Tag Archives: diet

How Do I Carb Thee, Let Me Count The Ways

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In order to lose weight, you have to limit your carbohydrate intake to between 50 and 100g of carbs a day. The closer to 50, the faster you lose it. It is best to have good carbs from vegetables and fruits vs. processed foods.

However, sometimes learning about how many carbs are iin each item and portion can be tedious work until you start doing it enough and remembering numbers, like they do in Weight Watchers with points.

So, I found a shortcut. If you want to count carbs, let an online tracker do it for you or an App on your Smartphone or IPad.

http//www.carbscontrol.com
This is free online, but they charge a small fee for apps.

Https ://itunes.apple.com/us/app/atkins-carb-tracker/id583475512?mt=8
This Atkins carb counter can be purchased for a small fee for an app on your phone or tablet.

This could add to your success in making sure that you count right and stay on track.

What? Pancakes on a diet?

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Yesterday, I talked about cheating and how sometimes you can make a meal that is a cheat, but technically NOT.

So, today, I am sharing with you a picture of my CHEAT for Thursday.

Lindora pancake mix.  12g of net carbs for what you see in the picture, with lite syrup that is 1g of carb for 1/4 cup.  I barely used two tablespoons.

HOWEVER, if I had used regular maple syrup at about 50g of carbs per 2 tablespoons, I would have ruined my diet for the day for sure!

Same amount of pancakes with regular mix is about 33g of carbs, so almost triple what these have.

So, I had a tiny bit of butter on my cakes, they were low-carb and low sugar cakes and sugar free syrup. (look on labels, some of the low sugar syrups are still high at 20g of carbs per 2 tablespoons.  That is not low, just half of regular syrup.  So, buyer beware.  Compare!  There are some good sugar free syrups out there.  Makers of those include the one in the picture, Cary’s, Log Cabin has one, Mrs. Butterworth makes one and Walden Farms.

If I ate regular cakes with regular syrup, instead of having about 13g of net carbs for my meal, I would have been eating for the cakes and syrup, 33+50 (two tablespoons)=83g of carbs.

13g vs. 83g of carbs.  See why this could be seen as a cheat, but it isn’t!?  They tasted JUST as good to me and I saved 70g of carbs.  That could have caused me to not lose weight for the week.

 

You can also find low carb pancake mixes on websites like Carbessentials.net and Netrition.com, and even Amazon.  Just Google it!

pancakes

 

 

Five Diet Cheating Rules

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Congratulations to my friend, S.H. (you know who you are!) for losing all of her weight through the rules I write about!  She has finally made goal due to determination and motivation to do it.  She didn’t half-ass it and she followed the rules.  Right on S.H.!

Then, I had another friend who lost a lot of weight, but was stuck.  When we dug into what she was doing, it was because she had TWO cheat days a week.  Well, my diet rules do NOT include cheat days, so why she decided that two cheat days was a good idea is beyond me, but in my mind it was her way of coming up with an excuse to CHEAT.  These cheating excuses is why we get fat in the first place.

What is a cheat?  A cheat meal is when you allow yourself something that you normally abstain from.

You should follow the rules about protein and vegetable and fruit portions at least 6 days a week, but once a week usually works for a cheat, if you must do it.  This is where you eat properly for all of  meals except  maybe a Friday dinner out. When you eat right for 6 days a week, one cheat meal on the 7th day will still allow you to reach your goals.  But there are rules!

RULES to CHEATING:

1.  ONE cheat meal a week.

2.  Stick to a cheat meal, rather than a cheat day. An entire days worth of binging can create unhealthy patterns and actually lead to weight gain, spiked blood sugar levels and a generally unhealthy relationship with food. Reserve “cheat days” for 4 times a year – your birthday, Thanksgiving, and two holiday get-togethers, where you have little control over what’s put in front of you. If your cheat days number more than 4 a year, you are not in control.

3.  As for the cheat meal itself, your weekly cheat meal should still be within the confines of your daily calorie count or CARB count. Yes, even your cheating needs to be recorded in a food diary or you could undue an entire week’s work.  If you eat carbs, keep your count under 100, whatever the cheat is or you will not lose weight and you could actually undue a week of hard work all in one day.

4.  The easiest way to stay within your calorie or carb count is by limiting your portions. Say Chicken Parmesan is your cheat; have one small plateful, with a side of vegetables, and freeze any leftovers you may have for use on your next cheat meal.

5.  Whatever you do, exercise!  It helps burn the cheat away.

cheat

Some people need a cheat to give them the willpower to continue the diet.  I did not want to stray because I was so determined and on a mission to get to my goal, but I realize that not everyone can do it and need to have something to look forward to doing.  Just follow the rules on the cheat though!

The best part about cheat meals is that the longer you stick to your healthy diet, the less sinful the cheat meals will become. You’re going to find you’re no longer lusting after that greasy boston creme donut, that you’d rather save the calories. You’ll find you’d rather have fruit and yogurt than an ice cream cone. Trust me, your tastes start to change for the better, and so will your body.

My cheat (daily) that isn’t really a cheat at all is my 8 ounces of Carbolite at 13-17 grams of carbs per serving.  I use it as one of my six daily proteins, so it isn’t really a cheat, but tastes like one–thereby eliminating my “need” to cheat.  However, if you don’t have something like that, then I can see how a cheat would be desired.  My other fake cheats are Greek Yogurt and Strawberries.  YUM!  There are also chocolate type low carb items that I have that could be a fake cheat too, like my Nature Valley Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate protein bar at 11g of carbs and my Power Crunch bars at 10 g of carbs.  Because I eat those, my desire to cheat is less.

I also make a caulflower-based pizza and eat Skinny noodles with pasta sauce now and then.  And I also have the Lindora.com pancake mix as a “cheat”, even though it isn’t.

So, you get my point?  You can stay on the diet and still feel like you are cheating…so what is the point of cheating to the point of putting your hard work back on your body?

You have to be creative and do your research–or just read my blog!  I have the best suggestions!

Pictures below are my faux cheats.  My yogurt and strawberries at 16g of carbs, cauliflower-based pizza less than 10 g of carbs, and my low-carb chicken burrito with  9 g of carburritos2bs each.yogurtcauliflowerpizza

 

 

Look at the SKIN of SKINNY!

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There are foods that are not only bad for your waistline, but also for your SKIN!  The first three are not that bad for weight loss, but 4 through 7 are really bad!

skin

1.  Salt.   It will leave you puffy around the eyes and keep water retention and a bloated look.  It also is terrible for hypertension.  Try to cut down on salt.

2.  Shellfish.    Shrimp, crab, lobster — and also certain leafy greens like seaweed and spinach — are naturally high in iodine, and a diet with too much of this element can lead to acne.   Ok, this one is not high in carbs and you can maintain weight loss, but you could get acne.

3.  Milk.  There is a correlation with Milk and acne and rosacea, specifically skimmed milk.  Now, milk is a protein and you must have it in small quantities over the day.  Not bad on carbs, but it can cause skin issues.

4.  High Glycemic Foods (starches like white breads, pastas and cakes, and even corn syrup) are best avoided for good skin and for weight loss.  Foods that are considered high glycemic can cause rapid spikes in blood sugar.  You also may find yourself breaking out after eating something like French fries, it may be due to the starchy insides of the fries.

5.  Sugar.  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,  and leave you more vulnerable to lines and wrinkles.  It also causes a surge of carbs in your diet.

6.  Alcohol.  Not only does it trigger rosacea, but Alcohol is a diuretic, which means the more you drink, the more dehydrated you become. It saps the natural moisture from your skin as well, which can make those wrinkles and fine lines look worse.  Plus, alcohol has carbs and is terrible for weight loss.  You also don’t burn fat when your body is busy burning off the alcohol.

 

Sick of Grilled Chicken? How About Easy Tandoori Chicken?

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I have grilled chicken or turkey every day. I have to have 6 protein-based small meals a day to stay skinny, so sometimes things can get a little bland. There are things you can do to spice things up. I have done GRILLED chicken parmesan and other versions of chicken, but today I did easy Tandoori chicken to throw into a salad for my lunch. This took less than 10 minutes to do.

Chicken Tandoori made easy:


Get chicken breasts, Tandoori mix (I got this one from Target, in their Mediterranean food section) and Fage Greek Yogurt.

As the package instructed, I mixed the Tandoori mix with the yogurt, and covered all of the chicken breasts in it. Then, I llet them marinate in it overnight. But, you don’t have to wait that long. I have marinated for a short time and cooked them too.

So, today, I put them breasts (covered in yogurt and mix) on a pan and pan fried them in Pam. After a few minutes, I turned them over and did the same thing to the other side and POOF–you have Tandoori chicken in no time at all. I cut it up and put it in a salad. The following are some of my pictures in the order of how you do it. I recommend this highly. Tasty and low carb. Tastes really good with Tahini as salad dressing (also at Target). I love Target.

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Finding low carb goodies

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lowcarb

Some low carb items are easy to find at regular stores.  However, it is hard to go to a store and find low carb pasta, sauces, hot chocolate, etc.  So, you have to go to either a specialty store like LoCarbU.com, a neighborhood one like the Sugar Free Market near my house (go where diabetics go), or other places online like Netrition.com, Carbessentials.net and even Amazon.  Type in what you are looking for, like “Low Carb Tea Crackers.”   Things will pop up.  Not all things are expensive and you can price compare.  You can go to Rite Aid or Lindora.com to buy some of their products.  Once you buy from Lindora.com, you get on their mailing list and they will send you emails on sales.  They do one almost every week.

So, you won’t have that much trouble finding things.  And don’t forget that for bread, the best options for LOW carb bread is one from JulianBakery.com, Sara Lee 45 Calorie Wheat Bread, Western Bagel Perfect 10 Bagel, or Low Carb Tortillas (shop accordingly).  You have to find new things and new places, but after a while, you will learn where to buy what and it will come very easy to you.

You have to start first!  Browse!  Send me your finds!

Mini Cauliflower Pizza Bites, Low Carb

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My sister in law sent me this recipe for Mini Cauliflower Pizza Bites.  They sound delish and perhaps with the Deviled Egg Recipe, could be an addition to the snack items for parties!  When I make them, I will report it.  Just made my regular Cauliflower Based Pizza for my husband and I to eat for lunch and it was delish!  http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/08/the-astonishing-cauliflower-pizza-crust-you-have-to-taste-it-to-believe-it.html

However:  Here is the Mini Cauliflower Pizza Bites:  Low in Carbs!!!!!!!!

Pizza-Cauliflower-Bites

Low Carb Vegetable and Fruit List to Print and Tape to your Refrigerator

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Low-Carb Vegetable and Fruit Lists

Low-Carbohydrate Vegetable List

6.6 grams carbs or less in 3.5 weighed ounces:

Alfalfa sprouts, arugula, asparagus, bamboo shoots, basil, bean sprouts, beet greens, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, chive, cilantro, collard greens, cucumber, daikon, eggplant, endive, green bean, green onion top, kohlrabi, laver seaweed, lettuce, mint, mushroom, mustard greens, olive, parsley, pepper, pumpkin, radicchio, radish, scallion top,  spaghetti squash, spinach, string bean, summer squash, Swiss chard, tomato (raw), tomatillo, turnip, watercress, yellow squash, zucchini.

Vegetable Condiments

Use only 1 tablespoon of oil or butter per serving. Herbs are fine. Margarine, due to trans fats, should be avoided – read why.

For Comparison: High-Carbohydrate Vegetable List

So, these are ALL high carb!!!!  Try to avoid too much of these!  Acorn squash, artichoke, beet, burdock root, butternut squash, carrot, corn, ginger root, green peas, Jerusalem artichoke, leek, lotus root, onion, parsnip, peas, potatoes, shallot, spirulina, succotash, wasabi, water chestnut, yam.

Lowest-Carbohydrate Fruit List

12 grams carbs or less in 3.5 weighed ounces:

Apricot, blackberry, cantaloupe, casaba melon, cranberry (unsweetened), grapefruit, gooseberry, honeydew melon, lemon, lime, loquat, mulberry, nectarine, orange, papaya, peach, plum, pummelo, raspberry, rhubarb (unsweetened), strawberry, watermelon.

Within the kitchen, there are fruits that are thought of and treated as vegetables due to their lack of sweet flavor. Some of these “vegetables” are cucumber, olive, pepper, squash, and tomato.  I put these foods on the Low-Carbohydrate Vegetable List, where people may expect to find them.

Tape this to your refrigerator!

Taken from http://www.drpepi.com/health-tips/nutrition/low-carb-vegetable-and-fruit-lists/

Superbowl and Other TV Snacks

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I think one of the biggest issues is needing to have snacks to watch TV.  I have had issues with this in the past too.  I wish I had blogged about it for Superbowl Sunday, but I didn’t remember because I don’t watch the Superbowl…but I do watch TV.  So 10 ways that are the best way to deal with snacking.

saladsnack

1. Eat your protein-based meal before your show and you won’t be so hungry.   Lean protein not only curbs hunger, it also allows you to maintain muscle mass and keep your metabolism revved while losing weight. Eating lean protein throughout the day also helps keep blood sugar levels steady, which helps keep cravings in check.

2.  Exercise earlier in the day to decrease  your appetite and burn off what you do eat.  Exercise keeps your metabolism burning for the rest of the day and into the next.

3.  Get the kind of chips for yourself that are pre-packaged, pre-measured, high protein, low carb.  Go to a website like Carbesstentials.net or Netrition.com, or even Lindora for their chips.  Use it as a meal replacement for your sixth meal of the day (not in addition to your six protein meals)  http://store.lindora.com/index.php/tasty-treats/barbeque-crunch-o-s.html or http://store.lindora.com/index.php/tasty-treats/cheddar-cheese-double-bites.html, among other choices on their site.  Anyone can buy.  You don’t have to be a member.  Also, nuts are good, just count out what you want and put only that amount out.

4.  Try any of the protein choices I mentioned in this blog.  https://skinny-rules.com/2013/01/26/high-protein-snacks/ (rolled up turkey and cheese slices are good!)  Also, try this:  Make low-carb deviled eggs.  https://skinny-rules.com/2013/02/05/deviled-eggs-that-taste-good-but-have-less-devilish-carbs/  YOU CAN EVEN MAKE SOME DELISH GRILLED SEASONED CHICKEN INSTEAD OF FRIED CHICKEN or a delish salad with grilled chicken.  Use your imagination.

5. Drink a lot of sugar-free fluids.  I drink coffee, it is hot, tasty and filling.  There is also hot tea, etc.

6.  I have a higher protein, low carb ice cream replacement (like Carbolite) as my last protein of the day during the show.

7.  Try to stay away from alcohol if you want to lose weight.  Reminder on those rules.  https://skinny-rules.com/2012/12/30/new-years-drink-and-being-on-a-diet/

8.  Try to stay away from the crappy high carb junk that others are eating and put the good stuff in front of you.

9.  Put out a tray of good veggies and a low carb dip.  Dip sparingly.

10.  Just find time to prepare and do something and don’t whine the next day that you didn’t lose weight or you had gained weight.

Learn The Right Way to Approach Losing Weight

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Crash, restricted diets don’t work.  Don’t even try them!  Here’s why:

When people let their calorie levels drop too low, their body’s survival mechanism kicks in, lowering their metabolic set point (or basal metabolic rate). When they go off that crash diet and begin to eat normally again, they gain back any weight lost and then the yo-yo dieting begins.

However, the cycle can be reversed with time, consistency, and patience. You have to slowly and patiently shock your metabolism by eating a consistent diet and letting your body time adapt to a new metabolic set point over time.

Losing Weight Rules of Thumb:

1.  Food intake number:  First, set your daily caloric intake at 12 calories per pound of body weight. (For example, my weight is 116; 117 x 12 = 1,392 calories a day.) Then you have to stick to that calorie allowance for at least one to two months, depending on your metabolism. This will allow your body time to readjust your metabolic set point accordingly.

2.  Exercise:  The absolute best way to pump up your metabolism is to EXERCISE. You’ll be burning calories not only during your workout but also up to 48 hours after — all the while increasing lean muscle tissue, which speeds the metabolism over time. Aim for 3-5 hours a week.

When I started with my high protein, low carb diet, I followed the calorific intake and low carb intake and did pilates 2 times a week (eventually 4) , yoga once a week and I tried to get in elliptical work 2-4 times a week.  That is a lot, but it helped burn it off faster.

IT IS ALL ABOUT EFFORT!

effort

Also, once you reach goal, it takes a year of CONSISTENCY of staying on a maintenance schedule of calories and low carb intake to get your body to be fully adjusted to the goal number–with a variance of 5 pounds.  I monitor constantly, and if I am creeping up to the upper 5 limit, I start lowering my intake a bit and exercise more to maintain the right number.  It is consistency and fortitude to stay on a diet.  Crash diets will only screw your metabolism and your weight up.