Protein bars to go Nuts Over

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, tastesskinnycount great and is priced right.

skinnyinside

skinnyfront

 

Skinny Break

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.

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.

love-yourself

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

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!

Crave-Foods-Could-be-your-Leptin-levels-how-to-fix-it

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.

sugar

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).

Kickstart Your Diet! Stop the Sweets and Detox with this Sweet Anti-Inflammatory Drink

Food Babe’s Ginger Berry Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie
drink
Prep time
5 mins
Total time
5 mins
Servs: 1
Ingredients
  • 3 tablespoons Nutiva hemp protein powder  (you want an organic protein powder and not all are)
  • 2 inch piece of ginger (peeled if not organic)
  • 2 cups of leafy greens (kale, collards, romaine, spinach, chard, etc.)
  • 1 cup of celery
  • 1 cup of mixed frozen berries of your choice (strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, etc)
  • ½ cup filtered water
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend for 1 min or until smooth
  2. Serve immediately or store in airtight container for up to 1 day
Notes
***Please choose all organic ingredients if possible***

Chipotle Diet Plan

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.

chipotle bowlMY 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.  

chipotle-chicken-salad_0

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

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

strategy

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.

 

Plateau Diet Weekend

Since my thyroid issues, I need to drop a couple of pounds.  Despite exercise and eating well, when your thyroid is out of whack, so is your weight.  (Some of you might need it after Valentine’s Day!)

Diet_Plateau_cartoon

Today/Tomorrow Plateau Menu:

Morning:  Egg, spinach, 1/2 grapefruit

Snack:  Liquid protein drink

Lunch: Salad with fish (tuna for me) and 1/2 grapefruit

Snack:  Liquid protein

Dinner:  Salad and fish or chicken and 1/2 grapefruit

Snack:  Liquid protein

By the end of the two or three days (depends on how the scale looks), I could lose about 2-3 pounds. This plateau breaker works…done it before. Every diet hits a plateau.  It is temporary and you just make the best fo it.

Drink lots of water, take potassium and take a multi vitamin supplement.

If you can exercise, that is a bonus!

 

 

Is Your Thyroid Making You Fat?

For about three-quarters of a year now, I have been having low energy and battling keeping my weight from going up.  I have managed to keep it down to a 21 BMI, but I want to get back to 19.  I have eaten correctly, I have exercised a lot, and I am so frustrated and pissed off because I work hard daily to have better conrol on the numbers.  I finally saw my doctor and it was my thyroid.

thyroid def

I have been on medication for my thyroid for years and it my body was now needing a change.  My tests came back showing I need  I have been battling new numbers and weeks of waiting for the medications to kick in and balance.  It has been a real hassle and hard because I have to be even more careful to eat closer to 50g of carbs per day.  And it is hard to exercise when you feel like you could just lay down and die.

thyroid-weightgain

I started to lose weight easily when my medication kicked in, but it adjusted again and now it is hard again until my new medication arrives in the mail, that is if my insurance company can finally send it to me!

My point: If you are following the rules and you are still having trouble with your weight, get your thyroid checked out. And don’t let them do just one test, which could show nothing. Ask for the whole shebang.

The experts at About.com Thyroid page say:

“Many practitioners believe that for thyroid patients who want to lose weight, the first step is to optimize — not just normalize — your thyroid treatment. What is considered “optimal?” Not only are TSH, Free T4 and Free T3 levels considered important, but Reverse T3, ferritin, leptin, and other issues come into play in terms of optimal thyroid treatment.”

http://thyroid.about.com/od/loseweightsuccessfully/a/Help-Thyroid-Diet-Lose-Weight-Loss.htm

Thyroid-symptons

So, ask for this.  See your doctor and ask.  It will be easier to control weight if your body is your friend and not your enemy!

Recommended Fruits for a Low-Carb DIet

Two small servings of fruit per day with your six small protein portions and four small servings of vegetables per day.  Try to stick to lower sugar fruits.

(basically a small serving isfruit about 1/2 a cup of the lower sugar items and 1/4 a cup of the higher sugar items or half of a banana.)

Fruits Lowest in Sugar

Fruits Low to Medium in Sugar

Fruits Fairly High in Sugar

Fruits Very High in Sugar

Do Not Date!

I know this lovely woman, she works at a store that I go to on Fridays and we have talked.  She said she wanted to lose weight, so I shared my diet with her.  I saw her a couple of weeks later and she told me that she didn’t lose any weight.  I told her she wasn’t following the rules.  She declared that she was, but then pulled a bag of dates out of her pocket and said that she eats them throughout the day.

fattening

DATES ARE NOT ON THE DIET and NOT PART OF THE RULES.  One date is about 18g of carbs EACH!  Imagine if she is eating 10 a day!  That is 180g of carbs.  Dates have good vitamins in them, but they are also HIGH in sugar.

You have to follow the rules.

  • You can have 6 proteins a day (low-carb, and watch how many carbs are in each one because you should not have more than 50-100g per day).  This means eggs, meat (including bacon and sausage), low-fat cheese, low-carb yogurt or cottage cheese, no sugar added and measured out ice cream, measured-out nuts (look on the side of the jar for carb info–but be careful to not have too many because nuts have carbs), protein bars that are low-carb, like Power Crunch bars or have some carbs, but are high in fiber, like Quest bars (all of these are available online at places like Vitacost.com or you can get them at Smart and Final.
  • You can have fruit, but measured out to a small portion of fruit, twice a day.  Some fruits are higher in carbs than others.  Berries and citrus are the lowest.  Bananas are high.
  • You can have four small servings of vegetables, but not starchy ones.  If you choose to do carrots, it has to be a very small serving.  I stay away from potatoes when I want to lose weight and basically most of the time.  I only indulge in a potato skin here and there if my weight is stable and I am good with my carbs all day.
  • Two small salads a day.  (You can put your vegetable servings in and even protein portions to make the salad a filling experience).
  • No dried fruits (NO DATES)
  • If you put milk in your coffee, it counts as protein.  I do half and half or powdered cream instead.
  • Adding sugar or honey adds calories.  Don’t do it.
  • If you have a hankering for chocolate, you can do a piece of low-carb or get chocolate low-carb chocolate protein products that you see at Lindora.com, Carbessentials.net or Netrition.com, etc.  There are crackers, bars, puddings, hot chocolate, etc.  This place has the best Belgium low-sugar and carb chocolate on the market.  http://www.amberlynchocolates.com/

So no dates, and just follow the rules! And for Pete’s sake, if you don’t always have access to a computer to look up carbs, or you don’t look at the bag that the item comes in, then get this book and carry it with you!  http://www.amazon.com/CalorieKing-Calorie-Carbohydrate-Counter-2012/dp/1930448368