Friday, November 14, 2008

Yogurt Parfait

Yogurt Parfait

1.5 cups of Yogurt
2 Tbsp. Of honey
.5 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh raspberries
4 tsp. Of low fat granola

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, honey and vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy and smooth. Place strawberries evenly among four dishes. Divide blueberries among 4 dishes and top each with 3 tablespoons of yogurt. Divide raspberries among 4 dishes and top each with remaining yogurt mixture. Garnish with teaspoon of the granola.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

All I want for Christmas is a Gazelle

Just in time for the Holidays. 10% off all products!! . Great gift ideas. Some items have a limited quantity so order today.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Teetering on the edge

Sometimes I get so disgusted with myself. All I have to do is maintain my weight and stay under 140 pounds in order to sustain my lifetime status in Weight Watchers and attend the meetings for free. I blew it this week, but I am right at the edge. I really should be able to turn this thing around but I am wanting to eat all the time and I am finding it nearly impossible to stay around 18 points per day. Who can live on that without eating only bunny food?

This weekend is going to be especially challenging as I will be away from home at a con and eating out a lot. I'm thinking that if I bring in some healthy snacks such as fruit to keep in my room and try to stick to salads most of the time, I should do OK. There is a lot of temptations around though.

Monday, June 30, 2008

Weight Watchers points on Peapod


Peapod


I just put in an order at Peapod for the first time in several months and discovered a great new feature called Nutrifilter. It allows you to set dietary restrictions and will display related information to help you make the best choices for your particular situation. I chose Weight Watchers so now on most of the products the calculations are done and a little box appears with the points value per serving. Let me tell you, this is really cool. I know many products already have points listed, but those are generally frozen entrees such as Smart Ones and Lean Cuisine. This gives you so much more for all product categories.

Weight Watchers is not the only option. You can choose peanut-free, gluten-free, high fiber, low-sodium, etc. One day I may look at a gluten-free/Casein-free diet for my son and this will be very helpful. Peapod started in the Chicago area and has since expanded to other regions. It is a wonderful service. I love to order from Peapod when I need to re-stock my heavy stuff, like laundry detergent, bottled water and canned goods.Check it out.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes



This just out from hungry-girl.com:
Tomato Alert!!!

Wondering what to make of this whole tomato salmonella fiasco? Here's the scoop. The FDA is recommending that people do NOT eat raw red Roma tomatoes, raw red plum tomatoes, raw red round tomatoes, or products containing them (unless said tomatoes have been grown and harvested in select areas listed on the FDA website). Restaurants and grocery stores have been advised not to serve or sell these tomatoes, as well. Tomatoes not associated with this salmonella scare are cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, and tomatoes grown at home. For more information on this, click here for the latest updates. FYI, experts say simply washing your tomatoes really well is NOT enough to get rid of the contamination, and the FDA does not recommend cooking these tomatoes either. So stick with those tomato types not associated with the outbreak -- at least for the time being!

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Checking in


I'm finally over my horrendous cold that just about killed me for two weeks and now my guy has it. He did teach me how to make homemade lime juice today though. He had picked up a gizmo somewhere along the line that looked sort of like a thick ice cream scoop. I had played with the thing but it made no sense because it seemed like the holes were on the wrong side and I squirted lime juice all over. The way to do it is to put the round end of the lime against the round part of the juicer and squeeze the tool to flatten that lime. It is pretty cool and kind of like squeezing a garlic press. Apparently this type of juicer is popular in Mexico and Latin America. We juiced two limes per glass of water. Yummers!

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

It's hard to eat when your throat is sore

It is now less than a week until my friends wedding where I will slip into the little satin halter dress to be the maid of honor. Unfortunately, I feel like hell. I woke up several times in pain last night and felt like I had been choking down razor blades. Not fun. So today my diet pretty much consists of hot tea (Moroccan mint organic green tea) and chicken soup. I'm feeling somewhat better now because I've been gargling vinegar and warm salt water every couple of hours. This works like magic and is used by opera singers, or so I've heard. It tastes horrible, but it works like nothing I've seen. If you try this remedy, be sure to rinse your mouth with clean water afterwards as the vinegar is hard on tooth enamel.

Friday, April 25, 2008

Walking off the Weight ... for Autism





My family and I are participating in Autism Speaks Walk Now for Autism to raise money and awareness of autistic disorders. My son has PDD-NOS and it is very difficult to understand his condition and get him the help he needs. Please help if you can. Thanks.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Girl Scout Cookies vs. Weight Watchers Snacks



The other day at work we got into the last of the Girl Scout cookies. I told my friend that Weight Watchers makes a snack bar that is very similar to the thin mints that I love. This got me curious and so I broke out the points calculator. The cookies had 3 points for 4 cookies and the WW chocolate mint snack bar had 2 points for one bar. Then came the clincher. After reading the ingredients, the cookies seem healthier and more wholesome than the chemical laden overpriced Weight Watchers products IMHO. Cookies taste better too. Just watch those portions and count your points and you too can eat yummy Girl Scout cookies on the Weight Watchers plan.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Lean Cuisine Thai Chicken Tastes Like Crap!

I know, I know... I was raving about Lean Cuisine's 3 point herbed chicken the other day. I tried another frozen entree, the Thai Chicken, which has 4-points and I thought I was going to hurl. Yes, it is that bad. The smell even turned my stomach.

I'm going back to the salad bar.

Monday, April 14, 2008

The Skinny on 3 Point Entrees


Well today was one of those Mondays where I was so busy at work that I had to skip my Weight Watchers meeting and just eat a TV dinner at my desk. This is the third week in a row where I could not stay for the meeting. Bummer... I did go downstairs and weigh in though. I'm maintaining.

Anyhoo, my lunch hit me with some surprising good news. My TV dinner was only 3 Weight Watchers points. I couldn't believe it. These are usually 5 or 6 points and sometimes a 4 pointer if I want to starve myself. I had the herb chicken and it was really good. Actually, one of the best frozen entrees I have tried. By skipping the pasta and doubling up on the veggies they finally figured it out. I've noticed that some of their entrees are also featuring whole grain pasta. This will boost the fiber and knock down the points. Seems that Lean Cuisine has beaten Weight Watchers at its own game and has come up with several three-point entrees.


Chicken Marsala

Roasted, seasoned chicken breast in a rich Marsala wine sauce with tender mushrooms and a side dish of carrots and green beans.

Herb Roasted Chicken
An herb roasted marinated chicken breast topped with a creamy basil, garlic and mushroom sauce. Accompanied by roasted redskin potatoes, broccoli and red bell peppers, in a savory sauce.

Garlic Beef and Broccoli
Beef steak with broccoli, water chestnuts and yellow carrots in an asian- style garlic sauce.

Roasted Turkey & Vegetables
Tender roasted turkey and mushrooms in a traditional home-style gravy accompanied by a vegetable medley of hand-picked green beans with accents of red peppers.

So next time when you are hitting those 2 point snacks, remember it may just be lunchtime and try the herbed chicken. You'll love it.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Fill her up

Just a random tip I picked up from hungry-girl.com... A reader asked why she was always hungry on Weight Watchers and only lost a few pounds. The advice to her was to look at how she was reaching her point allowance and suggested foods with more water content (grapes instead of raisins, for example) and eat less bag foods like those 100 calorie snacks, which should be reserved for killing your cravings. Veggies, proteins and high fiber foods will fill you up on less points than carbs. Good advice.

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Drinking Your Vegetables - Smoothie Recipe

Here is a recipe for "Sweet Green" from Rob Paulos of Zero to Hero Fitness. It's a simple smoothie you can make at home in your blender with these basic but healthy ingredients:

1. 1 cup of water
2. 1/2 cup of soy milk, almond milk, OR non fat milk
3. 1 small to medium banana
4. 1 apple OR pear (with skin)
5. 2 cups frozen spinach OR broccoli
6. 1 tablespoon of flaxseed

Blend for 60 seconds and enjoy!

This delicious wonder packs loads of fat burning micronutrients plus healthy carbs, protein, healthy fats...and most importantly those green veggies...and all in just about 320 calories!

Friday, April 4, 2008

Original Lyrics by Beatles at Northwestern's Music Library

A great bit of Beatles history on display at Northwestern University in my neighborhood, Evanston, IL. The collection includes the handwritten lyrics of 7 Beatles songs: Eleanor Rigby, Good Day Sunshine, For No One, The Word, I’m Only Sleeping, And Your Bird Can Sing and Yellow Submarine (c. 1966). Come see them. - Kat from Beatle-fans.com

read more

(edit: ok, it may seem weird that an piece about the Beatle exhibit appeared here, but I dugg (digged?) an article I ran across and clicked a blog button and it magically appeared here and not on beatleblog.com, my other blog. Everyone loves The Beatles, right?)

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Kat's NOT Fat!!!
Here is my updated weight tracker



A gal at work who I hadn't seen in several months noticed my weight loss. I wanted to purr... Kats like strokes. ;-)

Monday, March 31, 2008

When Life Gives You Sour Grapes, Make Homemade Grape Juice



We had a bunch of red grapes in the fridge that just weren't sweet enough and nobody was eating them. I took them out (about to toss them) and said to my guy, do you want to eat these, they are really sour. He said don't throw them away, I'll make grape juice... and that is exactly what he did. It was delightful. He took the grapes, washed them, threw them in the blender with water, honey and powdered cloves, zapped and strained it and voila... the most delicious grape juice in the whole wide world.

Why the cloves you ask. For flavor, of course and there is also something in cloves that helps cleanse your system and kills eggs of parasites (if you have them), according to Dr. Suzanne Gudakunst's book. We just wanted something unusually yummy though.

One of the interesting things about living with a guy who spent so long in South America is that down there they really know a lot more about fruits and veggies. Making grape juice (and other juices) is quite common in the culture he lived in. This is the guy who makes stewed apples/homemade applesauce and turned me on to chayote, what he calls shoo-shoo. He also cuts up fresh pineapples for me all the time because he knows I love it. I sure am increasing my fruit and veggie intake and loving it!

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Random Weight Loss Tips

- Drink a half gallon of water or so a day (one ounce for every pound you weigh)

- "Dip the Tip" instead of dunking your food in fatty sauces or dressings, dip the tip of your fork in the goop first, before putting the fork into your food. You'll get the flavor without all the fat.

- "A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips." Stay conscious of what you are consuming before it consumes you.

- Eat some fruit first thing in the morning, before anything else. It digests faster and by having it first you take the edge off the hunger and so it doesn't just sit on a pile of goop in your stomach fermenting for hours. Learn to combine (or separate) foods for maximum benefit and acid/alkaline balance.

- Eat less processed foods. If you are on Weight Watchers, give the core plan a try.

- Don't drink your calories. Drink mostly water and green tea. Switch to skim milk and be a designated driver.

- Lay off the pop and sweetened drinks. Diet soda is full of artificial sweeteners which they are finding may have the same addictive qualities as sugar and make you crave sweets. Instead of substituting, train your tastebuds to like things less sweet so you are not craving so much.

- Watch for more random weight loss tips here.

kat

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Yummy Lowfat Homemade cholesterol free FRENCH FRIES!!

I had these last night and I just had to share the recipe. Don't rush the recipe, the secret is in the soaking. Give yourself two hours to make these. They would probably be even better unpeeled.

Oven Baked French Fries

2 Tablespoons cornstarch
4 cups water
2 teaspoons reduced sodium soy sauce
4 medium potatoes, peels and cut into strips
4 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. In a large bowl, combine the cornstarch, water and soy sauce. Whisk until well blended and smooth. Add the potatoes to the bowl. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

2. Preheat over to 375 degrees. Drain and pat the potatoes dry with paper towels. In a large bowl toss the potatoes in the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and arrange potatoes in a single layer.

3. Bake for 15 minutes, turn them over and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the French Fries are tender and golden brown.

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Intriguing diet website to check out
(but not right after a big fat Easter dinner)


There's a 'New Gal' in town and her name is Dr Suzanne! And she's done something no one has ever done before:

She's found the "REAL" way to lose FAT, be HEALTHY, and yet still eat whatever you want!

Here's how her new "T0P Secret Fat Loss Secret" works:

Dr Suzanne discovered something that a small group of other doctors are just now catching on to -- Namely that ALL sicknesses and diseases (including Obesity) start in the intestines (your colon).

This happens because of "toxic build-up" due to your body being unable to get rid of a small amount of what you eat in every single meal or snack you take in. And over time, this little "left over bit" starts to add up - and BIGTIME!

It works basically like this:

You eat say 100 "units" of toxins in every meal or snack.

You "poop-out" most of it -- say 99 units.

Subtracting means you have 100 - 99 = 1 left over "toxic" unit.

Over 1,000 such snacks or meals you end up having 1,000 "toxic" units in 'build-up.'

Although each small meal or snack may seem meaningless to you, these built-up "stores" of toxins cause your body to equally build up FAT.

Why?

To "protect" you from the poisonous "toxins."

That's right! The extra pounds are your body's way of putting a big "rubber tire" of insulation between YOU and the "bad junk."

And once you have BOTH extra "fat stores" and "toxins" you're in BIG, BIG TROUBLE!

What then happens is you fall vulnerable to every kind of 'sickness' and 'disease.'

And this pattern is what's been happening now for the better part of 50 years (more so in the United States than perhaps anywhere else on earth!)

Before 1954 in fact, people ate much fattier foods, full of greasy cholesterol and oils, yet the number of people who suffered diabetes, cancers, strokes and just about everything else, pales compared to today!

So the "guilty party" had little to nothing to do with all the so-called "bad foods" -- and pretty much went completely unnoticed.

"Unnoticed" until Dr Suzanne began studying the problem.

You see, Dr Suzanne comes from a family of "chunky" people -- yet despite this she is very lean and even "sexy!"

People who meet her think she's some kind of "aerobics trainer" or someone who starves themselves half to death -- but that's NOT the case at all!

Dr Suzanne doesn't really exercise that much, and she even "eats like a pig!" (according to one close friend and "insider").

So how is this possible?

Luck? ... Hardly!

Dr. Suzanne discovered that if you simply get rid of the same amount of toxins and JUNK going in, you never end up getting the "toxic build-up" in the first place.

And NO toxic build-up means absolutely NO disease, and NO extra "pudge" around the middle, butt, or love handles, nor the armpits or the backs of the legs.

Going back to our little equation above, we get:

1,000 "toxic" units - 1,000 "toxic" units = 0 "toxic" units

And when you have 0 "toxic" units, you have 0 "toxic" build-up.

And of course, when you have 0 "toxic" build-up, you have 0 "disease," and 0 "extra fat!"

But what is more surprising than this discovery is the fact that even though she (and a growing number of other newly enlightened doctors) has mountains of evidence supporting this, the "mainstream" medical establishment is out to get her just like
prosecutors in the notorious "Salem Witch Trials!"

Short of trying to burn her at the stake, other doctors would rather keep selling you "toxic" drugs -- that although eliminating one symptom cause who only knows how many "other" very damaging and even dangerous conditions?

Also, not surprisingly, weight-loss food companies would equally like some "evil" to befall the lovely Dr Suzanne.

"I guess it's just a matter of economics," suggests Dr Suzanne, "after all, if people follow my advice they will never get sick in the first place, they will never get fat, and therefore they will have little need or dependency on either other doctors or special diet foods."

And this means a major loss in income to doctors and food manufacturers -- and in terms of BILLIONS of dollars lost to them!

So serious this has become that Dr Suzanne recently suffered death threats -- believed by at least one federal law enforcement agency to have originated from high up in the world of big business from the drug empires (and I don't mean the illegal drug dealers, but the "legal" drug dealers!) Think about it:

99% of everyone you know that says they are doing a "new diet" only end up failing anyway.

The woman we all know who said five years ago that she was on some new diet to "L0SE 25 pounds" now weighs 50 pounds more (Ha! Horrible, yet a tad funny!)

Or how about the guy who joins the gym to "get back into shape" who a year later looks even worse?

These are the people YOU and I both know.

They're all around us, and are clear "PROOF" that diets and exercise DON'T really work - and not because those things aren't good for you and me, but because something else is standing in their way!

And that's none other than "toxins!" Get rid of "them," and get rid of "everything else!"

It's just that simple.

But you MUST know what you're doing, or else you may make a mistake by thinking you have, when in fact you haven't!

And that's precisely what's inside Dr Suzanne's T0P Secret Fat Loss Secret!"

Now, at this point I would like you to strongly consider everything
I've said here, and I hope you will even get her "Top Secret Fat
Loss Secret" for yourself.

So, rather than write a single sentence more, why don't I just give
you the link so you can get it right now before it's too late:

-> Dr. Suzanne's Top Secret Fat Loss Secrets

Please, do what you think right now is BEST... Do it for YOU.


the Internal Cleansing Kit $275

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Stewed Apples and Oatmeal

Over the weekend we made some stewed apples. It is like homemade chunky applesauce and is absolutely wonderful. It is also really easy to make. You take a bunch of apples, slice and core them. (I have a little gizmo that does this.) Do not peel the apples. Toss them into the food process and zap 'em till they are small pieces. Throw them into the pot, add cinnamon, cloves and honey to taste and cook down for about an hour. Your house will smell soooo good, like baking an apple pie. Stewed apples are good hot or cold. Try them.

Sunday morning I decided I wanted to try them in oatmeal. I sometimes eat the instant cinnamon oatmeal such as the Quaker weight loss oatmeal. This time I made the old fashioned oatmeal from the drum, added some of the homemade apple sauce, a little more cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg and a bit of wheatgerm and honey. I also added some coffee mate fat free French vanilla to the skim milk I pour over it. This was the best damn oatmeal I've ever tasted!

I do have a major sweet tooth and have gradually switched over to Splenda and honey as sweeteners. I put honey on grapefruit and it is yummy. I have heard a bit about Stevia and will probably start using that as well but I don't get to the stores that sell it much and from what I've read, it tastes a bit like licorice at first and is quite expensive. For now I am trying to adjust to things less sweet, such as coffee. One Spenda packet in a big cup of joe does it for me now. It used to take about 3 teaspoons of sugar or two Splendas. I'm making progress on cutting sugar and moving towards whole foods....

Sunday, March 16, 2008

The Glycemic Index Diet Plan And Its Benefits For Weight Loss


If you have concerns about diabetes or you need to lose weight the Glycemic Index Diet Plan might be just the solution you’re looking for. This diet is based on a diet plan that was developed in the 1980’s as a way for diabetics to better control their blood glucose levels and subsequently manager their diabetes.

It was discovered that the diet plan had a wonderful side effect; efficient weight loss. Since that time the Low GI Diet, as it is often referred to, has become quite popular with non-diabetics as well. Individuals who use the diet claim they are able to lose weight as well as retain more muscle. Many people report the diet helps them to shave off weight in critical areas as well, including the stomach.

Under the Glycemic Index Diet Plan, foods are divided into three categories based on how they rank on the glycemic index. The glycemic index ranks foods according to how quickly the body is able to digest them. Foods that are processed more quickly by the body rank higher on the Index. Foods that take longer to be digested by the body rank lower on the scale.

The idea is to base your diet on foods that rank in the low to medium range by eating foods that rank high on the Index sparingly. Some of the low foods which are allowable on the Glycemic Index Diet Plan include broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower and other fruits as well as whole grains. Legumes are also allowable. Some foods rank in the middle range, including bananas and apricots.

When dieters first start the eating plan they are in what is known as Phase One. Under this phase, dieters are encouraged to eat only foods which are low on the glycemic index in order to lose weight. These foods are low in calories and high in fiber which makes it easier to lose weight. Dieters should plan to be on the first phase of the diet for about three to six months depending on how much weight they want to lose. After that time period, the individual may then advance to the second phase, which is the weight loss maintenance phase. In this phase, you may eat low as well as medium foods according to the glycemic index. It is important to understand that exercise is an important component in both phases of the diet plan in order for it to work effectively.

The Glycemic Index Diet plan by itself is not a complete solution for weight loss. You must be dedicated to participating in an active and healthy lifestyle. It should also be understood that this is not a diet in the true sense of the word but rather a change in lifestyle. If you abort the diet plan after losing weight and return to eating large amounts of highly processed and refined foods it is quite likely that you will regain weight, particularly if you are not exercising on a regular basis.

One of the major advantages of this diet plan is that it is not as restrictive as many other diet plans. For example, you can have some carbs on this diet as long as they are good carbs and they rank low on the glycemic index. In addition, it is perfectly okay for you to eat out. Once you have become familiar with which foods rank low on the index you can then usually find something on any menu which is acceptable according to the Low Glycemic Index Diet plan.

Vegetarians frequently find that many low carb diets do not work well for them because they place a strong emphasis on meat. With the Low Glycemic Index Diet plan there is no such problem because proteins from vegetables can replace meat.

With time and dedication the Low Glycemic Index Diet plan has proven to be quite effective at managing diabetes, promoting weight loss and encouraging a healthy lifestyle.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wesley Atkins is the owner of The Low GI Diet Breakthrough - In his nutrition program you too can discover how to lose 19 pounds of fat every 21 days with the Low GI Diet.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Homemade Bread

Here is an awesome bread recipe that my daughter made. It is a somewhat soft whole wheat oatmeal bread with no white sugar so it is pretty healthy. It has a slightly sweet taste and is great alone, with peanut butter and jelly and I just made my famous french toast with it. The secret to great french toast is to add cinnamon and vanilla to the egg and milk goop and sprinkle on more cinnamon while it is cooking. Usually I make french toast with cinnamon raisin bread. I'll bet you could add some raisins to this recipe and make your own delicious high fiber cinnamon raisin bread that is chemical free....mmmmm

Vermont Whole Wheat Oatmeal Honey Bread
Whole wheat and oatmeal bread with just a hint of cinnamon. Yum!

2 cups boiling water
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup maple sugar or brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 tablespoon (kosher) salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pkg active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

In a large mixing bowl, combine the water, oats, maple(or brown) sugar, honey, butter, salt and cinnamon. Let cool to lukewarm. (about 40 minutes)

Add the yeast and flours, stirring to form a rough dough. Knead (about 10 minutes by hand, 5 to 7 minutes by machine) until the dough is smooth and satiny. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise for 1 hour.

Divide the dough in half, and shape each half into a loaf. Place the loaves in two greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch bread pans. Cover the pans with lightly greased plastic wrap and allow the loaves to rise till they've crowned about 1 inch over the rim of the pan, about 1 hour.

Bake the loaves in a preheated 360°F oven for 33 minutes.* Remove them from the oven when they're golden brown, and the interior registers 190°F on an instant-read thermometer. Yield: 2 sandwich loaves.

*If your oven can't be set at 360°F, set it at 350°F and bake the bread for 35 to 40 minutes.

(Unfortunately, this is from a handwritten recipe and I do not have any calorie or point information, but considering that it has both oatmeal and whole wheat flour it should be pretty high in fiber. I would guess about 2 points per slice, which is average for whole wheat bread)

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Always a bridesmaid....


My good friend is finally tying the knot and I'm going to be a bridesmaid! She found herself a nice guy online a few months ago and they are getting married in two months. It all happened so fast.

I get to wear a shiny satin halter bridesmaid dress, which makes me a bit, uh, nervous. I'm used to hiding under big sweaters and stuff. Yeah, I know I lost thirty pounds... but still. I'm a bit modest and don't dress up much. Actually, I rarely even wear anything low cut or sleeveless. Surprisingly, the way this dress is cut, it covers a multitude of sins. (I hope!)

Anyway, I'm getting back with the program and I don't have a lot of time to dilly dally. I am going back to journaling everything I eat and continuing to exercise on my gazelle everyday. I am having some big issues with the 18 point allowance I have to stick with in order to lose. After tracking for the last two weeks, I find my intake is closer to 22-24 points a day. That is fine for maintaining, but I hope to get down a few more pounds and lose a bit of this tummy. To help me along, my daughter shared with me this 7-word quote:

Eat food
Not too much
Mostly plants


... and she brought me up some green tea and 1/2 an orange after dinner. She has really been into the Asian thing lately and is learning to cook. In many of the nicer Chinese restaurants you will be given oranges in lieu of fortune cookies.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

The 12-Step Program

to eating healthier
(from zenhabits.net)

Actually, what follows is just an example. You can use as many steps as you want, making whatever changes you want. This is just a sample of what can be done, to give you some ideas.

The rules:

1. Apply these changes, one at a time, until you get used to them. This will probably be 3-4 weeks per step. But in a year’s time, you’ll be eating as healthy as possible.

2. Focus as much energy as possible on each change for at least a couple weeks. Don’t deviate if you can. Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.

3. If it seems too difficult, make a smaller step instead. For example, instead of cutting out sweets, just cut out cakes and donuts. Smaller steps make things much easier.

4. Always replace bad food with healthy food that you enjoy. What I’ve given are just examples — everyone has different tastes.

OK, so here’s an example of how this step-by-step process could work:

1. Eat fruits for snacks. If you snack on junk food during the day, have some fruits by your side at all times. When you’re feeling hungry for a snack, eat a fruit. One of those bags of small apples is a handy thing — you can’t go wrong with apples.

2. Drink water instead of soda. The only thing I drink (besides an occasional beer) is water. I’m not saying you need to do that, but try to cut out sugary drinks a bit at a time, replacing them with water.

3. Eat whole grain bread. If you eat white bread or bagels or whatever, replace them with whole-grain versions. Be sure to look at the ingredients — it shouldn’t say enriched wheat flour, but whole grain. Also try to avoid breads with high-fructose corn syrup (actually, avoid that ingredient in anything).

4. Add fresh veggies to dinner. If you don’t already, have some steamed greens with dinner. Cut out a less healthy side dish if you usually eat something else.

5. Cut out red meat. You can still eat poultry and seafood for now. You can later cut those out too if you want.

6. Make pizza instead of ordering. Homemade pizza is the best, and if you haven’t made it yet, you should. The simple way is to get a ready-made whole-wheat crust, although making your own tastes even better. Start with the simple version, though, as you don’t want to make things too difficult. For the simple version, just add some gourmet spaghetti sauce (not Ragu), cut up some veggies (I like tomatoes and mushrooms and spinach and olives, but you can use anything, even potatoes). Brush the veggies with some olive oil. You can add grated cheese or soy cheese if you want, though it’s not necessary. Bake till it looks cooked. Mmmm.

7. Nuts instead of chips. If you normally snack on chips, try unsalted peanuts or raw almonds.

8. Soymilk instead of whole milk. Whole milk is fatty (not to mention the suffering done by the cows in modern dairy factories). Soymilk is much healthier. You get used to it after awhile, like all the changes on this list, but if soymilk is a problem at least drink 1% milk.

9. Whole grain cereal. If you eat sugary cereal, try a whole-grain cereal instead.

10. Berries instead of candy. This is a recent change of mine, and it’s actually been much easier than I thought. I used to snack on chocolate candy all the time, but now I try to eat berries to satisfy my sweet cravings and it works!

11. Scrambled tofu instead of fried eggs. Scrambled tofu is a secret vegan wonder. Try this recipe.

12. Try some great veggie dinners. There are so many good ones out there if you haven’t tried them. Try my soup or chili.

If you implement 12 changes, you’ll probably be eating healthier than you ever have before. A great thing is that once you’ve done this, you’ll probably keep going, to 20 steps and beyond.

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Putting Government on a Diet

I'm supporting Ron Paul for President
I know this is not food and diet related, but I still wanted to share this with my readers.... I've finally decided to support Ron Paul for president. Although there is no candidate that reflects my views 100%, Ron Paul comes pretty darned close. I am basically an Objectivist, which means things like capitalism, small government, individual rights, free markets and low taxes are important to me. A friend recently told me I am a "small L" libertarian... maybe that is true. I certainly don't espouse some of the more radical views of the anarchist wing of the libertarian party, just as I disagree with the views of the religious right republicans and the big nanny government democrats. I guess you would say I am one of the politically homeless. Anyhoo, here is a press release from the Ron Paul campaign.


Ron Paul 2008 - Hope for America

Ron Paul Unveils a Real Economic Stimulus Plan

Press Release - January 24, 2008 12:43 pm EST


Four-pronged approach will strengthen the economy by reforming taxes, cutting spending, improving monetary policy and eliminating burdensome regulations

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA –Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul has unveiled a comprehensive economic revitalization package. The four-pronged plan is designed to stem the current economic slide and address the unsound governmental policies that are harming Americans’ pocketbooks.

“Real economic reform must address the underlying reasons for the current economic malaise,” said Ron Paul. “This plan is more than just a band-aid for our economy; it fundamentally reforms four areas where government policies are damaging our national economy. When enacted, my plan will provide both short-term stimulus, and lay the groundwork for long-term prosperity.”

The comprehensive economic revitalization plan is available online at: www.RonPaul2008.com/Prosperity

The four areas that the plan covers are:

* Tax Reform - Reduce the tax burden and eliminate taxes that punish investment and savings, including job-killing corporate taxes.
* Spending Reform - Eliminate wasteful spending. Reduce overseas commitments. Freeze all non-defense, non-entitlement spending at current levels.
* Monetary Policy Reform - Expand openness with the Federal Reserve and require the Fed to televise its meetings. Return value to our money.
* Regulatory Reform - Repeal Sarbanes/Oxley regulations that push companies to seek capital outside of US markets. Stop restricting community banks from fostering local economic growth.

Congressman Paul has written or co-sponsored numerous bills to enact the policies in his plan. In Congress, he has been a champion of lower taxes and limited government.

Congressman Paul is the ranking member on the House Financial Services Committee's Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology. In Congress, Dr. Paul has never voted for a tax increase or for an unbalanced budget.

###

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

I'm now a Lifetime Member of Weight Watchers

Wooooooo Hooooooo!!!! I DID IT!

I maintained my goal weight through my birthday, the holidays, some pizzas and one of those all the meat you can possibly eat Brazilian steakhouses. And I actually went down a pound. I was getting a little nervous there for awhile with all that food and not being able to weigh in for several weeks because of the meetings being cancelled for three sessions due to the holidays. When week number six rolled around, I had to miss the meeting to take my kid to a doctor's appointment.

Anyhoo.... I made it. I rock and I have a brand new sized small black t-shirt and a golden key for becoming a lifetime member. The t-shirt reads in small print, "*Results not typical." That is the usual disclaimer in ads for weight loss products and we adopted that little slogan for the t-shirts for lifetime members of our group. I think its pretty cool.

I feel great. I reached my goal and lost 35 pounds since summer 2006. If I can do it, so can you!

Kat's NOT fat!

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Smashing good substitutes for Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are one of my favorite everyday comfort foods. Unfortunately, they are not a dieter's dream, especially with all the butter, milk and gravy that accompanies the innocent vegetable. Here are some lower fat and healthier alternatives to the traditional mashed potatoes with gravy.

Add other vegetables: Turnips, parsnips and cauliflower all make great mashed potato mix-ins. To add even more flavor, add some horseradish or garlic.

Skip the potatoes all together:
I often make sweet potatoes or turnips instead of potatoes. Just the other day, quite by accident, we made a delicious vegetable soup by adding red peppers to the turnips we were boiling on the stove. You never know when you will come up with a yummy combo like that.

Use non-fat dairy: Substitute down the fat content of dairy products by using things such as non-fat half and half or skim milk and a buttery spread with no trans-fat such as Smart Balance. The same goes for baked potatoes, instead of loading them up with butter and sour cream add broccoli and spray with Parkay. You can also add fat free sour cream. The main thing is to get the fat out of your dairy products. It makes a big difference.

Here are a couple of recipe links to get you started:

Horseradish Smashers from The Healing Gourmet
and
Hungry Girl's Miracle Mashies a one-point garlic mashed potatoes with cauliflower recipe.

Yum!

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Herbed Rib Roast


WW POINTS® Value: 6
Servings: 12
Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 80 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

This herb-crusted roast makes a wonderful holiday dinner. Turn leftovers into flavorful steak sandwiches or eat some for breakfast with scrambled eggs.

Ingredients

4 pound lean whole beef rib(s), trimmed of visible fat
1 1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp reduced-calorie mayonnaise
1 1/2 tsp horseradish sauce
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp thyme, chopped
2 Tbsp dill, fresh, chopped

Instructions

* Preheat oven to 375°F. Season roast with salt and pepper.

* In a small bowl, combine garlic, mustard, mayonnaise and horseradish. In another small bowl, combine parsley, thyme, dill and 1 tablespoon of mustard mixture.

* Place meat, rib-bone down, in a roasting pan; coat top with remaining mustard mixture and cook meat until an instant-read thermometer inserted in center of roast registers 110°F. Coat roast with remaining mustard mixture and press herb mixture onto mustard with your hands.

* Continue cooking roast until a thermometer inserted in center of meat registers 140°F for medium, or longer until desired degree of doneness. Cover loosely with foil and then let stand 20 to 30 minutes before carving into 12 thick slices. Yields 1 slice per serving.

Buzz Kill - Calories in your drinks

Not to be a buzz-kill but....

I'm telling you after the holidays so as not to spoil your holiday cheer. Here is a rough estimate of how many calories are in booze.

What’s in a Drink?
As a drink’s alcohol percentage increases, so do the calories.

Eighty proof bourbon, brandy, gin, rum, scotch, tequila, vodka, and whiskey each have 65 calories per one-ounce serving. If you’re on a diet that restricts carbohydrates use club soda, diet soft drinks or water instead of a sweetened mixer. And choose clear liquors, which have fewer carbohydrates, over wine, beer and dark liquors. In general, liqueurs cram in 70 to 120 calories per ounce.


White wine spritzer - 80 calories
Red wine - 170 calories
Champagne - 86
Light beer - 75
Bloody Mary - 130
Dry martini - 163
Dessert wine - 174
Hot buttered rum - 254
White Russian - 404

Source: The Skinny on Alcohol

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

New Years Resolutions

Happy New Year!

As we look back at 2007 and forward into 2008 many of us make resolutions. Personally, I always resolve to not make resolutions. LOL

Here are some tips from Hungry-Girl.com for 2008.

1. Don't go "on a diet".
2. Don't deprive yourself.
3. Drink lots of water.
4. Listen to your body. It knows things.
5. Live one day (or even one MEAL) at a time.
6. Get exercise with activities you enjoy.
7. Let yourself cheat a little.
8. Keep track of what you eat. Write it down.

Best wishes for the new year. Here is a fun look back at 2007 from jibjab.com.