Low Carb Taco Bell-esq Crunchastic Supreme

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Another Mexican-style food that tastes great and can be made at home.

Low Carb Crunchastic Supreme like at Taco Bell.  This is a meal that ends up being less than 10g net carbs and tastes great.

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This is a low-cal version of a Taco Bell favorite at home. Roll up your sleeves, chica, and get busy!

Ingredients:
1 large low carb tortilla, (just picked some up from Trader Joes at 4 net carbs each)
3 baked corn tortilla chips (take away a lot of carbs if you just skip this part)
1/4 cup drained 98% fat-free chunk white chicken breast (previously packed in water)
1/4 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded lettuce
One-third plum tomato, diced
1 tbsp. fat-free sour cream
1/2 tsp. dry taco seasoning mix
2 dashes cayenne pepper, or more to taste

Directions:
Using a fork or knife, break up the chicken so there are no large chunks. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine chicken, cheese, taco seasoning mix, and cayenne pepper, and mix well. If you like, season to taste with extra cayenne pepper. Microwave for 30 seconds, or until cheese begins to melt. Set aside.

Warm the tortilla in the microwave for 10 seconds (making it easier to fold without ripping), and then lay it out on a flat surface. Place the chicken mixture in the center of the tortilla. Flatten the mixture into a circle, keeping it about 2 inches from the outer edge of the tortilla. Next, layer the tortilla chips on top of the chicken mixture. Evenly top with sour cream, lettuce, and tomato.

FOLDING INSTRUCTIONS: Starting at the bottom of the tortilla, fold edge up a few inches to the tortilla’s center. Then, going around the edge of the tortilla, repeatedly fold, overlapping sections to meet in the center for a total of about six folds, until filling is completely enclosed. (Trust us, it’s easy!)

Bring a pan sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat, and carefully place the folded tortilla in the center of the pan with the folded side down. Heat for 4 – 5 minutes, until the tortilla is browned. Carefully flip it with a spatula, and heat for another 30 – 60 seconds. Now chew it up!

MAKES 1 SERVING
Serving Size: 1 Crunchtastic Supreme (entire recipe)
without the chips, about 5-6 carbs for the entire tortilla filled wrap

Trader Joe’s Sonoma Low-carb tortillas.

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This is an example of low-carb tortillas.  this one is at Costco and Markets.

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The Skinny on Mexican Food

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Recently. I read that almost 33 percent of Mexicans are obese, making it the most obese nation in the world,

We have a huge population of people in the U.S., who are also obese and eat Mexican food. So, is Mexican food fattening?

The issue is that due to high prices in Mexico, the regular population cannot afford the vegetables and fruit, so they stick to the American Junk food items (hamburgers, soda, pizza) and the cheaper Mexican meals.

Mexicans wryly call their foods of choice, “Vitamin T”–the tacos, tamales and tostadas. These foods anchor their diet and are much of the problem. Once reserved for special occasions, the carbohydrate and lard-loaded dishes now get gobbled daily.

That wasn’t so much a problem in past generations, when most Mexicans lived on the land, worked hard physical labor and couldn’t afford a daily feast. These heavy carved foods are not meant for daily consumption. And the more sedentary lifestyles, combined with the ability to eat as if it were a party most days, has helped lead to the country’s girth growth.

There are plenty of healthier choices like broth-based soups, fresh fish, salads, vegetables and fruits. But those tend to be more expensive for the Mexican poor and working class. And the heavier fare is just so good and addictive. Carbs are addictive.

People who eat Mexican food this way on America are also facing a weight challenge.

I went to a Mexican restaurant recently, after being afraid to eat Mexican food and I ordered a grilled chicken salad. It was delicious. Lettuce, guacamole, cheese, tomato and seasoned grilled chicken–served with a guacamole dressing. I am pretty site my meals was under 10g of carbs, compared to a burrito with the heavily-carbed rice and beans, at 50 or 60g of carbs.

My salad was tasty, filling and I will stay thin with it. I don’t want to go over 100g of carbs a day. This is the right way to eat and even the old school thinner Mexican way to eat. We need to learn that we can’t eat party style every day. We need to eat right and only eat Vitamin T on special occasions.

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Fall Into Dieting and Be Less Sick Too!

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Fall or Autumn is now here.  Time to worry about colds and flu!  However, the things that you need to do to boost your immune system are very similar to the things that you need to do to lose and maintain weight.  If you start to do these things now, you will have a double benefit.

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Did you know that if you are eating a diet without simple sugars in it, you can boost your immune system?

  • Avoid sweets, desserts, white flour, refined grain products–all which turn into sugar quickly.  Studies have shown that refined sugars can suppress your immune system for hours after you have ingested them.

Other things you should do to Boost Your Immune System:

  • Drink plenty of fluids, especially warmer fluids.Consuming adequate fluids supports all of your bodies’ functions including the immune system.
  •  Make soups and broths (from scratch with fresh vegetables is always best) and have them throughout the week.
  • Drink herbal teas. Keep a bottle of filtered water with you at all times.
  • Avoid concentrated fruit juices and sweetened beverages, as the sugar content is harmful for the immune system. If you do drink juice, dilute it with 2/3 water! THIS ALSO WILL HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT.
  • Try a daily saline flush. Along with staying hydrated, flushing your sinuses with mild salt water helps to keep mucous membranes moist which protects you from microbes. You can use a neti pot, or easy to carry plastic bottles that come with saline packets to take with you when traveling or even at the office! Be sure to rinse them well with warm water and soap and air dry between uses. Studies have also indicated that flushing one to two times daily is appropriate and you should not go over this.
  • Have protein with each meal. Proteins are the building blocks of the body. This includes your immune and detoxification systems. Organic, clean, and lean animal protein as well as plant-based (legumes, nuts/seeds) proteins are important to get with each meal and snack. About 6 lean protein meals a day, but small portions (4 ounces of meat, on average–the palm of your hand).  THIS ALSO WILL HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT.
  • Add garlic, onions, ginger, and lots of spices (oregano, turmeric) to your meals! Add these to your soups and vegetable dishes, as well as bean dips and sauces. Garlic and onions offer wide spectrum antimicrobial properties.  THIS WILL ALSO HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT.
  • Eat multiple servings of colorful fruits and vegetables high in vitamins C, A, and phytonutrients that support the immune system. Choose more leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, brussel sprouts, and cauliflower), peppers, sweet potatoes, and squashes. About 2 small servings a day, and you are better off avoiding the root vegetables due to the sugar content.  THIS WILL ALSO HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT.
  • Get sufficient sleep! We all know sleep restores and heals the body. Without adequate sleep, optimal immune function is next to impossible! Get in a better rhythm and head to bed earlier on those dark winter nights. Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep a night. Getting too little sleep also will hurt your metabolism.  If you get enough sleep, THIS WILL ALSO HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT.Get regular exercise. Mild to moderate exercise (for approximately 30-45 minutes) helps boost the immune system. Avoid overexertion such as training for endurance events when you are feeling run down. This will lower your immune defenses.  THIS WILL ALSO HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT.

SUPERFOOD LIST:

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Eating the Coconut Squares Is A NoNo!

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A client of mine went to Trader Joes before coming into my office. Her friend came with her and had a bag of Trader Joe’s lightly sweetened coconut strips.

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The friend offered me some, telling me that she had been eating them and that they are delicious. Apparently, she does not read my blog.

Here Are The Issues

1. A coconut is a fruit, a fruit high in carbs.
2. It is sweetened. Always go for unsweetened.
3. Fruits should be natural, no sugar added and eaten in measured amounts, knowing the carb amount.

I took the bag and looked. 1/4 a cup was a total of 24 grams of carbs. 6g of fiber is good, but only 2 grams of protein (you should be eating MORE protein, less sugar). It also had 16g of sugar, or approximately 4 sugar cubes per 1/4 a cup. And 1/4 a cup is teeny!

Guaranteed, that this lady had no knowledge or desire to know what she was eating. The only real concern was hunger and taste. “This tastes so good.”

I am going to guess that this lady either had no breakfast or ate a little carby food item before venturing out with her friend, causing her to have a sugar roller coaster affect, and a major sugar low and a need for something sweet (more of the hair of the dog that bit her). And what a shame too. She is getting over a major illness and should be focused on eating right, not eating sugary coconut strips.

Issue 4.

Just because Trader Joes or Whole Foods sells an item, it doesn’t mean that you should eat it, that it is good for you, or you will lose weight.

What To Eat When You Are Hungry

I have discussed substitute snacks many times. A snack between each meal and after dinner. They should all be protein based, low sugar. If not dairy products cheese, cottage cheese, etc) eggs, or meat. There is also low-sugar protein bars or protein drinks, low-sugar or carb Greek Yogurt, measured out nuts or peanut or almond butter. If you have a piece of fruit, eat a natural one, not dried and a small piece mixed with some form of protein, your body will feel full longer with protein, not sugary fruit alone.

Healthy Restaurants Can Still Make You Fat

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I saw an article today about how Chipotle has good organic food and grass-fed meat.  However, if you still eat one of their burritos, you are getting over 1,000 calories in one meal.  If you get a burrito there and have everything in it…the beans, the rice, the guacamole, etc.–it comes out to be over 100g of carbs.  That is the most you should have in a whole day if you want to lose weight.

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I have written about this before, but I get double salad in a bowl, and I choose to not have the rice and beans (adding up to about 40g of carbs, all by themselves) and I have the cheese, the meat, sour cream, salsa, etc.  You have to pay attention to what you are ordering and what you are eating.

Here is the Chipotle calculator here, but I would think that the numbers are pretty much the same wherever you go.  http://www.chipotle.com/en-us/menu/nutrition_calculator/nutrition_calculator.aspx

I had a client who wanted to lose weight, who brought a giant chicken burrito into my office and she ate the whole thing.  This is why she has not lost weight.  It was two to three times the portion that she should have had.  She should have split it with her daughter, at the minimum!  It was there, so she ate it. But, if she keeps this up, not only will she never lose weight (will gain), but her daughter will eventually have weight issues too if she emulates mother’s overeating style.

Restaurants make big food.  You should always break down your food, put half in a box and then it is out of sight–out of mind.  Then, just eat the half in front of you.  It really is the right size portion that you should have had in the first place–unless you are a very active long-distance runner, an athletic man, etc.  But, most people are sedentary and not that large.  There is NO way they should be eating those adult-sized portions.  It is ok to order from the children’s menu, which actually is the appropriate size portion for the average eater.

AND THEN THERE ARE THE CHIPS:  Each chip is about 2g of carbs.  If you eat the bag of chips that comes with it, it is an extra 63g of carbs–empty calories!

And don’t forget, you can make your own burrito by using low-carb tortillas.  Here is the brand that Costco and other stores has, and it is very low carb.  Tastes good too.

smarttortilla

Choose wisely!!  Don’t suffer and miss out on foods, just realize the restaurants are giving  you high calorie crap and you have to be smart and pay attention to what you are eating.

Sugar-Free and Tasty Granola

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A lot of people complain that if they have oatmeal or Greek yogurt, that it is a bit too bland for them. I tell them that they can put one of their two daily small servings of fruit in their yogurt or oatmeal. You can also use nuts, bit read the nutrition label for the carb count per serving size. But, some people want granola. Granola is a no-no as a healthy diet or maintenance food.

Many people think that granola is a health food. Well, with all of the sugar in regular granola, you will wind up gaining weight with it. But, there is a recipe for sugar-free granola. This sugar-free recipe has 4g of net carbs per half a cup. granola has about 32g of carbs, 6g of fiber (26g net carbs) and 5g of protein, and 12g of sugar–which is like eating three sugar cubes.

So, I decided to try a sugar-free type of granola. It wasn’t hard to make.

This recipe has no fruit. I hate fruit in my nuts. But, if you want to throw in a few raisins, go ahead, but keep it to a minimum. Raisins are high in sugar and carbs. A half a cup of raisins is 66g of carbs and 48g of sugar or 12 sugar cubes. Seriously! Just half a cup of them! Dried fruit is a weight gainer!

So, feel free to substitute any nuts or seeds you like in this recipe, but the flax meal is essential, and the coconut is helpful. These will absorb the liquids and this is what will form the clumps — otherwise you just have toasted nuts and seeds with some flavoring.

Yield: 12 Servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup raw almonds
  • 1 cup raw walnuts
  • 1 cup raw pecans
  • 1 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
  • 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 cup flax seed meal
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup butter or coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup sugar-free maple-flavored syrup

Preparation:

 

1. Heat oven to 300 F. Cover baking sheet with sides with a silicon mat or greased parchment paper.

2. Roughly chop the nuts.

You can do this in a food processor, but if you do, start with the harder nuts — the almonds in this recipe or filberts (hazelnuts) if you use them. \
3. Melt the butter or coconut oil – you can microwave it in the bowl you’re going to use for mixing (although you can mix right on the baking sheet), if you wish.

4. Mix the syrup and coconut oil or butter together.

5. Combine the nuts, coconut, seeds, and salt. If you’re doing this on the baking sheet, add the water first and mix (hands work best), and then the oil/butter and syrup mixture. Otherwise, just combine it all in a bowl and turn out onto the baking sheet. Press into an even layer.

6. At this point, it’s good to taste it. It’s going to end up tasting a little less sweet, so judge your own desire for sweetness and add more if you want.

7. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Twice during the baking, stir the mixture with a large spoon and press back down. After the second time, don’t move it around any more. Bake until fragrant and lightly browned on the surface.

8. Let cool completely in pan. It will crisp as it cools. Store in sealed container. Serve with yogurt, cottage cheese, etc. If you like, add dehyrdrated blueberries or strawberries.

Make about 6 cups — 12 servings. (half a cup servings)

Nutritional Information: Each serving has 4 grams net carbs plus 6 grams fiber (10 grams total carbohydrate), 7 grams protein, and 292 calories.

Here are the pictures that I took of the process from the mix, to on the sheets, cooked and put in the jar.

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Do You Know That Stress Can Make You Fat?

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What’s so bad About Stress?

Under normal daily stress conditions, normal cortisol levels (stress hormones) help the body control blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and even inflammation. But, in prolonged stress. When stress becomes chronic, too much cortisol in the body wreaks havoc.

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Signs & Symptoms of a Cortisol Imbalance

Chronically elevated cortisol levels may contribute to:

  • Thyroid problems
  • Cognitive decline
  • Sleep disorders
  • Anxiety & depression
  • Compromised immune function
  • Increased blood pressure

Do you think you’re a  victim of increased cortisol levels.  Speak to your doctor, but the following questions may help you discern if you’re suffering from a cortisol imbalance.

  • Do you suffer from depression, anxiety, nervousness or irritability?
  • Do you struggle with sleep waking frequently in the middle of the night, unable to get back to sleep?
  • Do you feel light-headed when standing up quickly?
  • Do you crave carbs?
  • Do you struggle with weight gain?
  • Do you have high blood pressure?

If you answered yes to more than one of those questions, you may have a cortisol imbalance.

Your doctor can conduct  a 4-point salivary test.  Saliva has been proven to be a better source of cortisol testing over blood and offers concrete results.

Tips for Controlling Cortisol Levels

You should always consult your physician when it comes to achieving healthy cortisol levels.

However, these lifestyle changes may be of help when dealing with a cortisol imbalance.

  • Eat REAL food. Limit or avoid packaged, processed and non-organic foods.
  • Avoid additives and dyes. Additives, preservatives, GMOs, dyes, food coloring, hormones, pesticides, and antibiotics increase the toxic load to the liver – adding stress to the body.
  • Avoid sugars. Cortisol causes gluconeogenesis, the production of sugar from non-carb sources – elevating blood sugar levels. Avoid a diet heavy in starchy carbohydrates and added sugars to help counteract the response of cortisol.
  • Eat healthy fats and/or Take Omega 3 Fish Oil. Omega-3 fatty acids, are anti-inflammatory and help counter the inflammatory effects of cortisol. Try adding a quality omega 3 fish oil into your daily diet.
  • Drink water! Water will help hydrate cells and detoxify the body. Stay hydrated!
  • Get Your ZZZ’s. Sleep is the most important thing when it comes to reducing cortisol and restoring the adrenal glands. Aim for  7-8 hours of sleep. Have trouble falling asleep?  Turn off all artificial light. Artificial light tricks the body into releasing more cortisol, suppressing melatonin, making it difficult to fall asleep.
  • Take a multivitamin daily.

Your doctor can conduct a test, but there are some saliva tests you can do yourself through online services like this one.

http://www.redlinepharmacy.com/store/hormone-test-kits.html

Diet Jealousy

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You’ve given up most of those high-calorie foods you used to love. Exercised every day–even when you didn’t feel like it.  And finally, it’s all paying off–you’re edging toward your weight loss goal — and looking pretty great!

At the same time, you’ve encountered what seems like a surprising lack of enthusiasm or irritating remarks from some of your family and friends — maybe even your partner — about your new look.

As unusual as this may seem, experts say it’s actually quite common to receive some unexpected reactions when you dramatically change your appearance.

“Human beings are hard-wired to resist change, so it’s not uncommon to encounter some resistance whenever change occurs,

When we accomplish a goal — particularly something as difficult as losing weight– it may serve to remind friends and family of their own failed attempts.  That, too, can spark a bad reaction.

MY OWN EXPERIENCE OF JEALOUS NEGATIVE REACTIONS:

I work harded hard at my weight loss and maintenance is a daily routine.  If I lose sight of it, I would gain it back.  So, I have found ways to eat that I enjoy and I embrace my new way of life.  The old way didn’t make me happy.  I left restaurants feeling bloated and stuffed.  I felt bad trying on clothes and I didn’t like how I looked in my clothes.  I spent times not wanting to go out to social occasions because I didn’t want to be the fat lady at the party.
I worked hard to lose the weight.  I learned the rules, learned how to look at carbs and learned what foods had proteins, fiber and carbs.  I work them daily into my diet.  This took time and effort.  It was not an overnight success.  It wasn’t like after a week of hard work, that I suddenly lost the weight.  I also had to kick my exercise up a notch to burn off calories.  I work out more now than I ever have and I do it because it makes me feel strong and it helps me stay skinny.
Sometimes, I will run into someone who remembers me being fat.  They knew I was on a diet and saw me losing and they even asked me how I did it.  I freely shared the information, but some thought that there was no way they could do it and they gave up before they even tried to do it.  This is an issue in that some people grow resentfu that you could do it and they didn’t have it in them to try.
So, then, in some ways, my weight loss becomes a symbol of their inability to accomplish their goals, so they may begin to act resentful — or even act mean to me — even if it is not intentional.  And if their goes involved weight loss, then the resentment can be twice as strong.

If it is a friend who is resentful, you may find that they are suddenly excluding you from activities,.  Some friends or family can even say mean things, taunt you about your new body or even your new clothes.  And some people who are servers at restaurants or work in exercise studios–or even are members of the same gym you belong to, can treat you in a resentful mean way.

TODAY’S JEALOUS NEGATIVE REACTION:

I went to Western Bagel today for and had a post-Pilates Perfect 10 Egg a la Bagel (Egg, cheese, meat and a 10g net carb bagel).  My special treat for breakfast.  I used to have these all of the time, but I now only allow myself something this large once a week and after a hard workout.  I need energy for the morning because I have clients coming in for the next four hours straight.  This woman, asked me tons of questions about how I was losing at the time I was losing weight.  But, then I lost it, and following that for the next 18 months, she always asks me, “So, you are still on that diet???”  I remember her saying she wanted to lose weight when I was slowly losing, but after seeing me keep it off for two years now, she is pissed off seeing me thin.  It was great when I was fat and trying to lose, but being thin and keeping it seems to be pissing her off.

I find myself wanting to tell her to shut up already.  I want to go in and just order my f’ing bagel.  I now find myself hating going there because she might be there and sure enough, she was there.  She asked me again today about, “So, you are STILL on your diet?”  I answered (for the fourth time now), “I am not on a diet, this is my lifestyle and how I eat and how I want to look.”  She then made a face at me like she was in horror!  And she said as she grabbed her two belly folds, “Well, I like how I look and I feel good, so I am ok.”  It was then apparent to me that it was an issue about her, not me.  She doesn’t give a crap about me.  She is a lady at the bagel shop.  She doesn’t even know my name.  There is no happiness or concern for me.  She is feeling resentful and frustrated with herself.  So, I said, “I had reflux, I lost the weight, and it is gone now.  I can’t have a belly or I get sick.  I am happy this way and I want to stay this way.”  So, that was my end of story comment and she nodded.

Will she bring it up again if I go back?  I think she might!  However, I have to remember this is about her. not me.   I will be prepared in the future and say, “I think we shouldn’t discuss my diet anymore.  It is what it is.  I am happy and healthy and that is all that matters”  Because I am sick of it and she should be too.  What can I do?  I will not put on weight for her to feel happier with her issues.  I am very happy with my body and my work.  My husband compliments me and I know that the people who really care about me and don’t have issues say I look good.  My clothes fit well and that was the goal!

HOW TO COUNTERACT JEALOUS NEGATIVITY:

I just have to remember  how I  would feel in a similar situation, or maybe how I felt when others lost weight and you couldn’t,  If I put myself in their place, then I can see that the resentment is all about them and not about me.  I am just a mirror of what they did not commmit themselves to do.

If you ever find yourself being one of the resentful ones, you have to ask yourself what is holding you back.  Anyone can lose weight.  You have to follow the rules.  Stop saying you can cheat once a week and eat a whole slice of cake.  Stop baking cakes in your house, because you will be tempted to eat more than a small piece.  If you have to cheat, there are alternative ways to bake items using almond flour, unsweetened cocoa, coconut oil, Truvia, Stevia, etc.  You can make these things.  Google recipes.  Don’t be lazy.

You can also buy a small piece of something bad to have once a week.  However, I have seen some people on diets recommend to people to have these cheats in the house and it is a terrible idea.  It sets you up for temptation.  And the people who recommend these things are usually still overweight.  I am at goal, I stay at goal.  I think I know what it takes.  And if you don’t follow these rules, then don’t get mad at me when I come up to you and order an Egg a la Bagel!  It is not my fault that you put a batch of brownies in your house and they are calling your name!