tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5393854375080298892024-03-13T08:30:43.618-07:00Cookies Make You FatDebunking the myths and exploring the complicated world of dieting, fitness, nutrition, and what it is to be "healthy" in today's sugar-free world.Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792253040010586074noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539385437508029889.post-8806635883866508152013-07-08T13:23:00.001-07:002013-07-22T05:07:05.455-07:00Cha-cha-cha-chia! A new (old) superfood!
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<i>(Turns out 'chia' is not just a plastic pet
covered in grass-like fur!)</i></div>
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I'm
very close to my little cousin, Alicia - not only is she incredibly smart - as
in, Harvard Law smart - <i>and</i> pretty - as in, Halle Berry pretty - but we
have a great deal in common, including a keen focus on healthy lifestyles.
While I'm the protein powder/weight-lifting/kick-my-own-ass-in-spinning brand
of healthy, Alicia is the vegetarian/Pilates/outdoor-run kind of healthy –
which is fun, because we can get a different perspective on health and fitness
from each other. However, the whole vegetarian thing has always made me a bit
skeptical - so the other evening on Skype, I asked Alicia how she manages to
get enough protein in her diet. Aside from beans (which she loves, and I hate),
she told me about <b>chia</b> seeds – which she described as a superfood and her new
go-to source for protein. Wait, a superfood that I’ve never heard of?
Impossible! So immediately I did some research, and happily discovered my new
favorite superfood.<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rKYh3HuLWl0/UdhmczkNvwI/AAAAAAAAAUg/OounOCVUBtc/s1600/Alicia+and+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rKYh3HuLWl0/UdhmczkNvwI/AAAAAAAAAUg/OounOCVUBtc/s320/Alicia+and+me.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alicia and I</td></tr>
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So
what are chia seeds? Chia seeds are born from a plant in the mint family that
is native to the Aztecs and Mayans in Mexico and Guatemala. Among other things,
the Aztecs were quite accomplished herbalists, and according to ancient
folklore, it was chia seeds that provided strength and courage to warriors and
athletes, who were said to have survived on the seeds alone for weeks at a
time. It wasn't until Wayne Coates, a marathon-runner and professor of
agricultural engineering at the University of Arizona, investigated these seeds
in 1991, that the rest of the modern world started becoming aware of a
potential new superfood. Coates told The Huffington Post: "<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia;">Chia is the highest plant source of
Omega-3s. It has tons of fiber, and even a lot of antioxidants and minerals.
It's 20 percent protein -- which is, compared to wheat, or even soy, incredibly
high."</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VFEW9Ab0AHg/UdhmmXZDPHI/AAAAAAAAAUo/DL8vW60PETM/s1600/Chia+seeds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VFEW9Ab0AHg/UdhmmXZDPHI/AAAAAAAAAUo/DL8vW60PETM/s400/Chia+seeds.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raw chia seeds</td></tr>
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So
what is it that makes these little seeds a superfood?</div>
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<span style="color: magenta;">•<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span>Chia seeds are high in <b>protein</b>,
<b>calcium</b>, and <b>iron</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta;">•<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span>As Coates said, chia seeds
are also contain <b>Omega-3</b> fatty acids and <b>potassium</b>, as well as
other disease-fighting <b>antioxidants</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta;">•<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span>Chia seeds are high in <b>fiber</b>
- making your digestive system quite happy, and leaving you feeling full and
satisfied for many hours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta;">•<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: magenta;">Chia seeds are gluten free!
This is great for people like myself, who are allergic to gluten!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Additionally,
one of my favorite properties of chia seeds are that they help the body retain
fluids and electrolytes - meaning my body stays hydrated - as well as helping
build muscle and tissue, making it popular for athletes and strength trainers.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So
after reading all of that, you're probably thinking what I was: "What's
the catch? They probably taste horrible or are packed with calories." To
my (pleasant) surprise - one tablespoon of chia seeds is a mere 65 calories -
plus, they don't taste like much at all, making them easy to incorporate into
your daily meals.</div>
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Currently,
my favorite way to ingest these little super seeds is in my morning breakfast
shake. With little time for a properly cooked breakfast, I'm often blending up
a quick shake before/after my morning workout. If I have the time, I'll soak
one tablespoon of chia seeds in water* for 10-15 minutes - they begin to open
and become gel-like, making my smoothie thicker without changing the taste at
all. (*One can soak chia seeds in any kind of liquid - including any kind of
milk, which will have the same effect).<o:p></o:p></div>
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I
was shocked to find the incredible versatility of the chia seeds – there are
many uses, including:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: magenta;">1)
As an egg substitute:</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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1
tablespoon of finely ground chia seeds + 3 tablespoons of water = 1 egg in a <u>baking</u>
recipe (<i>not, for example, in an omelet </i>:)).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YfeU7fzMTSg/UdhnIAYAwjI/AAAAAAAAAU8/sLRpSFdOGWM/s1600/Chia+pudding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YfeU7fzMTSg/UdhnIAYAwjI/AAAAAAAAAU8/sLRpSFdOGWM/s1600/Chia+pudding.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chia pudding</td></tr>
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<span style="color: magenta;">2)
Make a healthy pudding for dessert!</span></div>
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•<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span>2 cups of coconut milk<br />
•<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span>1/2 cup chia seeds<o:p></o:p></div>
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•<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span>2-3 tablespoons of cocoa
powder (optional)<o:p></o:p></div>
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•<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span>1 teaspoon of vanilla<o:p></o:p></div>
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•<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span>1 tablespoon of sweetener
(optional) - I would use honey!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Put
everything in the blender and blend until smooth. Put in the refrigerator for
10 minutes and it will thicken nicely! As you've probably realized by now, the
different flavor combinations are endless! <span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta;">3)
Thicken salad dressings and soups</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Just
by adding a couple of tablespoons of chia seeds (finely ground or not), will
cause any dressing or soup to thicken (just let it stand for a few minutes).
This also goes for things like meatballs - which can be thickened with chia
seeds instead of breadcrumbs.<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta;">4)
Make grain-free crackers!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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There
are several variations and recipes available online - I haven't tried any of
them yet, but they sound and look tasty!<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta;">5)
And yes, as a Chia pet!</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bj_hgKaOUao/UdhmxeYy_-I/AAAAAAAAAUw/SH5bw3E5ylY/s1600/Chia+crackers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bj_hgKaOUao/UdhmxeYy_-I/AAAAAAAAAUw/SH5bw3E5ylY/s1600/Chia+crackers.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chia crackers</td></tr>
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Want
to reminisce and go back to the 1980s? Instead of buying your chia pet, just
get a pot, add some dirt, sprinkle in some chia seeds, and water! Cha-cha-cha-chia!
:)<o:p></o:p></div>
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There
are many more uses - but my favorite is still either in my morning shake or in
a cup of oatmeal!<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--EndFragment--><br />Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792253040010586074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539385437508029889.post-58629684175153531762013-04-28T08:29:00.001-07:002013-07-30T08:23:00.359-07:00Add some color to your plate!<span style="color: blue;">After another 'vacation' from blog posting, I'm back! And just in time, because it is (almost) spring - which can only mean one thing: Summer will be here before we know it! And THAT means flip flops, tank tops, short shorts, and summer dresses - so if you haven't started already, it's time to shed the winter jackets and the winter pounds!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">You actually don't have to know a ton about nutrition, calorie content, good vs. bad fats, grams of protein, etc. to eat and be healthy - in some ways it is easier than you think. One good rule I like: </span><i><b><span style="color: magenta;">The more color, the better!</span></b></i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kzRcuUO4LKg/UUSVzp6WWHI/AAAAAAAAASA/waXAhi561AI/s1600/carbs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kzRcuUO4LKg/UUSVzp6WWHI/AAAAAAAAASA/waXAhi561AI/s200/carbs.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sure, it's delicious - but not so nutritional.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><br /></i><span style="color: blue;">
It is not a coincidence that food having superior nutritional value for us is far more colorful than those foods that are not. (Just to clarify - I'm not talking about artificial foods here - we all know that Fanta comes in some bright fun colors, but let's be honest, it's not good for the body).</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">As such, if you're trying to eat healthier, it can be as simple as adding more color to your plate! For example, skip the brown potatoes and white rice, and instead go for baked beet root or yellow squash!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta;">My favorite super foods are full of color:</span> <span style="color: #38761d;">Seaweed</span>, <span style="color: red;">red and</span> <span style="color: #f1c232;">yellow</span> <span style="color: #f1c232;">bell peppers</span>, <span style="color: #38761d;">olives</span>, <span style="color: #351c75;">blackberries</span>, <span style="color: #e69138;">sharon fruit</span>, <span style="color: #e69138;">grapefruit</span>, <span style="color: #6aa84f;">parsley</span>, <span style="color: #274e13;">kale</span>, <span style="color: #990000;">and</span> <span style="color: #990000;">cherries</span>!<br />
<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dVuwFw9t91Y/UUSV1Q4MlyI/AAAAAAAAASI/mUZMGNalqS0/s1600/rainbow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dVuwFw9t91Y/UUSV1Q4MlyI/AAAAAAAAASI/mUZMGNalqS0/s320/rainbow.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicious, nutritional, and so colorful!</td></tr>
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<td class="xl24" height="13" width="154"><b>Lots of nutritional value…</b></td>
<td class="xl24" width="229"><b>Not so much nutritional value…(if any)</b></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl24" height="13"><span style="color: cyan;">(</span><span style="color: red;">lo</span><span style="color: lime;">ts</span> <span style="color: blue;">of </span><span style="color: magenta;">co</span><span style="color: orange;">lo</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">r!</span><span style="color: #3d85c6;">)</span></td>
<td class="xl24"><span style="color: #b45f06;">(not so much color…)</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td height="13"><ul>
<li>Bell peppers</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td><ul>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;">Potatoes</span></li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td height="13"><ul>
<li><span style="color: #38761d;">Spinach</span></li>
</ul>
</td>
<td><ul>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;">Rice</span></li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td height="13"><ul>
<li><span style="color: red;">Tomatoes</span></li>
</ul>
</td>
<td><ul>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;">Bread</span></li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td height="13"><ul>
<li><span style="color: orange;">Carrots</span></li>
</ul>
</td>
<td><ul>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;">Cabbage</span></li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td height="13"><ul>
<li><span style="color: lime;">Kiwi (peeled)</span></li>
</ul>
</td>
<td><ul>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;">Pasta</span></li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td height="13"><ul>
<li><span style="color: orange;">Oranges</span></li>
</ul>
</td>
<td><ul>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;">Fried foods (e.g. French fries, tempura)</span></li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td height="13"><ul>
<li><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Avocados</span></li>
</ul>
</td>
<td><ul>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;">Cheese</span></li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td height="13"><ul>
<li><span style="color: yellow;">Corn</span></li>
</ul>
</td>
<td><ul>
<li><span style="color: #b45f06;">Popcorn</span></li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td height="13"><ul>
<li><span style="color: #351c75;">black</span>/<span style="color: blue;">blue</span>/<span style="color: magenta;">raspberries</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<br /></td><td><br /></td>
</tr>
<!--EndFragment-->
</tbody></table>
Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792253040010586074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539385437508029889.post-36693999373601608012013-03-26T10:25:00.001-07:002013-03-26T10:52:22.473-07:00Enough with the peanut butter! <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
Ok, ok, i'm officially tired of people saying that peanut butter is a healthy food choice - and now i'm going to set the record straight: It's not.</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
Do I love peanut butter? Yes. Did I grow up (healthy) on a steady diet of peanut butter and jelly lunches? Yes. And <em>in very rare occassions</em>, do I allow myself to indulge and eat it straight out of the jar? I plead the fifth. Is peanut butter good for me? No.</div>
<br />
Let's start with the basics: <u>Peanuts are not a nut, they're a legume</u>. That's right, they deceivingly <em>look</em> like nuts and seem to sneak their way into all those mixed bags of nuts - but they are indeed NOT a nut. Don't believe me? Check the Peanut Institute: <a href="http://www.peanut-institute.org/peanut-facts/">http://www.peanut-institute.org/peanut-facts/</a><br />
(Yes, there is a Peanut Institute - i was surprised too). <br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mVd1iM0Z6mY/UVHV_JaXTjI/AAAAAAAAASg/0scQaYvqNHk/s1600/sometimes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mVd1iM0Z6mY/UVHV_JaXTjI/AAAAAAAAASg/0scQaYvqNHk/s200/sometimes.jpg" usa="true" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SOMETIMES. But definitely not on a <br />
regular basis!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
But the real problem is not that peanuts are a legume, but rather that they grow with a carcinogenic mold called Aflatoxin - and yes, this mold is contained even in organic peanuts. The mold continues to grow as they are shipped and sitting on grocery store shelves. Do you think your body really wants to ingest a fungus like aflatoxin? The US Food and Drug Association (FDA) has actually established "action levels" for aflatoxin present in food - so as to protect human and animal health. Any food substance that requires the FDA to monitor the mold content is not going in my body.</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tDV_3PwSvDk/UVHYoQEZ9kI/AAAAAAAAASo/CDup7c2NB8Q/s1600/apples+and+peanut+butter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tDV_3PwSvDk/UVHYoQEZ9kI/AAAAAAAAASo/CDup7c2NB8Q/s1600/apples+and+peanut+butter.jpg" usa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry, but apples and peanut butter are NOT my <br />
idea of a healthy snack - the apples spikes blood<br />
sugar, while the body expends a great deal of energy<br />
trying to digest the peanut butter...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
But wait - there is an even bigger problem with the peanut: It contains <em>lectins</em> which have inflammatory and atherogenic* properties, and which are extremely difficult on your digestive track (they are immune to digestive enzymes). In fact, this is the overall problem with lectins from grains (most notably wheat) and legumes (including soy), that are shown to have significant GI toxicity for people, and are the foods that are most commonly shown to produce digestive diseases in the body. The truth is, as one of the most mucus-forming and difficult to digest foods, your body expends a great deal of energy simply trying to digest peanuts and peanut butter.</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
*This means it creates an accumulation and swelling of artery walls - containing lipids (cholesterol and fatty acids - yum!).</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
Still not convinced? Check the nutrition labels; most peanut-butters - even the "healthy" ones - have sugar, salt, and hydrogenated oils. By the way, your body cannot process hydrogenated oils, so once it goes in it...well, your guess is as good as mine. Finally, peanut butter is incredibly calorie dense - with approximately 190 calories in just 2 tablespoons. I don't know about you, but <em>most </em>people do not eat just 2 tablespoons.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZsijCJPGHn0/UVHVH4aU3TI/AAAAAAAAASY/l4mCVK7a-F8/s1600/Peanut+butter+alterantives.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZsijCJPGHn0/UVHVH4aU3TI/AAAAAAAAASY/l4mCVK7a-F8/s320/Peanut+butter+alterantives.jpg" usa="true" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
But hope is not lost! There are a ton of other delicious peanut butter alternatives - my favorite being almond butter! Try the following:<br />
<ul>
<li>Almond butter</li>
<li>Sunbutter</li>
<li>Coconut butter (when mixing it in things -likes shakes and pancakes)</li>
<li>Macademia nut butter</li>
<li>Pistachio nut butter</li>
</ul>
Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792253040010586074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539385437508029889.post-21151780098950172882013-01-15T11:47:00.001-08:002013-01-15T11:47:34.094-08:00<b>Life as a Vegan </b>- <span style="color: magenta;"><b>Almost there...</b></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ASCrUziei2M/UPWvVupIQ1I/AAAAAAAAARE/pmfGXqxKSYU/s1600/food-envy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ASCrUziei2M/UPWvVupIQ1I/AAAAAAAAARE/pmfGXqxKSYU/s200/food-envy.jpg" width="165" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Food Envy: Happens when you<br />go Vegan for three weeks and your<br />loving boyfriend makes eggs, bacon,<br />and sausage for dinner...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And without even noticing, nearly three weeks of Vegan-eating have flown by. When I first started my Vegan diet, I assumed that by the second week I would be suffering from food envy and meat withdrawls, but that wasn't the case at all. Actually, I found that as the days go by, eating Vegan has become easier - the fewer food options I have, the less complicated it becomes to decide. <br />
<br />
Am I tired of tofu yet? NO! I have discovered so many deliciously marinated tofu options. That said, I still struggle with beans - I just don't think they will ever be "my thing".<br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><b>Lifetime challenge? Keeping the variety...</b></span><br />
<br />
I have noticed something else about myself: No matter what my diet looks like, I seem to default (quickly) to eating the same things consistently (I get bored easily - just <em>not </em>with food!). In the case of being Vegan, I frequently use protein shakes to supplement my protein-intake - which is easy and convenient, especially with a busy schedule, but not optimal. If I were to make going Vegan a permanent lifestyle change, I would have to find a way to do less protein shakes, and more alternative sources of protein. (...and yes, learn to love the bean).<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8_-AUspOWZc/UPWxUZDKtyI/AAAAAAAAARc/Y1qbEjkEAbU/s1600/gaga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8_-AUspOWZc/UPWxUZDKtyI/AAAAAAAAARc/Y1qbEjkEAbU/s320/gaga.jpg" width="229" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I miss meat...but not enough to wear it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Now that I am half-way through Week 3, I can honestly say that I STILL feel great! I'm already an energetic person, but I have even more energy now - which is especially helpful during my early morning workouts! Also, despite dry and cold weather here in Denmark, my skin is healthy and shiny. And although weight-loss was not the goal, I did lose nearly 4 pounds in this short amount of time. <br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: magenta;">And now, (part-Vegan) Vacation...!</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: magenta;"><br /></span></b>
And tomorrow i'm off to Thailand, with three days left of my 3-Week Vegan challenge! With all the delicious veggie and tofu stir frys, I don't imagine it will be hard to stay Vegan on the first part of our trip. I even ordered a Vegan meal for the long flight there!<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: magenta;">What will be my first meat-again meal?...I will report back.</span></b>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792253040010586074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539385437508029889.post-35578070917460610962013-01-04T12:27:00.001-08:002013-01-04T12:57:04.129-08:00<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Life as a Vegan -</b> <span style="color: magenta;"><b>One week down!</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, i've successfully completed 7 days of being Vegan - and it is going great! I have a lot of energy these days - no need for coffee! That said, there are some notable challenges:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="color: magenta; font-family: inherit;"><b>Challenge 1: Getting enough protein</b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i>
<i> </i>The protein sources I am turning to during my Vegan journey don't necessarily pack as much protein as what i'm used to - such as egg whites. I have to be careful that i'm not eating too many fruits and vegetables, and missing out on the muscle-building material my body needs, especially after training each day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KxODHMlBQ-E/UOc4H8utyzI/AAAAAAAAAQs/OFpRE4PfVOY/s1600/nuts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KxODHMlBQ-E/UOc4H8utyzI/AAAAAAAAAQs/OFpRE4PfVOY/s320/nuts.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">All good sources of protein!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="color: magenta; font-family: inherit;"><b>Challenge 2: Beans</b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i>
Prior to this Vegan challenge, I never ate beans; they were just not a part of my regular diet. I have nothing against beans, they've just never really make it in my grocery basket. That said, i've made a conscious effort to eat more legumes (protein) - and my stomach does not like it. I already have a pretty sensitive stomach, and legumes of any kind seem to add to the problem. Even so, it could also be my body reacting to foods that it is not used to processing - so, although there are so many other vegan-friendly things i'd rather be eating, i will still try to get those beans down.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<i><b><span style="color: magenta; font-family: inherit;">Challenge 3: Keeping those carbs in check!</span></b></i><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i>
With fewer food (protein) options, there can be a tendency to eat more carbohydrates. This is a common problem with Vegans - especially those who have just started going vegan - and i myself have noticed an increase in my carbohydrates intake. That said, i'm aware of it and am making sure that the carbohydrates i eat are good ones!</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BQuNMRCYMVs/UOc39OUbp2I/AAAAAAAAAQc/44dVgeKGQu4/s1600/bagels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="208" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BQuNMRCYMVs/UOc39OUbp2I/AAAAAAAAAQc/44dVgeKGQu4/s320/bagels.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't fall into the bagel trap!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<u><b><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: inherit;">Vegan Dish of the Day: <span style="line-height: 18px;">Curried Tomato Lentil Soup (Shorba Addis)</span></span></b></u><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></b></u>
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Ingredients: </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: inherit;">1/2 yellow onion, diced<br />1 small carrot, diced<br />1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger<br />3 cloves garlic, minced<br />1 tablespoon curry powder<br />2 1/2 cups vegetable broth<br />1/4 cup tomato paste<br />1/4 cup brown or green lentils<br />1 Yukon Gold potato, diced</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Directions: </span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Over medium-high heat, sauté the onion until it is brown. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the carrot, ginger, garlic, curry powder, and fenugreek, sautéing them for about 1 minute. Add the veggie broth and tomato paste, stirring until the tomato paste is thoroughly combined with the broth. Bring the soup to a simmer. Add the lentils and stir. Once the soup comes back to a simmer, cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Cook the soup for 20 minutes. Add the potato and orzo; cook the soup, covered, for 5 more minutes.</span></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792253040010586074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539385437508029889.post-37542053029725873442012-12-30T03:58:00.005-08:002012-12-30T03:58:56.128-08:00<b>Life as a Vegan -<span style="color: magenta;"> Days 2 & 3</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><b>Day 2</b></span> was fantastic! I woke up feeling much better and hit the gym right away for a good, long workout. My loving boyfriend showed his support for my Vegan quest with the following:<br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span>
<b><u><span style="color: #38761d;">Vegan dish of the day: Veggie and tofu stir fry</span></u></b><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><i><span style="color: #38761d;">4 or 5 mushrooms (sliced)</span></i></li>
<li><i><span style="color: #38761d;">1 bell pepper (sliced)</span></i></li>
<li><i><span style="color: #38761d;">1 medium onion (sliced)</span></i></li>
<li><i><span style="color: #38761d;">Tofu - regular or marinated (80-100g - careful here, tofu is calorie-dense - cut into little chunks)</span></i></li>
<li><i><span style="color: #38761d;">2-3 cloves garlic (chopped finely)</span></i></li>
<li><i><span style="color: #38761d;">1 fresh chili pepper</span></i></li>
<li><i><span style="color: #38761d;">1 tablespoon virgin olive oil</span></i></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #38761d;">Directions: <i>Heat up the oil in the pan, sauté the garlic until golden brown; throw in the onions for 2 minutes; add in bell peppers and mushrooms - sauté for 5 minutes or so, letting the water from the mushrooms come out and evaporate. Finally, add the tofu and sauté for 2-3 more minutes. Viola! </i></span></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OxfTRN64UME/UOAsCqK0dWI/AAAAAAAAAQE/a5YEmqNcu68/s1600/tofu+stir+fry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OxfTRN64UME/UOAsCqK0dWI/AAAAAAAAAQE/a5YEmqNcu68/s320/tofu+stir+fry.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chef Rune's veggie & tofu stir fry - YUM!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
I finished Day 2 with 20g of raw dark chocolate - which doesn't taste exactly like 'regular' dark chocolate, but isn't all that bad :)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="color: magenta;">Day 3</span> </b>was a semi-Vegan day. As I noted in my initial <i>Going Vegan </i>post, there are two exceptions to my Vegan lifestyle over the next 3 weeks, and last night was one of them: Date night! My boyfriend and I went and had tapas (very un-vegan) - we had already planned the evening a while ago, and I didn't want my new Vegan challenge to get in the way of that. If i've learned anything in the past few years, it is that diet and exercise -as important as they are - should not get in the way of having fun and spending quality time with loved ones. So I was super vegan all day long - took the night off - and today, i'm back on track with my Veganism!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792253040010586074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539385437508029889.post-14291091695460184862012-12-27T10:56:00.000-08:002012-12-27T10:56:27.599-08:00<b>Life as a Vegan - <span style="color: magenta;">Day 1</span></b><br />
<br />
It's been a rough day. Normally the first few days of any completely new diet are easy for me, but I woke up this morning and was completely congested, and my sore throat was still sore. As one who absolutely detests when sick people go to the gym (which is probably why IM sick now!), I hung up my gym bag, turned off my alarm, and crawled back into bed. So much for hoping it was just a 48 hour cold (...do those really exist anyhow?).<br />
<br />
The only time I mustered enough motivation to venture outside today (in the rain, of course), was to go pick up some Vegan supplies for the coming weeks;<br />
<br />
Here is what I got:<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6M3wS1GicFk/UNyZVaueMcI/AAAAAAAAAPs/ovwPeyAQDrI/s1600/protein+powder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6M3wS1GicFk/UNyZVaueMcI/AAAAAAAAAPs/ovwPeyAQDrI/s200/protein+powder.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sun Warrior Raw Vegan vanilla<br />protein powder</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<ul>
<li><b><span style="color: magenta;">Sun Warrior Raw Vegan</span></b> (dairy-free, gluten-free) <b><span style="color: magenta;">vanilla protein powder</span></b></li>
<ul>
<li>This is a great source of (almost) pure protein! And I bet you're thinking it doesn't taste very good, but it is actually not that bad!</li>
</ul>
<li><b><span style="color: magenta;">Elderberry juice</span></b> </li>
<ul>
<li>This is to nurse my sore throat and stuffy nose - and I have to be honest, it doesn't taste as good as I thought it would :(.</li>
</ul>
<li><b><span style="color: magenta;">Udo's Choice Adult's Blend Probiotika</span></b></li>
<ul>
<li>I've been using this for a while, as it is excellent for digestion and intestinal health. I usually take one pill after my evening meal, and my tummy stays happy!</li>
</ul>
<li><b><span style="color: magenta;">Aurion Gluten-free porridge</span></b></li>
<ul>
<li>I've also been eating this for a while - it's delicious! I get bored with oatmeal, so it is good to switch it up with this one. Plus, it is an excellent source of protein and fiber!</li>
</ul>
<li><span style="color: magenta;"><b>Linseeds (Flax seeds)</b></span></li>
<ul><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u6V2zP8YJj4/UNyZCsYqcwI/AAAAAAAAAPk/IdqE7U-qRpA/s1600/probiotik.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u6V2zP8YJj4/UNyZCsYqcwI/AAAAAAAAAPk/IdqE7U-qRpA/s200/probiotik.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Udo's Choice Adult's Blend <br />Probiotika</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<li>These are loaded with fiber and omega-3 fatty acids - to be sprinkled on my salads or morning oatmeal/porridge!</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b><span style="color: magenta;">Pumpkin seeds</span></b></li>
<ul>
<li>Pumpkin seeds contain a great deal of zinc, vitamin E, and other antioxidants. I plan on using these to keep my meals interesting.</li>
</ul>
<li><b><span style="color: magenta;">Almond butter</span></b></li>
<ul>
<li>A great source of protein, antioxidants, fiber, and mono-saturated fats. It is a great alternative to peanut butter </li>
</ul>
<li><b style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: magenta;">Raw dark chocolate</span></b></li>
<ul>
<li>I found Vegan chocolate!!</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5qQABJZ-Dfc/UNyYn2wDBGI/AAAAAAAAAPc/c_lLxfzvibQ/s1600/going+vegan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5qQABJZ-Dfc/UNyYn2wDBGI/AAAAAAAAAPc/c_lLxfzvibQ/s400/going+vegan.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Vegan starter kit (tofu not pictured :))!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792253040010586074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539385437508029889.post-79038356401912603242012-12-26T13:00:00.000-08:002012-12-26T13:00:24.170-08:0021 Days of VeganIt's that time again! My restless inner self is calling for another change, and after stumbling upon the Netflix documentary <i>Vegucated</i>, i've decided to go Vegan for 21 days. Last time I went 'Raw', the results were fantastic, leading to some permanent dietary changes. As a nutritionist, and out of sheer curiosity, i've tried almost every diet in the books (even the "Lemonade Diet" - and no, I do not recommend it) - but i've never gone vegan... until now.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lFso4E9_8so/UNtjVYBoo5I/AAAAAAAAAOw/ykUd5KQfkkY/s1600/veggies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lFso4E9_8so/UNtjVYBoo5I/AAAAAAAAAOw/ykUd5KQfkkY/s200/veggies.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
As an enthusiastic lover of chicken and chocolate - two central staples of my weekly (everyday?) diet, this new challenge of mine will test my will-power to say the least. Aside from the moral reasons Vegans have for their lifestyle, there are a number of health benefits associated with this plant-based diet.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: magenta;">Health benefits associated with a Vegan diet include:</span></b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Vegans have a <b>lower risk</b> of developing the following:</li>
<ul>
<li><b>Heart disease</b></li>
<li><b>Various cancers </b></li>
<li><b>Diabetes</b></li>
<li><b>Obesity</b></li>
<li><b>Hypertension (high blood pressure).</b></li>
</ul>
<li><b>Lower cholesterol</b></li>
<li><b>Healthier skin, hair, and nails</b></li>
<li><b>More energy</b></li>
<li>And a <b>longer life</b> (among others)!</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Ok, so how hard can it really be? Well, here are the rules...</div>
<div>
<b><span style="color: magenta;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div>
<b><span style="color: magenta;">How to be a vegan (at least in the dietary sense):</span></b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><b>No meat</b> (yes, this is the obvious one - and probably the most difficult for me!)</li>
<li><b>No dairy</b> (no prob - i'm lactose intolerant, so my dairy intake is quite low to begin with)</li>
<li><b>No eggs</b> (geeez, first no meat and now this?! Egg whites are a part of my daily protein fix!)</li>
<li><b>No sugar/honey</b> (... i don't really get this one, but ok, i think i'll survive)</li>
<li><b>No meat </b>(yes, we're listing this one again because it is so difficult to accept, we need to hear it twice...)</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NautrjwUfEo/UNtlDLnbO3I/AAAAAAAAAPE/q0SuMDRb8xU/s1600/chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="173" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NautrjwUfEo/UNtlDLnbO3I/AAAAAAAAAPE/q0SuMDRb8xU/s320/chicken.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And by "chikin", they mean "tofu"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="color: magenta;">There are 2 notable (pre-planned) exceptions to the next 21 days:</span></b></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
1) I have a tapas date night planned with my boyfriend in 2 days - it's important that I don't let my diet and fitness get in the way of romance and quality time with the one I love!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
2) New Years Eve sushi night! We've planned to ring in 2013 with some friends and some sushi :)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="color: magenta;"><b>What is probably going to be the most difficult for me over the next 3 weeks?</b></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gzQLqUkOW5A/UNtiaGTdI8I/AAAAAAAAAOg/_w_oZtqDAoQ/s1600/no+chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gzQLqUkOW5A/UNtiaGTdI8I/AAAAAAAAAOg/_w_oZtqDAoQ/s200/no+chicken.jpg" width="199" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">mmmmm chicken, i'll miss you!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<ul>
<li><b>Chicken, chicken, chicken</b>. Anyone who knows me knows that i loves me some chicken - especially my boyfriend's chicken (he's quite the chef!)... i will have to remind myself it's only 3 weeks!</li>
<li><b>Eggs</b>. I love egg white omelettes and I love scrambled eggs (when I have time to make them!).</li>
<li><b>Chocolate</b>. Most chocolate contains some sort of milk product (and sugar), making it off limits for the purposes of my little vegan experiment. That said, first thing tomorrow i'm on the hunt for dairy-free, whey-free, and casino-free chocolate (yum?)...</li>
</ul>
<div>
Finally, I feel a cold coming on - my throat is a bit sore, i'm getting a bit stuffy, and i feel as i'm teetering on the edge of a full-on flu... that said, this vegan thing can go one of two ways for me: 1) I get really sick, and this whole vegan thing gets that much harder; OR 2) Completely changing my diet shocks my body into recovering quickly and not getting worse!</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Stay tuned - i'm not above sharing all my dietary frustrations over the next 3 weeks, no matter how hormonal chocolate deprivation makes me!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n96qiuNKmOo/UNtiDg19cpI/AAAAAAAAAOY/ILjx7OdoAvw/s1600/cow.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n96qiuNKmOo/UNtiDg19cpI/AAAAAAAAAOY/ILjx7OdoAvw/s320/cow.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...Said the American girl living in a diary nation...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792253040010586074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539385437508029889.post-63733412711080666142012-10-02T12:28:00.001-07:002012-10-02T12:39:37.583-07:00Calorie-free bananas?! I wish!A friend of mine told me she thought bananas were calorie-free (yes, 0 calories), and I thought it was time to write another post...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yL9UsAnJU3s/UGs8jAyB2yI/AAAAAAAAANk/4ShQyk0ij_o/s1600/celery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="136" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yL9UsAnJU3s/UGs8jAyB2yI/AAAAAAAAANk/4ShQyk0ij_o/s200/celery.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is as close to zero calories as you get.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It is surprising how un-aware people are with regard to their caloric intake and how "healthy" they are really being. And it is not just that people <i>under-estimate </i>calorie content, but they are just as likely to <i>over-estimate </i>it. After establishing that bananas are indeed NOT calorie free (and assuring my friend that if they were, she would have seen me eating a lot more of them), I asked her how much she thought the small basket of french fries she was eating was - "Around 2000-2500" was her answer. And lets clarify something - this friend of mine is a university-educated Economist, who I frequently turned to for help in my Masters level econometrics course, and who currently specializes in the field of health economics. Regardless of education, people don't seem to be paying attention or know what they are putting in their bodies.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kapoiHSi2po/UGs86PrPsvI/AAAAAAAAANs/zAj6Pu0pKvw/s1600/HowManyCalories1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kapoiHSi2po/UGs86PrPsvI/AAAAAAAAANs/zAj6Pu0pKvw/s200/HowManyCalories1.jpg" width="181" /></a><br />
So let's do some MYTH-BUSTING:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>First of all, that small basket of fries my friend was eating may not be healthy, but it does not amount to her daily caloric intake. I estimate the approximately 250 grams of french fries to be somewhere between 700-800 calories.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Sadly, bananas are not calorie free. On the contrary, they are approximately 110 calories (depending on the size), and are actually one of the higher carb fruits. So, if you are hungry, have a banana - not 10.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><i>Low (or zero) calorie </i><u>does not</u> mean <i>healthy</i>. Diet sodas may not cause you to gain weight, but they are not keeping you healthy.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>To lose weight and/or maintain a healthy diet, nixing all carbs (Atkins Diet) is a baaaaaad idea. Losing weight is about maintaining a healthy caloric deficit (i.e. burn more calories than you eat) and <i>the</i> <i>kind of calories matter! </i>So, saying <i>no </i>to pasta while you binge on bacon and cheese won't help your goals...unless those goals are to have higher blood pressure, sabotage all long-term results*, and suffer from chronic constipation - fun! </li>
<ul>
<li>*Once your body stops being able to break down carbs - <i>any </i>carbohydrates you consume will go straight to fat storage!</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div style="text-decoration: underline;">
<u><br /></u></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KLorpnX7Ee0/UGs9evbiPKI/AAAAAAAAAN0/bpIE5Ma641g/s1600/atkins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="178" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KLorpnX7Ee0/UGs9evbiPKI/AAAAAAAAAN0/bpIE5Ma641g/s320/atkins.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This may be Atkins-approved, but it will NOT help you<br />
lose weight or maintain your health!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-decoration: underline;">
<u><br /></u></div>
So here are some easy ways to be a little more conscious about how many calories you are eating:<br />
<br />
Best iPhone Apps:<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IeNVwc-ZMlk/UGs9z2iNL2I/AAAAAAAAAN8/DC3ym6P8IfA/s1600/FREE-Android-App-Calorie-Counter-And-Diet-Tracker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IeNVwc-ZMlk/UGs9z2iNL2I/AAAAAAAAAN8/DC3ym6P8IfA/s400/FREE-Android-App-Calorie-Counter-And-Diet-Tracker.jpg" width="242" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NO, this is not mine! I'm lactose intolerant,<br />don't drink much coffee, and am allergic to gluten-<br />so this is pretty much all wrong for me! :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ol>
<li>Calorie Counter & Diet Tracker by MyFitness Pal - <i>My favorite!</i></li>
<li>Calorie Tracker by LIVESTRONG.COM</li>
<li>Lose It!</li>
<li>Restaurant Nutrition</li>
<li>Calorie Counter by MyNetDiary</li>
<li>CalorieCounter by FatSecret</li>
</ol>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
I also find that CalorieKing.com is a great source of information regarding caloric content - and even includes well-known brands and restaurants in the U.S.<br />
<br />
<br />
Remember - your body <i>needs </i>calories to maintain weight and overall health, just make sure you have a basic understanding of how much you are consuming! Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792253040010586074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539385437508029889.post-21938043052258857792012-08-21T11:21:00.002-07:002012-08-21T11:22:56.747-07:00Happy skin, happy hair, happy me!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">Yea, <i>inner beauty</i> is important, but lets be honest - <i>outer beauty</i> is kinda a big deal...</span></div>
<br />
Hair, skin, nails - besides our figure, us women have<i> a lot </i>to worry about when it comes to beauty. If you are anything like me, you've got a stockpile of creams, lotions, conditioners, scrubs, masks, toners - and the list goes on of various beautifying products. And despite the economic crisis, sales of such beauty products has not decreased, but rather <i>increased! </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TLjYoqAziCo/UDPL3a1Y9qI/AAAAAAAAAM0/3IHslrEESq4/s1600/women+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="195" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TLjYoqAziCo/UDPL3a1Y9qI/AAAAAAAAAM0/3IHslrEESq4/s200/women+.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Women and their beauty products -<br />
transcending decades, if not centuries.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: 'Walbaum Text OT', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; text-align: left;">What </span><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: 'Walbaum Text OT', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">is</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: 'Walbaum Text OT', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; text-align: left;"> surprising, however, is a spending phenomenon called the “lipstick effect,” which is a cute way of describing how women surprisingly spend more on beauty products during recessions. For example, did you know that </span><strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: 'Walbaum Text OT', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">L’Or</strong><strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: 'Walbaum Text OT', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">é</strong><strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: 'Walbaum Text OT', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">al </strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: 'Walbaum Text OT', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; text-align: left;">was one of the few companies to experience growth in 2008? When all other sectors were approaching rock bottom, the beauty market was actually thriving." <b>-Fashion Magazine, June 20th 2012</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: 'Walbaum Text OT', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<br />
On top of the products themselves, I pay upwards of $75-100 for a deep-cleaning facial when I feel like I can afford the luxury - and I won't even start on the waxing, pedicure, and hair appointments. And despite all of this, in the past few weeks it seems as though my teen years have had a renaissance on my face with a blemish or three, everyday feels like a bad hair day, and my skin is drier than normal.<br />
<br />
The conclusions I came to was that, despite all the products us women buy, most women (myself included!) are neglecting the most basic form of beauty care out there: Our diet! Right along side all those magazine advertisements and articles highlighting our new favorite beauty products, there are dozens of articles telling us how what we eat can has a substantial effect on our skin, hair, and overall glow.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0PtHy4eXZjQ/UDPMf1gyKyI/AAAAAAAAANE/q-5G_0ktmwc/s1600/foods+for+your+hair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0PtHy4eXZjQ/UDPMf1gyKyI/AAAAAAAAANE/q-5G_0ktmwc/s320/foods+for+your+hair.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best foods for your hair!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Most detox diets are designed to cleans the inner organs and digestive system, but my plan now is to try a new kind of detox - this time focused on cleansing my skin, hair, and nails (from the inside out)!<br />
<br />
Here are the basics:<br />
<br />
<u><span style="color: magenta;"><b>Best foods for healthy hair:</b></span></u><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">Salmon (and other fatty fishes)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">Dark <u>green</u> vegetables (think spinach, kale, broccoli)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">Nuts</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">Oysters</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">Carrots</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">Eggs</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">Bananas</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">Yams</span></li>
</ul>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UAEOEN-BqMk/UDPMce-k3YI/AAAAAAAAAM8/sO9i7zPVOx8/s1600/wear+it+eat+it.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UAEOEN-BqMk/UDPMce-k3YI/AAAAAAAAAM8/sO9i7zPVOx8/s200/wear+it+eat+it.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can wear it AND eat it!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<u><span style="color: magenta;"><b>Best food for healthy skin:</b></span></u></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">Yellow and orange fruits and vegetables (also red bell peppers!)</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">Blueberries and pomegranates</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">Tomatoes</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">Legumes</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">Nuts (especially walnuts and almonds!)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">Salmon (and other fatty fishes)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">Olive oil</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
Many of the same foods are found on both lists, and <i>most </i>foods I like. Oysters, however, I will have to pass on, and legumes I find difficult to enjoy. <span style="background-color: yellow;">Even so, I will try to incorporate at least 3-4 of these foods into each day, and at least one from each list in every meal.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Also:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><b><span style="color: magenta;">Green tea every morning + 1 small cup of coffee at some point in the morning. </span></b>Dermatologists are increasingly agreeing that caffeine is beneficial for skin, especially with regard to calming redness.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b><span style="color: magenta;">Body scrub twice a week!</span></b></li>
<ul>
<li>I'm using the olive body scrub from The Body Shop</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b><span style="color: magenta;">Natural hair mask twice a week!</span></b></li>
<ul>
<li>1) Eggs! That's right, eggs are excellent for your hair. And in fact, eggs + mashed bananas makes a great hair mask - add a little bit of water and let sit for 20-30 minutes. Then shampoo out.</li>
<li>2) Avocado mask: Avocados + 2 tablespoons olive oil + dash of honey - leave on for 20 minutes, then shampoo out.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b><span style="color: magenta;">All natural face mask twice a week, recipes found here: </span></b>http://beauty.about.com/od/skinflaws/a/facemasks.htm</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b><span style="color: magenta;">A LOT of water</span></b> - I don't drink sodas, and rarely drink juice, so this shouldn't be a problem. Even so, I'm going to up my H2O intake like it's my job!</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b><span style="color: magenta;">SPF </span></b><b><span style="color: magenta;"><u>everyday</u>.</span> </b>I'm guilty of often "forgetting" to put on sunscreen -or at the very least, a daycream with SPF - as I run out the door in the morning. </li>
</ul>
<div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: magenta;"><b>Check back in two weeks to hear about my results!</b></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vaX5pCIufsI/UDPM7cQujuI/AAAAAAAAANM/7OaibWGB1YA/s1600/blueberries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vaX5pCIufsI/UDPM7cQujuI/AAAAAAAAANM/7OaibWGB1YA/s400/blueberries.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not only is it better for the body,<br />
but a healthy diet is the cheapest beauty remedy there is!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792253040010586074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539385437508029889.post-75637397966448899562012-07-17T13:18:00.002-07:002012-07-17T13:20:31.394-07:00You're sexy, and all your Facebook friends know it.Are we turning to social media now to hold us accountable? Given the number of times we check Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Myspace (Ha! Not!), etc., it makes perfect sense to use all of your cyber buddies to keep you in check when it comes to your health & fitness. If you are telling the world the story about how your favorite sweater just shrank in the dryer and posting a photo of that fancy taco you ate for lunch, then you might as well share with the rest of the world that you workout.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k6mhGNcTF-E/UAXHjt4_wiI/AAAAAAAAAMg/BNl8mF68FLA/s1600/i+work+out.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k6mhGNcTF-E/UAXHjt4_wiI/AAAAAAAAAMg/BNl8mF68FLA/s320/i+work+out.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You're sexy, and all your Facebook friends know it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I have been noticing lately how many of my Facebook friends have downloaded applications that keep track of their exercise, such as Runkeeper and Endomondo, calculating how far they've run or biked, how many calories they've burned, how quickly they did it, etc. Today on my newsfeed I saw that one of my Facebook friends had run 5.23 km - my first thought was: "Thats a nice little run - good for him!" (...although I did question the 505 calories he supposidly burned - which seems like a bit of an over-estimation). My next thought was: "Yea, but does that nice little run count for anything if he isn't eating well?" Even if we are to believe that 505 calories were burned on that run, that is basically the peice of afternoon cake that your damn co-worker has brought in (again) + a handful of candy from the office candy bowl - and BOOM, you've just undone all that hard 5.23 km of work you've done! But Facebook isn't telling that sugar covered story, now is it?<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PD1wOg6fcDk/UAW_gx83kXI/AAAAAAAAAMI/FJQ6QZ2U3p4/s1600/Runkeeper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="215" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PD1wOg6fcDk/UAW_gx83kXI/AAAAAAAAAMI/FJQ6QZ2U3p4/s320/Runkeeper.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Runkeeper snapshot</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Lets remember that losing weight and being healthy is <em>mostly </em>about diet - and exercise will <em>excelerate</em> weight loss (while providing other health benefits such as lowering stress and blood pressure, improving mood, etc). SO, in that case, people should really be making us all proud to be their Facebook friend by posting what their <u>eating</u> on facebook - i.e. "Jennifer Ruscelle Robinson <i>avoided</i> 372 calories in delicious chocolate cake brought to the office today, and ate an apple instead." If any of you work in an office like mine, you will realize how that is - at times - more difficult than a 30 minute run.<br />
<br />
After a witty little Facebook status update about how we should have some sort of application to keep track of calories, in addition to exercise, in order to keep people accountable - another Facebook friend commented with this:<br />
<br />
(it's Ok, it's not a virus...)<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsCGnbMpxOk&feature=player_embedded">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsCGnbMpxOk&feature=player_embedded</a></div>
<br />
Truly brilliant (and quite funny). If late-night snacking is your downfall, this is for you. Its a security system that protects you from yourself! Now, if only it could tell us <i>what</i> you were getting from the fridge!!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7E821NY-ke0/UAXCXQBIrFI/AAAAAAAAAMU/-2MtbjhVPfE/s1600/virtual-fridge-lock-screen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="175" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7E821NY-ke0/UAXCXQBIrFI/AAAAAAAAAMU/-2MtbjhVPfE/s320/virtual-fridge-lock-screen.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caught in the act - but all of your 567 Facebook friends!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792253040010586074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539385437508029889.post-40568644619654838682012-07-07T12:16:00.000-07:002012-07-07T12:17:34.412-07:00Work hard, play hard, and then, DETOX!<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It’s been a busy
summer already! After a six day sunny holiday by the pool in Malta, a week after I returned I was off again to the beautiful city of Amsterdam for a long four-day weekend.
For me, vacation is vacation – which means I work out if I feel like it, and
eat what I want. But when I arrive home again, it’s back to business – healthy
eating and healthy living (e.g. sleep and training!).<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LC0HYWk2ey4/T_iKtj2wa8I/AAAAAAAAAL8/N4Qc3pdpQ_c/s1600/IMG_0221.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LC0HYWk2ey4/T_iKtj2wa8I/AAAAAAAAAL8/N4Qc3pdpQ_c/s200/IMG_0221.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This definitely happened in Amsterdam,<br />
and I don't regret a second of it! :) </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When I get back from
vacation, I like to detox – it is a great way to kick-start yourself back into
routine, and cleanse of all your vacation sins. I've </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">designed my own detox that works great <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">for me</i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">. </i>I’ve taken parts of other detox
diets and found what I like and what is most effective– and I always encourage people to do the same.
Maybe not all of my detox principles will work for everyone – but take what
works and make it your own!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><u><b>Jennifer’s Post-Vacation
Detox</b></u></span></div>
</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>No coffee
(note: I said ‘coffee’, not 'no caffeine')</b></span></li>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Oh
this is hard! Why no caffine? Because if you are anything like me, I’ve had
quite a bit of coffee on my vacation; Café hoping in Paris, late nights in
Amsterdam, iced coffees by the pool in Malta, indulging in every Starbucks I
see because we don’t have them here in Copenhagen, etc….And for me, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not </i>being dependent on coffee is
important, since I love the boost it gives me <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">when I need it. </i> </span></li>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yxXys8Tu4FI/T_iFAmpYoLI/AAAAAAAAALc/y3WTAP7XbIE/s1600/IMG_0289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yxXys8Tu4FI/T_iFAmpYoLI/AAAAAAAAALc/y3WTAP7XbIE/s320/IMG_0289.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detox breakfast: Kusmi Detox Tea + Jenni's 'fruit soup' :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I
trade my cup of coffee for Kusmi Green Detox Tea – and I drink anywhere between
1-3 cups of it a day.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Only fruit
in the morning!</b></span></li>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I make what I call “Fruit soup”; I blend frozen blueberries
or frozen mixed berries, with a banana and water (NO milk or yogurt – I promise
you won’t need it, and it is important to not consume dairy products when detoxing), and then I pour it
over a chopped apple (or any other fruit you want) in a bowl. It may sound weird, but try it – it’s delicious!</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Only veggies in the afternoon/evening (on the first day)</b></span></li>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Make
it easier for your body to digest and cleanse by only eating veggies and
drinking tea for the rest of the day<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 9px;">.</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If I get really desperate, I might have a few almonds or walnuts.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TcOq9IPcN30/T_iF9KkUitI/AAAAAAAAALo/RNTyURqrdsk/s1600/IMG_0308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TcOq9IPcN30/T_iF9KkUitI/AAAAAAAAALo/RNTyURqrdsk/s320/IMG_0308.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detox salad: Red cabbage, mushrooms, bell pepper, salad<br />
onion, kalamata olives (+ home-made mustard dressing)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Go to bed early</b></span></li>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Getting back from vacation means getting back into a routine, which
means getting sleep so you can: Go to the gym, go to work, do all that
dirty laundry in your suitcase, etc. It is easier to get back into your
training and every-day healthy diet if you are well-rested, so going to bed at
a reasonable time is crucial.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Drink plenty of H2O </b></span></li>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You've been sight-seeing, you've been at the beach, you've been shopping and spending all that money you don't have - and during all of that fun, you've probably not been drinking enough water! Flying can also dehydrate you, so make sure you drink plenty of water upon your return home.</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Sweat!</b></span></li>
<ul><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--rNYTCUHjKI/T_iJCj1IiMI/AAAAAAAAAL0/ju1qE-aoiC0/s1600/sweat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="162" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--rNYTCUHjKI/T_iJCj1IiMI/AAAAAAAAAL0/ju1qE-aoiC0/s200/sweat.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweat it out!<br />
(But maybe save it for the gym...)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hit the gym and sweat out all that vacation! One way your body gets rid of waste and toxins is by sweating, so try some particularly sweaty training, like spinning or Bikram (hot) yoga. Not your thing? Then hit the sauna or take a really hot shower (or five) - anything to help get your sweat on!</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Days 2-5</b></span></li>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Only fruit in the morning, then veggies and protein the rest of the evening. Although I recommend complex carbohydrates as a part of a healthy diet, during a detox, I don't recommend it.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ONLY water or tea. No soda, no coffee, no juice.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This detox can be done for 1-5 days, but shouldn't go beyond that. It can also be used after a particularly sinful weekend or if you plateau in your diet and/or training and need a boost!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Work hard, play hard, and then, detox.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792253040010586074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539385437508029889.post-70067266667658664622012-06-21T13:00:00.001-07:002012-06-21T13:00:57.614-07:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Quick Tips!</span></h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: magenta; color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1) Drink more H2O!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: magenta; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">That's right! Most of the time when you <i>think </i>you feel hungry - you're actually just thirsty! And that's because most of us don't drink enough water! Don't just chug it when you remember, but carry around a water bottle with you and sip it often - I promise you won't feel hungry as often!</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pl1lXpYVyFg/T-N8lbS0OLI/AAAAAAAAALQ/utCoW-vtUb8/s1600/water-bottle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pl1lXpYVyFg/T-N8lbS0OLI/AAAAAAAAALQ/utCoW-vtUb8/s200/water-bottle.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Usually the simple things are the best<br />things for us.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: magenta; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: magenta; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: magenta; color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2) Eat a good breakfast!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">No skipping here! You (and your metabolism) will pay for it later. Waking up <i>hungry </i>is a GOOD thing! And no, a cup of coffee does not count as breakfast.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: magenta; color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">3) Make ONE change at a time -</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Whether it is eating more often (every 3-4 hours), eating a smaller dinner, cutting out sugar, or whatever change it is you are trying to make - make ONE change at a time. Taking on too much will set you up for failure (and stress you out!)- so make one change, <u>master it</u> until it is <u>routine</u>, and then take on the next one.</span>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792253040010586074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539385437508029889.post-23996078035698732812012-06-20T12:31:00.004-07:002012-06-20T12:38:21.130-07:00Dear Stress, Let's break-up.The other day I was talking to my Pilates teacher Tanja, and I asked her what she did - aside from teaching Pilates - to be in such great shape. Tanja has always a well-trained body, but after giving birth to her son a couple of years ago, she has managed to get into the best shape of her life! She of course eats a healthy (and raw) diet, but one of the other things she mentioned to me was something I hadn't ever thought about before: <b><i>Stress hormones, </i>and the effect they have on the body's ability to get and stay in shape.</b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MjowccL4DYw/T84kZxIZhsI/AAAAAAAAAKk/oje3ZxCnGY0/s1600/Stressed+out_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MjowccL4DYw/T84kZxIZhsI/AAAAAAAAAKk/oje3ZxCnGY0/s320/Stressed+out_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and then after all of this, you have to pick up the kids,<br />
go to grocery store, AND get in your workout...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Tanja knows me - she knows I'm hardcore, that I like to push myself, and that I know what I've gotta do to get into excellent shape. What Tanja also knows first-hand is burnout, years of lifting weights and over training, and the result - what I'm currently going through now that my body is, essentially, giving out. So, Tanja has recommended a number of changes for me - with my training, with my diet, and very importantly - <u>my stress levels.</u><br />
<u><br /></u><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kVU2zUpk0VA/T-Ih2gLH6cI/AAAAAAAAALE/gdNZNov3TCQ/s1600/dear+stress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kVU2zUpk0VA/T-Ih2gLH6cI/AAAAAAAAALE/gdNZNov3TCQ/s200/dear+stress.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Excessive stress - both mentally and physically - will prompt the body's adrenal glands to produce stress hormones, namely, adrenaline and cortisol. And i'm not just talking about work, family, and financial stresses - but also the stress one places on themself to put in enough gym time, eat a strict diet, <i>be stronger, skinnier, faster, etc</i>. When we stress about these things, Cortisol - the body's primary stress hormone - is produced, causing an increase in blood glucose levels (sugar levels). This in turn hinders the body's immune system, digestive system, and various other repair and growth processes. Equally important, Corisol is the hormone that speaks to your brain to control mood and motivation.<br />
<br />
(Did you know that stress actually causes your body to crave fatty, sugary, and salty foods?! That's why you go for the tub of ice cream after a long stressful day instead of a salad!)<br />
<br />
When stress is present in your life on a regular basis, this creates a number of potential long-term problems, including <i>trouble sleeping, depression/anxiety, digestive problems, and fatigue. </i>ALL of these things will interfere with the ability to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I hadn't realized myself that the primary source of stress I felt in my life was actually the pressure I was putting on myself physically - my constant focus on diet and exercise, and my persistent tendency to <i>never </i>be satisfied. As a result, my body has been producing hormones that actually diminish the work i'm putting in.<br />
<br />
We already have enough stresses in life that we cannot avoid - so don't add to it with over-stressing about extra cardio time, forcing workouts when you're tired, eating an overly strict diet, and never feeling like you're doing enough.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y5iJJtEr4yg/T-IhYd6fgYI/AAAAAAAAAK8/M0uWyPxzZSE/s1600/stress+less.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y5iJJtEr4yg/T-IhYd6fgYI/AAAAAAAAAK8/M0uWyPxzZSE/s1600/stress+less.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
If you want results, stress LESS.</div>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Extra tip:</b> Take B vitamins to help regulate mood and stabilize the body's cortisol output and stress levels.</span><br />
<br />Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792253040010586074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539385437508029889.post-41377891034075960452012-05-22T11:56:00.001-07:002012-05-22T12:08:13.725-07:00Use YOURSELF to INSPIRE yourself<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-size: large;"><b>Sometimes the best inspiration is YOURSELF.</b></span></div>
<br />
Some people suggest pinning up photos all over your home of how you <i>wish </i>you looked to keep you focused on your health and fitness goals - something kinda like this:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LS2IJLOPMzs/T7vcL0An9tI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/Y5UxMzru3iE/s1600/bikini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LS2IJLOPMzs/T7vcL0An9tI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/Y5UxMzru3iE/s1600/bikini.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wish.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
OR this:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pv2Nv4oUV54/T7vcQaCS6CI/AAAAAAAAAKE/rZPYSur1_vM/s1600/male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pv2Nv4oUV54/T7vcQaCS6CI/AAAAAAAAAKE/rZPYSur1_vM/s1600/male.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice...eyes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
But let's be honest - if you were paid lots of money to model, or be filmed on TV or in movies, you would probably have some ex$tra incentives to eat a (very) healthy diet and work out consistently too. BUT we're not paid the big bucks to bring sexy back (well, most of us at least), so striving to look like our friends in the photos above - while not unattainable - may be a bit unrealistic.<br />
<br />
<i>Instead</i>, how about striving to be the best version of yourself? Whether it is extra baby weight, a busy schedule that has kept you from the gym and healthy diet, or a general desire to get in shape (for summer maybe?), we all need <i>a lot </i>of motivation to get it done. And what better motivation than striving for something you know you've already achieved? It's a place you've been before, and know you can get back to.<br />
<br />
With a vigorous workout schedule and a generally healthy diet, sometimes it is easy for one to plateau, get into a little slump, or lose sight of their goals. So, when this starts to happen to me, I look at a photo like this:<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0UZWLkZCxbQ/T7ve6yQop5I/AAAAAAAAAKQ/RmNv5kwCYPQ/s1600/jenni.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0UZWLkZCxbQ/T7ve6yQop5I/AAAAAAAAAKQ/RmNv5kwCYPQ/s320/jenni.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me in the gym, working hard and getting it done!</td></tr>
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This reminds me what I'm capable of - and even though this might not be what I'm striving for <i>now</i>, if I can get to this, then I can get anywhere in-between.<br />
<br />
So instead of looking at photos of over-paid and under-fed famous people, find photos of yourself when you felt good - healthy, in-shape, fit, happy, whatever - and strive for that!Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792253040010586074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539385437508029889.post-42069501839465059022012-05-14T11:08:00.001-07:002012-05-30T13:21:13.013-07:00Two Weeks of Going RAW!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Follow me for two weeks as I do The Raw Diet* - I will write down what I eat and when I eat it - and then document the results to prove <em>it works</em>! </b></span><br />
<strong><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">*See my "Going Raw" post</span></strong><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As a weight management specialist, I have tried just about every diet in the book - after all, I would never recommend any diet that I have not tried myself! I've tried different diets not only see if they work, but also to see how I feel generally (am I energized? am I moody? Are my workouts stronger or weaker?) - and just out of sheer curiosity :). After years in the fitness industry, I have come to know my body very well, and what I need to do in the gym and in the kitchen to see results (whatever my goals may be).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of the things I always recommend to friends trying to lose weight is to <u>write it down</u>. Write it down until it becomes an integrated part of your lifestyle. Actually seeing what you're is eating and <i>when </i>you're eating it is extremely helpful for noticing tendencies, pitfalls, and overall helps to hold you accountable for what you are putting in your body. And since people are often asking me "What do YOU eat when you want to lose weight?", I decided to write down what I'm eating for 14 straight days, and update the post daily.</span></blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>The goals of this post are to:</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1) Show how eating according to The Raw Diet actually works - and quickly.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2) Show that you can lose weight quickly <i>without </i>crash dieting and/or starving yourself.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3) Show that eating every 3-4 hours is beneficial for metabolism, energy levels, and overall weight-loss.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4) Re-energize! After months of getting caught up in work, re-furnishing our apartment, and traveling, it is time to re-focus on myself and my diet - and just in time for summer! :)</span><br />
<strong><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So here we go!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Everyday vitamin supplements:</span></strong><br />
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Fish oil</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Vitamin C</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Acaí berry</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Spirulina</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ginseng</span></li>
</ul>
<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">DAY 1: Monday, May 14th</span></u><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm kick-starting with a modified juice cleanse today! The juice-only days are the hardest for me (because I love food!), but it is a great way to give my digestive system a break and 're-set' my body.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have called this a 'modified-juice cleanse' becuase I will also incorporate 100% natural, raw, and gluten-free protein shakes - ensuring that my body gets the protein it needs!</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8v5N-A3Rl_E/T7DAdPztGpI/AAAAAAAAAI0/_FmXq_N64V8/s1600/IMG_1874.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8v5N-A3Rl_E/T7DAdPztGpI/AAAAAAAAAI0/_FmXq_N64V8/s200/IMG_1874.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="150" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Apple + carrots + spinach (lots of it!)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It may not look good - but it tastes great!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J_N1-IjKQmY/T7FFVGZcOsI/AAAAAAAAAJA/0yLZ3vwYNMs/s1600/protein-natural-medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J_N1-IjKQmY/T7FFVGZcOsI/AAAAAAAAAJA/0yLZ3vwYNMs/s320/protein-natural-medium.jpg" width="252" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I recommend Sun Warrior protein powder!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>0900:</b> Glass of apple, carrot, and spinach juice (4oz) + big mug of green tea.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>104<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5: </span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 protein shake (1 scoop)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1230:</b> Glass of apple, carrot, and spinach juice (4oz)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1500:</b> Glass of apple, carrot, and spinach juice (8oz)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">[Exercise: 20 minutes bike + weights: legs (light) + abs (light) + 15 minutes stepper (light)]</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*I normally do not recommend working out on days that you juice - you may get light-headed, dizzy, or just feel weak -- but given that I haven't gone in a few days, I decided to go and do a light version (moderate paced cardio and lighter weights).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1700: </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Glass of apple, carrot, and spinach juice (10oz)</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1930:</b> Protein shake (blueberries, one scoop protein <span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">powder, 1 cup soy milk, 1 cup water)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And today is finished! I might have a cup of tea later, but that is it - and I will sleep well because my digestive system is not working overtime to process a big dinner, my body is tired from a workout and being a little under calories (this is normal for juice days), and my last meal is at 7:30pm - meaning that by 9/9:30pm I will be ready for bed!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta;"><u></u></span></div>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>DAY 2: Tuesday, May 15th</u></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I feel good this morning - I slept well, and woke up refreshed (for the most part)!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong><br /></strong></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong>0645: </strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 orange + 1 pear</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I want to put something in my body before I got for a morning run. Some believe that working out in the morning before eating helps burn fat - while others believe that this actually hinders your training goals. I believe the latter - your body needs fuel for a good workout and to keep your metabolims at high levels. <span style="color: black;"><strong>*A topic for another post.*</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">[Exercise: 30 minute run]</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong>0800: </strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 medium</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong> </strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mango + 1 cup blueberries</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong>0915: </strong>Two handfuls of grapes (about 20 grapes)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Remember: With the Raw Diet, you can eat as much fruit as you want, and should do this in the morning!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>1115: </strong>5 egg whites + salad (with sundried tomatoes and zucchini)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>1430: </strong>10g dark chocolate + decaf coffee</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>1500: </strong>175g chicken breast + salad (with mushrooms, lettuce, olives, bell peppers, sauteéd onions, and tomato).</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>1745: </b>Protein shake (1 scoop) + handful of walnuts/almonds</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">[Exercise: Pilates class</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">]</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>2000: </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Protein shake (1 scoop + 100ml soy milk) + 10g dark chocolate (+ tea) for desert</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Remember: You can eat dark chocolate after any meal - but try not to get crazy with it! I like to have a little bit every day :)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>DAY 3: Wednesday, May 16th</u></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>0600: </b>2 small oranges</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">[Exercise: Spinning class + weights: biceps/triceps</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">]</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>0815: </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 banana + 1 cup blueberries + 1 scoop protein powder + 150ml soy milk</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>0930: </b>Two handfuls of grapes (about 25)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1145: </b>Two small fillets of white fish + salad (zucchini, bell papers, sun dried tomatoes, cucumbers) + 3 egg whites</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1415: </b>About 3 big handfuls of mixed dried fruit (raisins, dried cranberries, dried apricots) and nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans)*</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1500: </b>Handful of grapes*</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*Note: Oops! This was NOT following the principles of the Raw Diet! I should have waited a full three hours for my lunch (protein) to digest before I ate from another food group (nuts/grapes). </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1715: </b>Veggie salad</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I know that i'm going out for date night tonight with my boyfriend, and that it will be a while before we eat, so I want to put something in my body.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1930: </b>Date Night with my boyfriend - Nepalese food! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I tried to keep it as healthy as possible - sticking with veggies, protein, and avoiding the heavy carbs + very small honey-based desert.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Remember:</b> It is important to let yourself still have fun and have some </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>planned</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> cheat meals so you can stay on track your other days - otherwise, if you restrict yourself too much, you will most likely end up binging at some point.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lJqnZXES6C4/T7UISfBupxI/AAAAAAAAAJM/AjM6YUOlnXk/s1600/IMG_1878.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lJqnZXES6C4/T7UISfBupxI/AAAAAAAAAJM/AjM6YUOlnXk/s200/IMG_1878.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My morning smoothie!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>DAY 4: Thursday, May 17th</u></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(Modified) Juice Day #2!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1045: </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My 'fruit soup' - blended blueberries, 1 banana, orange, and a kiwi</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1330: </b>Protein shake (2 scoops)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">[Exercise: 20 min run + weights: back/chest/shoulders</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">]</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1600: </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">About 10 oz. fresh fruit juice (apple, carrot, tomato, orange)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*Get a juicer! It is worth it!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1800: </b>Protein shake (3 scoops)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>2000: </b>1 cup of tomato juice (heated) + tea + 30g dark chocolate </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yes, i still indulge in a little dark chocolate on my <i>modified </i>juice days.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">BUT not too much!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>DAY 5: Friday, May 18th</u></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have a lot of energy this is morning, which is great because i'm going for a spin class! I can feel my energy levels have really increased, even after only a few days!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>0700: </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3/4 cup glutenfri oatmeal + 1/3 cup soy milk</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">[Exercise: Spinning class (=about 45 minutes of moderate-high intensity spinning) + weights: legs</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">]</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1045: </b>1 apple + 1 kiwi + 1/2 cup blueberries + 6oz fresh fruit juice (from yesterday)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I know i'm going to have lunch with a friend, but I need to put something in my body after that workout!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1230: (Lunch out at a café) - </b>Burger (no bun) with bacon + a little bit of mayo + salad (no fries!) </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1530: </b>1 chicken breast + veggies</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-53gl47g-PdQ/T7ZPKQdfpJI/AAAAAAAAAJY/vwWHGVDYxY4/s1600/burger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-53gl47g-PdQ/T7ZPKQdfpJI/AAAAAAAAAJY/vwWHGVDYxY4/s320/burger.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can do the burger thing - <i>without</i> ruining your diet!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1830-1930: </b>1 apple + snacking on pistachios + 1 glass of white wine.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm out and about in town with a friend, so i'm snacking to keep my metabolism up! And remember that you can still drink while on the raw diet (wine is best) - but keep it limited to 4 drinks a week!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>2100: </b>Artichoke salad with cabbage, broccoli, bell peppers + olive oil dressing.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yes, it is a bit late to be eating dinner (I got home late!), but it is important to give my body the calories it needs after a day of high physical activity (spinning, weights, + very long bike ride)! Since it is late, I will keep it simple with a veggie salad :)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>DAY 6: Saturday, May 19th</u></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Didn't get much sleep last night, so I think that is why I have a massive headache this morning. SO, i'm going to have some coffee and see if I perk up...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>0730: </b>1 cup blueberries</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>0815 - 1030: </b>3 apples + 1 grapefruit</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It is an interesting morning - painters have come to my apartment early to paint my kitchen and I cannot get in to make a proper breakfast, so i'm snacking on whatever fruit I can!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">[Exercise: 60 min. Pilates</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">]</span></span></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JnX3HyGzgw0/T7ey811pzeI/AAAAAAAAAJk/8kCgpY2mvvg/s1600/pilates_main.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JnX3HyGzgw0/T7ey811pzeI/AAAAAAAAAJk/8kCgpY2mvvg/s320/pilates_main.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm a big fan of adding Pilates twice a week into my workout<br />
mix - keeps me injury free, strengthens my core, and<br />
helps keep my muscles long and lean!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1230: </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Small café latte with soy milk</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have limited time before my next class - and having food in my stomach while pole dancing is a bit difficult, so i'm opting for a café latte with some protein-rich soy milk!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">[Exercise: 60 min pole dancing</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">]</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1345: </b>1 apple</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1430: </b>150g chicken + onions in lettuce wraps</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1730:</b> Bowl of fruit (watermelon, blueberries, apple, cherries)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>2030: </b>Miso soup + seaweed salad + one chicken rice paper roll.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Day 7: Sunday, May 20th</u></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I slept in and it's a day off from the gym - it's been 6 days and my body needs a break!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>945: </b>Bowl of fruit (2 apples + 1 cup of blueberries + melon slices)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1200: </b>Two handfuls mixed nuts and dried fruit</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1515: </b>Tune salad</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia;"><strong>1730: </strong>Big bowl of oatmeal (2 cups) + soy milk + honey</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia;">I'm having carb cravings, and instead of doing something unhealthy (like chips or pizza!), i'm opting for a heathier way to curb my craving - and I LOVE oatmeal! :)</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia;"><strong>2030: </strong>1 apple</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia;">I had the munchies, but it was late and I didn't want to eat too much of anything!</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong>ONE WEEK DOWN! I'm feeling good - much more energy, definitely feel lighter and leaner already! But i'm not a fan of scales, so i will only weight myself after the full two weeks. Also, I think I can do better - here is where my focus will be this week:</strong></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong>Making sure I give my body 3 hours to digest one food group before consuming another is important. </strong></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong>Increasing my protein intake, and lowering the amount of fruit i'm consuming.</strong></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong>More complex carbohydrates, less fruit consumption just because it is easier!</strong></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong>So onward with WEEK #2!!</strong></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: magenta;"><u>Day #8: Monday, May 21st</u></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia;">Modified Juice Day #3 - because i'm not feeling so well...:(</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: black;">I don't feel so well this morning and i'm not sure why - getting sick maybe? I hope not. In order to curb any chance of my getting a spring cold, i'm going to pump myself full of vitamin C today and get to bed early.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*All fruit juice is 100% natural (freshly squeezed) - no store bought stuff!*</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PlVeZfqfssA/T7opc0vWUiI/AAAAAAAAAJw/xaNJFNjAPX0/s1600/beetroot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" kba="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PlVeZfqfssA/T7opc0vWUiI/AAAAAAAAAJw/xaNJFNjAPX0/s200/beetroot.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Try beetroot juice + apple juice - it is delicious!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>0630: </strong>1 protein shake (1 scoop + 2 cups soy milk)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>0900: </strong>1 cup of apple and beetroot juice (4 oz)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>1030: </strong>1 cup of apple and beetroot juice (4 oz)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>1200: </strong>1 glass of apple juice (10 oz) + cup of coffee + 15g dark chocolate</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>1345: </strong>1 cup of apple and beetroot juice (4 oz)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>1615: </b>1 protein shake (2 scoops + 2 cups soy milk)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>1800: </b>Large glass of veggie juice</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>1930: </b>30g dark chocolate + tea</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia;"><u>Day #9: Tuesday, May 22</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>0645: </strong>1 apple</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>0730: </strong>1 protein shake (1 scoop)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">[Exercise: 30 min. run + weights: shoulders, back, chest</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">]</span></span></span><br /><span style="color: blue;"><strong>0915: </strong>7 egg whites</span><br /><span style="color: blue;"><strong>1145: </strong>1 peice of baked ham + 1/2 chicken breast + salad (mushrooms, lettuce + 1 tablespoon tomato dressing)</span><br /><span style="color: blue;"><strong>1430: </strong>3 peices of baked ham + salad (mushrooms, lettuce + 1 tablespoons tomato dressing</span><br /><span style="color: black;">In truth, i'm not a huge fan of baked ham - but at our lunch canteen, it was the best protein opiton I had today!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>1730:</b> Big bowl of fruit (mango + 1 small apple + cherries + blueberries)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: black;">I had some fruit that needed to be eaten before it went bad! :)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">[Exercise: 60 min Pilates!</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">]</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>2015: </b>Protein shake (2 scoops + 1 cup soy milk) + 10g dark chocolate</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<u><span style="color: magenta;">Day #10: Wednesday, May 23</span></u><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><strong>0600: </strong>Protein shake (2 scoops)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: magenta;">[Exercise: Spinning class + weights: biceps & triceps<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">]</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><strong>0930: </strong>Fruit smoothie + fruit (1 banana + 1 apple + 1 cup blueberries + 10 cherries)</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><strong>1030: </strong>1 apple + grapes (about 20)</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><strong>1145: </strong>1 protein shake (3 scoops)</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><strong>1500: </strong>1 apple + 1 pear + handful of grapes (20)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: magenta;">[Exercise: 45 minute bike-ride out of the city<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">]</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><strong>1830: </strong>Dinner out with the family (set-menu at the restaurant) - NO raw eating here!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: magenta;">[Exercise: 45 minute bike-ride back into the city<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">]</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia;">Dinner was not a part of my normal Raw regime - but that is Ok, because it was a special occasion (my boyfriend's mom's birthday) and I have done a lot of exercise this day! It just means that I have to be EXTRA good with my raw diet the next few days!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia;"><u>Day #11: Thursday, May 24th</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>0730: </strong>Big bowl of fruit (1 kiwi, 1 banana, 1 apple, 1 small mango)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>1100: </strong>Salmon filet + salad (with feta cheese!) + sauteéd mushrooms</span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia;">*It was the GOOD kind of feta, so I couldn't resist - but I really should have being lactose-intolerant! *sigh*</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>1430: </strong>1 egg + 4 egg whites + red bell pepper slices</span></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: magenta;">[Exercise: 15 minute run (then side ache!) + 30 minutes stepper + weights: Legs<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">]</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><strong>1730: </strong>Handful of grapes (while i bike home) + 1 apple</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><strong>1930: </strong>1 protein shake (3 scoops) + 20g dark chocolate for desert.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><u>Day #12: Friday, May 25th</u></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><strong>0615: </strong>1 banana</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"> <span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: magenta;">[Exercise: Spinning class + weights: Arms<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">]</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>0900: </strong>Big glass of beet and carrot juice</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><strong>0930:</strong> 6 egg whites + 1 small onion + sundried tomotoes (with 1 tbs. ketchup on top!)</span><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>1200: </b>Tuna salad (1 can tuna + spinach + mushrooms + balsamic vinegar) </span></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>1500: </b>1 glass of beet/carrot/apple/ginger juice + grapes (15) + cherries (10) + 1 pear</span></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>1800: </b>Handful of almonds and walnuts</span></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>2000: </b>Veggies stir fry with soy sauce</span></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia;"><u>Day #13: Saturday, May 26th</u></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia;"><b>0830: </b>Fruit smoothie (1 banana + 2 cups berries + soy milk)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia;"><b>1100: </b>1 apple</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> <span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: magenta;">[Exercise: 2 hours of Pilates!<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">]</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><b>1230</b>: Shiritaki noodles + veggies + tomato sauce</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><b>1530: </b>1 protein shake (1 scoop)</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><b>1830: </b>Large salad (take-out) with spinach, artichoke hearts, olives, mushrooms...</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia;"><b>1930: </b>30g dark chocolate</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia;"><u>Day #14: Sunday, May 27th</u></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia;"><b>0830: </b>Fruit smoothie (1 banana + 2 cups berries)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia;"><b>1030: </b>Brunch with father-in-law: Egg frittata with spinach, asparagus, and onion + salad with mushrooms and olives.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia;"><b>1330: </b>Shiritaki noodles + tomato sauce + veggies</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia;"> <span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: magenta;">[Exercise: 6.5 km run + weights: Shoulders<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">]</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia;"><b>1630: </b>1 protein shake (1 scoop)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia;"><b>1930: </b>Tuna salad (with spinach, mushrooms, bell pepper, onion, and olives)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia;"><b>2030: </b>1 lollipop :)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span><br />
<h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">AND THE RESULTS ARE IN!</span></h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">Ahh! It has taken me a while to update this post with my results because i've been SO busy! But here is the long and short of it:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia;">The good stuff:</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">I've lost 2.5 kilos (that is like 5 pounds in two weeks- not bad!)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">My skin has always been good - but it is noticeably more healthy (glowing).</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">I'm sleeping well, and even when i've had less sleep than I would have liked, I still have energy to get up and go to the gym!</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><u>My workouts are stronger</u> - this is where I've seen improvement that I didn't expect! I am lifting more weight and you can definitely see more definition in my arms (pictures to come!)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">I'm tighter all around - i'm wearing pants that I didn't fit into before.</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia;">The not-so-good stuff (because it is not perfect!):</span></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">I've been eating too much fruit, which means my tolerance for sugar has gone up. Not good in the sense that i'm craving more sweet stuff than i did before. </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">I didn't eat enough protein - so my challenge is to eat less fruit now and more protein!</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">I'm not at my goal yet (it is summer and i'm in a bikini in two weeks!) - and I think I could have done better in the sense that I 'mis-combined' some of my meals (if you don't know what I mean, then read my post on<b> Going Raw</b>), but at the same time, I was still able to eat out and enjoy life, which is important!</span></span></div>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792253040010586074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539385437508029889.post-44903627569359726142012-05-06T12:13:00.000-07:002012-05-06T12:31:12.169-07:00Oops, I did it again...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That's right, you've done it again - succumbed to temptation, fallen off the wagon, cheated on your diet. Now what? Do you starve yourself the entire next day? Run 20 miles? Or just give up entirely? No, no, and NO!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JWuC-K7Gki8/T6a9gtrj27I/AAAAAAAAAH4/944dfiUPPIA/s1600/oops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JWuC-K7Gki8/T6a9gtrj27I/AAAAAAAAAH4/944dfiUPPIA/s320/oops.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Oops! One chocolate turned into...20?</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here is the deal - </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>everyone </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">cheats on their diet at some point, even models (although their version of 'cheating' might be significantly different than yours). The important thing is not to beat yourself up over it, but rather focus your energy on preventing future unplanned slips! Self-loathing is a waste of time because you cannot take all that deliciousness back. Running until you faint the next day and/or surviving on nothing but lettuce leaves is </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>not</u></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> going to make a difference either - the damage has been done </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>that day. </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This means that your body has already 'banked' the calories, and will do what it wants with them. The next day is a new day, and you start with a caloric clean-slate, so no amount of self-inflicted punishment is going to erase those damn cakalicious calories from the day before.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s9yfuJnlM0Y/T6a8Povc6BI/AAAAAAAAAHg/lPX_x-SjHyM/s1600/burger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s9yfuJnlM0Y/T6a8Povc6BI/AAAAAAAAAHg/lPX_x-SjHyM/s320/burger.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yea, even bikini models cheat on their diet.</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So then the question becomes - what now? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1) First and foremost, recognize that you've cheated and don't make excuses ("Oh well, I guess it wasn't THAT bad"). Rather, own up to the fact that you are trying to achieve something (weight loss, a healthier lifestyle, lower cholesterol - whatever your goal may be), and you have just given yourself a set-back. The <i>size </i>of the set-back is not what is important - the more we justify it or sugar-coat it (pun intended), the more often it is likely to occur. That said, don't dwell on it! Negative reactions will most likely cause you to develop some other unhealthy tendencies, which are completely counter-productive to your goals.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2) DON'T develop this mentality: "Oh well, I've already 'ruined' today, so I might as well eat another 3 pieces of cake/giant bowl of ice cream/bag of chips/half of my kitchen..." This mentality is actually more common that some may think - the idea that because the damage is done, you might as well indulge further and start again tomorrow. The truth: You WILL make it worse. One giant bowl of ice cream is an <i>indulgence</i>, a 'cheat' meal in your diet - but three bowls + whatever else you can get your hands on is <i>binging</i>. And is just as unhealthy mentally as it is physically.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H_6lJayXUVA/T6bDXq7hTSI/AAAAAAAAAIM/lQsfh3e-AIY/s1600/emotional-eating.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H_6lJayXUVA/T6bDXq7hTSI/AAAAAAAAAIM/lQsfh3e-AIY/s320/emotional-eating.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yea, we've all been there, but it shouldn't be that often!</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3) Think about how you feel - disappointed? sad? happy? like quitting? like binging? Really think about it - it will help you remember for the next time you think about cheating. If indulging is a common problem, write it down somewhere you can keep and read again the next time you are tempted. If you are logging your food in a journal, make sure you not only write down your 'cheat', but also your feelings after. It is important to have it there to look at as a reminder for the next time.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4) One of the most important points: Recognize the triggers. For me, it's late-night eating. I tend to feel more like 'cheating' on my diet in the evenings, when I'm watching TV or working. And in perfect line with the female cliché, when I'm sad I am tempted to sit on my couch with a carton of ice cream and a spoon. But being able to recognize what makes you indulge gives you the ability to avoid doing so! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a8ohWWiCUlY/T6a8kDZqH8I/AAAAAAAAAHo/DGtr6f1Aqn8/s1600/salad-or-cake-400x400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a8ohWWiCUlY/T6a8kDZqH8I/AAAAAAAAAHo/DGtr6f1Aqn8/s200/salad-or-cake-400x400.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Are you making this decision because<br />you are emotional?</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For example, if you tend to over-indulge at parties - where there are chips, nuts, and all sorts of snacks to go with your drinks - then make sure you position yourself far from the snack table, or don't go at all. Wait, don't go to the party? That's right. What is wrong with having no social life for a month in order to drop a few pounds? When I want to lose weight, I focus on more sleep, more exercise, more ME time - and less about making an appearance around town. And when I'm sad, I do not let myself in the kitchen until I feel better. It may not always work, but it works more times than it doesn't. Eventually, these triggers will not be triggers anymore (e.g. food will not be your first thought when you are sad). After two weeks of not letting myself eat after 8 in the evening, I didn't think about it anymore.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5) PLAN your 'cheat' meals. That's right - give yourself something to look forward to <i>once or twice a week but not more</i>. For example, if I know that I am going to brunch with a friend in the weekend, I let myself eat what I want to. So until then, I'm more likely to stick to my diet with something to look forward to. If I don't have something on the calendar, I put it there - for example, I will decide that on Friday after a good workout, I will make some pasta (a bowl, not a bucket!).</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tNcBfWe0UmA/T6a-NVu3HqI/AAAAAAAAAIA/Wwb8zcYqQ7I/s1600/cheat+diet+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="269" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tNcBfWe0UmA/T6a-NVu3HqI/AAAAAAAAAIA/Wwb8zcYqQ7I/s320/cheat+diet+1.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Do the calories count if nobody sees you? um, YES. </span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Also, a good tip is to plan your cheat meals when you are WITH someone - e.g. I cheat when I go for burgers with a friend or share ice cream with my boyfriend. Doing this keeps the amount of splurging in check - you may be more likely to not only cheat, but do it in large quantities when nobody is there to budget you!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">6) Make your own indulgences! That's right - if it is pizza you crave, it will be much more healthy if you make it yourself versus ordering out. Home-made stuff is almost always more healthy. And if you are going to buy it, don't buy it until you want it. That is, if you don't buy ice cream at the store, it will not be there to 'cheat' with at home. So when you want ice cream, go out and get it then.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">7) Finally, when you want to splurge on something that is not a part of your diet, take a moment to think about it. Why do you want pizza/chips/chocolate/cake/etc? Is it because you are hungry? Eat something healthy first, wait 20 minutes, and see if you are still having cravings. Is it because you are tired? Go to bed, you will thank yourself in the morning. Is it because you are angry at your boyfriend/mom/boss? Wait until things have been resolved and you feel better before deciding to cheat (you probably won't feel like it once the storm has passed). Have a big glass of water (a big one), think about how you will feel when you have finished an entire pizza, and look at whatever notes you have from the last time you cheated (if you have them).</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T-oEtPJgSeE/T6bE7fdddRI/AAAAAAAAAIU/-jnqj3DihHQ/s1600/emotional-eating1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="361" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T-oEtPJgSeE/T6bE7fdddRI/AAAAAAAAAIU/-jnqj3DihHQ/s400/emotional-eating1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792253040010586074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539385437508029889.post-42531835387626644832012-05-01T12:25:00.000-07:002012-05-01T12:44:39.648-07:00Go ahead, snack your way skinny!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like many people, i'm a snacker - I snack when i'm nervous, I snack when i'm bored, I snack while i'm writing these blogs! And now I wonder: When did snacking get a bad name?? There are many benefits to snacking - and just to name a few:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1) Snacking curbs cravings. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many times when we crave sugar, junk food, <enter guilty pleasure here>, it is just because our blood sugar is low. The longer you go without food, the more likely you are to go for a donut or 12, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>instead</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> of a more healthy choice.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2) Snacking keeps your metabolism up! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Being hungry for extended period of time can send your body into 'starvation mode', and your metabolism will slow rapidly. Small and healthy snacking will keep your body working at its peak levels (= energy!).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3) Snacking keeps other meals reasonable in size (think: dinner). </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you've had nothing to eat since lunch, by the time dinner rolls around you are most likely hungry, and more likely to eat a very large meal. Having regular snacks means you are more likely to be satisfied with a small and healthy dinner.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Is this you at the end of the day??</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">4) Snacking helps stabilize your mood and boosts brain power.</span> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Low blood sugar levels can not only lead to irritability, but affect your concentration, and of course, energy.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5) Snacking is just easier!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Snacks are, for the most part, easier to prepare and eat on the run, than full-on meals. Snacks can be easily fit into a busy schedule, and don't require as much time in the kitchen!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, we've established that snacking - or <i>grazing </i>as i call it - is a good thing, but as I mentioned in my last post - <i>what </i>you are eating is important - all snacks are NOT created equal! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And since i'm always getting the question "What should I eat??", here is a list of healthy, quick, and convenient snacks that are some of my favorites:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S1ka11XdDuQ/T6A1J3ZjpUI/AAAAAAAAAHE/gCbsZ0vdzck/s1600/eggs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="161" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S1ka11XdDuQ/T6A1J3ZjpUI/AAAAAAAAAHE/gCbsZ0vdzck/s200/eggs.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Learn to love these!</span></td></tr>
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<li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hard-boiled eggs/Egg whites</span></b></li>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rich in protein, it is quite easy to throw a dozen of these in a pot and have them ready to go for the following days. However, make sure you are not eating <i>too many, </i>since the yoke is high in cholesterol and some saturated fat. I generally eat one egg (80 calories) + 4-5 egg whites (20 calories each).</span></li>
</ul>
<li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Celery</span></b></li>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is for mindless snacking - celery provides no caloric value, so will not help you curb hunger. I snack on this when i'm bored-snacking :)</span></li>
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<li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nuts (almonds and walnuts)</span></b></li>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm a bit discerning when it comes to nuts - some are better than others. Almonds are great, as are walnuts - just be sure that you are not eating too many! An almond is about 7 calories, while walnuts have about 14 calories. Since i'm not big on calorie-counting, I take one big handful and enjoy.</span></li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5heOe9QwhEo/T6A21ttG_jI/AAAAAAAAAHU/RY7idbu2pgU/s1600/kaki+fruit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="195" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5heOe9QwhEo/T6A21ttG_jI/AAAAAAAAAHU/RY7idbu2pgU/s200/kaki+fruit.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ever seen these? Delicious!</span></td></tr>
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<li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dried fruit</span></b></li>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As noted with nuts above, not all dried fruit is preferable; pineapple rings, for example, are very high in sugar. However, dried apricots, apples, mangos, and raisins are excellent and are at the top of my list! Again, just be sure you are not consuming too much - they are not calorie-free and still contain sugar (albeit <i>natural sugar! </i>:)</span></li>
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<li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fruit</span></b></li>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of the easiest snack food and packed with fiber! Take your pick, but i'm a huge fan of apples (great for fiber), bananas (help you feel full and are great for muscle soreness), frozen blueberries (vitamin C baby!) and kaki fruit (they are just my favorite!). Just don't always go for fruit, otherwise you will be eating quite a bit of (natural) sugar. I try to snack on fruit earlier in the day.</span></li>
</ul>
<li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Olives</span></b></li>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love olives! They are easy to eat on the go, and full of energy-providing mono-saturated fats - absolutely great for losing and maintaining weight. Eat 5-8 of them (depending on size) when you are on the go and need a boost!</span></li>
</ul>
<li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chicken breast</span></b></li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XL9YXpEKIoc/T6A0l-8hb2I/AAAAAAAAAG8/OwDDTALF1mM/s1600/vending+machine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XL9YXpEKIoc/T6A0l-8hb2I/AAAAAAAAAG8/OwDDTALF1mM/s1600/vending+machine.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Prepare your own snacks -<br />and avoid the temptation!</span></td></tr>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yea, that's right - a chicken breast. Who ways chicken can't be a snack? It tastes good, its protein-rich, it's not that messy. I usually bake many chicken breasts all at once - on Sunday for example, when i'm preparing for the week -and then I just wrap it in tinfoil when i'm on the go. Season your chicken and it is a tasty little healthy snack!</span></li>
</ul>
<li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dark chocolate</span></b></li>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I eat dark chocolate (at least 70%) every day. Every. Day. In small quantities that is. This keeps me from craving other sweets!</span></li>
</ul>
<li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Air popped popcorn</span></b></li>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Try to eat this without salt if possible - but in general, a couple cups of this is a great on the go snack - easy to eat while driving or in the office!</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Snacks I am NOT a fan of:</span></b></div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yogurt/cottage cheese/dairy-based snacks</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a lactose-intolerant individual, I cannot myself recommend dairy-based snacks. That said, yogurt and cottage cheese can be a healthy choice. However, for weight loss, I recommend to cut out ALL dairy. Sorry.</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peanut butter</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don't get me wrong, I love (LOVE) peanut butter, but it is calorie-dense, and screws with the digestive process a bit.</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anything pre-packaged</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Think: 100-calorie packs, 'healthy' chips, cereal bars, etc. Usually high in additives, sugar, and/or some other kind of unhealthy something!</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shakes/protein bars</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Most </i>of these are high in sugar and full of additives. </span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And there you have it - so snack away! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lmyh_fxOBVA/T6A0I3QkoKI/AAAAAAAAAG0/Es2o_EQUm9w/s1600/bart.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lmyh_fxOBVA/T6A0I3QkoKI/AAAAAAAAAG0/Es2o_EQUm9w/s320/bart.gif" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Don't wait until you're too hungry to resist it all!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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</div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792253040010586074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539385437508029889.post-83625654634928169312012-04-28T00:52:00.000-07:002012-04-28T00:56:09.047-07:00Low-Cal, Low-Sugar, Low-Fat = Low Benefit.For so many, the word "diet" means simply eating less - but the reality is, it is just as important - if not more so - to manage <i>what </i>you are eating.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rrbPuTlF0mk/T5KYLeeT-UI/AAAAAAAAAFY/m6LevcrVpX4/s1600/Picture-35.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rrbPuTlF0mk/T5KYLeeT-UI/AAAAAAAAAFY/m6LevcrVpX4/s320/Picture-35.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is not the way to lose weight.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The words "Never hungry, never full" are words to live by - but they are not the whole story. A diet and healthy lifestyle involves more than just counting calories in & calories out - but rather realizing that it is the <i>kind</i> of calories you are consuming that matter!</div>
<br />
The first lady, the lovely Michelle Obama was on David Letterman when she summed it all up in two sentences: <em>"You wouldn't teach kids to water a plant with soda. We just don't think about ourselves that way." </em>And she is right! We fill our bodies with sugar-free, low-cal, 'diet', and low-fat foods that do <u>nothing</u> for our bodies - they don't provide energy, vitamins, and/or minerals - and instead, cause our digestive system to work in over-drive to try and breakdown the various additives and preservatives that it wasn't made to process.<br />
<br />
And here is the thing - all of these modified foods are hurting your attempts to lose weight and be healthy. Here is why:<br />
<br />
Your body has a number of mechanisms to break down food, absorb it, convert it to energy, and process it as waste. Your body does not, however, have the enzymes and therefore the ability to break down artificial substances effectively. Food that your body cannot break down, convert to energy, or digest is - simply speaking- stored as fat. Feel bloated? Check the ingredients in your latest snack, the reason is probably there! In order to achieve optimal weight-loss, your body's digestive system should be working as effectively as possible - eliminating whatever food is not used for muscle building, cell-rebuilding, and ATP (energy) creation/usage. <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TqX-hOsHqhU/T5ufGsPkxUI/AAAAAAAAAGo/fS9N0E-BdcA/s1600/snacks_healthy1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TqX-hOsHqhU/T5ufGsPkxUI/AAAAAAAAAGo/fS9N0E-BdcA/s320/snacks_healthy1.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our low-cal, genetically engineered world...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And what's more, the simple "Calories in - Calories out" philosophy doesn't work <em>for the long-run</em>. Maybe you will lose an initial few pounds by counting and cutting your calorie intake, but you will have to continue to eat less and less and less, <em>until</em> you plateau and will stop losing weight, no matter how little you are eating. Additionally, in theory, with the "Calories in- Calories out" philosophy, you could have a 300-400 calorie piece of cheesecake instead of a healthy chicken breast and veggies for lunch. What is the problem here? Well, there are quite a few, but here are the big ones:<br />
<br />
1) The cheesecake will cause your sugar (glucose) levels to spike, giving a short-term artificial sense of energy, and then fall to lower levels later. Result? You start to lose lean body mass (muscle) - not fat - and lower lean body mass in turn means you consistently burn <em>less</em> calories. Sound complicated? More simply: Your body cannot get much of what it needs from the cheesecake, so it starts looking for other sources (your muscles).<br />
<br />
2) A piece of cheesecake has approximately 4-6g of protein, while a chicken breast (3.5oz) has approximately 30g! A low-protein diet causes you to lose muscle mass - Result? Read point one again above.<br />
<br />
3) Because your blood sugar has spiked and then fallen to a lower (than normal) level after, the next time you eat, you will have very low glucose levels, and your body will begin to produce more insulin. Translation: Overall, more fat is produced/stored. The goal should be to keep your body's sugar-levels stable.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pe5bRLHlZxo/T5ueCai1brI/AAAAAAAAAGg/mXxxZxLu6LI/s1600/beach+runner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pe5bRLHlZxo/T5ueCai1brI/AAAAAAAAAGg/mXxxZxLu6LI/s320/beach+runner.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm guessing she doesn't eat 100-calorie packs of Oreos<br />
and she didn't eat dessert for dinner.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
4) Eating protein helps your body feel full, meaning you will not feel hungry as soon after you eat as you will having eaten cheesecake. Simple carbs (for example, those low-fat cookies, most breads, chips - yes, even the low-fat ones! etc.) are not a source of energy for your body, and have no nutrients, so you do not be surprised when you feel hungry soon after indulging. <em>But </em>complex carbs are great for producing energy and stabilizing blood sugar. (Think: Oatmeal, brown rice, fruits, veggies - <em>that </em>is the stuff your body can work with!).<br />
<br />
5) A low-calorie diet will not prevent you from getting diabetes from a high sugar diet, or the other cardiovascular ailments that come from a high fat diet. Likewise, one should also consider there reaction your skin has to a lack of vitamins and minerals, or the effect sugar also has on your teeth. Last time I checked, low-calorie diets do not prevent pimples or cavities, but healthy diets do.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cc1dgEVlTDo/T5O5Y6R7msI/AAAAAAAAAFw/FgHyeIk4QPg/s1600/cheesecake1.131214621_std.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cc1dgEVlTDo/T5O5Y6R7msI/AAAAAAAAAFw/FgHyeIk4QPg/s200/cheesecake1.131214621_std.jpg" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(300-450 calories)<br />
... but what will your body do with this?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Remember this the next time you think you want to have a small side-salad for dinner and a big bowl (read: carton) of ice cream for dinner - or skip lunch so that you can pig out on pizza later. Consider what a 100 calorie pack of low-fat cookies does for your body vs. a 250 calorie handful of dried fruit and nuts.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OuiOfSBPtnY/T5O8E8ZVWOI/AAAAAAAAAGA/9YTfzv5fKDw/s1600/chicken+breast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OuiOfSBPtnY/T5O8E8ZVWOI/AAAAAAAAAGA/9YTfzv5fKDw/s200/chicken+breast.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> (350-450 calories) <br />
And what will your body do with this?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So where is the silver lining?! When you indulge - because we all do - you are better off eating the cheesecake and avoid fake sugars, artificial flavors, and all the other unnatural stuff that will throw your body out of whack.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_IkCh5u-qxg/T5qRbRVZ5II/AAAAAAAAAGU/Rf4b5_lmn-A/s1600/you_are_what_you_eat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" oda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_IkCh5u-qxg/T5qRbRVZ5II/AAAAAAAAAGU/Rf4b5_lmn-A/s320/you_are_what_you_eat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792253040010586074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539385437508029889.post-47575375025945768712012-04-15T12:45:00.001-07:002012-04-17T03:04:05.908-07:00It's The Diet, Stupid.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For the past week and a half I have been brought down by yet another Easter cold - sore throat, congestion, nasty cough, and every other text-book symptom. And with the immune system of an infant, I know that this is not going to be over soon. In childhood, I developed a long list of allergies - most of which I grew out of, with the exception of gluten and an intolerance to diary. (I know, living in Denmark - a dairy nation that has delicious bakery bread as a daily staple - is a bit ironic...and like a constant tease).</span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UpzFQDby6oU/T4qlJqeSUFI/AAAAAAAAAM8/V1h8Kh-xDko/s1600/sick.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UpzFQDby6oU/T4qlJqeSUFI/AAAAAAAAAM8/V1h8Kh-xDko/s200/sick.gif" style="cursor: move;" width="182" /></span></a></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Years of intense sports in high school, over-exercising, under-eating, and a consistent lack of sleep in University, and the subsequent years of excessive training and being under-weight - has all left me with not just a propensity for getting sick, but <i>staying </i>sick.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A few years ago, being sick would have taken me out of the game for a couple of days, and then I would be back in the gym - despite not being fully recovered. But over the years I have come to realize that this does nothing but prolong the time it takes me to reach 100% again, while stressing out my already weak immune system.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b>Being sick means staying away from the gym for three very important reasons: </b>1) My body is already working overtime to recover, and the stress of working out will do nothing but prolong the process; 2) It is not fair to expose others to my coughing and congestion; 3) Working out like crazy is <i>not </i>going to keep me healthy - <i>but my diet will.</i></span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 1em; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YH0OpBdlhNs/T4q5h9HhDmI/AAAAAAAAANM/1zpfY-bP9VY/s1600/Sickness-at-Gym.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="131" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YH0OpBdlhNs/T4q5h9HhDmI/AAAAAAAAANM/1zpfY-bP9VY/s200/Sickness-at-Gym.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></span></a></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In the long run, it's just not worth it.</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Despite being sick, one should not fret about not being able to keep up with their normal active lifestyle. On the contrary, the focus should shift to diet! <b>In fact, 80% of weight loss is diet - and only 20% is physical training.</b> That is, working out <i>accelerates</i> weight loss, but the key is really caloric intake - not just how many calories are being consumed, but what <i>kind</i> of calories are being consumed (a topic for another post).</span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Diet is also key to recovery - getting lots of vitamins and minerals (fruit!). Additionally, if you are allergic to gluten or lactose intolerant, it is even more important to stay away from these foods, as your body cannot process them or break them down, and will therefore expend a lot of energy trying to do so - this energy is taken away from fighting whatever virus is bringing you down. If you have no such allergies (lucky you!), you should still follow this logic and stay away from foods that require more effort to digest: Ice cream, broccoli, cabbage, legumes, raw onions, chocolate (sorry!), and any foods with additives or preservatives that your body is not built to process.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Relaxing when sick is a hard concept to accept when - like me - one might be accustomed to an extremely active lifestyle, and a regular gym routine is just as much about fitness and being in shape, as it is about sanity. However, if I have learned anything in my years of training, dieting, and being sick far too often, it is this: It's not the economy, it's the diet, Stupid.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m0ilzMOreGw/T4q4YiENUEI/AAAAAAAAANE/LdJtJHZHAXg/s1600/get+fit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m0ilzMOreGw/T4q4YiENUEI/AAAAAAAAANE/LdJtJHZHAXg/s320/get+fit.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Finally, when sick - taking a break from the gym and focus on this:</span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Make sure you are getting <i>enough </i>calories - most of us spend our lives dieting and trying to lose weight. When sick, your body is naturally working harder than it does any other day, and your immune system needs the calories to keep up the fight. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Remember your vitamins! They will give you the boost you need to recover - especially fish oil (omega-3) and vitamin C. I also recommend acai berry and ginseng for maintaining health and keeping energy levels up.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Protein, protein, protein! This is key - protein is used in the development of healthy cells development, and thus important especially when sick. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sleep. Your body recovers when you are sleeping, so do as much of it as you can! The gym will still be there when you wake up :).</span></li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G3k--i9xhkU/T4si5C7-8II/AAAAAAAAANk/m-myYmErRh0/s1600/dogs+sleeping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G3k--i9xhkU/T4si5C7-8II/AAAAAAAAANk/m-myYmErRh0/s320/dogs+sleeping.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br />
</div></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792253040010586074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539385437508029889.post-81573109925001790672012-04-11T07:05:00.005-07:002012-04-17T03:05:05.863-07:00Teach yourself to love (insert most hated healthy food here)!<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Get healthier and closer to your weightloss goals by teaching yourself to love ANY food (in two weeks or less!)</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Back in 2007, I was an exercise fiend and dieting fanatic. While my enthusiasm for this lifestyle was a bit extreme, my motivation was entirely healthy: I loved the challenge. So, at an astounding 8% body fat, I wanted to do better - be stronger, be leaner.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DSfMgUlCLxs/T4WGfBPbg4I/AAAAAAAAAEk/3TvDvmdajJE/s1600/Jenni+training.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DSfMgUlCLxs/T4WGfBPbg4I/AAAAAAAAAEk/3TvDvmdajJE/s400/Jenni+training.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">After learning to love oatmeal and egg whites!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For anyone who has endeavored to lose body fat, you know that the first few kilos are easy, it is the last few that are the hardest. Likewise, going from 8% body fat to my goal of 4% was my hardest challenge yet. Thus, after meeting with a colleague who specializes in nutrition for fitness competitors, I was put on a strict diet -- of all sorts of foods <u>I hated</u>. Among other things, on a daily basis I had to start eating plain oatmeal and egg whites - and with this breakfast of champions, I had to start drinking my coffee black - no soy milk, no Splenda.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_DCcoEz6Rik/T4WG6CSn2AI/AAAAAAAAAEs/DRnTYPGqEAw/s1600/Oatmeal-Quick-Detail.sflb.ashx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="143" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_DCcoEz6Rik/T4WG6CSn2AI/AAAAAAAAAEs/DRnTYPGqEAw/s200/Oatmeal-Quick-Detail.sflb.ashx.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Oatmeal: Loaded with antioxidants and fiber,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">easy and quick to make, and great for weigh-loss.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The first two weeks were difficult - I was forcing down my food and didn't enjoy it at all. Five years later, oatmeal and egg whites are two of my favorite foods! Call me a simple girl, but when i'm hungry in the morning, nothing makes me more happy than a warm cup of oatmeal and some egg whites (with a bit of Mrs. Dash if you've got some!).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So what is my point? Can someone actually teach themselves to like foods that they've always hated?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Yup! To test this theory, last year I decided that I would see if I could teach myself to like mushrooms AND olives - two foods i've disliked (if not hated) since childhood. (And when I say "dislike", I mean that for 27 years, I would not even touch food that had shared a plate with any of these two things. I also avoided olive oil like the plague). I admit, it might have been a bit ambitious to try and learn to love two of my most hated foods, but again, I like a challenge.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">The Mission: </span></b>To learn to like olives and mushrooms.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><b>Why?</b> </span>Olives provide a great source of omega-9 monounsaturated fat, excellent for weight control, energy, maintaining healthy blood pressure and lowering the risk of heart disease. This is not to mention that olives are rich in Vitamins A, B1, B2, C, D, Iron, and in particular, vitamin E - great for moisturizing skin, delaying the aging process, and promoting healthy nails and hair.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mushrooms are a great source of vitamin D, and lets face it -they are low in calories and in so many delicious restaurant dishes, in salads, on pizzas - and I just got tired of trying to eat around them!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Iz96IZzr040/T4WIMdBkmII/AAAAAAAAAE8/-skzS7iLfOA/s1600/picky-little-eater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Iz96IZzr040/T4WIMdBkmII/AAAAAAAAAE8/-skzS7iLfOA/s320/picky-little-eater.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For everyone, certain vegetables we've hated since childhood -</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">for me, it was olives and mushrooms!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><b>Method:</b> </span>Every day at lunch, eat olives with my meal - assorted types (Greek (kalamata), Spanish green (manzanilla), French black (nicoise), whatever you can get your hands on). Start with just a few, and gradually take one or two more each day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Every day at dinner, eat raw or sautéed mushrooms with my meal.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Time it took to love them: </span></b>Approximately two weeks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Having to change one's habits overnight is not easy - especially when we've grown to love certain foods (a certain way) and eat them on a regular basis. That said, the reality is that we control what foods we like and don't like, and after a short (and at times unpleasant) transition period, we can start eating and loving foods we used to dislike - and forget all about those unhealthy foods we've become accustomed to. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">If you consume (enter food you hate here) at some point <u>every day</u>, in two weeks or less, you will have naturally developed a taste for it.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So go ahead, trade your roasted potatoes for roasted beetroot. Don't like fish? Eat tuna, tilapia, or salmon (all good gateway fish :)) for at least one meal every day. In no time, you will be loving healthy foods you've always disliked, and getting closer to your health and weight-loss goals!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DbK-8D-nMoI/T4WOcxsrBYI/AAAAAAAAAFM/SP6d6co02h8/s1600/veggie+heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DbK-8D-nMoI/T4WOcxsrBYI/AAAAAAAAAFM/SP6d6co02h8/s1600/veggie+heart.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It's not so hard to eat it, when you actually love it.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792253040010586074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539385437508029889.post-11274438978272457012011-03-10T04:00:00.000-08:002011-03-12T07:44:54.076-08:00Going Raw<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT';">A diet where I can eat what I want (for the most part, anyhow), workout when I have time, <em>and </em>lose weight? Yup.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT';">As a former strength & conditioning coach, personal trainer, and weight loss management specialist, I have tried <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">every</i> diet there is. After all, I would never recommend something to my clients that I myself had not tried. While there are many diets that I am vehemently against (the Master Cleanse/Lemonade Diet and the Atkins Diet especially), there is one diet that has worked quite well for me – particularly now that I no longer treat the gym as my second home, love food, and have less time to work out – and that is <b>The Raw Diet</b>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT';">While there are many variants of The Raw Diet, the basic principle is to eliminate all the additives (chemicals, artificial sugars, processed foods, etc) in your diet. That is, consume only foods that are natural. Additionally, it is best to consume the foods raw and not cooked; cooking alters the chemical structure of food, inactivating many vitamins and minerals, and also destroys the enzymes that facilitate digestion.</span> <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-iKUV82h2YdM/TXjApON3n3I/AAAAAAAAADM/7xVYHZOzzWs/s1600/DemiMoore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" q6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-iKUV82h2YdM/TXjApON3n3I/AAAAAAAAADM/7xVYHZOzzWs/s1600/DemiMoore.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Demi Moore, looking unreasonaly good<br />
well into her 40s, has been going raw for<br />
over 10 years now!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT';">With regard to digestion – this is, in fact, the key here. The science is relatively easy: Fat is essentially waste, and “Waste = Weight” (see Natalia Rose’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Raw Food Detox Diet </i>) – “Get the waste out and you get the weight off.” And yes, it <i>is</i> that easy. In other words, the more easily you can digest your food (getting rid of whatever you body cannot use), the less energy your body will use trying to process and inevitably store much of the waste. When waste matter from synthetic foods (and overeating) gets stuck in your cells (because your body cannot process it), it results in illness and excess fat.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT';">Many people choose to count calories, with the underlying principal being <i>less </i>calories in, <i>more </i>calories out (burned) = weight loss. Here is the problem with the “calories IN/calories OUT” approach (counting calories, fat, sugar, and carb grams): Say, for example, that you have the choice between a weight loss shake that is around 200 calories OR an avocado, cup of oatmeal, or a bag of nuts – all of which are around 350 calories. The calorie-counter would naturally go for the weight loss shake with less calories, but also with many different ingredients that your body has trouble processing. Take the Slim Fast shake, for example, which contains, among other things, maltodextrin, acesulfame potassium, and a cocktail of artificial sugars (with 25g of real sugar!). Instead, the bag of nuts and the avocado are both natural foods that the body can easily process, convert into energy, and digest easily. This is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">key </i>to weight loss. If your body can digest it – convert what it needs from food in terms of energy and get rid of the rest – it will not be likely to store it on, say, your love handles.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT';">I, myself, was not always a believer. After all, I had managed to achieve 5% body fat, a six pack, and a size 0, all while consuming splenda (and various other fake sugars), diet coke, coffee, low-fat this, sugar-free that, etc. But years later, when I no longer had time for full body lifts twice a week and hours of cardio, I had to find a diet that worked with an ad hoc training schedule, a boyfriend who loves pizza, and friends that frequently enjoy dinner parties and Sunday brunches. After stumbling upon <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Raw Food Detox Diet </i>by Natalia Rose, I liked what I read: A diet where I can eat most of all the things I love, workout when I can (<i>if </i>I can), and still lose weight.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-V8EQCFMX42o/TXi-kwpb9_I/AAAAAAAAADE/ZzDtCWUQdjU/s1600/the-raw-food-detox-diet-by-natalia-rose-4633364.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" q6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-V8EQCFMX42o/TXi-kwpb9_I/AAAAAAAAADE/ZzDtCWUQdjU/s200/the-raw-food-detox-diet-by-natalia-rose-4633364.jpg" width="161" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only diet book you will <br />
ever need (recipes included).</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT';">So a month before I left for a vacation to <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">New York City</place></city>, I decided to give The Raw Diet a try – and it worked! I lost about 6.5 kilos (about <metricconverter productid="15 pounds" w:st="on">15 pounds</metricconverter>) in four weeks (and I wasn’t overweight to begin with). I exercised, followed the Raw Diet rules closely, and not only lost weight, but began sleeping better, had better digestion, and had more energy. It took about a week or so for my body to detox, adjust to my new regiment, and then the weight really started to come off. As a result, not only do I recommend giving this diet a try, but I myself am going to do another month of “going raw” myself!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;"><strong><u>Raw Diet Rules:</u></strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">1) You can eat whatever you want, as long as you <b>stay away from chemicals and processed foods/drinks. </b> For example, don't use fake sugars, <span style="color: #1a1a1a;">diet</span> drinks, sugar-free candy/foods, etc. This is going to be difficult for you diet coke lovers, but speaking from experience, it only takes a week or so, and you don’t really miss it anymore.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><br />
</div><div class="ListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13pt;">Ø<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span dir="ltr"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Here is where I personally make exceptions to the rule – and only in emergency situations: Technically, you shouldn't have protein shakes/bars as they are full of un-natural chemicals and additives. However, I do believe it is better to eat/drink something rather than go a long time without food.</span></span></div><div class="ListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 72pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l3 level2 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 13pt;">o<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span dir="ltr"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">When you go for more than 3-4 hours with food, you are in effect encouraging your metabolism to slow down.</span></b></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;"> Additionally, the more hungry you get, the more you will begin to crave sugars and carbs (it is a natural chemical process in your brain, no avoiding it), while also setting yourself up for eating much more than you should when you finally do get a chance to eat. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">2) Avoid dairy (milk, yogurt, cheese, etc). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><br />
</div><div class="ListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13pt;">Ø<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span dir="ltr"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">The idea that a glass of milk a day will help you lose weight is a myth, and since the goal here is to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">facilitate</i> digestion – thus, getting rid of dairy is essential.</span></span></div><div class="ListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13pt;">Ø<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span dir="ltr"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">While this may be hard for many of you (especially my fellow Danes living in a dairy country), it is not actually as hard as it sounds. Weaning yourself off of dairy is much like weaning yourself off of coffee and sugar – the first week or so is difficult, and then it becomes much easier and you don’t think about it, much less miss it. As hard as it is, it is a vital component of this diet.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Now I will introduce the <strong>four food groups:</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><br />
</div><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-collapse: collapse; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: auto auto auto 5.4pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-insideh: .5pt solid black; mso-border-insidev: .5pt solid black; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-table-layout-alt: fixed; mso-yfti-tbllook: 191;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: black 1pt solid; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: black 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 127.6pt;" valign="top" width="170"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Starches</span></b></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: #ece9d8; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: black 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 160.4pt;" valign="top" width="214"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Proteins</span></b></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: #ece9d8; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: black 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 162pt;" valign="top" width="216"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Nuts/Seeds/Dried Fruit</span></b></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: #ece9d8; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: black 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 74.5pt;" valign="top" width="99"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Fresh</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;"> Fruit</span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: black 1pt solid; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 127.6pt;" valign="top" width="170"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Whole grain breads</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: #ece9d8; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 160.4pt;" valign="top" width="214"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Fish</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: #ece9d8; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 162pt;" valign="top" width="216"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Raw nuts**</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: #ece9d8; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 74.5pt;" valign="top" width="99"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Citrus fruits</span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: black 1pt solid; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 127.6pt;" valign="top" width="170"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Brown rice</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: #ece9d8; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 160.4pt;" valign="top" width="214"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Eggs</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: #ece9d8; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 162pt;" valign="top" width="216"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Raw seeds</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: #ece9d8; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 74.5pt;" valign="top" width="99"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Berries</span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: black 1pt solid; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 127.6pt;" valign="top" width="170"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Sweet potatoes</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: #ece9d8; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 160.4pt;" valign="top" width="214"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Poultry</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: #ece9d8; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 162pt;" valign="top" width="216"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Coconut</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: #ece9d8; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 74.5pt;" valign="top" width="99"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Bananas</span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: black 1pt solid; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 127.6pt;" valign="top" width="170"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Avocados</span><span style="font-family: 'Bell MT';">*</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;"></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: #ece9d8; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 160.4pt;" valign="top" width="214"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Meat (beef, lamb, pork, etc)</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: #ece9d8; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 162pt;" valign="top" width="216"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Dried fruit (no sugar added)</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: #ece9d8; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 74.5pt;" valign="top" width="99"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Plums</span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: black 1pt solid; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 127.6pt;" valign="top" width="170"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Legumes (beans)</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: #ece9d8; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 160.4pt;" valign="top" width="214"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Game</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: #ece9d8; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 162pt;" valign="top" width="216"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><br />
</div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: #ece9d8; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 74.5pt;" valign="top" width="99"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Grapes</span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: black 1pt solid; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 127.6pt;" valign="top" width="170"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Cooked corn</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: #ece9d8; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 160.4pt;" valign="top" width="214"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Shellfish</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: #ece9d8; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 162pt;" valign="top" width="216"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><br />
</div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: #ece9d8; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 74.5pt;" valign="top" width="99"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Apples</span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: black 1pt solid; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 127.6pt;" valign="top" width="170"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Whole-grain pasta</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: #ece9d8; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 160.4pt;" valign="top" width="214"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><br />
</div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: #ece9d8; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 162pt;" valign="top" width="216"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><br />
</div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: #ece9d8; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: #ece9d8; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 74.5pt;" valign="top" width="99"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Pears</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT';"></span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT';">*The avocado is technically a fruit, although it is treated as a vegetable in most kitchens. Even so, it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">digests </i>as if it is a carbohydrate. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Bell MT';">**NO peanutbutter! Peanutbutter is mucus forming, making it difficult for your body to process and really setting you back in terms of working towards the quick and easy digestion of foods.</span></div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-zIwVAv3EqzU/TXjFxxKMRWI/AAAAAAAAAD0/mcKg24k85_g/s1600/peanut+free+zone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="158" q6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-zIwVAv3EqzU/TXjFxxKMRWI/AAAAAAAAAD0/mcKg24k85_g/s200/peanut+free+zone.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry, but no more peanuts or peanut butter!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">3) <b>Foods in the different categories above should not be mixed.</b> </span></div><div class="ListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: -18pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13pt;">Ø<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span dir="ltr"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">This is the second cornerstone of the diet (aside from eliminating all unnatural and processed foods). For example, you should not have a chicken sandwich (because this entails mixing a protein and a starch), but you can have a veggie sandwich.</span></span></div></div><div class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13pt;">Ø<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span dir="ltr"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Vegetables can be mixed with any category <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">except </i>fruit.</span></span></div><div class="ListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">4) <b>If you eat fruit, you eat <i>only </i>fruit</b>. Do not mix fruit with any of the other food groups. When fruit mixes with other foods in the stomach, it has a tendency to ferment, hindering the digestive process. </span></div><div class="ListParagraph" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13pt;">Ø<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span dir="ltr"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Fruit takes approximately 30 minutes to digest, with the exception of bananas, which take 45 minutes to digest. So, you can eat something from another category 30-45 minutes after you have consumed fruit.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">5) You should wait<b> 3 hours</b> before eating something from a different category, so that you have time to digest (the exception here is fruit, of course).</span></div><div class="ListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13pt;">Ø<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span dir="ltr"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">For example, if you have a veggie sandwich at 1200pm, you should try to wait until at least 3pm to eat a protein, fruit, or nuts/dried fruit.</span></span></div><div class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13pt;">Ø<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span dir="ltr"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">As mentioned above, this does not apply for fruit because it digests much faster. For example, 30 minutes after having an apple, you are free to eat a chicken salad or veggie pasta or a mixed bag of nuts, etc.</span></span></div><div class="ListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13pt;">Ø<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span dir="ltr"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">While you should wait 3 hours until eating again from another food group (allowing your last meal to have digested), you should not wait <i>more </i>than 4 hours to eat again – this is very important for keeping a high metabolic rate (and having more energy!).</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">6) <b>Try to eat your vegetables <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">raw</span></i></b>, but of course cooked vegetables are not off limits.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">7) If you feel very hungry, it is better to eat more within the same food group. For example, it is better to have two pieces of fish OR two servings of whole grain pasta with vegetables, instead of eating one bowl of pasta with fish together.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">8) If you "mis-combine" a meal (eat from different food groups together – a tuna sandwich for example), then it is best to do it at dinner, so that your body has all night to digest.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">9) Condiments (ketchup, mustard, oil, vinegar, etc) can be eaten with every meal - EXCEPT fruit.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">10) Dark chocolate (70+%) can be consumed after every meal!</span></div><div class="ListParagraph" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13pt;">Ø<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span dir="ltr"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Bell MT'; font-size: 13pt;">Some Raw Foodies attest that it should be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">raw </i>chocolate, but I don’t believe this is necessary (it is expensive and a bit more difficult to find).</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-c1fJn_-RyGI/TXi_W2MnHZI/AAAAAAAAADI/D1t82myKcnQ/s1600/imagesCAKW4XPP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" q6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-c1fJn_-RyGI/TXi_W2MnHZI/AAAAAAAAADI/D1t82myKcnQ/s320/imagesCAKW4XPP.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, there is such a thing as "raw chocolate cake"...<br />
...and it's delicious.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">I encourage anyone who wants to lose weight quickly, while still having the opportunity to eat the foods they love, to try this diet. It also works well with those who have limited time for the gym. While I advocate working out while on this diet, you can still be sure to drop the weight even if you don’t have a chance to get to the gym. If you want to see even fast results, I recommend the following:</span></span></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Eat breakfast within the first 45 minutes of waking up</span></span></b></li>
<ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="circle"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo4; tab-stops: list 72.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">This is essential for jump-starting your metabolism every day. (In my next post, I will outline tips on the best ways to rev up your metabolism for faster weight loss and more energy).</span></span></li>
</ul><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Eat your last meal an hour and half before going to bed.</span></span></b></li>
<ul style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-top: 0cm;" type="circle"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-hqa97BV9PHQ/TXjDu5GtZZI/AAAAAAAAADY/sk_Xd16F7Uk/s1600/avoid_evening_snacking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" q6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-hqa97BV9PHQ/TXjDu5GtZZI/AAAAAAAAADY/sk_Xd16F7Uk/s200/avoid_evening_snacking.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">10 O'clock at night...<br />
look familiar?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo4; tab-stops: list 72.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">This is actually one of the hardest things for people to do – many many people (including myself), have a tendency to snack late at night. This usually occurs <i>not </i>because the person is hungry, but because they have not consumed enough calories during the day <i>and/or </i>their body is accustomed to being fed late at night.</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo4; tab-stops: list 72.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">This habit is one of the most difficult to break, and as such, will be the topic of a future post. The motivator here should be <u>better sleep.</u> If your body is not working overdrive to digest the food you have just consumed, you will inevitably fall into a deeper and more relaxing sleep.</span></span></li>
</ul></ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo4; tab-stops: list 72.0pt;"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Drink lots of water – all the time.</span></span></b></li>
<ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="circle"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo4; tab-stops: list 72.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">This is key for helping your body digest the foods you are consuming faster and more easily. Although you may not feel very thirsty throughout the day given that you are eating more fruits and vegetables (all containing water), it is important that you are constantly drinking water.</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo4; tab-stops: list 72.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Remember: Thirst is often mistake for hunger.</span></span></li>
</ul><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Sleep</span></span></b></li>
<ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="circle"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo4; tab-stops: list 72.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Get as much sleep as possible. And while this concept is hard for many people who have jobs and a decent social life, it is important to avoid over-eating. When you get tired, your body is triggered to want more calories (you feel hungry and have the urge to snack) in order to stay awake and sustain energy. This is also a motivator for late-night snacking.</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo4; tab-stops: list 72.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Remember: If you are sleeping, you cannot be snacking!</span></span></li>
</ul></ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"> <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">So now the only thing left to do is <b>Go Raw</b>! In the past I have found that writing down what you eat and when is very helpful for not only staying on track, but also seeing where you tendencies are (when you feel hungry, how much you are exercising, etc.), and then making smaller changes based on the trends you see. Many of my clients have found that writing a food/exercise journal also holds them accountable and forces them to be honest with themselves and their diet. </span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">If you can <b>Go Raw </b>for a week or two, you will most definitely become a believer!</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-_gbfSiFtcS0/TXjC_S0-CJI/AAAAAAAAADU/ApqP-nk_byE/s1600/tanned-bikini-body.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" q6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-_gbfSiFtcS0/TXjC_S0-CJI/AAAAAAAAADU/ApqP-nk_byE/s320/tanned-bikini-body.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you are asking yourself: "Is it worth it?", then you should <br />
also ask yourself: "Do I like bikinis?"</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">(Next time: “A Higher Metabolism, Puhleeez!”)</span></span></div></div>Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792253040010586074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539385437508029889.post-19152720117367930182011-02-13T02:26:00.000-08:002011-02-14T15:10:29.964-08:00Two Cookies or No CookiesThe question I always wonder is: Who actually eats the 1/2 cup serving size of ice cream? (For my metric system friends out there, this is about 70g). Who is it out there that has a craving for ice cream, goes to the store, buys a carton of creamy sin, and then eats only 1/2 a cup? (I am, of course, excluding those members of the ice-cream eating population aged 65 and older – I don’t know how, but the grandparents of the world seem to have an amazing amount of self-control).<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fZ8Emw-iFiU/TVe4-A3rXxI/AAAAAAAAACo/5S2_NGf5B4A/s1600/icecream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="163" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fZ8Emw-iFiU/TVe4-A3rXxI/AAAAAAAAACo/5S2_NGf5B4A/s200/icecream.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a half-cup of ice cream.<br />
What a tease, eh?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Let’s break this down for a minute: In a half-gallon (1.8 liter) carton of ice cream, there are roughly eight cups of ice cream - which means that there are precisely 16 of those little 1/2 cup servings. So, even if you ate one serving of ice cream everyday, a half-gallon of ice cream would last over two weeks! Let’s be honest here, I have never known ice cream to last longer than three days in my freezer (with the exception of the mistaken rum-raisin ice cream purchase which lasted months in my freezer until I needed more room and threw it away). Like many people, I follow a “two cookies or no cookies” policy...in other words, mastering moderation may well be my greatest failure in life thus far.<br />
<br />
Lack of moderation has always been a problem for me; throughout university and in the years that followed, I lived in a “no cookie” world, characterized by excessive exercise and copious amounts of lettuce. I battled with anorexia and ran myself into a wheelchair by my sophomore year, and it wasn’t until the subsequent years of physical therapy that I became tuned in to 'proper' diet and exercise. Soon after, I had my personal training license, was a strength and conditioning coach, and even became a certified Weight-Loss Management Specialist. I was, once again, training like crazy, but this time following a very strict diet, eating every three hours - still in the “no-cookie” world, but at least I was eating this time.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R2Fi5KCcf0k/TVe5whLvjEI/AAAAAAAAACs/PUXTG03lliQ/s1600/cookiemonster%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R2Fi5KCcf0k/TVe5whLvjEI/AAAAAAAAACs/PUXTG03lliQ/s320/cookiemonster%255B1%255D.jpg" width="218" /></a>My “two cookies or no cookies” tendency really stems back to my childhood. As a health-conscious single father, who also felt a fervent need to protect my dental hygiene from the evils of sugar, my dad would offer me a cookie every now and then. Like any half-way clever child, I would proceed by negotiating for two cookies. When the ultimatum came – “one cookie or no cookies” – I would obstinately opt for no cookies. For a stubborn child (like I was), the “two cookies or no cookies” concept is tolerable - attention spans are short, and if the child walks away stubbornly with no cookies (as I often did), the thought has passed five minutes later. As an adult, though, the concept is dangerous territory -- when we enter the “two cookies or no cookies” world, nobody else is deciding for us. Rather, we can indeed decide to buy the package of cookies with the possibility of indulging in two (or three, or four, or...), and once the package has in fact been bought, then comes the distasteful realm of self-restraint. <br />
<br />
But why is moderation so hard? Why is it so difficult to eat just one cookie and put the rest away? I imagine it is because most of us live in the excessive 'two-cookie' world anyhow - when we do something we shouldn't, indulging in what we know is bad, why do it half-way? For example, when my boyfriend and I go out for a nice dinner, we want to “do it right” - if we’re ordering steak and a bottle of wine, what difference does it make adding an appetizer to the bill (and if you still have room at the end of it all, a dessert)? Quite simply, two cookies (or three, or four, or...) in one go is – for some (many?) - more fun than all those cookies spread out over time.<br />
<br />
Essentially, the question is this: Would I prefer to go to two or three less expensive, more health-conscious, no-frills dinners OR one big, all-out, maybe a bit more memorable dinner? In other words, would you prefer to eat ½ cup of ice cream three times a week, or curl up on a Friday night with a movie and a bowl of ice cream once a week? For me, it's the latter on both. I would actually rather be strict and focused with my diet during the week, and have one “cheat night” rather than a number of small “cheat moments.” And I’m quite sure I’m not alone in this boat.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gHS3NlYVKlI/TVfBGOJ7Z9I/AAAAAAAAACw/L-jDdrFUFvg/s1600/sundae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gHS3NlYVKlI/TVfBGOJ7Z9I/AAAAAAAAACw/L-jDdrFUFvg/s200/sundae.jpg" width="125" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">While I recommend this...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The point? Moderation may, in fact, be a bit overrated. Why should we try and master eating one cookie when the real enjoyment is in the “two cookies” world? My advice when it comes to the constant struggle with lack of moderation: Admit it and work with it. You can make yourself crazy trying to eat ½ cup of ice cream and then not spend the rest of the night thinking about what’s in the freezer, or you can be healthy – and yes, strict with yourself – most of the time, and then get a nice big bowl of ice cream, whipped cream and sprinkles (or pizza or happy hour margaritas – whatever your poison) when the occasion calls for it. Now, that said, if you’re indulging in a potato chip feast every other day, then you’re living in a “two packs of cookies” world, and my advice is to admit it and quit it (and I’ll tell you how later).<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Plt58ju0Fkw/TVfBJ_JgK7I/AAAAAAAAAC0/ywkqcTsUaVo/s1600/obese-766178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="185" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Plt58ju0Fkw/TVfBJ_JgK7I/AAAAAAAAAC0/ywkqcTsUaVo/s200/obese-766178.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...I do not recommend this!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The reality is, once I’ve indulged in my fix of ice cream/chips/cocktails/[enter favorite edible misdemeanour here], I’m satisfied and motivated to spend the next week being über-healthy. It is far easier to exercise the power of choice (e.g. happy hour or movie popcorn) than it is to comply with moderation (one drink and one cup of popcorn? Really?). Is it really that healthy to spend so much time trying to live our lives according to moderation, only to fail, feel guilty, and then start all over again? We live in a world full of limits and excess, and rarely is the choice just one cookie.<br />
<br />
If you have mastered moderation – and I know some of you out there that have – congratulations, you were probably one of the children out there that when offered two cookies only took one. But for the rest of us, I am living proof that you can be fit, healthy, in shape, and yes, terrible when it comes to moderation. Would I like to be better? Maybe not, actually. I am more focused on my diet and exercise most of the time, because I know that I don’t have to ration out the good things in life, but rather, just save up for them. My self-restraint during the week, for example, is actually stronger because I know that the candy and movies on Friday night will be that much more enjoyable. My objective is to work for my two cookies, and then enjoy them without guilt!<br />
<br />
So, I guess the key is this: exercise lack of moderation in moderation. That is, don’t have your cheat nights three times a week – but work for them. You will certainly enjoy them more – not least when you stop stressing about just having one drink or measuring out ½ cup of sin. Life is too short for this kind of stress. If you can teach yourself moderation, great – but if you have tried and failed many times, then perhaps you should just embrace the “two cookie” world we live in. Set reasonable limits for yourself most of the time, and then enjoy the occasions that are limitless. <br />
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Moderation in moderation…or not at all!Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792253040010586074noreply@blogger.com0