Happy New Year and Resolutions

Posted on January 2, 2015 by therapysoup

Many of you are thinking about making a change for the new year. Lifestyle changes are hard, but they have to be seen as something to do and learn ways to like them and stay with them. Diets don’t work. You have to change your relationship with food before you change your food

I now see food as nourishing, not for comfort, as I used to see it. I eat six small proteins a day, two small fruit portions a day and four small vegetable servings a day. I also have two small salads per day. I eat about every three to four hours. I always carry low-carb protein bars in my purse, in case it is time to eat and the only food that I am around Is fattening and unhealthy. The worst thing for your weight control is to allow yourself to get too hungry, go too long without eating (and slow down your metabolism), and not drink enough fluids throughout the day,

Supplements are important too. I found that most people who seem to have weight issues, either are eating too many carbs, earring too much and large portions, not drinking enough water, eating too much wheat or gluten, low on thyroid hormone, and low in Vitamin D or Iron. It is important for you to ask your doctor for a check up blood test for vitamin deficiencies and make sure that your weight issues are not hormone or not vitamin or mineral related.

Sorry, but exercise is key too. I am writing this blog right now while on my IPad, atop of my elliptical. Multitasking makes it easier for me to exercise. Everyone is different. Some father go to the gym or walk with a group. I go to group Pilates and yoga, but it prefer the elliptical at home, while I multitask. Find a way to move that you enjoy doing, and you will be way more successful at exercising consistently.

I was very busy with a new job and then I hurt my back. So, I kept up with some Pilates, but I am now back on the elliptical and my plan is to work in a schedule during each week….and I am getting in my elliptical right now too! The idea is that you have to keep trying. Exercise is about the journey, you will arrive at your destination whether you go slowly or quickly. Just keep at it.

Welcome to the year of the Green Wooden Sheep. It is a year of prosperity and Well Being. Go forth and lose weight, get in shape and look and feel great! Start moving and read my blog from the beginning about the rules to lose weight and keep it off. It has been 3 years for me now since I lost the weight. It can be done!

Thanksgiving Does Not Have to Ruin Your Diet or Have You Gain Weight

Posted on November 21, 2014 by therapysoup

This is a re-post of my talk about Thanksgiving meals.

I have talked to many people about Thanksgiving food. I am not sure how it came to be that a holiday designed to give thanks and spend time with relatives–has now somehow turned into a carbolicious food fest.

A few years ago, I went to my husband’s cousin’s house for Thanksgiving. I had a tough time finding something decent to eat. The turkey was ok, but there was no salad. There were green beans, but they were smothered in horrible bad GMO Velveeta cheese and not some kind of low-fat bovine growth hormone-free cheese. And there were those horrible processed onion things were on top. There was white bread in unhealthy fattening stuffing, cranberry sauce (sugar fest), white GMO dinner rolls, margarine (where is the organic butter?) and nasty box-made mashed potatoes. No wonder people get fat. Then, there is pie! One small slice of pumpkin pie alone is 300 calories. I think the average amount of calories eaten at Thanksgiving dinner tops 1500, easy.

AND DON’T GET ME STARTED ON THE SUPER-SIZED PORTIONS THAT PEOPLE SERVE THEMSELVES, AND MORE THAN ONE!

Here is what most of the portions looked like at the cousin’s house (throw in a non-nutritious dinner roll):

Next is the proper size of a “Traditional Thanksgiving Meal–made in a more healthy way–and the right measured out portions. At least if you eat this, you will not gain a lot of weight. (4 ounces of protein and keep in mind, only 50-100g of carbs per day. More on the veggies, less on the stuffing and potatoes. In this picture–turkey, a touch of stuffing with mushrooms, just a splash of cranberries (not the canned stuff), and a serving of veggies. Perfect!

It takes 30 minutes of running fast for 3 miles to burn 300 calories, and about an hour to do fast walking to lose 300 calories. You would have to walk for 5 hours to burn off that dinner. It could take many days of exercise to burn off that meal.

What I had for Thanksgiving:

For breakfast, I had a Western Bagel Perfect 10 low carb bagel with egg and cheese on it.

I made turkey meatballs and sauce with spaghetti squash for lunch.

For dinner, my husband and I had the sliced turkey breast that we bought the day before. We had a little gravy and had some great grilled asparagus and baby broccoli, with a great salad with cheese. A nice normal sized portion too.

And my snacks in between were nuts and a protein bar.

For after-dinner dessert, I had low carb ice cream.

I was full, satisfied and happy. I didn’t gain a pound. I will do something similar for Christmas.

If I am stuck at a person’s house again:

I will either eat before I get there and just have some turkey.

I also could ask the host in advance if there are going to be vegetables and salad, and if not, I will bring my own.

**I have NO qualms or embarrassment that I have to eat a certain way. If you are embarrassed, you can just say it is for “doctor’s orders for more greens.”**

You should never have to gain weight or make yourself sick with wheat products, gluten or excessive carbs to make others feel comfortable.

If someone gets their panties in a twist over it, they either do NOT give a damn about you and your quest to be skinny, of they feel guilty because they wish THEY could go on a proper diet and they are either too stubborn, too carb-addicted or afraid to rock the boat in their relationships.

Any way you look at it, YOU have to take care of YOU! There is a good chance that you gained weight because you have trouble saying NO! Learn healthy boundaries for your own happiness and stop worrying about others.

There are always food saboteurs out there. Like the man in my Pilates class, who is thin and brings the class (who are there to get in shape) brownies or chocolate cake. I think he gets some sick, twisted enjoyment out of watching them eat his stuff. He never knows what to do with me, because, I always tell him, “No thank you. I don’t eat sugar anymore.” And the fact that he still asks me, shows how manipulative he is!

What if the problem is your cravings cause the problem with eating fattening things?

Yes, it is hard to get over cravings, but it is possible. I did it! Takes a few weeks, but you have to stick to it and find healthy alternatives (I write about that all of the time in my blog, just do a search).

If someone is having onion rings, I sometimes will allow myself to eat ONE, then I am done. Fried food with breaded batter=unhealthy and fattening.

You have to learn this and get over what McDonalds got you addicted to eating. Those carbs are killing America-and you and me. We have to take charge of our bodies, our mouths and our lives. Eating potato starch, pie sugars, fatty cheese, white breaded stuffing carbs and sugars–even once or twice a year is not showing respect for your body. Even ONE cheat is do-able, but it is nothing but bad food city all the way through on this crazy holiday food fest.

Stressed Spelled Backwards is Desserts!

Posted on October 11, 2014 by therapysoup

Sorry, I have been remiss in my blog writing. Life has a way of getting in the way of things you love to do. I have had another “diagnosis” of another medical issue (not related to weight) and I have been a bit bummed out. And what happens when you are stressed or sad? Cravings. Luckily, they haven’t been too bad and I have stuck to the usual nuts and cheese snacks…but still now and then you need something tasty.

So, I found some GREAT low-carb ice cream bars. They have anywhere from 11g to 13g of carbs per bar and they are delicious.

Carb Smart has a line of ice cream and ice cream bars of all different types.

Here is my favorite Carb Smart bar and I found them at my local grocery store, Fresh and Easy and Smart and Final. They are also at Wal-Mart (and they do melt if they not in the refrigerator).

I also discovered that another brand makes low-carb ice cream bars and sandwiches: Bluebunny.com. They have a WHOLE line of low-carb products!

They have a locator: http://www.bluebunny.com/About/Locator.aspx

So, you can have ice cream, it is “measured out” through being in a bar and you can’t overdo it. And it has chocolate bits on it–and some have nuts! And it is low-carb! You can’t beat it!

Getting Started In Exercise To Lose Weight Doesn’t Have to be so Hard!

Posted on August 18, 2014 by therapysoup

If you want to lose weight, besides following the rules on the diet, you also have to exercise. In the past, I gave up exercise throughout some jobs or even through college because I was “too busy.” Busy was true, but also an excuse. By NOT exercising, I got into a bad habit cycle.

Working too much and picking wrong food LEADS to exhaustion

Exhaustion LEADS to NOT exercising.

NOT exercising LEADS to weight gain

Weight Gain leads to illness.

Illness LEADS to not feeling good enough to exercise

And continued NO exercise leads to depression and more poor food choices and perhaps more illness.

Ya, exercise bores you, but not if you find something you like. I actually like the things I do now. What is worse? Feeling like and looking like crap?

FEELING TOO CRAPPY TO EXERCISE!

Look guys. I have Hypothyroidism and Fibromyalgia. At one time, I let all of that happen to me and I fell apart and got fat too. I had to SLOWLY start moving and changing my diet and moving eventually led me to major changes. It took awhile, but ever heard of the story of the Tortoise and the Hare?

No matter how slow you are, you will eventually get to the finish line and there is no race here, so stop worrying about your speed!

The moral of all this! Don’t stop exercising and if you don’t exercise, then start now. Even if you can find 15 minutes in a break to walk or take stairs, you have to do it every day.

If you are already overweight, ill, exhausted or out of shape, then you have to START to exercise. Don’t be afraid! Take baby steps and build up your ability.

Here is a Harvard chart, which shows how many calories can be burned throughout each type of exercise: http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Calories-burned-in-30-minutes-of-leisure-and-routine-activities.htm

Some ideas for starting exercise for those completely out of shape:

1. Find something you LIKE to do. Get an exercise DVD, Zumba, Pilates, Dance, Yoga or anything that interests you. Do it at home.

2. Find a friend to join you either at home, at a gym or on a walk or hike. This walk can start off small and you can work your time and intensity up. Even if you can do 15 minutes to start out, that is a feat! Always stretch first to risk soreness and injury. Drink plenty of water before and after whatever you do.

3. Reward your movement with some new workout clothes or shoes.

4. Get some great new tunes and an Mp3 player to listen to while you move.

5. Walk your dog! Walk your neighbor’s dog! He or she will lose some weight too.

6. I personally do really well if I go over my email and Facebook on my IPAD, while I am on the elliptical. Kills two birds with one stone!!

7. Attend picked out classes at a local gym or small exercise studio of classes you might enjoy and put it in your calendar to attend every week like it is a set work time! I have yoga and Pilates classes weekly and I never miss them unless I am sick. I have it down as part of my schedule. And no matter how busy I am, Tues at 6:45, Wed at 5:30, Friday at 5:30 and Sunday at 10am are booked out and I HAVE to go. It makes me feel obliged and bad if I missed out on it. I consider them as MY JOB. You don’t miss your job!

8. You have to take baby steps, but you continue to take bigger steps, but the goal is CONSISTENCY. You know you can be consistent if you want to do it. The question is…do you want to lose weight and be toned looking? Then, you HAVE to exercise.

And remember: There was a study. Sitting kills, not just obesity! http://time.com/8773/now-theres-another-reason-sitting-will-kill-you/

SO GET UP AND MOVE!

you might have a weight problem because of too much yeast in your gut

Posted on May 19, 2014 by therapysoup

YES, your weight problem could be a sign of yeast overgrowth. You are wondering, “What are you talking about, Skinny-Rules?” Well, when your intestinal flora is out of whack, due to any of the following:

antibiotic use

eating too much sugar

taking steroids

use of birth control pills and/or pregnancy (too much estrogen)

then you are more likely to have yeast (candida) overgrowth in your intestinal tract. Sometimes you see you are sick with it by looking at your tongue or your poop. White stuff on either is a sign!

I had unexplained canker sores as a baby and all throughout my life, gooey itchy skin eruptions, deep pits in my nails, psoriasis, irritable bowel syndrome, gas, bloating, stomach pain, and the white tongue. I took many over the counter medications for the issues, but never was given anything to stop it or address the problem. No doctor understood yeast as an issue for the body and never helped me. Even today, most M.D.s do not seem to understand anything not related to pharmaceuticals. It was non-traditional medicine and doctors who helped me.

I have a friend who has been having problems. I have been telling her for ages that her weight loss problem and health have been compromised by yeast overgrowth and I could see some on her tongue. I think she didn’t really believe it until she had a colonic the other day and the person administering it (a colonosist?) told her that a clump of yeast passed out of her! Yuck. Could this be you?

CANDIDA OVERGROWTH CAN BE A WEIGHT LOSS BARRIER:

Candida overgrowth can be a significant barrier to weight loss. Candida is a naturally occurring yeast in the intestinal tract, and is necessary for healthy digestion. However, when Candida overgrowth occurs, it can create problems, intestinally (bloat, gas, pain) and fatigue, headaches, brain fog and so on.

Yeast feeds or grows off sugar – it actually LOVES sugar. Therefore, a person who has yeast overgrowth is going to crave sugars and carbs, therefore YOU will be craving sugar and carbs.

Part of the dilemma is that the sugar/ carb phenomenon is a catch-22. Yeast feeds off sugar, so a diet high in sugars and carbs will perpetuate Candida overgrowth; and yet Candida overgrowth will set of cravings for more sugars and carbs. This leads to a vicious circle or cycle.

Yeast will crave not only sugar, and alcohol (breaks down to sugar). I know many individuals who crave wine or beer – not because they have a drinking problem – but because they have a yeast overgrowth and they’re predisposed to that because of it. High yeast foods like bread, vinegar and mushrooms can trigger it too. (You have to give these things and sugar up during a cleaning of Candida in the body).

Candida detox treatment (such as Candigone, available at vitamin stores) can often help curb cravings for sugars, carbs and alcohol, and these are three things that will be very helpful in maintaining a healthy weight. Also, treating yeast overgrowth can help reduce intestinal bloating which makes one more feel bigger, even if it’s not true body fat. Addressing yeast overgrowth will also boost energy levels making exercise something more appealing to do.

Candida overgrowth also compromises proper absorption of nutrients. It is associated with “leaky gut”, which means the gap between the intestinal cells widens. (I discovered I had leaky gut through a stool test, done by a homeopathic nurse.) I found out that I had this many years ago and I treated it and stopped eating sugar and many processed carbs. Leaky gut leads to nutrients not being well absorbed, as well as larger-than-normal food molecules escaping into the blood stream triggering immune reactions and inflammation. Hence: Illnesses like hypothyroidism and other autoimmune disorders. Then, weight problems become even more of a problem.

Addressing Candida overgrowth can be done through diet, although even the most rigid anti-Candida diets are rarely enough to eradicate the problem. The more balanced option is moderate dietary modifications, coupled with anti-fungal remedies, which can range from herbal medicines all the way through to prescription medicines, such as Diflucon. Many people find that once yeast overgrowth is addressed, cravings for sugars and carbs are reduced and weight loss is much easier.

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!

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!

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).

My Weight Loss Rules That Made Me Skinny and Kept me Skinny, and I EAT!

Posted on March 18, 2014 by therapysoup

So, if you want to lose weight, you have to choose to eat better. You have to make a difference, makes some sacrifices and make a lifestyle change because you have allowed food addiction to rule you and take over your body.

If you choose to lose, here are my rules. I am still a size 2 (down from a 10 or 12), two and a half years after I changed my ways, and you can be a lower size too. You are allowed 50-100 carbs a day. So, you have to count and you will get used to it.

Basically what I do: 6 meals a day, every two to three hours. You eat every 3-4 hours because you will get hungry and when you eat, then your metabolism will not slow down and burn off slowly. Believe it or not, eating this way makes your body BURN! You might even feel hot.

1. I basically have a meat and veg salad two times a day, lunch and dinner

2. I have two small fruit servings a day

3. I have an egg, and try to have it different most days and I might make an omelette and throw a piece of low fat cheese in it.

4. Spinach helps lower food cravings.

5. If you are hungry, drink something or have a small protein to tide you over, like low-fat baby bell cheese or some kind of low fat cheese or meat.

6. I eat three protein snacks a day and I vary it between something from Lindora.com, or a protein bar or shake.

7. Also, you can have nuts and seeds as a protein. You are better off with unsalted and you need to measure it out. For example, a measured cup of mixed nuts can be 30g of carbs. If you want to lose weight, that is like a third of your day’s carbs. So, have half a cup and a piece of cheese, but you are better off not eating an entire cup. Sunflower and sunflower seeds has a similar carb count at 28g for a full cup. (sugar is low, so you that is good)

1. Breakfast:

PROTEIN NUMBER ONE. I do an egg. If it makes you happy, have an egg with some bacon or turkey sausage by Jenny-O.

Have a piece of Fruit. You are better off with berries or citrus. So have half a grapefruit or some strawberries. Go ahead, spray whipped cream on it–no carbs or sugar.

Look at the portion size of fruit in the paperwork. I do half a banana, but I stick to the lowest in carbs–berries and citrus. Some fruits like Apples and Bananas are high in carbs/sugar.

2. Snack:

PROTEIN NUMBER TWO: A protein of your choice.

PROTEIN CHOICES: Eggs, cheese, turkey, chicken, sausage, hot dog, etc. You can do a yogurt, but you should try Greek Yogurt, tastes SO much better than regular yogurt and healthier too. Dannon lite and fit makes a GREEK YOGURT that is really good and low in carbs and sugar. Get the cherry or raspberry one. They use beatles for color in their strawberry and blueberry one and that makes me want to puke. There is low-fat Cottage Cheese too.

Another kind of protein you can do is a protein bar….pick one from the choices and the right size. Power Crunch bar, the chocolate one and the peanut butter one are two very good flavors. These taste like delicious wafer bars. There are more at Smart and Final, but these two are the best and Trader Joes prices are slightly better. The Trader Joe’s protein shakes in a can are really low in carbs (taste better cold). These are not the thickest shakes, so if you mix in some almond milk, that would be better.

You should try UNSWEETENED vanilla almond milk. LOW in sugar and carbs and really not bad at all. Healthier for you and better for a diet. It is in the refrigerated section near the milk in Trader Joes.

3. Lunch:

PROTEIN NUMBER THREE:

I have a protein, but I throw the protein in a salad and make it a big salad. You have to have salad twice a day.

There is a choice of two veggies (check portion size) to put in the salad if you want.

2 cups lettuce in that salad. I just do a good salad and I throw in

You can have a fruit serving. Check size.

4. Snack:

PROTEIN NUMBER FOUR:

A protein again. (see above)

5. Dinner:

PROTEIN NUMBER FIVE:

just like lunch. (see lunch)

6. Snack: A protein again.

PROTEIN NUMBER SIX:

I do a small Carbolite (now only at a few places like the yogurt store next to Ralphs on Ventura and Topanga and a few out-of-the-way places) or low sugar ice cream like Breyer’s has or Dreyers (usually says no sugar added). Just a cup of it. Measure and look at the serving size and carbs on the label. But, you have to look at how many carbs have added up to pick. Most proteins have no carbs. You can have another power crunch bar too.

Miscellaneous:

You can drink Splenda type soda, but get in 80 ounces of fluid a day!

Coffee: Non fat dairy creamer can be used and Splenda type sweetener

Non Fat salad dressing on salad, I use Trader Joe’s Ginger Soy Non fat and it is so good. Look at labels. Balsamic vinaigrette is good and low fat Ranch is usually good.

Take Potassium Glutonate and a multi vitamin daily.

Consider a multi B vitamin to keep your energy up! I get two B shots a week and weight often. You should weigh daily and see how it is going!

You can do a grain or bread instead of a protein, but only 3 times a week and look at the size. Instead of a protein, for example, you can do a slice of wheat toast. Oatmeal is only half a cup. Get bread that is low carb and high fiber. Dave’s Killer Bread at Pavillions and other places…you can look online. It is good and high in protein and a lot of fiber. Ezekiel bread at Trader Joes is one of the best. But, only two slices a week!! There are low-carb tortillas available at Trader Joes and Costco. There is a huge difference between a regular carb tortilla and low-carb tortilla. One is almost 40 carbs and one is under 10. Also, Western Bagel has low carb (10g) Perfect 10 bagels. They are tasty and such a great carb count! And they have protein too.

Restricted diet!!! But, it works and if you are eating about every 2-3 hours, you won’t die!

Spinach Curbs Appetite

Posted on March 14, 2014 by therapysoup

No wonder the plateau diet wants you to have spinach once a day. Spinach is an appetite suppressant, who knew?

The article that just came out on it is a medical article.

http://www.medicaldaily.com/reasons-why-you-should-eat-spinach-thylakoids-make-you-feel-more-full-regulate-blood-glucose-271079

According to a Swedish study, researchers have discovered that spinach contains thylakoid, a compound common in other green leaves that slows down food digestion. When prepared properly, spinach has the potential to be an appetite suppressant, with the effect of making people feel fuller and curbing over-eating. In addition to lower blood glucose levels, the thylakoids were able to suppress people’s appetites for longer, which could be useful for those who are trying to lose weight while battling constant hunger pangs.

So have it in an omelette, a smoothie or in a salad….but despite kale being a great source of iron, it is spinach that will curb your appetite and allow you to be more successful in a weight loss program.

Here is a recipe for a LOW CARB spinach smoothie. Most smoothie recipes call for a banana. Bananas spike blood sugar and are high in sugar and carbs (18g per medium banana). So, here is an alternative.
1 c. water
1 c. unsweetened vanilla hemp milk or unsweetened almond milk (Trader Joe’s has a great one in the refrigerator section)
1/2 mixed frozen berries (this is what helps give it the smoothie-like consistency and temperature, although I suppose you could leave it out to dip under 10 g. of carbs)
4 cups spinach leaves (or kale, chard, dandelion, mustard greens, etc.) I’ve read its best to switch out your greens each day, so I buy 2-3 at a time. Spinach has the mildest flavor, so you might want to ease into green smoothies with this first.
3 tsp. flax seeds
1 Tb. almond butter

Blend and serve! Should be more than enough to drink and share. Can replace a meal(out of six), salads and your fruit for the day. Should be about 17g of carbs if you drink the whole thing! It is less carbs if it is in a salad. There is about 1 carb per cup of spinach.

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Dr. Mercola’s Leptin Resistance Summary

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