tried to shame me years ago for not wanting to order an “Awesome Blossom” with her before dinner.  She told me I was, “no fun anymore.”  I told her, “If fun means having big thighs, then I guess I am not fun anymore.”

People can and say whatever they can to get others to do their drug of choice with them…whether it is heroin, cigarettes or carbs.  Don’t let anyone make you feel bad.

Tonight was my anniversary and I went to the Wood Ranch with my husband of 26 years!  The waitress tried to sell us up on the extra cheese and bacon for the baked potato my husband was getting, drinks and appetizers and rolls.  We said, “NO” to all.  I will not let her even bring rolls or appetizers to the table.  I am eating my meat, salad and broccoli and that is enough food for one person.  My husband and I split a two combo meat dinner, a side of broccoli and a small dinner salad.  He had the potato, not me.  I had a huge diet coke and I was full.  Came home to my Carbolite later……although I was thinking of the 12 net carb Cheesecake Factory low carb cheesecake, made with Splenda.

There are alternatives out there, but we have to learn what they are and not be lazy and not allow anyone to shame or suck us into their bad food warp.  We are on a mission for a great, healthy body!  Motivate yourself!  Hang with people who motivate!  Stay away from bad influences!  Food is like crack!  Stay away from things that suck you into the vortex!

It is important to eat or drink six low carb, high proteins a day, mixed in with a few vegetables and a small fruit here and there.  These meals are spaced out to about every 2 to 3 hours, to keep your metabolism running.  If the protein is a meat, it has to be around 4 ounces to lose weight.   But, sometimes, it is hard to plan because you might be on the run.  If you skip a meal, you are only hurting yourself and slowing down your metabolism.

Today I had early class over 30 miles away from my house.  I made sure that I prepared the day before.  I could have made a salad with a protein, but I bought a prepared one from Chick Fil A.  Maybe too much sodium, but it was grilled chicken (not breaded) and all in all, with the dressing , it was less than 20 g carbs.  That was my lunch and I took it with me.

I grabbed a hard boiled egg for breakfast and some coffee (no carbs) and I took a protein bar (Nature Valley Protein with dark chocolate and peanut butter), which was 14 carbs.  I ate that two hours in from my hard boiled egg and an hour later, I had the salad.

I had another protein of grilled chicken with veggies (no carbs) when I got home.  So, I prepared and I didn’t eat a bunch of carby junk.  Total for my four meals=34 g carbs.  Two more meals included a chicken salad (about 5g carbs) and some Carbolite frozen dessert at 16 g carbs.  Had a few nuts too, adding up to about 10 g carbs.

Total for the day of carbs was about 65 g carbs.  Not bad for a day on the run!  I was never that hungry either because every time you think that you are getting hungry, it is time for another protein hit.  This way of eating is totally do-able!

You can eat healthy on the run.  Always have the right kind of snacks with you.  http://best-eating-plans.blogspot.com/2012/02/eating-healthy-on-run.html

Today, I had to put my old dog, Joey, down.  His nickname was Joey, B.O.D., bag of donuts.  My husband came up with that, not sure why, except it sounded Italian like Joey is an Italian name.  However, it had nothing to do with real donuts.

It is hard to stay eating a healthy plan when you had a trauma or a sad situation happen.  It is easy to run to the  comfort foods.  However, I am sticking to the plan.  My falling off of the wagon today is not something that will bring  Joey back and it will not make me feel great later.  I can no longer use sadness as an excuse to eat some spaghetti…….but I do have some replacement pasta noodles from Lindora.com (anyone can buy them) and you can also get them from Carbessentials.net, Netrition.com, and other low carb sites online.  Also, if you get a low carb pasta sauce or watch how much you use, you can actually have your so-called “comfort food”, but well-proportioned and guilt free.

I will be putting up recipes soon for things like mashed potatoes and pizza, that is made with cauliflower instead of the wheat or potatoes.  These are comfort foods too, but without falling off the wagon.

But, if you do fall off of the wagon, for whatever reason, get back on immediately.  Forgive yourself and move forward.

Joey hiding under the bed bench!  Hope he is being loved by my father in heaven right now!