Old Dogs Can Learn New Diet Tricks!

Posted on April 12, 2014 by therapysoup

My relative, the one I blogged about being near-diabetic or diabetic (not sure what is the truth)….she has lost 8 pounds in three weeks following my rules. She would never listen to my rules until she got sick, but now she is listening and eating the foods that I recommend and the recipes that I have given her and the fat is falling off and she is not hungry.

A lady who works at Costco, (the one I have written about eating dates and not losing weight), she told me she is finally losing weight and lost 8 pounds in a a few weeks. She is very happy about it and she says she will stick to it. She told my husband that someone at Costco, gave her a fresh croissant. Instead of consuming it and ruining her weight loss for the day, she cut it up and shared it with co-workers. I commend her. It is hard to change your ways, but you can teach old dogs new diet tricks. Sometimes they have to be sick or about to be sick before they can commit to making the change.

But, I am telling you. If you follow the rules, you will lose!

I saw three young girls in the park near my house. They were thin, but drinking energy drinks. I started to talk to them and I asked to look at one of their cans. It said that for 8 ounces, there were 19g of carbs and about 14g of sugar in the 8 ounces. But, read the can carefully. There are THREE servings of 8 ounces in this 24 ounce can. Therefore, she was drinking 57g of carbs, 42g of sugar (about 10 sugar cubes!). I told them how if they eat more than 100g of carbs per day, they will start to gain and it is hard to get it off (unless they exercise well). They also said they ate a bag of chips and a bowl with rice in it. So, they more than had their fill of carbs for the day and it was only 2pm (not to mention that there was no protein in this!). The lack of food and nutrition label education and being used to pigging out on carbs/sugar–will surely lead them to being unhealthy and overweight. I asked the girls if they would EAT 10 sugar cubes and they laughed and said, “NO!” I answered, “But, you are drinking them!” They were astounded.

So, please don’t wait until you are older and messed up. Learn as young as you can to change your habits and if you are a sugar addict, there are books on detoxing from sugar. Dr. Mark Hyman, among many, writes on this subject. http://drhyman.com/blog/2014/03/06/top-10-big-ideas-detox-sugar/

Please change your habits before you get sick or you gain even more weight.

My husband has given up wheat and sugar for 30 days to see how he feels and does. He is on day 6 right now. His skin is in better shape, his belly looks less bloated and I can tell he has lost weight. He says he feels good and that the salads that we get with meat in them, taste even better than when the meat is in a bun. He is happy so far. I do wonder if he will want to go back when he reaches day 30. He only wanted to lose 5 pounds, but I can see this is making a difference in many ways for him.

I promise that giving up sugar is do-able–in a few weeks, months–it gets easier and easier with time and becomes a way of life. It is worthwhile and a great thing to do for self-loving!

Want to Lose Weight? Eat a Salad Twice a day, but don’t put these 10 things in it!

Posted on April 10, 2014 by therapysoup

A salad with two cups of lettuce and a half cup of two vegetables each in your salad, with 4 ounces of a protein in it is great for losing weight. Eat this twice a day. But, you will not lose weight if you sabotage it with high-carb items, which can :

1. Croutons

2. Tortilla strips

3. A starchy vegetable like corn or peas

4. Pasta

5: Sun-dried tomatoes (eat fresh ones)

6. Candied nuts

7. High-carb salad dressing

8. Barbeque sauce (high in sugar)

9. Don’t eat it with bread

10. Rice or beans (a few beans are ok, but high in carbs, so watch it).

A good salad can also be delicious and filling. Eat healthy and you will enjoy it!

A Moment on the Lips, A Lifetime On The Hips

Posted on April 6, 2014 by therapysoup

Over three years ago, I began my weight-loss journey. I call it a journey because it is a long road traveled and it is never really over, even when you reach your weight destination. Because if you ever get there, then you have to learn what to do to keep it off and that is a journey in itself. Starting today and keep going day by day and inch along, even if it is at a snail pace. You will eventually get there….

So, let’s say you begin with a diet or following the Skinny-Rules to lose weight (https://skinny-rules.com/2014/03/18/my-weight-loss-rules-that-made-me-skinny-and-kept-me-skinny-and-i-eat/). You follow the rules and change your eating style. You add in some exercise to make it happen even faster and to get fit and healthy (because skinny flabby is not attractive or healthy either). Then, you are looking different and people start to notice.

Good people who notice changes in you say nice things and compliment you on your efforts and results. Not-good-people will find ways to discourage what you are doing and what you have done. You will hear comments that range…..Here are a few……and most of these are said by overweight people who have tried diets and give up too easily and have no willpower over their carb addiction.

“You have gone too far.”
“You don’t look good.”
“Oh, you will gain it back. Everyone does! ” (not if you stick to the rules and don’t go back to your old bad habits)
“You are anorexic.”
“It is unhealthy” (like fat or diabetes is healthy!)
“You are too old to be so skinny!”
“You have an unhealthy relationship to food.”
“You can’t keep eating like that!”
“You can’t stay on a diet forever!” (it isn’t a diet, it is a lifestyle change because the way you eat before was wrong learning or you wouldn’t have gotten larger!)

So, I have heard all of these, but my BMI is 22. (normal is between 18.5 and 24.5 and I am 22. I would prefer 21, but my body seems to like 22. I exercise regularly (Pilates 4 days a week, yoga one day a week and elliptical about 5 hours a week). My Lindora consultant told me that because I work out so much, my muscle is more dense. She took my measurements the other day and they were the same as when my BMI was 19. I have been BMI of 22 for a year now and still look good, so I guess this is where I need to be.

I eat between 50 and 100g of carbs per day and I follow the rules. My deserts consist of things that are low-carb like my One Minute cake recipe from Jorge Cruz. (I will put it up on my next blog again, but I have it on Skinny-Rules from earlier on. https://skinny-rules.com/2013/09/04/time-to-eat-some-chocolate-cake-and-not-gain-weight/ I enjoy my eating style and I look hot doing it (so I am told! :))

So, anyone can say anything or try to guilt me into eating or drinking their calorific food or drink item to make them feel better about doing it, but I worked too hard and care too much about myself to let someone SABOTAGE me.

You have to love yourself and learn to say, “NO!” That is a hard word to say if you are not used to it and many women are trained to be obliging to people. If you care about yourself at all and have any self-esteem, you have to learn to say no to saboteurs and to bad food.

A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips!

And you know what? If friends are not supportive because you are doing what they can’t do and they are jealous–then they are not your real friends and you need some new ones!

Protein bars to go Nuts Over

Posted on April 3, 2014 by therapysoup

Bethenny Frankel has done it again. She has made a new SkinnyGirl product that is worthy of notice! I found two types of protein bars of hers in Target. I bought both boxes. $6 got 5 bars per box. A fair price for protein bars. Both types are 23g of carbs and about 5g of fiber (net carbs is 18g) and has about 5 or 6g of protein.

I have not had the Banana Oatmeal Chocolate bar yet, but today, I sampled the Peanut butter, chocolate and salt bar and it had a bit more sugar in it, but OMG. It was SO good! And I just had the banana one. So good too. These are keepers. Even my husband likes them!

The salt really plays tricks with your tongue and makes it so YUMMY! It was more like a desert, than a protein bar. It is also Kosher and gluten free! I hope Target keeps carrying it! Beautiful design, nice packaging, tastes great and is priced right.

Skinny Break

Posted on April 2, 2014 by therapysoup

I took a break to deal with Skinny-Rules to deal with a close relative. She called me scared because she is pre-diabetic and almost diabetic, after many warnings.

The issue is that she lives to eat and she has hardly moved her body since I have known her. She eats whatever she wants and gives to thought to looking at labels and doesn’t really even know what to look for. She eats what she likes and it hasn’t helped her health.

I had weight problems as a kid with this as a learned eating style in my family. And if anyone with bad eating habits doesn’t change their ways, they will affect others too-like their children.

As a kid, my mother tried to give us vegetables, but they were all starches–peas, carrots, corn and potatoes. Her meat was really fatty or processed, lots of white pasta, sauces, bread, sandwiches, Hawaiian rolls, fried chicken, pizza dripping in oil, Hostess items, Ritz crackers, movie popcorn, iceberg lettuce and thousand island dressing, pies, bundt cake, etc. She knew little about nutrition and didn’t really care.

The weight issue was always with me, minus when I was in college and ate salads a lot…but as soon as I was around home more, I gained it back.

I learned the rules and weight fell off, but my relative’s bad eating habits continued. And yes, your choices affect your health, as well as your body. My thyroid kicked out and I got Fibromyalgia and gained weight. My relative has ended up with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high blood glucose. I could have ended up like her and worse–and she is still in danger of a stroke at 60 pounds too heavy.

So, I have supplied her with the tools.

I gave her the plan. https://skinny-rules.com/2014/03/18/my-weight-loss-rules-that-made-me-skinny-and-kept-me-skinny-and-i-eat/
gave her the right non-starchy vegetables, citrus and berries, salads, balsamic vinaigrette dressing, recipes, low-carb Trader Joe’s almond milk, almond flour, egg whites, cheeses, almond butter, nuts, low-carb protein bars, diabetic chocolate (AmberLynn), low carb Greek yogurt.
I have tried to explain the rules and how to look at labels.

The rest is now up to her. She is stubborn and she might die soon because of it…or suffer horrible complications from diabetes. This is happening because she is addicted to sugar. I wish she had more fortitude to fight it. I understand it because I was addicted too.

You have to go out of your way to find low sugar replacements and cut out sugar for weeks before it gets better. I hardly ever have a craving anymore for any sugar. This does happen when you get your brain off of this killer substance. I am healthier, stronger and I look better than ever. It can be done. Thank GOD I did it and I continue to share my knowledge with others, in hopes that I will help more than one person!

So, please don’t wait until you are 80-years-old or sick to do it! Love yourself! Eat food to live and don’t live to eat. Exercise.

Leptin Resistance and Obesity…is this the problem in losing weight? What can we do about it?

Posted on March 24, 2014 by therapysoup

There was a study that came out recently. In a nutshell: Research subjects were then given diets intended to maintain their weight loss. A year after the subjects had lost the weight, the researchers repeated their measurements. The subjects were gaining the weight back despite the maintenance diet — on average, gaining back half of what they had lost — and the hormone levels offered a possible explanation. Their hormones were working against them!

One hormone, leptin, which tells the brain how much body fat is present, fell by two-thirds immediately after the subjects lost weight. When leptin falls, appetite increases and metabolism slows. A year after the weight loss diet, leptin levels were still one-third lower than they were at the start of the study, and leptin levels increased as subjects regained their weight.

Other hormones that stimulate hunger, in particular ghrelin, whose levels increased, and peptide YY, whose levels decreased, were also changed a year later in a way that made the subjects’ appetites stronger than at the start of the study.

It was determined that the dieters are putting their bodies into a circumstance that it will resist.

A solution might be to restore hormones to normal levels by giving drugs after dieters lose weight. But, researchers just do not know enough about obesity to prescribe solutions. GREAT!??!

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/27/health/biological-changes-thwart-weight-loss-efforts-study-finds.html?_r=0

SO, what do we do?

Dr. Mercola (well-known writer/doctor) writes about Leptin resistance. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/10/29/leptin-resistance.aspx

Dr. Mercola’s Leptin Resistance Summary

Insulin and leptin resistance are core factors in obesity, which in turn is a risk factor for cancer and may boost tumor growth. But the answer lies not in a pill. To reverse insulin and leptin resistance:

Avoid, sugar, fructose, grains, and processed foods

Eat a healthful diet of whole foods, ideally organic, and replace the grain carbs with:

No-to-low sugar and grain carbs

Low-to-moderate amount of protein

As much highly quality healthful fat as you want (saturated and monosaturated). Most people need upwards of 50-70 percent fats in their diet for optimal health. Good sources include coconut and coconut oil, avocados, butter, nuts, and animal fats. Also take a high-quality source of animal-based omega-3 fat, such as krill oil

Similarly, while researchers investigate the pharmaceutical avenues to convert white fat cells to brown in an effort to reduce the potential for cancer growth, other research has already shown that this can likely be achieved through exercise.

80 percent of the health benefits you reap from a healthy lifestyle comes from your diet, and the remaining 20 percent from exercise – but it’s a very important 20 percent, as it acts in tandem with and boosts the benefits derived from a proper diet. For maximum benefits, you’ll want to make sure to include high-intensity interval training.

Can you take leptin or supplements to stimulate leptin to help? There is no proof of it helping, except in very rare cases. The suggestions are rather than taking supplements that haven’t been fully proven to help, overweight people have other options to aid leptin functioning. So therefore, you have to reduce resistance to insulin (a hormone that controls blood sugar) and to bring down high levels of triglycerides (a blood lipid).

Insulin resistance generates leptin resistance. The practical advice is: Get your insulin down by cutting the sugar down, and your insulin resistance would improve and that would help with the weight loss.

So, we are back to sugar again as the enemy. CUT OUT SUGAR AND cut down on UNHEALTHY carbs. Stick with only natural healthy carbs! And watch the amount of fruit you eat. Fruit has fructose (sugar).

To Bread or Not to Bread

Posted on March 13, 2014 by therapysoup

I follow Food Babe’s blog about what healthy foods we should be eating and what are actually just making us sick.

Bread is a big issue for me. It is loaded with carbs and I don’t do well with gluten or wheat. However, once or twice a week, I like to have something like a decent piece of bread. I really like Western Bagel’s Perfect 10 Bagels because one whole bagel is just 10g of net carbs.

But, as far as regular bread. It turns out a lot of bread has some pretty disgusting ingredients in it, like the stuff that they put in yoga mats.

http://foodbabe.com/2014/02/24/healthiest-bread-on-the-market/

So, I am turning to Food Babe’s suggestions. She really like Ezekiel bread. Good and good for you! It is available at many places, including Trader Joes.

My husband tried Dave’s Killer Bread, because it is also filled with good organic ingredients. There are two kinds at his market, Vons Pavillions–the cracked wheat one 21g of carbs, 5g of fiber (making the next carb 16g) and 5g of protein. The sprouted wheat one is at 17g of carbs, 4g of fiber (making the net carb 13g) and 6g of protein.

Look at all of the good things about it! It is Organic, GMO free, Vegan, 100% whole grain, has a lot of fiber, protein and Omega 3.

http://www.daveskillerbread.com/breads/

Remember, if you want to lose weight, the number of carbs per day should stick to between 50 and 100g a day. So, if you do have a slice of bread once or twice a week, make sure it is tasty and heatlhy, with low carbs and high protein. Have it in place of a fruit out of your two fruits for the day. Use real butter like KerryGold and try to steer clear of GMO and non-organic food, which will only bloat you and confuse your metabolism with toxins.

Chipotle Diet Plan

Posted on March 6, 2014 by therapysoup

My husband told me he is on a mission to lose some weight and buff up! All right, he has come to the right person!

So, we went to Chipotle and I told him to order differently. He usually gets a bowl, because he thinks it is healthier than the burrito (the tortilla is about 41g of carbs). However,even the rice/bean bowl is fattening too–based on what you put in it.

Chipotle is great in that it is organic, fresh and they have a nutritional menu builder, where you can pile on things and watch the calories or carbs grow.

HIS OLD WAY:

So, if he were to have a bowl with chicken, salsa, cheese and beans and rice, that is 53g of carbs, which in my book–is a lot of carbs! The rice is about 20 plus grams of carbs, and the beans are about the same too. If you add corn to that, it is another 15g of carbs–making this full bowl about 68g of carbs. If you are only supposed to have between 50g to 100g of carbs per day to lose/maintain weight–then that is a lot of your count in ONE meal.

MY WAY:

So, he tried the way I eat at Chipotle. I had the chicken salad bowl. Only has lettuce, meat (chicken), a little dressing, sour cream, cheese, salsa–all at 7g of carbs.

He ate it and guess what? HE LOVED IT! He said, “Why didn’t you tell me that it was this good?” He loves it because the lettuce is so fresh and everything tastes so good. Also, their dressing is zingy! So, now, that is all he will eat there. (I did tell him, he just chose not to hear me)

Guacamole is extra, and it is an extra 8g of carbs, but with the fiber in it, net carbs is only about 2g and it is a healthy fat. So, don’t worry about guacamole, but consider it your one of two fruits for the day.

So, try it this way and save yourself over 50g of carbs and still enjoy your meal! And skip the chips at 70g of carbs per bag!

http://www.chipotlecaloriecalculator.com/

Some Things You Can Do to Assist In Your Diet

Posted on February 28, 2014 by therapysoup

Want to lose weight, well there are 7 strategies you have to do to psychologically and physically set yourself up to lose weight!

1. Organize Your Home: A disorganized home can interfere with achieving your health and fitness goals. Assess the mess in your home by going through every room and decide what needs to be dealt with (purge too), and then figure out a way to keep it organized permanently.

2. Shop Healthy: Stop buying junk foods and replace them with high-quality nutritious foods. You’ll ultimately save on those doctor bills because you will get healthier. Cut costs by creating a weekly meal plan for breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, as well as snacks, and then tally up the ingredients you’ll need and prepare a shopping list.

3. Cook and Prepare Meals in Advance: If a busy schedule is keeping you from making homemade meals, knowing that there is already something healthy in the fridge or freezer that you can simply reheat will help you resist fast food or other unhealthy dining options. Cook a few meals in advance each week to serve midweek or later. Soups, casseroles, and stews made with lean protein and plenty of vegetables and they can be frozen and used later on. I cook things on Sunday and have them throughout the week.

4. Take Time to Eat at Each Mealtime: Taking the time to savor your meals can actually aid your weight-loss. When you sit down to enjoy what you’re eating, thinking about every bite, you’ll feel more satisfied and eat less. Mealtime is also designed to give you a break from your hectic schedule and allow you to catch up on what’s happening in the lives of your family and/or friends. This is also good role modeling for your children.

5. Healthy Snacks: Regular mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacking can be a challenge, particularly when you’re on the go. But with some planning and preparation, you can put together a healthy assortment of snacks to help curb your hunger and prevent cravings. Bring a bag containing healthy options like part-skim mozzarella cheese sticks, chopped veggies, low-carb protein bars or shakes, measured out nuts or nut butter, hard-boiled eggs, and/or lean deli meats.

6. Prioritize Consistent Exercise: I have classes and incorporate them into my weekly calendar. I think of it as like going to my second job. I just do it. Regular exercise can help keep your metabolism revved so you lose weight faster. In addition, exercise can also help prevent the onset of diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, by reducing belly fat, high cholesterol, and high triglycerides. Get at least 20 minutes of either cardio conditioning or core-strengthening exercise on most days of the week. But you should also aim to move more every day. The smallest movements add up and will improve your weight-loss results.

7. Get Sleep! You can never be truly healthy if you don’t get enough quality sleep. Recent studies show that people who sleep less tend to weigh more. Being sleep-deprived can also increase your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems. Also, if you are groggy throughout the day, you are more likely to snack and therefore, mess up your diet. If you continue to have trouble sleeping, see your doctor about assistance. Try taking herbal supplements and turn off the electronics a good 30-60 minutes before bed. The light from these items can affect your sleep.

Treats on a DIET

Posted on February 21, 2014 by therapysoup

I talked to a friend today who started her diet again. I wish her all the best of luck.

The problem with starting any diet is that it is harder to do if you are surrounded by other people in the house who are eating cookies and other good things. It is really hard to stay focused because you see the cookie.

It is important to surround yourself with things that you can have daily that will satisfy you, so you won’t feel left out or deprived.

I keep Amberlynne.com chocolate in my house, plus good tasting protein bars like Power Crunch, etc. I use them as one of my six proteins for the day and they taste good.

Also, find recipes for things that you can make. My friend made Jorge Cruise’s chocolate cake in a mug. I have had those, and they are easy and good.

Flour choices:

1. Coconut Flour. High in protein and fiber and low in digestible carbs. Use it to make breaded foods.

2. Almond Flour. healthy fats, high in protein and monounsaturated fats.Use it for baking. It adds moistness and a rich nutty taste.

3. Flaxseed Flour. Rich in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. Use it to make cookies, pancakes, muffins and cakes.

Recipe for Chocolate Cake in a Mug

2-Minute Cake With Almond Flour

Ingredients
1/4 cup Truvia Baking Blend
1/2 cup almond flour
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 egg
2 tbsp half & half

Directions
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until the mixture is even and smooth (no lumps).

Pour 1/4 of the mixture into a mug and microwave for 2 minutes.

Refrigerate remaining batter for later! I put whipped cream on mine.

So, if you want to be successful on your diet, find these low-carb treat cheats to be successful!

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Dr. Mercola’s Leptin Resistance Summary

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