Continue reading »]]> This stir fry is a sure-fire way to add colorful, delicious veggies to your meal!   It’s made with chicken broth rather than oil so it’s both healthy and delicious!

Continue reading »]]> Make fresh, healthy jam in minutes by using chia seeds. Chia seeds, in addition to being a great source of Omega-3, absorb a crazy amount of liquid, forming a jelly consistency. This trait can be employed to make jam without any cooking at all! Simply mix with fruit and sweetener and enjoy.

Raw Blackberry Chia Jam 
(Saw this on Pinterest)

Ingredients:

1 cup blackberries
1/2 cup chia seeds
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup honey
3 Tbs lemon juice

Directions:

Mash berries
Mix in all ingredients
Cover in plastic and set in refrigerator at least 30 minutes

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15 eggs (for silicone muffin pans, use 12 eggs for metal muffin tins. You can use less egg yolks and more egg white if you prefer.)
1-2 tsp. Spike Seasoning (optional, if you have food allergies or don’t have Spike, use any type of seasoning blend that’s good with eggs.)
1-2 cups grated low-fat cheese (I like sharp cheddar or a blend of cheddar/Jack cheese, use less cheese if using meat)
Optional, but highly recommended, 3 green onions diced small.
Optional: chopped veggies such as blanched broccoli, red pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, etc. (Using veggies will reduce the fat content)
Optional: diced Canadian bacon, lean ham, or crumbled cooked turkey sausage

Preheat oven to 375 F. Use regular or silicone muffin pan, 12 muffin size. If using silicone pan, spray with nonstick spray. If using regular muffin pan, put two paper liners into each slot, then spray liner with nonstick spray.

In the bottom of the muffin cups layer diced meat, if using, vegetables, if using, cheese and green onions. You want the muffin cups to be about 2/3 full, with just enough room to pour a little egg around the other ingredients. Break eggs into large measuring bowl with pour spout, add Spike, and beat well. (I used to add a bit of half and half or milk, but lately I like the way they turn out without it.) Pour egg into each muffin cup until it is 3/4 full. I like to stir slightly with a fork. Bake 25-35 minutes until muffins have risen and are slightly browned and set.

Muffins will keep more than a week in the refrigerator without freezing. Egg muffins can be frozen and reheated, but I like them best when they’re just refrigerated. For best results, thaw in refrigerator before reheating. Microwave on high about 2 minutes to reheat.

This recipe from KalynsKitchen.com

Continue reading »]]> It’s big news!   For the first time in about thirteen years, the FDA has approved a new weight loss drug, Belviq.    It will be prescribed only for people whose BMI has reached the “obese” category or people whose BMI is in the “overweight” category and who have at least one weight related health problem such as diabetes.

According to a press release from Belviq manufacturer, Arena Pharmaceuticals, the efficacy of Belviq was proven by “Three double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials demonstrated that BELVIQ along with diet and exercise was more effective than diet and exercise alone at helping patients lose 5% or more of their body weight after one year and managing the weight loss for up to two years.”

Wait a minute…5%?   At 300 pounds, that would be a loss of 15 pounds.  I’m not sure that is really all that significant–particularly in light of the list of possible side effects.   According to the same press release, these include: .

• Changes in Attention or Memory: Problems with thinking, sleepiness, confusion, and fatigue have been reported in patients taking BELVIQ.
• Patients taking BELVIQ should not drive a car or operate heavy machinery until they know how BELVIQ affects them.
• Mental Problems: Taking BELVIQ at higher than the recommended dose may cause psychiatric problems such as: hallucinations, feeling high or in a very good mood (euphoria), feelings of standing next to yourself or out of your body (disassociation). The recommended dose of 10 mg twice daily should not be exceeded. Patients should be monitored for the development or worsening of depression, suicidal thoughts or behaviors, and/or any changes in mood. BELVIQ should be discontinued if patients develop suicidal thoughts or behaviors.
• Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia): Weight loss can cause low blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus who are on medicines to treat it such as metformin, insulin, or sulfonylureas. Blood sugar levels should be monitored for patients who take BELVIQ. Changes to medicines may be needed if low blood sugar develops.
• Painful Erections (Priapism): If patients taking BELVIQ experience an erection lasting more than 4 hours, whether it is painful or not, they should stop using BELVIQ and call their doctor or go to the nearest emergency room right away. BELVIQ should be taken with caution by men who have conditions that might predispose them to priapism (e.g., sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma, or leukemia), or in men with a deformed penis. Patients should tell their doctor if they take medicines used to treat erectile dysfunction.
• Slow Heartbeat: BELVIQ may cause a slow heartbeat. Patients taking BELVIQ should tell their doctor if they have a history of a slow heartbeat or heart block.
• Decreases in Blood Cell Count: BELVIQ may cause decreases in red or white blood cell count. A doctor may do tests to check a patient’s blood cell count during treatment with BELVIQ.
• Increase in Prolactin: BELVIQ may increase the amount of a hormone the body makes, called prolactin. Patients taking BELVIQ should tell their doctor if their breasts begin to make milk or have a milky discharge or if their breasts begin to increase in size.
• Increased Pressure in the Arteries of the Lung (Pulmonary Hypertension): Certain weight loss drugs have been associated with the rare but life-threatening side effect of increased pressure in the arteries of the lung. It is unknown if BELVIQ increases the risk for this condition.
• Serotonin Syndrome or Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS)-like Reactions: BELVIQ and certain medicines for depression, migraine, the common cold, and mood, anxiety, psychotic or thought disorders or other medical problems may affect each other causing serious or life-threatening side effects. Patients should tell their doctor if they are taking medicines to treat any of these conditions such as: triptans, tricyclics, lithium, selective serotonin uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), selective serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), or antipsychotics; linezolid, an antibiotic; tramadol; dextromethorphan, an over-the-counter medicine used to treat the common cold or cough; over-the-counter supplements such as tryptophan or St. John’s Wort. BELVIQ and these medicines should be discontinued immediately and symptomatic treatment measures should be initiated if patients taking BELVIQ and these other medicines experience any of the following: mental changes such as agitation, hallucinations, confusion, or other changes in mental status; coordination problems, uncontrolled muscle spasms, or muscle twitching (overactive reflexes); restlessness; racing or fast heartbeat, high or low blood pressure; sweating or fever; nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea; or muscle rigidity (stiff muscles).
• Valvular Heart Disease: Certain weight loss drugs have been associated with problems with the valves in the heart. Patients taking BELVIQ who have trouble breathing, swelling of the arms, legs, ankles, or feet, dizziness, fatigue, or weakness that will not go away, or fast or irregular heartbeat should call their doctor right away. Before taking BELVIQ, patients should tell their doctor if they have or had heart problems including congestive heart failure, or heart valve problems. Patients should not take BELVIQ in combination with drugs that have been associated with valvular heart disease (such as cabergoline). Patients who develop signs and symptoms of valvular heart disease while taking BELVIQ should be evaluated and discontinuation of BELVIQ should be considered by their doctor
• Most Common Adverse Reactions In Non-Diabetic Patients: Headache, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, dry mouth, and constipation.
• Most Common Adverse Reactions in Diabetic Patients: Hypoglycemia, headache, back pain, cough, and fatigue.
• Response to BELVIQ should be evaluated at 12 weeks of treatment to determine if therapy should be discontinued.

Continue reading »]]> Sometimes you just have to have a Margarita!  It is summer after all!                                             

Recipe:
1 can of Sprite Zero (or any diet lemon-lime soda)
Juice of one lime (approx. 2Tbsp)
1 On the Go Packet of Crystal Light Lemonade or any single serving diet powdered drink mix flavor
1 oz. tequila

Enjoy!

(But don’t have too many–the tequila calories will add up!  And don’t drink and drive!)

Continue reading »]]> During the summer, when the heat is high and locally grown veggies are in abundance, nothing is a more refreshing and nutritious lunch than gazpacho!   It’s easy to make with your food processor, extremely low-calorie and delicious!

You will need…

• 6 medium firm ripe tomatoes, stemmed and peeled                        
• 1 medium onion
• 2 medium cucumbers, peeled and seeded
• 2 medium green bell peppers, cored and seeded
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups tomato juice
• 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon of tabasco sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 small garlic cloves, peeled  (optional)
• 2 teaspoons salt (optional)

Using a food processor, feed sections of the cucumbers into the feed tube using the slicing disc.   Use medium pressure and then transfer to a mixing bowl.

Use the metal blade and put the onion into the work bowl of your food processor.   Pulse approximately 6 times to chop it medium fine and then transfer the onion to the mixing bowl with the cucumbers

Put slices of the pepper in the work bowl and pulse approximately 3 times.   Scrape the bowl and pulse again, making sure that it is chopped medium fine.   Then add it to the cucumbers and onions.

Put two tomatoes in the processor and pulse to chop them coarsely.   Then put another three tomatoes in the processor and do the same.   Add to the other veggies.

Take the final tomato and put it in the processor along with the garlic.   Process for about two minutes to create a puree.   Add to the mixing bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients to the mixing bowl.   Stir well, making sure all ingredients are well mixed together.   Cover the bowl and chill well.   Taste before serving to adjust any seasonings.

Continue reading »]]> This is probably one of the most embarrassing posts I will ever write.   Obviously, I’ve been taking a little time off from blogging, but I’ve also taken quite a lot of time off of dieting, exercise and anything remotely healthy for me.   I’ve let the pounds creep back on and am pretty angry with myself!   I gave myself a good talking to and decided that the first thing to do is get back to blogging–which would hopefully motivate me to get with it on diet and exercise!

During my time of being a lazy slug, I became obsessed with Pinterest.  Yes, I know…should have gone to yoga instead.   However, while checking out all kinds of beautiful fashions that I felt too fat to even try on, I noticed a post by Jennifer Williams about her terrific business and the amazing body wraps that she sells.   Jennifer claimed that by wrapping myself I could lose inches off my waist in just 45 minutes.

Before and After Body Wrap

Given that I’ve tried so many things that are total scams, the scam detector in my brain started screaming!   The pictures that she posted looked good but I couldn’t imagine how an all-natural product could possibly make me lose inches in that short time frame.   Besides, I told myself, those pictures probably aren’t even the same people!

I wrote Jennifer, told her about this blog site and asked if she would be willing to send me a free wrap that I could try out and then blog about the results.   She immediately called me and was one of the most bubbly, positive people I’ve talked to in a very long time.   Her enthusiasm is absolutely infectious and by the time our conversation ended, I was actually feeling hopeful that the product might be as good as she claimed.    But the “proof is in the pudding” so to speak, and I’ve definitely been eating too much pudding.   If you are what you eat, my stomach had taken on a definitively pudding-like texture.

A couple of days later, Jennifer’s package arrived.   It included one body wrap, a brochure about the It Works! company and samples of one of of their nutritional products called Greens.  With trepidation, I tried the Greens .   When mixed with water, Greens gives you the complete nutrition of the eight daily recommended servings of fruits and vegetables.   It helps to detox the body and alcalyze acids.   Surprisingly, once I got past the green color, it tasted fine–kind of like  watered down Tang.  Well, that is a step up from any green liquids I’d tried up to this point.    I’ve noticed in the past couple of weeks that as a result of neutralizing acids, my problems with acid reflux have improved drastically.

Then came the true test, the Ultimate Body Wrap.   It is a simple cloth wrap that has an all-natural botanically based formula lotion infused on one side.   I took my measurements and sure did not like the number!    It was easy to use… unwrap it, place it on the area you want to wrap (it can be used on stomach, sides, legs, back, arms and even chin and neck!).   Then, I did the finishing touch and wrapped myself in Saran wrap, put on a pair of sweats and lounged around reading a good book for 45 minutes.   It felt great.   There was a pleasant tingling sensation on my skin and it smelled nice.  It just seemed too easy!   How on earth could it possibly do anything?

After my 45 minutes were up, I cut the Saran wrap and got out the measuring tape.   I had no expectation of success.   However, I had lost an inch and a half!   I was glad that I’d taken a picture before.   Then I took an afterward picture and found that there was even a visible difference.  I kept watching and measuring and after 72 hours, it was two inches of loss.   I became very excited and ordered more of them.   Again, my expectation was that after the first one, there wouldn’t be a great deal of success.   I forgot to measure on the second one but I did wrangle more photos with my Iphone and again, it was visible.

It’s embarrassing but I am posting the results photos here for all to see.   No, the photos were not touched up.   Yes, all the pictures are of my “ginormous” belly.   Yes, all the photos were taken by me by holding my Iphone out away from my stomach.   The difference in skin tone is pretty much from the differences in lighting and what I was wearing and how difficult my phone camera wanted to be that particular day.    Embarrassing but true results.   Wow!   I can’t believe“It Works!”

My Results from three wraps….and I’m not planning on stopping here!   Now that I have a kick-start, I’m back to trying to develop more healthy habits!

Results--before 1st wrap to 48 hours after

Results of the second wrap

Results of the third wrap--what a difference from the beginning!

As you can see, this product made a huge difference for me!  .   If you’re interested in learning more, click here!

Continue reading »]]> Chia is an edible seed that comes from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family that grows abundantly in southern Mexico. It is a super food that have been shown to suppress appetites while providing protein, calcium, and omega-3s. Try adding  ground chia seed meal to your oatmeal, shake or smoothie for a longer fuller feeling.

Benefits:

-Lose Weight Without Starving
-Cuts craving
-Balances blood sugar
-Adds age-defying anti-oxidants
-Increases energy
-Healthy omega-3 fatty acids (more than flax seeds)
-Heart Health
-Relief From Rheumatoid Arthritis
Reduces Menopause Symptoms

Continue reading »]]> Weight Loss Network Review of:   I Can Make You Thin: The Revolutionary System Used by More Than 3 Million People (Book and CD)
Paul McKenna’s book, I Can Make You Thin initially appealed to me for two reasons.  Number one was that it was a thin book and wouldn’t take long to read. (Hey, I’ve always admitted to being lazy!)   Secondly, it had appeal because it also included a CD for guided meditation.

Quite some time ago, I had a weight-loss CD that helped me lose weight which stayed off for years!  Unfortunately, during those years that I didn’t need it, I lost the CD and now can’t remember the name of it.   As a result, I have tested out many weight loss meditation CD’s that didn’t work very well.   I skipped ahead and tried McKenna’s CD at bedtime that day even before reading the book.

At first, I was put off by McKenna’s voice and accent.   Actually, for some reason it struck me as funny.   His voice has a bit of a growl at times so I lay in bed smiling for a little while….but pretty soon I was relaxing.   I woke up the next morning and I can’t tell you what was said after a certain point!   I listened for about five nights with pretty much the same result…snore!  However, I DID start noticing some differences in myself.   The desire to snack out of boredom seemed to have lessened.  I actually got on the treadmill a couple of times.  Hmm…    I kept it up, still being too lazy to pick up the book.   After a week, I stepped on the scale and I’d lost two pounds without really doing anything.   Another hmm…

Now that I’ve finally read the book, I found that McKenna advises not to get on the scale for a certain period of time.   Oops!   Too late.  The horse is already out of the barn on that one for me.   However, the purpose of this site is so that others can learn from my errors and won’t make the same mistakes!

There are four “golden rules” to McKenna’s diet plan:

• When you are hungry, EAT.
• Eat what you want, not what you think you should.
• Eat consciously and enjoy every mouthful.
• When you think you are full, stop eating.

McKenna explains his premise on each of these and how to go about them properly.    It’s not rocket science, he’s teaching moderation.  But somehow, his system seems to make it easier to be moderate.   Additionally, he adds a “hunger scale” to the plan to help dieters understand their limits, when it is important to eat and how much they should eat.  The hunger scale ranges from number one being so hungry that you are physically faint to number ten having eaten so much that you are nauseous.

All in all, I would recommend trying this system.   It’s inexpensive ($14.99 on Amazon.com) to buy the book/CD set, you don’t have to resist eating foods you enjoy and replace them with foods that you dislike, as well as setting you up with good future habits.   If you wish, you can buy the book here…