Tag Archives: lose weight

Middle Age Midsection Spread! Why and How to Fix It!

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midsection

I had the midsection spread.  I had women asking me when my baby was due and I was NOT pregnant!  That is so devastating.  I changed my diet right after that!  I will discuss how this happens and how to fix it.

What caused the midection spread:

Muscle loss, lower metabolism,  and an increase in white fat all play a part in causing waist lines to grow as we age.  Also people exercise less and add stress-eating to their routines, and it becomes much easier to gain weight compared to when we were young and could drink and eat more crap.

But, once we turn 40, our metabolic rate  (ability to burn calories) drops.  We lose muscle tone. We get stressed out and eat more calories than we need, despite needing to eat less calories and work out.

I have also written about how the new ways that wheat is grown and processed is bad for people’s midsections, hence the book written by a medical doctor, called “The Wheat Belly.”  I do think that once I cut wheat MOSTLY out of my diet and tried to stay away from products primarily made with it or from it, then my midsection decreased substantially.  And if I eat wheat products, my stomach distends hugely.

How to fix the spread:

We just cannot eat the way she did in her our 20s and 30s and we need to make a change in our lifestyle and steer away from foods rich in carbs and calories, and also stay away from the stress-eating time period between 3 p.m. and 12 a.m., when energy levels drop (and women in particular tend to overeat).

But is it ever possible to remain the same weight you once were in your 20s? Yes, but exercise is key.  I weigh what I weighed in my 20s right now since I changed my eating style and added more exercise.  Consume less calories, less sugar, less carbs.  More protein, more vegetables, more salad, more portion control, eat less, more often (6 times a day).

RULES:

Palm of the hand-sized protein choices 6 times a day, 2 small servings of fruits per day (a cup), 4 small servings of vegetables a day (avoid starches), salads twice a day, drink water all day.  No (low) sugar products.  Keep carbs within 50g to 100g per day.  I personally avoid wheat products and rice now.  A piece of toast is allowed once or twice a week.  Exercise at least 15- 20 min. per day or a few hours a week.  Always eat breakfast and every 3-4 hours–another protein!  And seriously, watch those  carbilicious wheat products, and if you must some–go for Gluten-free.

 

21 Day Challenge!

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All over Facebook is a 21 Day Challenge.  I have done this 21 Day Challenge for the most part now since Sept 8, 2011.  Here is the challenge:

21 Day Challenge!!!
NO CHIPS
NO SODA
NO DIET SODA
NO CHOCOLATE
NO CANDY
NO WHITE BREAD
NO COOKIES OR BISCUITS
NO FAST FOOD
NO CAKES/PASTRIES/MUFFINS

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How I have done this challenge, but my way!

–I have done fast food, but I make choices that involve salad and not-so-fast-foodish.

— I only have chocolate in protein bars or low-carb items.  Best low-carb chocolate bars in my opinion, Power Crunch (Trader Joes, Smart and Final and Vitacost.com) and Nature Valley Protein Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate bars (Target and Costco).  And this one is delish!  http://www.vitacost.com/bionutritional-research-group-choklat-crunch-protein-crisp-bars

–I never have had regular soda, but I admit to diet soda and even though it is bad for ending cravings, I still have a couple a day.  You still have to drink water.

— I never do candy or anything made with wheat products, unless they are special low-carb ones that I have purchased through Lindora.com or some low carb outlet, and even then, that is rare.  I usually have low-carb frozen yogurt or fruit with whipped cream or low-fat Greek Yogurt.

–I never have potatoes, rice or beans.  Just too full of carbs and starches and puts me on a sugar rollercoaster.

SugarRollerCoaster

The good part of this challenge is to get you to get over craving sugar or things that turn to sugar. It is basically, a sugar detox.  But, if you eat sugars and cheat, then you are NOT detoxing.

The bad part of this challenge is that it offers no assistance in dealing with those torturous cravings.  Even on a medically supervised weight loss program, like the one I did (Lindora), they offered me appetite suppressants.  But, after one day of that and feeling jittery, I researched and found my own way to get over it.  There are plenty of books that explain it, like Dr. Mark Hyman, whose book and information is on the blog before this (August 23. 2013).  However, how to get over cravings in a nutshell:

1.) Balance blood sugar.

When blood sugar is low, you’ll eat anything. To better balance blood sugar, eat a small meal or snack that includes healthy protein, like seeds or nuts (measured out because they are high in carbs) , low-fat Greek Yogurt, two tablespoons of almond or peanut butter, or eat any meat, a protein bar or drink (check on the ones that are lowest in carbs) and cheese, every 3 to 4 hours.

2.) Eliminate liquid calories and artificial sweeteners.

Sodas are full of chemicals and high fructose corn syrup. Processed fruit juices are awash in sugar. Try sticking with water and green tea. Green tea contains plant chemicals that are good for your health. And, last but not least, don’t succumb to the diet-drink trap. The artificial sweeteners in diet drinks fool the body into thinking it is ingesting sugar, which creates the same insulin spike as regular sugar.  I have to admit, I use artificial sweetener in my coffee and soda and I still lost weight, but this can spike cravings….just sayin’.  Reason why I also take fiber to feel full.

3.) Eat a high-quality protein at breakfast.

Ideally, you’re eating quality protein at every meal, but, if you need to prioritize one meal, choose breakfast. Studies show that waking up to a healthy protein, such as eggs, nuts, seeds, nut butters or a protein shake help people lose weight, reduce cravings and burn calories.

4.  Increase fiber.  Helps you feel full and keeps you from overeating.

5.  NO wine or beer.  If you MUST have a drink, stick with a vodka mixed drink and keep it to a minimum.  Wine and beer have sugar and alcohol takes so much energy in your body to be processed, then your body doesn’t have the energy to also burn fat, so you won’t lose much weight if you drink.  Remember that.

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And as in any addiction, if you fall off the wagon, then get back on!  Never give up.

The Best of Fast Food: Chipotle

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So, I finally went to Chipotle.  I have to admit that I was scared to go because I heard about the size of their burritos and my husband always gets his food in a bowl smothered in rice and beans.  So, I heard it was made with your choice of food items, so I went.  So glad I did.

I had a salad and I got to choose the ingredients.  I had no rice or beans because the carb count on those items is astronomical.   Please, look at the size of a measuring cup.  It isn’t that big.  So, if you get minimally, a cup of rice in your bowl, brown or white–the carb count is 44g.  REMEMBER, DIETS should have between 50 and 100 grams of carbs per day.  44g in one meal is too much!  And now for the beans.   One cup of beans (net grams due to so much fiber in it, assisting the body) is 23 g for black beans and 26g for pinto beans.  If you do both rice and beans–70g of carbs is a lot!  So, taking that out of the meal can be a real diet enhancer.

WIth the salad, meat, cheese, dollop of sour cream, dressing and salsa, my delicious salad should have been less then 10g of carbs in total.  That is AWESOME for a meal.  Granted, I am supposed to have two servings of veggies, but the tomato in the salsa was qualifying for that.  You could get guacamole, a cup of it in net carbs is about 5 grams.

Here is the picture of my salad at Chipotle.  I will be going back.  Everything is organic, without hormones in the meat and fresh.  You order what you want and it was all for less than $7.  They also have Coke Zero!

chipotle

Mexican Food, Si or No?

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I rarely step into a Mexican restaurant since I started my life change (diet).  What is there to eat there?  Dozens and dozens worth of carbs in almost every meal.  Everything is tortilla, taco shell or chip based.  I am trying to avoid wheat products and corn products.  They make me sick (and Corn is mostly genetically modified now) and they are full of carbs.

Let’s look at a few popular places (some healthier than others) and the carbs in each chicken burrito.

El Torito:  123g of carbs.

El Pollo Loco:  63g of carbs.

ONE flour tortilla is anywhere from 14g of carbs to 35g of carbs…all by itself.  The beans and rice only add cobs more.  If you want to gain weight, this is the way to go.  Whole wheat is healthier, but unless it is “low-carb”, it is still a lot of carbs.

MY SOLUTION:

So, I went to a local hangout, Mission Burrito and to a fast food place, Taco Bell.  I ordered a tostada or taco salad (depending on the place) and asked for no beans, rice or tortilla.  I got beef, lettuce, cheese, tomato, (guacamole or sour cream) and some taco dressing.  The carb count was about 8 grams and it was still delish.  It is kind of like a tostada PROTEIN style.  And this is GLUTEN FREE!

If you do it at home, and you get a low-carb tortilla (like they have at Trader Joes and Costco), you are looking at about 4g net carbs for the whole shell vs. 14-35 for a regular one and it tastes just as good.

TACO SALAD without the shell:  8g of carbs–Shut the front door!  Beef or chicken!  DELISH!

tacosalad

TACO SHELLS

And taco shells?  About 20g of carbs per three.  You can have one or two, or if you have three, you need to watch your carbs the rest of the day. AND for SOFT taco shells?  It is about 20g of carbs for only ONE!  So, watch it.

So, you can eat at a Mexican food place if you go this route.  Those shells will kill your diet.  Remember:  You need to stick between 50 and 100g of carbs per day to lose weight, with 6 protein meals a day, 2 small salads a day, 2 small fruits a day, 4 small servings of veggies per day….and if you go over 100g per day, no weight loss for sure!

Bread’s Lying Labels Can Make You Gain Weight and be UNhealthy

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Multi-Grain and Wheat Breads

Terms like multi-grain, 7-grain, and wheat sound healthy, but they may  NOT actually contain heart-healthy whole grains.

Many breads labeled “multi-grain” and “wheat” are typically made with refined grains, so you’re not getting the full nutritional benefit of the whole grain.

Read nutrition labels carefully. If the first flour in the ingredient list is refined (it will typically say “bleached” or “unbleached enriched wheat flour”), then you are not getting a 100% whole-grain bread.

Regardless, breads have high carb numbers.  On my plan, you can have one slice of toast per week in place of a fruit–instead of the two small fruit servings per day.  However, when I eat wheat, I tend to either get bloated, stuck in my weight or gain weight.  Read this book to find out wheat is making you fat.  http://www.amazon.com/Wheat-Belly-Lose-Weight-Health/dp/1609611543

wheatbellybook

 

Wheat Can Cause Illnesses and Disease

 

“–Accumumulation of inflammatory visceral fat (a “wheat belly”),
–Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, diabetes
–Gastrointestinal disruption–acid reflux/heart burn, esophagitis, esophageal stricture, bowel urgency/irritable bowel syndrome, worsening of inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease)
–Neurological impairment–from mind “fog” and behavior outbursts in children with autistic spectrum disorder and ADHD, to paranoia and hallucinations in schizophrenia, to food obsessions in those prone to bulimia and binge eating disorder, to triggering of mania in bipolar illness, to depression in the depression-prone. Also add cerebellar ataxia, peripheral neuropathy, and dementia to the list (“gluten encephalopathy”).
–Joint pain and arthritis–Including both “wear-and-tear” osteoarthritis as well as inflammatory forms like rheumatoid.
–Autoimmune diseases–The peculiar potential for the gliadin protein of wheat to “unlock” the normal intestinal barriers, allowing foreign antigens access into the bloodstream, is the first step in autoimmunity, the immune system’s misguided effort to eliminate the “intruder,” such as your thyroid gland, colon, small intestine, synovial lining of your joints, skin, thymus, liver, pancreas, even brain.
–Skin disorders–Skin rashes and damage from wheat are as varied as they are ubiquitous. There is hardly a skin condition that is not caused by wheat. (Not to say that all skin conditions are caused by wheat–they are not, but that, of all the myriad skin conditions experienced by humans, virtually all have been associated with wheat consumption.) This ranges from the level of nuisance, such as acne, to the level of life-threatening, such as leg gangrene.”

taken from:  http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2013/02/celiac-is-not-a-disease/

 

My Advice on Eating Wheat

Don’t do it or make alternative choices and do it minimally.

I had a wheat belly and I had people always asking me when my baby was due.  (Never had a baby in there!).  I gave up wheat and no one asks anymore.

belly

I know it is hard and you can get used to it.  Wheat products are designed to cause your brain to be addicted to them.  This is especially true of cereal products.  There is just enough designed ingredients to go to the pleasure center of your brain to cause that addiction, making it hard to get clean from its use.  It is like heroin, but cheaper and easier to get–and legal too.

breadheroin

There are alternatives that I like.

These 3 alternatives might not be healthy, but you can remain on your diet

1.  Find a low carb bread like Ezekiel, Sara Lee’s 90 calorie bread choices, etc.  If a slice of bread is more than 15g of net carbs, you might not want to eat it.  Imagine.  Eating a sandwich that has over 30g of carbs and you don’t want to get more than 50g to 100g of carbs per day to lose weight or maintain.  Then, you have to be super careful and picky in your choices the rest of the day.

2.  Western Bagel Perfect 10 bagel has only 10g net carbs and is perfect for a make-shift sandwich.  I love them, but I limit them.  Wheat can bloat you and if you read the Wheat Belly book, you will understand why that is a fact.

3.  Low-Carb Tortillas.  My favorite ones are at Costco and Trader Joes.  Around 4g net carbs.  I make a pan-fried turkey tomato, low-fat sour cream and low-fat cheese tortilla and it is delish.  Takes only minutes and under 10g of carbs for the whole delicious thing.

I have written blogs on these items in the past and showed recipes and my creations.  Any questions, please write.

 

Juice Drinks: Healthy and Diet Friendly?

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I thought that I was eating so healthy when I was gaining weight and when I was about 40 pounds heavier and dying to lose weight. I had my facts all messed up. I guarantee that you have the facts wrong too. Let’s look at some “healthy” foods, which are not so healthy and how they also are making you fat.

Today we will start with one Not So Healthy Food, JUICE DRINKS

Have you ever looked at the labels on your fruit drinks?

Bottles mention serving size at the top of their nutrition label. You might think that the whole bottle is a serving size, but actually if there are two or three servings in one bottle, then you have to multiply the label information by the amount of servings in it–if you plan to drink the whole bottle (as many of us do).

I know someone who thinks that Odwalla and Naked Juice is good for their diet. In those drinks, the fruit is genetically modified and that is a whole other health issue.

Fruit is not the only ingredient in those bottles, and many of the other ingredients are not good for you. The amount of carbs and sugar in one serving is usually staggering. I believe that in my example’s one serving, there was about 50 or more grams of carbs–and he drank more than one serving (the whole bottle). There was the equivalent of about 11 whole sugar cubes in his drink. Would you willingly eat 11 sugar cubes?

Naked juice was in the news recently for getting in trouble for labeling their product as “all natural,” when it isn’t. These products are not honest. Now, they have to remove that from their label.

Jamba Juice is another scary choice. Between too much fruit (fructose sugar), sherbet or ice cream, and milk—a serving can be about 100g of carbs. The lighter versions, “Fit and Fruitful” have about 50g. And to rub salt I to the wound, there is usually only one gram of protein. Yes, you can add protein to your smoothie, but you are still drinking a lot of carbs. You could have had a cheeseburger on a bun for less carbs and you are choosing a smoothie instead?

If you want to maintain your weight or lose weight, you should consider between 50g and 100g per day. You wind up blowing most of your day’s carbs on this one drink and it will also cause a massive sugar mood roller coaster ride. You will be really tired later, when the roller coaster comes down and you are now craving more hair of the dog that bit you–sugar. And if you don’t follow the rules of 6 proteins every 3 to 4 hours, two servings of fruit a day and four servings of vegetables (no starches) per day, then your weight loss will be questionable. You need protein to lose weight, gain muscle and to fend off hunger cravings. These smoothies will not do the job.

For those of you who argue that fruit is healthy, yes to is, but not squeezed from large quantities and without pulp and especially not if the fruit is genetically modified.

INSTEAD: Eat two small cup-sized servings of organic fruit a day. Berries and citrus are the lowest in carbs. Have one earlier in the day with your protein and one later in the day with a protein. Or make your own smoothie with the right amount of fruit, protein powder, some almond milk and lots of ice. Heck, throw some spinach in too. It is all blended and tastes great. You can even throw in a little Splenda, Truvia or Stevia.

Walking to Skinny–Convert Your Day to Walking!

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So, you think you don’t have time to walk, even just 15 minutes a day!  Well, thanks to Purdue University, there is a converter of every day activities and sports that can be converted from time alloted to the activities into steps.  Remember, that if you do more than 10,000 to 12,000 steps a day, you are doing great and on your way to skinny (as long as you eat a healthy balanced diet, based on the “rules.”  If you are eating starches, sugar, more than 6 fist-sized, low-fat proteins a day, more than 4 smalls servings of veggies and 2 small servings of fruit a day and going over the 50 to 100g of carbs per day limit–then you will have to step a lot more to lose that weight.

Here is the list:

CONVERT ACTIVITY INTO STEPS

Use this chart to convert activities that are not easily measured by a pedometer. Multiply the number of minutes you participated in the activity by the number indicated in the chart.  Use only the timed, converted steps for your step count. Do not also include the pedometer steps if you were wearing your pedometer while performing the activity.

PLEASE NOTE: Conversions are estimates; your actual steps may vary

Activities Steps/Minute* Activities Steps/Minute*
Aerobic dancing class 127 Mowing lawn 120
Aerobic fitness class 181 Painting (a room) 78
Aerobics, low impact 125 Pilates 91
Aerobics, step 153 Punching bag 180
Backpacking 181 Raking lawn/leaves 121
Badminton, casual 131 Racquetball, casual 181
Badminton, competitive 203 Racquetball, competitive 254
Ballet dancing 120 Rock climbing 244
Baseball 130 Rollerblading 156
Basketball, game 145 Rowing 147
Basketball, recreational 130 Rowing machine 212
Bicycling, easy pace 130 Rugby 303
Bicycling, moderate pace 170 Running, 12 – minute mile 178
Bicycling, vigorous pace 200 Running, 10 – minute mile 222
Billiards/pool 76 Running, 8 – minute mile 278
Bowling 71 Sailing, boat and board 91
Bowling on the Wii 61 Scrubbing floors 71
Boxing, non-competitive 131 Scuba Diving 203
Boxing, competitive 222 Shopping 70
Calisthenics 106 Shoveling snow 145
Canoeing 91 Skateboarding 102
Cheerleading 100 Skeeball 52
Children’s playground game 136 Skiing, light/moderate 109
Circuit training 199 Skiing, cross-country 114
Climbing, rock/mountain 270 Sledding 158
Cooking 61 Snowboarding 182
Croquet 76 Snowmobiling 106
Dancing, class 109 Snowshoeing 181
Dancing, salsa/country/swing 109 Soccer, recreational 181
Dancing, party 109 Soccer, competitive 145
Drill team 153 Softball 152
Electronic sports, Wii/PS3 91 Spinning 200
Elliptical trainer 203 Squash 348
Fencing 182 Stair climbing, machine 200
Firewood-carrying/chopping 60 Stair climbing, down stairs 71
Fishing 91 Stair climbing, up stairs 181
Football 199 Stretching 15
Frisbee 91 Surfing 91
Gardening 80 Swimming, backstroke 181
Golf, carrying clubs 109 Swimming, butterfly 272
Golf, powered cart 80 Swimming, freestyle 181
Grocery shopping 67 Swimming, leisure 174
Gymnastics 121 Swimming, treading water 116
Handball 348 Table tennis 120
Hiking 172 Tae Bo 250
Hiking, orienteering 232 Tae Kwon Do 290
Hockey, field and ice 240 Tai Chi 40
Home/auto repair 91 Tennis 200
Horseback riding 90 Trampoline 90
Horseshoes 71 Vacuuming 94
Housework, light 72 Volleyball 91
Ice skating, general 84 Walking, stroll 61
Ice skating, moderate 122 Walking, average 84
In-line skating 190 Washing a car 71
Jogging 181 Water aerobics 116
Judo & Karate 236 Water polo 303
Jumping rope, fast 300 Water skiing 145
Jumping rope, moderate 250 Waxing a car 80
Kayaking 152 Weight lifting 67
Kickball 212 Wrestling 145
Kickboxing 290 Yard work 89
Lacrosse 242 Yoga 45
Miniature golf 91
Mopping 60

* Steps/Minute equals steps per minute.

Use a pedometer to measure steps if you desire.

http://www.purdue.edu/walktothemoon/activities.html

What a great excuse to enjoy cleaning your house now!

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Short Walks to Weight Loss

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Exercise Doesn’t Have to Be Intense or Long

I have met a lot of people who say that they have NO time to exercise.  They get up really early for work, work hard all day and then by the time they get home (with their long commute), then it is dark out, their kids need help with HW, they need to make dinner, etc.

But, here are my thoughts.  If you don’t exercise at all, you will wear down your immune system, metabolism, your mood, your libido and eventually–this will all affect your relationships with family, spouse and friendships.  You will be out of shape and have medical issues and this will also lead to mental health issues.

If you want to feel happy, feel good, you need to exercise to help with the production of serotonin, but you also have to eat right in order for serotonin to be produced properly.  If you eat bad foods and have a bacterial imbalance in your gut, then your serotonin will be off too!  I have noticed that people who don’t exercise, get sick more often, as well.

According to Livestrong, “Approximately 75 percent of this chemical is located in cells of the gut, where it regulates intestinal movements. The rest is synthesized in neurons of the brain; it’s here that serotonin influences mood. High levels are associated with an elevated mood while low levels are associated with depression. Though many neurotransmitters work in harmony to influence mood, serotonin is one of the most important. Its levels are influenced by external factors, such as sunlight, diet and exercise.”  http://www.livestrong.com/article/22590-effects-exercise-serotonin-levels/

So, if you want to control your intestinal issues, mental health, your heart, blood pressure and more–and live longer and be there for your family (the ones you are killing yourself for), you have to find time, 5 days a week for at LEAST 15 minutes a day.  You don’t have 15 minutes?

walkingbenefits

Walk For 15 Minutes a Day

Some think to get the full benefit of a good workout, you need to be sweating for a full 30 minutes — or longer. But with so many people struggling to find a spare 30 minutes, researchers have begun to investigate if a shorter sweat session could be just as good.

A 2011 study found when compared to sedentary people, 15 minutes a day of activity, like brisk walking can add 3 years to life expectancy, according to Reuters.

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Kick It Up a Notch

Intense aerobic activity may double the years of life expectancy added by moderate exercise, according to a 2005 study.   Five days a week of walking for 30 minutes led to 1.3 to 1.5 additional years, The Washington Post reported, but intense exercise, like running half an hour five days a week, resulted in almost 4 extra years. 

So, instead of eating at your desk or out with people, WALK somewhere.   You can even walk to get your food or coffee, but walk.  If you can’t find this time at all when you are at home, then minimally, take 15 minutes a day for a brisk walk.  Do it at lunch or one of your breaks at work.

My sister-in-law wears a pedometer and she counts her steps in a day.  It is said that in order to be healthy,  you need to step around 12,000 steps a day or more.  This can be counted from just walking to your car, to your desk, to the bathroom, going around your house picking up toys.  It doesn’t have to be counted all at one time, in one place.
Here is a link to a site that will show you how walking helps you lose weight and how to keep track of it for your personal goals.  http://www.pbs.org/americaswalking/health/health20percentboost.html

Keep walking!  In fact, I am ending todays’ blog and going right to my elliptical for an hour.  But, I have done less time on it…..the idea is to do something!

Breakfast Is The Most Important Meal of the Day For Concentration and Skinniness

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Eating a balanced breakfast sets you up to succeed in your healthy eating and your focus for the entire day. Studies support that you need to start your day off with a healthy breakfast because there are many benefits to eating it.

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The benefits of breakfast include:

IMPROVED MOOD:

Eating breakfast can lift your mood. People who don’t eat breakfast are more tired and irritable.

MORE ENERGY FOR THE DAY:

Before you eat in the morning, your body (like a car with little gas) is running on empty. You get energy from high-quality protein, carbohydrates, and fats.

BETTER CONCENTRATION:

Eating breakfast also improves your ability to problem solve. You will be more productive and better able to handle tasks that require memory. Going to work or sending your kids to school sets everyone up for a mismanaged workload and poorer performance than those who eat a healthy breakfast (pop tarts is not healthy!)

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT:

Studies show that if you eat breakfast, you’re more likely to be at a healthy weight than people who don’t eat breakfast.

VITAMINS AND MINERALS:

Having an egg or two, with some low fat cheese or turkey (I put vegetables and/or spinach in mine) and a piece of fruit will give you great protein, minerals and vitamins. If you are able to put in some flax, chi or other seeds into your eggs, then you are adding good carbs and fiber. For those who are able to fit in the carbs for the day count of 50 to 100, you can have a slice of whole grain bread or just a small measured portion of oatmeal (depending on the brand is oatmeal, a cup of oatmeal is about 30g of carbs), whole-grain cereal (not the high sugar Honey Nut Cheerios). Try a little almond butter instead of butter. 2 tablespoons of peanut or almond butter equals 6g of carbs. Another great breakfast option is Greek yogurt. Strawberries and blueberries are great in yogurt, cereal and oatmeal.

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Please pull out a measuring cup and become acquainted with how small a cup is vs. what you might thing a cup looks like in your mind.

Basics of a Quick and Balanced Breakfast

One of the most common excuses for not eating breakfast is being short on time to get to work or school. But breakfast doesn’t have to be fancy or time consuming. You can wake up just a little earlier to fit in a nutritious breakfast. The small investment in time in breakfast (and in you) pays off through the whole day.

If you really love cereal, then compromise and put a few for flavor and texture in your oatmeal or your yogurt.

Next time you’re racing against the clock, try these effortless and healthy breakfast ideas:

*You can make a quick smoothie with yogurt and fruit, with some ice cubes. Throw in some chi or flax seeds.
*Western Bagel and some low carb places sell low carb bagels. The Western Bagel Perfect 10 bagel is really good. Lots of fiber and protein and 10g net carbs. Get them at Westernbagel.com and refrigerate them.
*Have hard-boiled eggs available and ready to grab on the run. Places like some selected Costco and Trader Joes has them already hard-boiled and peeled, in bags, for those who really are super busy.
*Low carb shakes in a can (like Pure Protein) or low carb protein bars (like Power Crunch or Nature Valley Protein Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate).
*Low carb Greek yogurt in a small ready-to-go containers (like Dannon Greek Light and Fit)
**Come on, scrambled eggs don’t take that long.

Sugar Cravings

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Getting off of grains, most fruits and sugar products is very hard.  As you do it, your body and  MIND have been trained to look for the “hit” at the pleasure point in your brain.  In a way, you conditioned or brainwashed your brain to want and need the sugar, but over time,  you can get over it.  You allowed the foods that you were conditioned to eat do this to you and you have no idea that this was happening.  You were conned into buying and eating those foods, without realizing how they would have control over you like an addict has no control over their need for their drug of choice.  So, fight back.

How to get through the cravings.  

  • Drink lots of sugar-free fluids.
  • Get enough lean protein and fiber.   There have been studies.  The people who eat more protein report feeling less hungry.  When I am hungry, I get a protein bar, protein drink, some meat or a piece of cheese and it satisfies the cravings.  The second thing that fills me up is fiber.  That is in vegetables, but also in protein bars and protein drinks.  A lot of people will eat cereal to fill them up and that has fiber, but it also is mostly carbs and not only will you gain weight or not lose any weight, but you will be hungry again very soon after and go through a sugar rollercoaster.
  • Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables.  The more fruit and vegetables that are in the diet, the greater the weight loss and you are less likely to say that you feel hungry on any given day. Have you ever tried to eat a lot of vegetables?  You get full fast, right?  It is the fiber!

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Studies have show that changing your habits to focus on protein, water and fiber-rich foods helps maintain weight loss for many years.  I try to stay away from sugar.  If it is natural and in my fruit, etc.–that is fine, but if you have a sugar product, your brain will want more.  It is a lot of work fighting the pleasure center of your brain.  Consider alternative products without a lot of sugar, corn-syrup, etc.

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