Doing Better

Not counting the small bag of chips I've consumed the last two days, I've been doing relatively well with the water and food consumption.

I'm back on the L-glutamine, and hopefully that will soon recharge me. I still have cravings for the bad stuff, but self-discipline (other than with the chips) has saved me so far. Hopefully soon the cravings will stop all together.

Costco sells a huge skinless, boneless salmon fillet that could feed our whole family twice. It's wonderful to cook up with a little lemon juice and a sprinkle of non-salt seasoning, and it's healthy for us, too. I've been feasting on it a lot lately. Along with fresh organic carrots, cucumbers, and clementines. Non-fat yogurt has been a joy to eat as well. The key for me is to limit the carbs, and these past two days I've done not too badly with that challenge. Hopefully I can keep it up.

Keep reaching for the healthy options, everyone, and you'll reach your goal!!

Blessings,

Eileen

Where has my self-discipline gone?

Oh, I'm getting so frustrated with myself lately. Snacking, snacking, snacking, and not on anything good, either. That's me lately.

Has the chill of the winter sent me into no-no land?

I hope not, because the cold has only just begun.

I've had salmon with veges two times in the last three days to try and keep my meals low calorie at least. But that isn't enough. I really need to curb my cravings for the bad stuff. Tomorrow I'm getting back on the L-glutamine to help me with the willpower, and tomorrow I'm starting to log e v e r y s i n g l e thing that I put in my mouth. No more dilly-dallying. It's time for action, and that means it's time to get serious about making wise choices for my food consumption.

I pray all of you are meeting your goals, and that you're not struggling like I've been lately.

Blessings,

Eileen

The Ill bug caught me.

I have a stuffy nose, painful ears, scratchy throat, and feel warm, too. I'm not doing too well lately.

The older I get the longer these bugs seem to stay with me. It's very annoying. To top this woe off tomorrow I head over to diagnostic imaging for a thyroid biopsy that I've not been looking forward to. So, needless to say, I'm sorry I haven't posted for a couple weeks, but life has been a little difficult on me as of late.

Okay, what does all this have to do with weight control? Well, when I'm sick, and anxious, as the case may be, I tend to want comfort foods, and that includes gravies, pastas, buns, etc. Not good for the diet, trust me. My parents visited this weekend and what do I make them, gravy saturated pork and chicken on a bun. At least I included a tossed salad as something healthy in the meal. This kind of meal has been the norm as of late, so I really need to get back on track. More fish, and less drippings!

Okay, I'm going to promise to down eight servings of vegetables/fruit each day to help me get back on track regardless of this silly cold and anxiety woes. I'll try and report in here often. My hope is that intaking that much "Excellent" sources of food will help me shrink the intake of all the "comfort" foods I've been craving.

Till next time, I pray you all are succeeding with your own weight management.

Blessings,

Eileen

Thanksgiving Weekend -- The Aftermath

Oh, boy, I'm still dealing with an upset tummy, and it's not from the two bushels of concord grapes I juiced with my Dad, either, or the Turkey dinner we attempted to enjoy on Monday.

I was extremely stupid and ordered a Big Mac Meal from McDonalds on the way home on Sunday afternoon from my parent's place. We had stopped at a Tack Shop in Beamsville on route home, and then ducked into the nearby McDonalds for lunch. BIG MISTAKE!

Usually, when we make use of a fast food joint, I order the salad. Salads are good, and good for you! But this time, since I hadn't had my turkey dinner yet I decided I'd splurge. I should have taken my husband's disbelieving glance as a serious warning when I ordered. He knew it wasn't a good idea, bless his heart.

But I didn't listen, and so four days later I'm still suffering the consequences. Bloated and my tummy aches as though it is always overstuffed. I'll not be ordering anything but salads from fast food joints for a good long time from now, I promise.

I'm going to sound like a broken record, I know. But water does seems to be helping. Today, the ache isn't quite as bad, though the bloating is still present. What do you do to rid yourself of tummy aches brought on by stupid choices? Any suggestions?

Blessings,

Eileen

A Year of Success--I'm celebrating!

This is my first anniversary of serious weight management. YAHOO, I made it! So I know you can too!! Get serious, and join me in celebrating, please!

It was one year ago today that I made the very serious decision to take control of my expanding body and reign it in. I sought out a support group, and for the next 20weeks I consistently lost 2 lbs per week, achieving my goal weight on target. And I am so happy to be able to say that I've maintained that goal weight for the remaining seven months of this year. I've bounced a pound or two here and there, as I've divulged in this blog, but I've come to realize that's a part of life, and as long as I take steps to bring it back down before it gets out of control, then I feel confident that I can maintain my goal weight for the rest of my life.

What about you? Have you made the conscious decision to take control of the temple God gave you? Are you worth the energy to discover confidence and optimal health? If you don't believe it, I do. And I pray that you'll find the support, courage, dedication, and will-power to achieve your goals!

Here's to a second year for me of eating for Him, and here's to all of you seeking to do the same! Praise God for His Amazing Grace!

Blessings,

Eileen

Popcorn for those chilly winter nights.

What do you think?

Is popcorn a healthy snack that we weight-conscious people ought to enjoy? Especially while curled up under a cozy blanket as you enjoy a good flick on the tube. Picture the fireplace roaring in your peripheral vision to create a wonderful scene.

Why, of course it is. Just be sure to limit the butter/margarine, and eliminate the salt all together. Three cups of unsalted popcorn is the equivalent of one of your daily starch intakes. If you add a little butter or margarine, that's one of your fat intakes, too. So go ahead and enjoy this favorite movie snack without guilt, just prepare for it in your daily meal planning, so that it truly is guilt free.

I've downed one glass of water so far today. How about you?


Blessings,

Eileen

Training the mind to control the intake

Okay, this has been a rough week. What has happened to my self-control?

Hmmmmm...she found herself at the Wellesley Apple Butter and Cheese festival and discovered apple fritters, flan cakes topped with loads of whipped cream and saucy strawberries...that's where the self-control diminished.

And once you let your guard down like that, then it's a whole lot of trouble to rebuild the self-control department. It's like a downward rolling snowball after a dumping of beautiful packing snow. It spirals out of control and grows and grows. And I'm getting depressed just thinking about it.

So how do we regain discipline in the eating department? Well, for starters, I guess drinking loads of water to make you feel bloated would help some. So I'll be doing that as I make use of the ladies room OFTEN. Not baking goodies is another excellent idea. My kids won't be pleased, but this won't be the first time, so on with the job of being a Mom, not a friend. Maybe if I make creatures out of fruits and veges they'll pass as a 'good' after school snack, despite their lack of empty calories. Considering my situation, we'll have to go with that. Because I'm too weak yet for the old faithful self-control to protect me.

Okay, so the plan is extra water, and keep away from the 'bad' stuff. Out of sight, out of mind, out of stomach. Let's hope it works.

If you have a way of getting back on track, please do share!

Blessings,

Eileen

Orange Peppers, Yes, but Purple, too?

It seems that each year I'm introduced to some new food. I remember one year it was broccoflower, then purple cauliflower, and this year it's Purple Sweet Peppers. Only they taste more watery than sweet, in my opinion. Who comes up with these twists on the basic fruits and vege's, anyway?

I suspect it's all for presentation.

Either way, although the purple peppers haven't hit home with me, I certainly am enjoying the abundance of yellow, orange, and red sweet peppers. No dip required with these colourful, taste-pleasing vege's, and that's a good thing. Dips are sneaky. It's difficult to measure what you're consuming when you are just dipping into a non-measured container. Inevitably you take in way more dip than you had planned. Who can blame you? It's so rich and creamy. Right?

Well, to be safe, I say lose the dip. Enjoy the raw vege's in their simplicity, and get all the health benefits without the added calories.

Happy Munching Everyone!

Eileen

Water Reminder

Since it is after 2:00 here, and so far I haven't consumed even one glass of water, I thought I would post this reminder. (Okay, I just went and filled a cup so that I could drink it while posting. I knew I kept this blog for a reason!)

Seriously, though, I have noticed that I have much more success in losing excess weight, or with maintaining a healthy weight, if I drink at least six 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Ideally, you should try consuming eight full glasses of water a day, but for some of us that would have us living in our bathrooms, so six may be more reasonable. But, remember, if you are taking in more sodium than usual, you should be drinking even more water to flush the excess salt. So keep that in mind when you reach for the salt shaker, or open a can of soup. Sodium means DRINK MORE WATER! Personally, I prefer to cut back on the sodium, and not have to run to the restroom so often.

So fill those glasses, drink, and eat healthy, and let's get our bodies ready for the great outfits we'll be wearing at the approaching Christmas parties. (Christmas 2008 is only 94 days away. Did you know that?)





I'm on my second glass of water already. Are you?

Apple Harvest

I believe we planted our two apple trees five or six years ago, and this year is the first that we've gotten a true crop from either of them. Both trees were loaded with a variety of round, dimpled, mildly deformed, to yes, seriously ruined tart, cooking apples. But I was determined not to waste any of the unscathed morsels of fruit, even if it meant cutting around squiggly little worms fighting for what they deemed as their turf.

What I wasn't prepared for, however, were leaping, squirming earwigs that unexpectedly released themselves from their chosen juicy home and decided to investigate the surface of me. More than once those ugly black creatures with their u-shaped butt and too-active tentacles caused a most girlish high-pitched squeal to escape from the usually-calm me, along with a muscle-jarring jig that thankfully sent them flying back into the sink. Each time I managed to recover my wits quick enough to depress the garborator button immediately. But, still, with perseverance and added caution, I ventured forth to create my masterpieces of Apple Crisp to be enjoyed during the approaching winter months. There's a certain satisfaction in creating a well-loved dessert from the fruit that you first enjoyed as pale-pink blossoms on your trees. Climbing a ladder months later to retrieve the ripened fruit is an added bonus to the whole experience.

Initially, I tried two low-fat recipes, hence the two pans pictured here. The family unanimously decided that the lighter version was never to be made again. Just to prove their point, over a third of it was sent to the waste bin. "Too dry, too nothing," was their take on it.

Since the initial two taste-tester pans you see here, I've stocked my freezer with seven tin pans filled with the following Low Fat Apple Crisp recipe from our apple harvest so far this year. (I need a taller ladder to get to the remaining fruit.)


Low Fat Apple Crisp (From COOKS.COM)

7 c. sliced peeled apples
1/3 c. granulated sugar
2 tbsp. flour
2 tsp. cinnamon

Topping:

1 c. quick rolled oats
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. soft butter (I use cholesterol-free, low-fat margarine)

In 2 quart baking dish put apples on bottom. In small bowl combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Add to fruit and toss.

Topping: Combine oats, sugar and cinnamon. With 2 knives cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over fruit. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or microwave at high for 15 minutes. Serves 8. Enjoy hot with 1/2 cup low-fat vanilla ice cream for a special treat!


Happy Baking Everyone!

Blessings,

Eileen

Slow Cookers

The smell of my pork roast simmering in the crock pot sent me here. It occurred to me that slow cookers are not only time-savers, but they are also economical, in a monetary and calorie sense.

One concept of the slow cooker is to tenderize meats that usually come out tough from the conventional oven method of cooking. Those meat cuts are ones with minimal fat, and can also be the cheapest cuts.

Be sure not to add broths loaded with salt, though, while cooking your cheaper roasts. Instead, rely on a little water, home seasoned with garlic, pepper, grated celery, carrots and onions, and stick to your allotted portion of protein. Bulk up on the vegetables, and drink lots of water. Enjoy!

Oh, I'm loving the smell of my roast. This cooler weather is starting to feel welcome, after all.

Blessings,

Eileen

Buttermilk, where are you?

The need for buttermilk in my kitchen is rare. How about you?

I have a favorite recipe that calls for a 1/4 cup of the thick, bitter milk, but I've never used that ingredient in it. Luckily my mom taught me a substitution for buttermilk way back, and so I thought I'd share it today.

You see, I found another recipe calling for it today and did the substitution thing again, and thought, hey, I should share this. After all, how many of you have purchased a carton of this rarely-used milk only to have the majority of it go to waste? With this substitution you can use skim milk, so even the health benefit is reason enough to try it out. If the waste factor, expense, and inconvenience of purchasing it isn't enough reason, that is.

So, to make your own buttermilk, mix a little vinegar in with skim, 1%, or 2% milk, whatever you regularly stock your refrigerator with, to equal the amount of buttermilk called for. For 1/4 cup of buttermilk, I measure my milk just to below the 1/4 mark, then add a tablespoon or so of vinegar until it reaches the 1/4 mark exactly. Stir it. See the curdling happen before your eyes, and there you have it, a no fuss, easy-to-make substitution for buttermilk. Hope this helps!

Blessings,

Eileen

Schedules are Good

After my roller-coaster summer I'm looking forward to getting back on a SCHEDULE. Are you?

It's always easier to eat properly when there is some semblence of normalcy in your day-to-day, hour-to-hour happenings. These first few weeks of getting back on a schedule is the perfect time to instill good eating and exercising habits. Don't forget to chug the water, and latest news has it that a squeeze of lemon in it helps with clearing your skin and losing weight. So you might want to grab a bag of those organic lemons from the grocery shelf next time you make a visit.

As for me, I have an extra four pounds that's accumulated over my summer break. I blame all those yummy salads we talked about earlier. Guess my portion sizes were too generous, too. So over the next few weeks I plan to be extra cautious of what I let my tongue taste, and work on ridding myself of these extra few pounds.

After all, I want to be in ship-shape for the approaching Christmas celebrations, right. Oops. Am I really pondering Christmas already? I'm bad, I know. But this is the perfect time to be thinking ahead, and benefiting from doing so. So pull out that tucked-way-back food scale, make use of those measuring cups, and start working on portion control, and log, log, log, your food and drink intake so that you can correct any bad habits you may have picked up over the summer.

Good luck to everyone, and may we all be a success in achieving our goals!

Blessings,

Eileen

Healthy Wraps

Hi, All:

One cool, crunchy sandwich that I like to eat is to wrap a Weight Watchers tortilla shell around some low-fat meat, and stuff it with lots of raw veges, like cucumber, alfalfa sprouts, romaine lettuce, and even some chunks of tomatoes. A little low-fat mayonaise, or oil and vinegar dressing will give a nice zing to it.

This is a great way to get your vegetable intake up, while keeping with the proper portion size of protein. Add a large glass of chilled water and voila, you have a well-balanced meal that's both filling and healthy!

Experiment with different meats and veges, and enjoy!

Blessings,

Eileen

Curried Pumpkin and Mango Soup

Ohhh, my hubby made this for our family this past Sunday. We've been trying to use up pantry and freezer contents and so he modified a pumpkin soup recipe to include some of our frozen mango, too. This soup is thick, and has a little tangy taste and is excellent, in my opinion. By using low sodium broth you create a healthier soup. I hope you enjoy it.

Curried Pumpkin and Mango Soup

1 onion
4 peeled chopped cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 can chicken broth and 1 can of water
1 can pure pumpkin
2 cups mango chunks (frozen or fresh)
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 1/2 cups skim milk
2 tablespoons brown sugar

In large stockpot, cook the onion and garlic in the oil until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add chicken broth and curry powder. Bring to boil. Add pumpkin and mango, stir constantly, bring to boil again. Turn heat down to very low and cover and simmer about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

In very small batches transfer the hot soup to your blender. Be sure to hold the lid on top of the blender and even cover it with a towel to prevent blowouts. Puree the mixture until totally smooth. Transfer the newly smooth blended soup into a fresh clean pan. After all the soup has been pureed, slowly blend in the skim milk and brown sugar. Reheat the soup gently and serve immediately.

Try it! I hope you like it.

My, my, it's been awhile...

Sorry, guys! I've had a roller coaster of a life for the last while and have been offline for a lot of it.

I believe I left off with the water challenge. Can't remember if I met that challenge or not. If I didn't, I know I came close to the eight glasses each day as I'm still coming close to getting that in me regularly. It really is an amazing help to losing and maintaining weight loss. Not so much fun with the frequency of bathroom breaks required, though. Thankfully our basement bathroom is once again in working order since my office is down here, too.

How are we all doing with eating lots of greens and fresh fruits and other colourful vegetables? I hope, in this season of plenty, that you all are gravitating to those 'healthy' choices of salads and undoctored fresh fruits and veges. The nectarines have been awesome around here lately.

Let's all really try for those five to eight servings of vege's and fruit daily. Romaine salads are a great way to hike the vege intake, just forego the croutons, bacon bits and high-calorie dressings. Be creative, add sprouts, mushrooms, grated carrots, boiled eggs, grape tomatoes, etc. to add flavour, and just a little oil and vinegar dressing to top it all off.

Here's to healthy eating!

Blessings,

Eileen

Summer swelling means more water intake.

Hi, Everyone:

I've been busy weeding gardens, and all the rest of summer-time duties and have discovered swelling in my fingers as a result, I guess. Some of it is arthritis, I'm sure, but I believe the humidity and heat are a factor to my swelling, as well. So, I started upping my water intake again and I think it's helping.

It reminded me of how important it is to keep up with drinking that clear, fresh life-sustaining substance and so I thought I'd remind us about it here.

We should be taking in about eight cups of water a day, and I'll admit, I haven't been lately. But I'm getting back on track. With the summer heat, it is even more important that we get enough fluids into us.

So, please, join my challenge of keeping track of your daily pure water intake. Let's see who can reach the goal of eight cups a day for four days in a row. I'll check back in on Tuesday and report my water intake. I hope you will, too!

Blessings to all and may you all have a wonderful Canada Day weekend!

Eileen

Tired and Frustrated...

...is giving me cravings for what I ought not to have right now.

Luckily I hadn't taken my yummy calcium chocolate supplement, so that took care of the urge. It's just a little rectangle of a chewy chocolatey morsel, but it did the trick.

What do you guys do to ward off unwanted cravings when you don't have time to run, walk, or occupy yourself in something that won't allow you to eat the forbidden?

Blessings,

Eileen

Sorry, It's been a while.

How is everyone doing? Battling the junk food desire, I hope. Working out efficiently, I trust.

As for me, I haven't been getting near the amount of vege's into me as I ought to be. So I made popcorn tonight. Hey, does popcorn count as a vege? I don't think so, but I sure enjoyed it, anyway. Our farmer's market up the road is open again and I love their gourmet white popping corn. Hardly needs any butter to season it, certainly no salt. It just a nice light snack and I quite enjoyed it.

Salsa is another great snack I've been enjoying lately. You just have to watch the amount of tortilla chips or crackers that you use for dipping when eating this healthy snack.

So, tell me, what healthy snacks are you eating lately? I would love to know.

Blessings,

Eileen

Carb/Starch Portioning

Hi, All:

I thought I'd continue on with the portioning lists to share. Today we'll take a look at my favorite list of foods. The portions are downright cruel to people like me who crave carbs, but here is where I really get show self-discipline. You up for the challenge?

Breads:

Regular brown or rye bread -- 1 serving = 1 slice
Diet bread -- 1 serving = 2 slices
Bagels (the diet kind ie. Weight Watchers) -- 1 serving = 1/2 bagel
English muffins (the diet kind ie. Weight Watchers) -- 1 serving = 1/2 muffin
Hamburger buns (diet kind again) -- 1 serving = 1 bun (Yeah, we can have a whole lean hamburger with the bun and only use 1 starch and 1 protein)
Melba Toast -- 1 serving = 3 slices
Flat Bread -- 1 serving = 2 slices

Cereals:

The cooked ones like Cream of Wheat, rolled oats, red river-- 1 serving = 1/4 cup, uncooked (Thankfully these over double in quantity when cooked, usually)
Cold Cereals, such as all bran, cheerios, corn flakes, rice krispies, etc. (No, don't include the high-sugar kid's favorite cereals in this list, please) -- 1 serving = 1/2 cup

Some Miscellaneous Starches I frequently consume:

Couscous 1/2 cup precooked
Crackers (unsalted--remember the sodium intake watch) 3 squares
Pasta -- 1/2 cup Cooked (Lucky for us, this packs in quite tight when measuring soft noodles)
Popcorn, unsalted, microwave kind (Love this for a snack) 3 cups, popped
Potato (I'm a meat and potato girl) 1 small
Rice 1/4 cup, Cooked (spread it on the plate so it looks like more)
Wheat germ (I often mix this in with my low-fat yogurt to get a different texture) 1 tbsp.

There are lots of other healthy starch choices out there, check out the package for serving size and stick with it to help you lose or maintain your weight.

Keep up the fight and grab those measuring cups before you fill your plate!

Blessings,

Eileen

Portion Control

Hi, All:

I've decided to switch to Tuesday and Thursday posting here as life is crazy busy for me.

I thought today I'd offer a few "recommended" portion sizes from the Protein selection. Now these aren't what we tend to eat in terms of quantity, it's what we should count as a single serving that I'm offering here.

I know, we don't like thinking of that, but reality is, if we want to lose weight or keep it off, we need to deal with portion control! Keep in mind that these amounts are all measured in the raw state, prior to cooking. There's no allowance allotted for shrinkage, sorry, guys! And I'm also referring to the leanest, lowest fat options as well. So choose wisely.

Beef: 4 oz. (And, yes, I do use a little kitchen scale and weigh my food.)
Poultry (dark meat): 4 oz.
Poultry (white meat): 5 oz.
Fish: 5 oz.
Pork: 4 oz.
Veal: 4 oz.
Lamb: 4 oz.
Liver (beef, calf, chicken): 4 oz.
Wild Game: 4 oz.
Deli Slices (remember to look for low-sodium as well as fat-free): 125 g
Salmon (Canned, water-packed): 4 oz.
Tuna (Canned, water-packed): 4 oz.
Egg Whites: 4 large
Eggs (Whole): 2 large
Cottage Cheese: 1 cup

Beans are another great source of protein, but they contain a high amount of starch, so keep that in mind while calculating your daily intake. For a 1/2 cup of the following beans you should count the serving as 1/2 protein plus 1 full starch.

Black beans
Kidney beans
Lentils
Soybeans

Happy weighing and measuring everyone!

Blessings,

Eileen

Love that Crispy Skin on the Chicken?

Learn to hate it.

Sorry, but that's my tip for today. If you don't buy skinless chicken, really consider NOT eating the skin with your meat. Just hearing it phrased like that gives it a gross appeal, doesn't it?

If you need to bake your chicken with the skin on to keep it moist, then go ahead, but don't let the skin reach your dinner plate if you are actively trying to lose pounds. It's pure fat, really, and as such is not good for your arteries or your diet. So get your head around doing without and you'll be a lot healthier for it.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. We're hoping for some swim time at our home. What about you?

Blessings,

Eileen

Skim Milk

For those of us old enough to remember, do you recall way back when skim milk had a blue'sh hue to it? Enough to set you running from it at once. I do. But where did that tint go?

I started drinking 1% milk a few years back to cut back on fat intake and found I liked it. Then, last year I decided I'd give the blue milk a try again, in order to cut back even more fat. To my surprise, skim milk is no longer blue'sh in color and it tastes every bit as good as 1%, at least to me it does. I really don't notice the difference, at all.

By cutting back to the lowest fat milk you can possible handle, you'll save mega calories throughout the year, even if you are not a straight milk drinker. Consider how much milk you use in your cooking. Scrambled eggs, macaroni and cheese, white sauces, cheese sauces, creamed soups, casseroles, etc. Even when you don't gravitate to a glass of milk, we probably consume a lot more than we think we do of the milky way substance and chosing to buy only skim or 1% will help cut back calories while still benefiting from milk's nutritional value.

So if you haven't already cut back on the fat content in your milk, consider working your way down, one level at a time.

Blessings,

Eileen

Stress Release

Hi, All:

If you're like me, or at least, how I used to be, you'll gravitate to empty-calorie food when times of stress hit. For our own health, we have to conquer this defeating action. And that's not going to happen when you're in the thick of things, is it?

So, what about practicing better alternatives to stress release ahead of time? What about training our minds to gravitate toward something healthier as a calming, stress-buster?

Consider things you enjoy. Do you enjoy pumping iron? Do you enjoy gardening, walking, talking to an old friend, digging up worms for your next fishing exhibition, quilting, needle work, writing, cleaning? The list is endless. While you're not in high stress take the time to discover things that you can turn to in times of despair or agitation to keep you from sabotaging your healthy attempts at eating well when those difficult hours/days strike. If you prepare ahead of time and train your mind to directly desire healthy choices instead of destructive food, then you'll have a better chance at combating the old stand-in harmful stress releases.

So take a few moments this weekend to consider what has a calming and peaceful effect on you and make note of it for the next time you need a quick diversion.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Blessings,

Eileen

Need a Pick-Me-Up?

The corner of my little world has been very busy and stressful lately, so I guess I have an excuse for my poor eating habits. However, that's not going to help me maintain a healthy, energetic body. Is it?

So, although I haven't gained weight, I do feel more fatigued lately and I'm sure it is due to not eating my proper vege and fruit intake and keeping up with my vitamins. Even my fingers are telling me to get back on track, as the signs of arthritis are painfully creeping back in.

Do you have segments like this in your life? If you're human, you most likely do and all I can suggest is to try and stop that inner chatter and anxiety long enough to take notice of the downward spiral, as I'm doing right now, and force yourself to take care of your God given temple--your body.

I'm heading upstairs to my kitchen now, and I'm going to force some broccoli, cauliflower and celery down me, along with a boiled egg or two and take my multi vitamin, B6 included for my arthritis, and then I know I'll at least feel that much better for taking care of my body.

May we all find a moment to get our priorities realigned!

Blessings!

Eileen

If you're interested...

Hi, Everyone!

I just wanted to let you guys know that I've been very luck to interview new authors on my writer's blog every Thursday. Besides offering great advice and encouragement for those interested in writing, many of these authors offer a giveaway of their newest novels via my site to help promote their books and get their name out there.

The process to have a chance at winning the books is simple, just drop a comment in their specific interview posting sometime during the week following their posting and you'll be entered into the drawing.

So, if a book being offered strikes your fancy, please do support these authors by posting a comment. All you have to do is click on the word "comment" below the post and it will take you to a comment section where you can even enter as anonymous, but be sure to include your "augmented" e-mail address (by way of adding spaces or brackets around the "@" and "." in your address for your safety against cyber predators) so that I know who to contact if your entry should be drawn.

In this competitive publishing world, authors really do like to see many people enter their giveaway drawings. It's truly encouragement for them.

Just thought I'd let you all know of this opportunity.

Blessings,

Eileen

Try this...

I thought I'd post a recipe today from my Magic Cuisine cook book. This is one that you can substitute any ground meat in. I've tried it with beef, turkey and chicken and have enjoyed each one.

Cottage Meat Loaf

1 1/4 cup Healthy Choice pasta sauce (I use the blue menu PC sauce)
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup cooked rice (I like the basmati rice)
1/4 cup chopped onion (chopped fine so the kids don't discover them)
1 cup chopped red pepper
16 oz ground turkey breast
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
2 tsp. brown sugar substitute

Preheat oven to 400F.

Mix one cup of the pasta sauce, eggs, rice, onion, and red pepper in a bowl until blended. Add ground turkey breast. Mix gently but thoroughly.

Line a 9" X 5" loaf pan with foil. Press in the turkey mixture.

Combine remaining pasta sauce, dry mustard, and brown sugar substitute in a bowl to make meat loaf topping. Spread over turkey mixture. Bake meat loaf for one hour or until done. Drain any fat. Let stand five minutes before serving.

Serves four.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Blessings,

Eileen

Tiny Sacrifices

Okay, I seem to be hitting that alerting number way too often lately.

Here we go again to rid myself of the extra two pounds. I'm starting to believe I'm on some kind of nasty roller coaster. Perhaps it's because I haven't been walking near enough lately. My dogs are depressed about that, so that alone should get me back on track. Right! Anyone in particular want to join me on those walks two or three times a week? I could use some accountability right about now. Just asking. No pressure, K.

Anyway, I'm back to being severely disciplined again. I had my 1/3 cup bran buds with 1/3 cup skim milk and a sliced banana for breaky. For lunch, once again I was rushing for orthodontal appointments, so I stopped at good old Tim's and picked up a 6" egg salad sandwich on whole wheat. Okay, that wasn't so good. Too many carbs and likely way more mayo than I ever should consume in a week, much less a day. But a girl's got to eat.

For dinner, I'm baking a salmon steak seasoned with lemon juice and enjoying fresh peppers, zucchini, celery, and a couple baby carrots to help offset the lunch oops.

The tiny sacrificing part--well that comes from me having the above instead of what the rest of the family will enjoy. Chinese Noodle Casserole. That baby has way too much sodium in it for me with the cans of tomato soup and mushroom soup in it. But my oldest will have a very tender mouth as her bottom braces settle in, so I have to make something easy to chew. Something "soft" as she describes it. Fresh veges just won't do. Wonder if the rest of the family will join me with the fresh vege's, though. I hope so!

So, if you're being disciplines and sacrificing calories like I am today. Don't feel alone. We'll trudge through these tiny sacrifices together and watch those unwanted pounds disappear once more.

Blessings to all!

Eileen

Precious Mother's Day Blessing

I posted this on my writer's blog yesterday to celebrate, but thought it fitting to post here as well.

Family is what makes Mother's Day special and I just wanted to brag about mine. My three wonderful daughters, with my amazing husband created this meal from scratch for me today.







When asked what I would like for my Mother's Day meal, I mentioned how I enjoyed my husband's unique sauces and that I had a craving for sauteed peppers and zucchini. Well, doesn't my family just find the perfect recipes. They even arranged it on the plate in the shape of an "M". For disclosure of what I fully enjoyed for supper tonight, I've included the menu plan that my daughter, Sabrina, typed up and placed next to my place setting for me.

Thank you dear family for a wonderful meal! You guys rock!! I love you all very much!!

I'm the luckiest Mom around. Praise God for His amazing grace!

Now, you will notice that my family also kept my weight control issues in mind as they created this meal. Grilled boneless skinless chicken breast with lots of lightly stirfried veges in a light olive oil spray. Even the wonderful sauces were low in fat and sugar content. So I enjoyed an amazing, decedant meal, without guilt!

As for the dessert--well, we won't think about the calories that came with that, but I deserved it, it was after all MOTHER'S DAY!

On an aside. If you enjoy reading Christian Romances, Steeple Hill's Love Inspired line especially, drop into my writer's blog and leave a comment on the posting of my interview with Cheryl Wyatt, author of A Soldier's Promise and A Soldier's Family for a chance to win an autographed set of these fast paced, high-energy debut novels. Drawing takes place on Wednesday evening.

And, hey, what do you all think of the new template for this blog? Is it better, or worse than the old one and is there any specific topics you'd like to see addressed here to help you with your goal? I'm up for suggestions. Let's work together to fight the low-metabolism challenge.

Blessings,

Eileen

Happy Mother's Day!

Hi, All:

For all you Mothers out there, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, early, from me! May you have some wonderful bonding time with your families and may they be supportive of your weight loss endeavors by not presenting you with any forbidden goodies.

But just in case they aren't on the same thought process as you, maybe you should prepare for such a gift by behaving really well until the big day. That way you can enjoy their surprise and not disappoint them with little guilt on your part.

That's what I'm doing. I'm sticking to the straight and narrow until Sunday when my family intends to celebrate my part in their world. I have no idea what food they are planning, but I do know my hubby did some internet searches for meal planning for the day and that has always meant one enjoyable meal in the future for me. My girls seem excited to be joining their dad in the preparation, so this should be a fun Sunday for them all and me too, since I won't have to cook.

I pray all mothers will feel special on this day of recognition!

Blessings to all,

Eileen

Barbecue Season -- The Good and Bad

It occurred to me that barbecue season has its own challenges.

During the winter months we tend to have all those heavy meals of roasted vege's, mashed potatoes and meat with gravy, and to round it all off we add buns or Yorkshire pudding to the mix if a roast of beef is the main entree for the night.

With barbecue season comes condiments galore and all those wonderful salads. And I'm not talking the simple lettuce and raw vege kind that can be topped with a smidgen of oil and vinegar dressing that our bodies can usually handle. I'm talking the gourmet salads made with loads of mayonnaise and pickled vege's (usually loaded with salt) and even ones mixed with sweet jello. You name it, these days the sky is the limit when it comes to creating scrumptious salads. And just because they fall in the "SALAD" category we are tempted to think they are our "Healthy" choice to fill up on. But beware--in today's world of these tasty creations, that is often not the case. That naked (yes, it's okay to forgo the bun every once in a while)juicy hamburger may actually be the wiser choice to take seconds of rather than heaping your plate full of the so called "SALADS".

If you really study those salads, many probably belong in the empty calorie category or even the dessert one. So be selective. If the salad is sweetened, creamy, full of bacon bits or Mr. Noodle, then it's something that should be regarded with caution. Sure, take a sampling and enjoy every morsel, but load up on the traditional greens with a dab of light dressing as your main vege intake for the meal.

I can smell the grill burning all ready, but wait, didn't I just pop a roast of beef into my crock pot earlier this morning. Guess I'm dreaming. I'll save the grilling for another day when rain isn't in the works.

Happy salad making everyone!

Blessings,

Eileen

Salsa vs. Sour Cream

Sorry, guys.

I'm behind in getting my Monday post up. Aren't I? Sorry!

I've been recovering from my weekend away which included way too much food despite a bad stomach ache that assaulted me Saturday evening. On second thought, maybe it was the fact that I ate so much that I got the stomach ache in the first place. But, really, the buffet style meals were wonderful and I loved their fruit salad each morning.

Anyway, on with my first tip of the week.

Sour cream is high in fat and thus we should minimize the use of it. However, doesn't it taste grand on a good baked potato? Mmmm, I'm salivating just thinking of it. BBQ season is upon us and those potatoes are bound to be baked more than mashed for the next several months, so I thought I'd offer an alternative. Give it a try and see what you think.

Pick up some low-fat salsa and instead of dipping your tortilla chips into it, try dabbing a tablespoon of the salsa on top of your baked potato. Forgo the butter and sour cream this time and try this new thing out. You'll save unwanted calories and get a whole new taste from your potato! Remember, it's good to mix things up and this is a simple way to do that.

Happy barbecuing everyone!

Blessings,

Eileen

Met My Challenge, Did You?

Hi, All:

I am pleased to announce that it is much, much easier and faster to lose 2 lbs when you're in a healthy weight zone, than when you are not.

Sticking to my "diet" allotment for just one day accomplished my goal! Those 2 extra pounds are no more--Hooray!

See, it's worth the struggle to get rid of the weight upfront and well worth the effort to maintain your goal weight. By having a small alerting number to set you back onto a "diet" you can accomplish it with so much more ease than waiting until you have too many pounds to lose again.

When you're in goal weight it takes much longer to gain pounds than it does to lose them if you stay on top of it and try and make wise choices along the way. When you think of it, it makes sense, as how many years did it take you to gain all those pounds in the first place? For most of us, a lot. They just accumulate over time at a snail's pace so that we really don't notice it until one day...drats...it becomes more than evident to our previously closed eyes.

Well, I'm off for a scrap booking retreat with my Mom and a couple of my sisters. May we all have a wonderful weekend ahead!

Blessings,

Eileen

Alerting number popped up!

Hi, Guys:

Guess the extra carbs I've been indulging in lately have finally decided to take up residence. I reached my 2 lb increase, my alerting number, and now I'm sticking to the straight and narrow to banish it away once more.

I'm back to 2 carbs (in the morning only), 2 protein, 2 fruit, 3 veges, 1 dairy, 2 fats, and 1 freebee (100 cals or less) for the next few days to try and get rid of this extra poundage.

I don't want to be taking it with me on my weekend away with my sisters and Mom. So I'm determined to lose it before Friday at 3:00 p.m. when THE WEEKEND begins. Can she do it? You ask.

I hope so. I'll keep you all posted.

Feel free to join me in the fight. I love company!

Blessings,

Eileen

Pizza

Every one loves pizza. Right? I know I do.

While I was losing weight I refrained from enjoying the traditional pizza one orders in, though.

As my family downed a couple boxes of greasy, and oh so tasty pizza, I pulled out a Weight Watcher's pita, spread a tablespoon of diet spaghetti sauce on it and sprinkled on my measured 1 oz of low-fat mozzarella cheese, then topped it with an array of fresh vegetables and grilled chicken. Next, I slid it into the oven and let it roast until the cheese melted and the veges softened some. Amazingly enough, I really enjoy this style of pizza and it contains far less fat and calories than the tradition pizza does.

Now that I'm at goal, I must admit I will now join my family for the odd slice of traditional pizza and my body does handle it well. But that's because I practice control. I don't eat more than a slice or two as my whole meal and I round it out with fresh veges or fruit to get some healthier food into me at the same time.

I still make those lower calorie pizza's on pita's from time to time and quite enjoy them, too. So, do yourself a favour and try creating your own personal pizza the healthy way the next time your family orders in. You may discover that you like them even better. Your body will sure appreciate the alternative, anyway!

Blessings,

Eileen

Granola

If you're like me you enjoy those wonderful yogurt, fruit, and granola parfaits. There's nothing wrong with that, really, especially if you use low-fat yogurt, and fruit, well all fruit is great for you. It's that last ingredient that can cause us some trouble.

Many granola products are high in sugar, in fact most are. If you're really trying to cut sugar intake and calories, then a better choice would be to substitute Kashi cereal for the granola. You'll still get the crunch, but with a whole lot less sugar.

That's my tip for today. Kashi verses granola. Try it and see what you think. Remember, you can still add a couple almonds to your parfait to get that nutty flavour.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend. May the sky be shining in your part of the world!

Blessings,

Eileen

Mind Power

Hi, All:

I've been asked a time or two if I used "mind power" to achieve my weight loss goal.

Well...the simple answer is, YES.

I believe anyone purposely working toward losing weight is influenced by their personal outlook, and whether or not they practice a positive or negative attitude toward their set agenda will certainly affect the outcome.

Remember that old "I think I can. I think I can." chant? I challenge you to take it a step further and switch it to, "I KNOW I can, I KNOW I can..."

Believe in yourself and you've crossed the first hurdle of weight loss--you've gained the positive attitude that will help you overcome the inevitable setbacks that will test you along the way and continue to test you throughout the rest of your life during the perpetual maintenance stage.

Sorry folks, but that's the truth. If you are prone to packing on the pounds, this is a life long journey, it doesn't end when you reach goal, it's a cross you will bear the rest of your life so you would do well to accept it with a positive attitude!

Dare to imagine yourself with more energy, less fatty-tissue pain, clothes that fit comfortably that you can be proud to wear, an encourager for all who are struggling and can't imagine they'll be able to succeed like you have. But, oh, you're living proof that they CAN succeed. Envision yourself as an example of success. Dare to feel confident and secure in your choice to partake in that scrumptious cheese cake slice next time you socialize with friends or family. You've been disciplined all week, so you deserve the treat and won't feel a speck of guilt for enjoying it, afterall.

Dare to control your food intake and reap the benefits in so many ways!

Happy Positive Thinking Everyone!

Blessings,

Eileen

Carbs--Don't we just love them!

Hi, All:

This site needed some colour so I added a few widgets that I thought might be of interest. Take a look over there on the right hand side and check out what they offer. I hope they provide some more tips as well as encouragement to us all. One of the widgets provides healthy recipes, if you try some of them out, please share your reviews of it in the comment box. I'm always looking for recommended recipes.

Now, onto my tip of the day. Carbohydrates. To many of us that is a nasty word because it is the main cause of our over-sized hips, protruding stomach, chafing thighs...the list could go on. We like our breads and we like our sugars, but they don't like us!

There lies the problem.

So, it is with a sigh that I go forward and say: LIMIT THE CARB INTAKE!

A good rule of thumb is to choose items that have less than 25% of it's carbohydrates from sugar. If you can get into the habit of looking at labels, take a look at the grams of carbs in a serving and then look into the detailed section to see what the number of grams of those carbs is derived from sugar. Do the math. Is the grams of sugar a quarter or less of the total grams of carbohydrates in a single serving of the product? If so, it is a healthy choice, if not, consider it a treat and make your decision of whether to partake in it's sweetness accordingly.

Again, think moderation here. It doesn't do to give up everything you desire, but by implementing discipline on a level you may find a challenge, but doable, you will reach your goal that much faster.

May your day be filled with good choices!

Blessings,

Eileen

Appetite Reducer

I found another way to keep my appetite down.

STAY BUSY!!

Honestly, I've been so busy this week working on my writing and my writer's blog that I haven't had time to go upstairs and eat.

I sip my water and my coffee all day long and seem to forget lunch until it's nearly 2:00 in the afternoon. Then I force myself to go upstairs and eat. But because I have so much to do back down in my office, I grab my healthy raw veggies (all ready prepared in a container or bag, as the case me be, for quick snacking) and this week I sliced some precooked chicken breast onto a whole wheat pita that I slathered some low-fat tzatziki sauce onto and sprinkled it with diced cucumber and ta-da my tasty, healthy lunch was ready in minutes and went down the hatch even faster. Okay, you may breathe now. That was a mouthful wasn't it?

And, no, for those of you questioning if I eat the same thing every day, day after day, I don't. But this week my lunches were certainly consistent. I mixed up my breakfasts and suppers really well, though.

So, here is my tip of the day: Find a hobby, and no, eating is not a hobby! It is a necessity of life, but in moderation and with discipline adhered to most of the time.

Get busy and fill those hours that you usually tend to snack in with your hobby, or extra chores, or brown-nosing the boss by doing extra work. Around here the weather has been great lately (not that I've seen much of it since I'm down here in my little haven, aka office, but I do have to take my puppy out for potty training every once in awhile) so what about doing some spring chores, raking the yard, cleaning out the flower beds, beautifying your yard, and if you haven't as of yet, get rid of those "LET IT SNOW" signs before someone belts you one!

Okay, now I better get back to Curtis and Katrina and dream up some more conflict for them to traverse and somehow grow their relationship within.

Blessings and have a great warm weekend ahead!

Eileen

Fat requirements

Everyone needs to consume some fat for a healthy body. Isn't that great? I mean, really, fat is one of the great elements that provide taste, and I'm all for taste.

But when you are checking out labels be sure to pick up choices that get a maximum of 25% of their calories derived from fat. And of that 25%, no more than 50% should come from saturated fats and trans fats. It takes a little math, but well worth putting the left side of your brain to work for. You'll know you're eating mainly healthy fats if you take a moment to check this out.

Every food label should have the fats broken down for an easy calculation, so go ahead, the next time you see a choice of items, take a look at the label and make an educated choice--one your body will love you for.

Blessings,

Eileen

Shopping Tip

Make a List!

Yes, it's that simple.

Make a list of healthy food in a variety of food groups and stick to it. Avoid the junk food aisle, as nothing in there is on that list you're holding. We don't need any more temptations, our minds are quite active in creating those all ready, thank you very much--detour, jog, skip, do whatever you need to to bypass such aisles and eventually you'll discover that you forgot they existed in the first place. That is until the next big Christmas party you start planning. Then, and only then, when you're celebrating, should you partake in the high-fat, high sugar, empty calorie aisle of the supermarket.

Stick to that rule and you'll deserve those planned visits to the naughty aisle and feel confident and proud of yourself, too!

Blessings,

Eileen

Measuring and Weighing

One of the key elements to weight loss, is to measure and weigh your food--to be sure of portion control.

That's something I've been lazy about doing lately. And I've noticed my single portions are becoming more like one and half portions or more. So I really need to get back to utilizing those all-important utensils or before I know it I'll be well outside of my allerting number.

Invest in a little kitchen scale, as well as a nice set of measuring cups, and then use them and continue to use them forevermore. Remember, this is a life altering process, ongoing, never to cease, if we want to be in control of our physical shape and health. It takes determination and effort year round to achieve and maintain a healthy body, so let's all get to it!

Blessings,

Eileen

Water Reminder

Since I've fallen a little short of my 8-cup water intake the last few days, I thought this might be a good time to talk about the necessity of drinking the all-important H20.

Not only does water help combat the effects of excess salt in our system, it actually helps suppress your appetite, too. As well as keeping you hydrated, helping you flush toxins out, etc. It truly is a multi-purpose drink--we women ought to love that!

Having a daily intake of 8 cups of water during weight loss is invaluable, and continuing with that plan after you've reached your goal is recommended, as well. So why did I slip and only get about 6 cups into me the last couple of days?

BATHROOM BREAKS UNWANTED!

Yes, the dreaded consequence of sticking to the high water intake is that you also frequent the restroom far more often. It's a fact that I can usually live with as I'm at home most of the time, so a bathroom is always available. I think, for me, I was just being lazy these last few days. So, now that I've addressed this concern, I'm vowing to get back on track. I've drank 4+ cups all ready today. So I'm getting there.

I encourage you all to start drinking water. If you can't manage the 8 cups upfront, start smaller and gradually build yourself up. The bathroom breaks do decrease in frequency once your system adjusts to your new intake level of water. It doesn't ever go back to the way it was before you started consuming the great clear liquid in the masses, but it does taper off a little, at least.

So turn your tap on, pour it into a nice large glass, and enjoy!! If you want to add a wedge of lemon to it, go ahead, that is a really refreshing drink and still counts as water consumption even with the little flavoring it gives. Coffee, tea, and those flavored waters shouldn't be included in your water consumption calculation for the day. They should be in addition to it.

Blessings,

Eileen

Something for Cravings.

Supplements aren't for everyone, but if you decide to try some out you should really consult a physicial or homeopath first, to be sure the products are safe for you. One supplement you may wish to ask about is L-Glutamine. It is a wonderful herbal product that lowers the frequency of cravings and helps you to make good choices.

During the end of my weight loss phase, when I was getting antsy, I started taking three 450mg capsules of L-Glutamine per day. It really helped me to STOP and ponder the consequences of my actions. More often than not, I chose the healthy road, rather than the sweet or salty morsels I originally set out to consume. I took one capsule a half hour to an hour before each meal.

This is more a brain power supplement, than a weight management one. It actually helps your brain to function better, thus allowing you to think your choices through more clearly.

I had heard that to get the best result with this you should actually open the capsule and mix it with water. Swish it around in your mouth so that your saliva mixes with it before swallowing. I took it this way and I really did feel a difference after a few days of consistently taking it. I had less cravings, as I was automatically feeling more positive and wanting to make the healthy choices.

Again, if you are interested in trying this out, please consult your doctor or homeopath and see what they recommend first. They may know of something else that will support you and your weight loss plan even better. If so, please do share it with us.

All the best to you as you work toward the healthier you,

Eileen

I'm so proud of my sister!

I received an e-mail from my sister, Colleen, that inspired me greatly. Colleen is working with a personal trainer to get control of her weight issues and she's doing great. I wanted to share this excerpt with you all as a source of encouragement.

This is what Colleen said:

Last week was my first week in about 10 years that I didn't have a nap in the afternoon M-F and today is Wed., my 3rd day of this week - no nap - I make myself go to the gym right after work M-F for a work out - rather that going home and sleeping for an hour - by the time I get home it's too late to nap and I've got dinner to make, then hubby gets home and before you know it, it's 8 p.m. and I'm getting ready for bed - yes I know I drop in bed early, but I get up at 5:15 , so I figure 8- 8:30 bedtime isn't too bad - I like 9 hours of sleep a night.

So while the pounds are sticking around, my stamina is improving and I'm feeling much, much better.....oh and the best thing yet......................

I have to use the dryer for my Darks (the clothes line won't do) my inches are going and I have to SHRINK MY CLOTHES!!!!

LOVE IT, I don't ever recall having this issue before.

I was 4X when I started, 3X's are what I'm shrinking in the dryer now. 2X will be snug - but that's what I'll buy next round so I can shrink out of them over a couple of months of use. I will definitely be hitting "Value Village" for the next year or so to buy cheap. Once I hit goal I'm going clothe shopping crazy. What a dilemma to have, eh?

I'm so excited for Colleen. And I want to note that muscle weighs more than fat and so although the scale may not be registering her decrease in fat, it is registering her increase in muscle due to her workouts and muscle burns more calories!!! Keep up the great work!!

Don't be too hard on yourself!

If you're like me, it's a downward spiral when you chastise yourself repeatedly for unexpectedly eating a forbidden treat. I found when I was hardest on myself, I kept making the same mistakes over and over, like the evil deed snowballed or something.

I came to the realization that if I looked at those slips as just a well deserved treat--everyone needs a treat every once in a while--and allowed myself to enjoy the privilege of having had that treat, then I was able to get back on track all the quicker.

So, if you discover that once you slip, you tend to stay in a downward spiral, consider your reaction to the slip. If you're giving off negative energy, berating yourself, then what do you expect? You'll naturally gravitate to the negative, which happens to be more indulgences. Don't let that happen, choose the happy route instead.

Give yourself a break. Be thankful for the tasty treat, and get on with life and reaching your goals.

Onward with the fight,

Eileen

Balance Diet and Exercise!

A few years ago I joined Curves to try and lose weight and get fit. I found it discouraging because as faithful as I was to those 30-minute workouts every other day, it was a very slow battle to losing my excess weight. So slow that I ended up quitting and sticking just to my usual walking routine.

Now I know why.

While fitness/exercise is an important element in healthy living, it isn't, at least not for me, an efficient way of losing weight. I'm too impatient, I want to see that scale dropping a pound or two a week and with fitness alone that wasn't happening for me. Did you know that it takes five hours of jogging for a 150 pound person to burn approximately 3,500 calories. And 3,500 calories is only equal to one pound of body fat?

Fitness is crucial in getting optimal health; but to lose weight at a healthy and reasonable rate, you clearly need to adjust your food intake so that the calories going in your mouth are less than the calories that you burn in your day-to-day activities and workouts. If you have the patience of Job, and are consistent with your eating habits, then yes, you will lose weight over a longer period of time with just adding exercise to your routine. The problem with that is that usually, when you add physical activity to your life, your appetite also increases and thus what you're burning in exercise you are also consuming in your increase food intake.

So if you want a healthy, more efficient drop in weight, get your mind around healthy eating while you do the healthy moving and your whole system will benefit all the more efficiently and quickly!

May we all have a Good Choices day ahead!

Eileen

Processed Food--How much is too much?

For someone actively trying to lose weight, any processed food is generally too much.

Sorry, but losing weight is hard work, not just discipline wise, either, but it also takes extra time initially on your part to learn how to prepare healthy meals from scratch.

If you look at the label on even the low calorie type processed meals, there are very few out there that are low in sodium and have the balance of nutrients our bodies require.

I'm not saying that picking up a healthier choice of a prepackaged meal isn't allowable every once in a while. But it should be a rarity, at best.

Allow this time in your life to be just that, a little more me time! That means allotting yourself time to prepare healthy meals. Quite honestly, once you get the rhythm of it, it really doesn't take any longer than going through the check-out line at your favorite fast food restaurant or even their drive-through window.

Set your steamer on to boil, rinse some beans, cauliflower, broccoli, or other vege you're fond of, throw a skinless, boneless chicken breast or salmon steak in the oven to cook for 20 minutes and there you have it, a healthy meal. Or substitute the steamed veges for a fresh salad. Add a diet slice of bread and you even have your starch to round out the meal. Be creative and discover what healthy dishes you can whip up in no time.

If you put the energy into experimenting with creating your own healthy meals early, you'll not only reap the benefit of being able to make meals in a flash from this day forward, but you'll instantly start to see those pounds disappear. You'll even notice a difference in how you grocery shop, what aisles you'll soon be avoiding and which ones become your friend. I even found grocery shopping to be a much faster endeavor as I learned to prepare healthier meals. And you'll not see as much waste anymore, either. So eating healthy is good for the environment as well. (Hey, is that another reason to add to our Why list? It is one for me.)

So next time you're tempted to pick-up something prepackaged or processed, take a detour to the produce aisle, butcher counter and dairy section of your supermarket and indulge a bit more time there and a lot less everywhere else.

Blessings and Good luck with the scale next time you step on.

Eileen

Fluctuating Weight

Ever notice that sometimes it seems as though your weight fluctuates like the Canadian dollar?

In any given day you can see a difference in your weight ranging up to somewhere close to 2 1/2 lbs. It's for this very reason, I guess, that it is good practice to be consistent with your weigh-in times. Whether you check the scale twice a week or once a week, you should always try to do it at the same time each of those days. Personally, I like the early morning time slot. It always gives me the lowest number--it's my friend, indeed.

I always wondered why on life insurance forms they ask if you've seen a difference of more than five pounds in weight over the past year. Now I know. I guess they figure a difference of five pounds within a year means you're either actively dieting or not, as the case may be. In either case, it's a warning sign to them that your health is being adjusted in one way or another. For those who are adjusting the scale downward, heading to your optimal weight, this is a good thing, but for those who are tipping the scale in the wrong direction, this is not so good.

I know my yearly weight management goal now that I'm at a healthy weight for my age, bone structure, and height. I'll strive to never reach that five pound difference, which works right in there with my weekly two pound allerting number.

So don't let the daily fluctuation of your weight get you down, it's completely normal, but do be concerned about the weekly, monthly, and even yearly alteration to your weight. That's the telling numbers--the ones we should be allerted by.

Off to find some veges for my snack,

Eileen

Surviving Celebrations

Happy Easter, Everyone!

Be happy, rejoice, He lives!

Have you ever noticed that celebrations can be a dieters worst enemy, though?

On a side note, I don't particularly like the word dieter (or any derivative of it) because of the negative connotation it has acquired over the years. But for lack of a better word equally as concise as diet, I'm going to use it from time to time. I personally like to think of my eating habits as a healthy life choice, rather than being on a never-ending diet.

For those who are watching their intake of food, celebrations do pose a real challenge. I don't recommend total denial of partaking in those special items on the menu though. Everyone deserves to enjoy treats once in a while. My suggestion is to enjoy them in a sampling sort of way, but if you just have to have more, do so with the understanding that this "one time" is the exception to the rule. You must be quite firm with yourself that that kind of enjoyment cannot run into a daily, recurring incident. Period.

And some additional exercise would be a good thing to add to your agenda for the next several days to counteract the damage those "extra's" cost you.

It's kind of in line with the old adage "Don't let your weekends run into your week." Splurging is acceptable on an occasional basis, but you are always accountable for your actions, so one way or another you will have to deal with the aftermath of that enjoyment.

Just be prepared to accept the consequences of celebrating. Whether it be to workout harder to regain your previous achievement, or to decrease your calorie intake during the next few days, or a combination of both, you do need to get back on the healthy track and the sooner the better.

So now that the big Easter weekend is over, spend some time retraining yourself to eat, sleep, and exercise in a healthy way again. Prepare yourself so you can enjoy the next big celebration without guilt, knowing that you have the ability to regain control of your eating habits immediately afterward.

Celebrating is good for you. Just know when to stop.

May our sweet tooth be amptly satisfied and may we crave all that is healthy once again.

'Till next time,
Eileen

Alerting number. Do you have one?

I tipped the scale this morning and not in the right direction, either.

I shouldn't be surprised. My children were on March break for ten days from school and my hubby took Monday to Wednesday off as well. In that time frame we visited Chucky Cheese (a pizza and arcade type place, although at least there I opted for the salad bar), Pizza Hut, had a Mexican night at home with a movie, enjoyed the local bakery a little too often and also dipped my hand into a bag a chips far too often. No wonder I gained 2 pounds over the last 10 days.

I discovered that since my pants didn't feel too tight by mid week I was feeling lucky. Maybe somehow my metabalism decided to act like I was twenty again and thus I could continue to enjoy the comforts of those days.

No. No. No. Bad idea to trick myself into thinking that way.

Today, I pulled out my most fitted jeans and forced them on just so I could feel their snugness to my growing curves once more. (I'm exaggerating of course, 2 pounds doesn't really make that great a difference, but if I don't get a handle on this the next additional 2 probably will.)

I've decided that that's my alerting number.

Do you have an alerting number?

I think everyone who has reached their goal should decide on one. That telling increase number of pounds that alerts you to get back on track, lose it, and work to maintain that goal weight once more.

If you make your number too high, then the struggle to lose it will be all the greater, so be cautious when chosing one, but also remember to allow yourself some room to enjoy those good old days every once in a while.

Pressing on with making healthier choices this week.

Eileen

Those dreadful Plateaus

Plateauing?--Now’s the time to mix things up.

If you regularly exercise, try a different routine for a week or so. Do you usually walk? Go for a bike ride or skip rope instead, or add this to your regular daily walks. The idea is to get your system’s attention by way of changing your regular routine.

If you don’t exercise, now’s the time to try it out. A simple 20 minute power walk each day for a week could kick-start your system into burning that fat all over again. And hopefully you’ll love it so much that you’ll stick with it.

What can you do food wise? If you are already limiting your food intake to the healthiest state you can, don’t despair. Again, mix things up. If you normally don’t eat protein for breakfast, try moving one of your daily portions to the first meal of the day. One tip I found particularly helpful was to eat my daily intake of starchy food in the first two meals of the day. That meant no potatoes with supper, but when I saw the scale start to move in my favor, I was more than happy to make that switch temporarily.

Anything that jars your system into noticing a change in your daily routine will help it to begin functioning optimally again. Think about what you always do the same, and then make some alterations.

I really believe there is truth to the old adage: Sometimes a change is as good as a rest.

Here’s to trying new things,

Eileen

Lower that Sodium Intake

Sodium (salt) is hidden in many items you wouldn’t naturally think were high in it. Salt acts like a retainer, not something you want a lot of at any time in your life.

Did you know that low-fat cottage cheese is relatively high in sodium? It surprised me. So check labels of all your favorites and if an item is relatively high in sodium but fairly healthy other wise, be sure to lower your intake of it. Enjoy it three or four times a week instead of everyday.

I use to like having 1% cottage cheese with a sliced apple or orange for breakfast every morning. That way I got a healthy protein or dairy into me first thing in the morning, along with a portion or two of fruit. It was so easy to prepare and tasted great, but once I realized the sodium involved, I began switching it up with yogurt. One morning I’d have my fruit in a bowl of low-fat yogurt (much less sodium involved) and the next I’d enjoy my cottage cheese again. Just by alternating, I lowered my sodium, and didn’t have to give up one of my favorite foods.

A helpful tip: If you do find that you’ve ingested a lot of sodium in one day, be sure to drink extra water too. It helps to flush that excess salt from your system.

On with the fight,

Eileen

Conquering Cravings

This is a tough one. I have many tricks up my sleeve for this problem and as I’m sure you can guess, there are times when each and every one of them fail me.

Everyone is different, so my best advice is to look at finding a solution to this problem in the form of trial and error. We’re never always going to be able to conquer our cravings, so, for the times that I don’t, I choose to think of it as my “human” moments. I deal with the consequences, drink extra water in hopes of flushing the bad stuff out faster, then move on, vowing to do better next time.

Here are a few of the things I try:

• If you know that you have a particular weakness to a certain taboo treat, then the obvious scenario would be to forbid that item from your home during your weight loss phase and then limiting its presence thereafter. If others in your family enjoy the same items, then this method isn’t always possible…I know. (Insert a sigh here.)

• Make it a general rule that you drink a full glass of water and wait a couple minutes in between before succumbing to your craving. Sometimes this eliminates the craving all together. Sometimes it gives me that needed time to remember all the reasons why I shouldn’t ingest the forbidden. …And sometimes this technique doesn’t work at all. But at least I’m one cup closer to reaching my healthy water intake for the day.

• Make a pact with yourself that can’t be broken. Take only a sampling, and be satisfied and thankful for it.

• This following scenario provides the greatest success for me. As a Christian, I’m often reminded of Paul’s wonderful counsel in 1 Corinthians 6:19. As long as I can remember, I’ve always broadened the meaning of this verse to be wise counsel for all of life’s temptations. This is especially helpful when I crave what I know to be solely empty calorie laden food. The fact that my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit always reminds me of my responsibilities and that surviving this one little sacrifice is nothing in comparison to what my Savior endured for me.

Be creative and come up with your own tools to help you overcome cravings. We won’t always succeed, but we are sure to fail if we never try.

May our successes be greater than our failures,

Eileen

Examining Why?

A huge factor in the success of losing weight and keeping it off is our reason(s) for doing so.

My theory is that the more reasons you have for reaching or maintaining your goal weight, the better!

Let’s face it, our moods, desires, and needs change all the time. What was once your favorite pair of jeans that just fit so right, will one day change, and if you’re like me, that new favorite pair will just happen to be a size or two larger than the old faves were. Changing with the times, so to speak, can be a trap in which we all fall into from time to time.

So examine your reasons for setting this goal and keep adding new reasons to that list so that you will always have one that’s relevant at any given time and in any given situation.

It’s those reasons that will help you ward off dangerous cravings, make you ask for that doggy bag, give you reason to choose the boneless, skinless chicken breast with veges rather than the crispy fries and burger that just so happen to be available as well.

Make your reasons matter enough to give you pause. Those precious seconds could eliminate regret and backsliding on your journey to a healthier you!

I challenge you to take a few moments and discover a new reason or two to stick to this fight of getting the body and energy level you deserve.

Blessings to us all,

Eileen

Joining a Professional Weight Loss Plan versus Going it Alone?

In the past twelve years I've bounced between both methods and here are a few of my observations:

1. Long term, with both methods of losing weight I fell back into old ways and regained all or more of my unwanted weight. (Hence this blog--the plan is that it will help me keep it off this time.) The trick , I believe, is to realize that those of us who are prone to gaining excess weight are much like alcholics. We will forever need to control our cravings and be determined to make good, healthy choices, especially after we've indulged a bit.

2. Going it alone is cheaper, but the support you gain from the professional programs can be mighty helpful in establishing good eating habits, especially when you first start attempting to lose weight.

And lastly,

3. I lost weight faster while hooked to a plan, but with some of those plans (especially ones layed out in magazines)I experienced major mood swings while following them. My poor family! I must remember to apologize again for all those hormonal moments.


Anyway, what I think I gained most from the professional plans is the tools they taught me. ie, true portion sizes (though, that can be learned from studying Canada's Food Guide), tricks to overcome those annoying plateaus, and making those all important food and exercise logs that I discussed in the previous post.

So my suggestion to those considering signing up for a major weight loss plan is that you take advantage of the free consultations out there. Pick some reputable plans that have locations within a reasonable distance from you, soak in the knowledge they provide during those sessions and then, if you find them financially feasible, pick the one that best suits your personality and needs. But don't go into it with the expectation that once you lose the weight the struggle is over. No. No. No. Keeping that weight off is a lifelong discipline and you must use what you learned during your time in the program for the rest of your life for it work successfully.

If you choose to go it alone, do study portion control if you aren't all ready familiar with it, and be prepared to pull those measuring cups and the scale out and use them diligently.

May we all make excellent choices today,

Eileen

Keeping a detailed food and exercise log.

For my first post, I'm going to give you what I consider the most important tool to weight loss. Seriously, take the plunge and try it and not just for a day or two, commit to doing it for a couple weeks at least and then you'll see how easy and helpful it really is.

I know it seems like a pain at first, but once you get the handle of it, this type of record keeping is invaluable to achieving and maintaining your weight goals and it takes little energy and time to do, too.

You'll want to personalize your own log, but what works for me is having a counter of how many portions of protein, carbs, fruits, vegetables, dairy, fats, miscellaneous (ie, the naughty stuff), and water intake, in the form of a summary on my daily log. I also write down exactly what I eat throughout the day with weight and measurements of certain foods included. That way I can't cheat. If I've eaten a whole medium-sized banana or a large apple, that's counted as two fruits, not just one. These small things really do make a difference when you're trying to drop pounds. I also note if I've done my walk that day, or not.

If you work from home this kind of record keeping is pretty simple. Just keep your spiral notebook, or duotang on your kitchen counter or hanging on a cork board, ready for you to write your entries in each time you have a meal or a snack. If you work outside the home and have access to a computer, what about creating a log in a document or carrying a small notebook with you to update throughout the day?

Where there is a will, there is a way!!

To me, this is the single most important tool that helped me achieve my goal weight, and I believe it will be the best tool for helping me maintain my goal weight for life. It makes me accountable on paper, therefore I see and can't deny when I've taken too many liberties and my clothes start feeling tight as a result.