How to Get the Most Protein for the Fewest Calories

Last time I talked about fiber, and just touched on protein, so I wanted to give you a little more. Protein is the most satisfying (meaning satiating) thing you can eat. That's one of the reasons that people who eat protein for breakfast frequently lose more weight than those who do not, and tend to be thinner over-all. Animal protein usually comes with a good amount of unwanted fat calories, but there are sources that are lower in fat, or virtually fat free.

If you are eating fish or meat, cut off a portion about the size of a deck of cards, or the palm of your hand. The lowest calorie options are:

1.   Fish and Shellfish. Choose those high in Omega-3s like mackerel, lake trout, herrring, sardines, albacore tuna, anchovies, and salmon. Richard N. Fogoros, M.D., advises we eat fish and shellfish that do not have high levels of mercury, most frequently. Low-mercury options are shellfish, light canned tuna (albacore tuna are larger fish and contain more mercury), salmon, pollock (what's in your fish sandwhich and fish sticks), cod, butterfish, ocean perch, mackerel, hake, herring, tilapia, freshwater trout, and catfish, to name a few. Pregnant women and young children should never eat fish high in mercury, such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. For a complete list of all fish and shellfish and their mercury level ratings, see the resources section for the FDA webpage.

2.   Skin-less poultry. Choose lower calorie white meat over dark meat. You can also cook chicken with the skin on for flavor, then remove the skin before eating to remove much of the fat.

3.   Beans and lentils (1/2 cup), tofu, tempeh (vegie-meat substitute), soy meat, eggs, nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds are higher in calories and fat, but it's a heart and weight-loss friendly fat. A small handful is considered a serving. Eggs are higher in fat and cholesterol, but the benefits outweigh the risk for most of us.

4. Lean cuts of veal, ham, pork, or lamb. Organic, pasture raised meat tastes much better and is better for you!

Remember, if you are vegan and only eat non-meat protein, eat a variety of protein sources so you get all nine essential amino acids. These amino acids cannot be made by the body and must be consumed in food. These proteins are the building blocks of the 11 amino acids made in your body, and are critical to your health. The only plant product that has all 9 aminos is soybean, so if you eat some tofu or edamame every day you should be covered. Bon Apetit!

Resources:
http://heartdisease.about.com/cs/riskfactors/a/fishmercury.htm
The Program: The Brain-Smart Approach to the Healthiest You: The Life-Changing 12-Week Method
To check the mercury level in your favorite fish, go to http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/Product-SpecificInformation/Seafood/FoodbornePathogensContaminants/Methylmercury/ucm115644.htm

Eat This and Lose Weight, Reduce your Risk of Cancer, and Look 12 Years Younger!

A recent study followed a group of people for twenty years to see if those who reported they smoked, were heavy drinkers, did not exercise, and ate a diet lacking in fruits, suffered worse health than those who did not smoke, drank no more than three drinks a day for men (two a day for women,) exercised, and ate a healthy diet. The results showed that over the course of 20 years, 29% of the participants in the unhealthy group died, the most common cause of death being heart disease or cancer. Researchers also said individuals who had all four habits seemed 12 years older  than the other participants.

In the healthiest participants, those who did not smoke, drank within healthy limits, got in a minimum of only two hours of exercise a week, and ate at least 3 servings of fruit a day, only 8% of the group died over the course of the twenty year study. It's easy to see why kicking the smoking habit, drinking in moderation, and getting some exercise is good for your health and appearance, but how does eating fruit make you live longer, healthier, and younger?

A major benefit of eating whole fruits is the fiber. Fiber fills you up so you eat less, but that's just the beginning. Fiber cleans your digestive tract and colon, improving the function and strength of the large intestine. This moves your food though the digestive tract more efficiently and increases the size of your stool, preventing constipation and hemorrhoids. Fiber also lowers your blood cholesterol, slows the absorption of sugar (which helps control diabetes,) and helps prevent colon cancer. It also helps you lose weight. Aaaah, now I've got your attention!

One reason is that foods rich in fiber, like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, beans, legumes and lentils, and whole grain breads and cereals, are usually lower in calories and fat than fiber-poor foods. In addition, fiber slows down the absorption of sugar, so you don't get a sugar rush then a couple of hours later, a drop with accompanying lethargy and fatigue. When you drop, you are more tempted to reach for another soda, candy bar, or other quick fix which not only repeats the cycle but packs on the pounds. This repetition of sugar and insulin stresses your pancreas and can lead to diabetes, but also ages your organs, including your largest: your skin. In addition, when you are tired you just look older than you actually are.

Another benefit of fiber is that it tends to bind to fats and proteins, carrying the excess from your digestive tract, so it doesn't end up on your hips. Many of us are concerned about getting enough protein, but the truth is that the American diet, in particular, provides far more protein than we actually need. The easiest way to figure out how much is enough is to take your weight and divide it by half. That gives you a good estimate of the grams of protein you need every day. Anything above that is not helping you gain muscle unless you are doing load-bearing exercise like weight-lifting. Like any other unused calorie, it just gets converted to fat.

The good news is that fiber absorbs a significant portion of the calories you eat as it moves through your digestive system. One study showed that if you eat plenty of fiber-rich foods with each meal, and make no other changes in your diet or exercise routine, you could lose as much as ten pounds over a year! Wow - I'll buy that  for a dollar!
 
So, which foods contain the greatest amounts of fiber? The answer might surprise you.

The foods highest in fiber are not greens, not apples, not even celery, it's beans! In comparison, 1 cup of vegetables has about 3 grams of fiber; a cup of raspberries or blackberries contains about 8 grams of fiber, but a cup of beans contains 12-16 grams of fiber! Adding a half cup of cooked beans to every meal will give you only about 100 calories, but as much as 8 grams of fiber, the same as a large apple and a side salad. Beans also provide you with a serving of protein. Not a fan of beans for breakfast? Try a 3/4 cup serving of Fiber One cereal - it reportedly contains 21 monstrous grams of fiber. Another option is All Bran cereal, which reportedly contains 10 grams of fiber per serving.

Resources:
Effortless Weightloss: Small Changes That Lead To Extraordinary Results!
The Program: The Brain-Smart Approach to the Healthiest You: The Life-Changing 12-Week Method
http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/1317.html
http://health.yahoo.com/news/ap/us_med_bad_habits_survival.html

Is Your Brain Making You Fat??

The good news is that recent research has shown that our brains continue to create new nerve connections and learn throughout our lives. So no matter how old our dogs feel, we can learn new tricks! The bad news is that the brain feels that if it isn't broke, there's no need to tinker with the way things are. If you are still breathing, as far as the brain is concerned, it ain't broke. So, that is why it can be difficult to sustain changes in your diet or routine.

However, there is a silver lining. Dr. Kelly Traver's book, The Program: The Brain-Smart Approach to the Healthiest You: The Life-Changing 12-Week Method gives us a little secret to get around our brain's desire to keep all things the same, (homeostasis.) Your hypothalamus is in charge of maintaining homeostasis in your body. It controls hunger, thirst, body temperature, and stress response including the release of hormones, like cortisol, which can make you gain weight. The hypothalamus is influenced by all of the parts of the brain, including the amygdala. The amygdala is the root of the stress response.

Dr. Traver described a study in which MRI's of people's brains were studied for stress response. Those who were asked to make a big change, demonstrated a strong reaction in the amygdala, but if asked to make a small change, the amygdala did not react at all. The research showed that you can overcome your brain's desire to keep your weight where it is by making small changes over time. That is exactly the concept behind the book Effortless Weightloss: Small Changes That Lead To Extraordinary Results!The book describes specific small changes you can make in the way you eat, think and move, that will add up to dramatic improvements in your mood, health, and physical appearance. Remember, slow and steady wins the race. By the way, since my last post, I have lost one pound. I'll take that and keep focused on my goal of health and happiness, not a number on the scale. Until next time,

New Finds, New Attitude

I wanted to add a couple of food finds to the list for you: Yogi Green Tea Blueberry Slim Life, Herbal Tea Supplement, 16-Count Tea Bags (Pack of 6) and Yogi Green Tea Kombucha, Herbal Tea Supplement, 16-Count Tea Bags (Pack of 6) Both suppress your appetite, and the Blueberry Slim Life really gives me energy, without any nervousness. I just feel more motivated to garden, walk the dogs and exercise. I don't recommend you have more than one cup a day, preferably in the morning. I started out having one cup in the morning, first thing (as I still do), and then another about noon. I couldn't get to sleep for hours so I cut out the noon cup and it did the trick.

The other item is Reese brand Imported Original Holland Rusk Light, Crisp Toast. It is pieces of round, toasted bread, sort of like a hamburger bun but buttery tasting and really good. And . . . only 35 calories each!! I know! Use it for sandwiches or spread on some peanut butter for a snack, or . . . just nibble one out of the bag. If you are like me you like something crunchy and bready every day.

By the way, I have noticed an improvement in my mood and attitude (reading back over these posts) since I started getting in my 5 minutes of movement a day. Now I am up to twice a day for 30 minutes on my treadmill, plus walking the dogs and gardening and believe it or not - I look forward to it! I have lost a half an inch off of my waist (and no weight so see what I mean about the scale?)!

I'm just saying, start with 5 minutes a day and see where it takes you.

How to Calculate Calories for Weight Loss

This was my project for this morning: figuring out how many calories I can eat and still lose weight. The fact is, no matter how healthy and low-fat I eat, if my calories in, exceed my calories out (by physical activity and just being alive), I am still going to gain weight. Duh. So, I went online searching for tools to help me determine how many calories I should cut to lose weight, without lowering my metabolism.

I already know that I don't have to get extreme with calorie cutting, in fact, it is counter-productive to do so. Cutting too many calories will cause my metabolism to slow way down, and I will lose muscle mass instead of fat. Besides, it is too hard to keep up over time. So, the easiest way to cut calories without "feeling" it, is to cut back a little at a time. Now, there are two ways to do this:

The first method I thought up was to determine how many calories I need to maintain my current weight, and how many I would need to maintain a weight of 5 lbs. less, then eat that amount until I lose 5 lbs. I can just repeat until I reach my goal!

Looking online, I found I can also use a formula to determine optimum calories for weight loss at each level of weight, based on my BMR and body fat %. I found some great tools at the following sites to do just that!

At http://www.freedomfly.net/Articles/Nutrition/nutrition14.htm Tom Venuto explains the difference between three current methods of figuring caloric needs, as well as three formulas to do it yourself.

There is the quickie formula that simply says "Fat loss = 12 - 13 calories per lb. of body weight; Maintenance = 15 - 16 calories per lb. of body weight; and Weight gain: = 18 - 19 calories per lb. of body weight." Now, this method does not take into account your activity or exercise levels, or lean body mass, so it will not be very accurate for those extremely overweight. I did the calculations and compared my results to the other methods listed below. The numbers were in line with the calories needed to lose weight along with moderate exercise for both the following formulas, so, it seems if you are planning to at least walk 30 minutes a day 3 days a week, then you can use this method to plan your caloric intake with reasonable accuracy.

There are two methods based on your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)that are considered more accurate than the one above: The Harris Benedict formula and the Katch-McArdle formula.

The Harris Benedict formula uses height, weight, age, and sex to determine BMR. It does not take lean body mass into consideration, though, so it will not be as accurate for those who are extremely muscular or overly fat. The formulas use kg. and cm. for weight and height so I have included the conversion information for those using lbs. and inches. The formulas are:

2.54 cm. = 1 inch
1 kilogram = 2.2 lbs.

Harris-Benedict formula:

Men: BMR = 66 + (13.7 X wt in kg) + (5 X ht in cm) - (6.8 X age in years)
Women: BMR = 655 + (9.6 X wt in kg) + (1.8 X ht in cm) - (4.7 X age in years)

You then multiply the BMR number of calories you get in the formula, by a number based on your level of exercise:

Sedentary = BMR X 1.2 (no or little exercise)
Lightly active = BMR X 1.375 (light exercise 1-3 days per week)
Moderately active = BMR X 1.55 (moderate exercise 3-5 days per week)
Very active = BMR X 1.725 (hard exercise 6-7 days per week)
Extremely active = BMR X 1.9 (hard daily exercise or physical job, or twice-daily training for marathons, contests, etc.)

The result is the number of calories you need each day to maintain your current weight. Eat 15-20% fewer calories to lose weight!

The other formula is the Katch-McArdle formula, which is considered the most accurate method as it takes your lean body mass into account. Even if you have not had a body composition test, you can still use this formula by finding out your body fat %. Go to http://www.healthyforms.com/helpful-tools/body-fat-percentage.php to use a free calculator to determine your body fat % quickly and easily.

BMR (men and women) = 370 + (21.6 X lean mass in kg), then multiply by the number above based on activity levels, as before. This is the amount of calories needed to maintain your current weight, so anything less will enable you to lose weight!

For example, today I weighed 126 lbs. I am 44 years old, 63 inches tall and my body fat % is 29. Using the quick method above, the calories I should be able to eat in order to maintain that weight are between 1890 and 2016 calories a day. This method predicts I should eat between 1512 to 1638 calories a day for weight loss.

Alternatively, I can use the calories needed to weigh 120 lbs. as my initial calorie goal, which is 1800-1920 calories a day. Now, if I do nothing more than sit on the couch and breathe all day, it will take me about a month to lose a lb. of weight (3500 calories), but any way you slice it, eating only the calories needed to maintain 120 lbs. weight will inevitably result in my weighing 120 lbs.

To make the calculations easier, I used the Body Fat Percentage Calculator and the Calorie Calculator downloaded from the above sites and got the following results using the Katch-McArdle and the Harris-Benedict formulas:

Katch-McArdle Formula Men and Women (considered most accurate method)
Activity Levels Maintain Build Mass Lose Weight
Sedentary 1498 1723 - 1798 1198 - 1273
Lightly Active 1716 1974 - 2060 1373 - 1459
Moderately Active 1935 2225 - 2322 1548 - 1645
Very Active 2153 2476 - 2584 1723 - 1830
Extra Active 2372 2728 - 2846 1897 - 2016
*Katch-McArdle Formula requires input of Weight and Body Fat Percentage only.

OR:

Harris-Benedict Formula Women
Activity Levels Maintain Build Mass Lose Weight
Sedentary 1538 1768 - 1845 1230 - 1307
Lightly Active 1762 2026 - 2114 1409 - 1498
Moderately Active 1986 2284 - 2383 1589 - 1688
Very Active 2210 2542 - 2652 1768 - 1879
Extra Active 2435 2800 - 2921 1948 - 2069


So, final tally for losing weight (with no exercise):
My 5 lb.s at a time method: 1800-1920 calories a day.
Quick formula: 1890-2016 calories a day.
H-M formula: 1230-1307 calories a day.
K-M formula: 1198-1273 calories a day.

Obviously, there is quite a bit of disparity between the first two methods and the last two. Since I do use my treadmill six days a week, walk my dogs daily, and garden now that the weather is nice, I am going to use the K-M formula with moderate exercise, which allows me about 1600 calories a day. I am going to break that up into 5 meals, ending at 8 p.m. nightly, of 320 calories each. Yes, I am planning a glass of wine or beer, and/or dessert into that last meal! I will let you know how it goes. Right now I am going to eat lunch - the whole 320 calories of it!

Some resources for you to help count calories:
The Complete Book of Food Counts, 8th Edition

Rocketech Count Down to Slim Calorie, Carb and Fat Counting System

The Everything Calorie Mini Book: Quick and Easy Calorie Counts for All the Foods You Love to Eat (Everything (Mini))

Weighmax Nutrition Scale. Counts Calories, Salt, Protein, Fat, Carbohydrate, Cholesterol & Fiber - Kitchen & Diet Scales

Foods That Make You Lose Weight!

If you are like me, you are always looking for quick and easy short-cuts to weight loss. There are actually some out there, but if you are like me, you often negate the effects of the short-cuts by doing them while you continue to overeat and under-exercise. But, in the spirit of "oh yeah - I forgot about that!" I am now going to share with you some things I learned while researching my book, that really do help if you use them along with calorie restriction and at least some exercise. These days, I am taking my own advice and what do you know, I actually know what I am talking about!

One bit of advice I really needed to remind myself of, was to get off that darn scale! I don't know about you, but my body is sensitive to salt and to muscle-building exercise. I can work out like crazy and actually gain a couple of pounds of water or muscle, before I lose. I cannot be a slave to the scale or I will say, "Forget it - this is not working!" before it has a chance to show me the money (or the weight loss.) The best indicator for me is how I am fitting in my clothing, and whether I can see muscle tone increasing in my legs and abs.

These are tips I have read about over time, and have tried out myself. Try out one or two (or all) and if you use them consistently, along with with regular exercise of at least fifteen to thirty minutes a day, you will see improvements in your motivation, weight loss, and shape. I've got to keep adding little tweaks into my routine, or I will get bored and return to my first love of t.v. and nachos, then complain that my triceps are turning to jelly for some unknown reason.

Tips for today are as follows. Some of this will be new, others just a good reminder of what you already know but have forgotten about:

Eat oatmeal for breakfast or lunch every day. Oats are known to bind to, and carry, fat out of the colon. Oats also leave you feeling full and satisfied longer.

Avocado, rice-bran and soy also remove fat from your digestive system. Avocado is very satisfying to eat, and is a heart-healthy fat, like olive oil. If you are eating an all-raw diet, you can eat avocados all day long, and you will likely still lose weight. A few slivers of avocado on a sandwich or whipped into guacamole with some baked tortilla strips and I am in heaven! Remember it is higher in fat and calories than many other fruits and vegetables, so eat it in moderation. Rice bran cereal is another good start to your day, with an egg for protein (two eggs a day have been shown to increase weight loss, probably by increasing satiety). I like soy from the source, in edamame, shoyu (soy sauce) or tofu, but there are shakes, drinks and "milks" available. I understand that males should not over-do soy due to the estrogen-like effects, nor should women like me, who are sensitive to estrogen (like in the "pill.")

Acai, ALA, and red foods (like red wine, grapes, and berries) contain powerful antioxidants that help purify your system and get rid of toxins. Toxins make you gain weight and lower your metabolism - not good. Just remember that too much alcohol is damaging to your body, especially your liver and brain. Like the good fats, consume alcohol in moderation. If you have issues with alcohol or other drugs, or prefer not to drink, you can take a red wine pill but I have not researched it to know if supplements have similar benefits. There are also resveratrol pills (the ingredient in red foods believed to create the heart-healthy benefit) but again, I do not know if the supplement is as effective as eating the whole food.

Milk-thistle is a great aid to support your liver health. Among other life-sustaining functions, your liver is one of the organs responsible for cleaning the toxins from your body, which also - you guessed it - boosts weight loss!

Acai, CLA, garcinia, GLA, green tea extract and LCarnitine are supplements that seem to aid weight loss. I've recently read that it may be the caffeine in green tea that boosts weight loss, not the green tea itself, however, I have found that green tea does reduce my appetite, and I do not get the caffeine rush that I do with coffee. I also regularly take Acai, and CLA. CLA has been shown to increase muscle gain, which then increases your metabolism, an "effortless" way to lose weight. I am going to add in garcinia and LCarnitine, and GLA, but if you are already using these supplements, leave a comment and let me know if they help!

Eating foods like nuts, beans and peas, eggs, oatmeal, fruits and veggies will give you sustained energy and each are low glycemic index (GI) foods. Lower GI foods do not raise your blood sugar level as dramatically or quickly as other foods, important to maintain a healthy weight and blood sugar levels. Nuts, beans, and eggs are all high in protein which is the most satisfying food. It has been suggested that eating at least 25% of your daily caloric intake from protein sources will give you optimum weight loss. Nuts contain good fats, which satisfy hunger, but do increase the calorie count, so eat in moderation. Oatmeal, and all whole grains, as well as fruits and vegetables, are high in fiber, which fills you up and binds to fats in the digestive system, carrying them away. Finally, fruits and vegetables contain lots of water, which gives you a sensation of fullness without a lot of caloric intake.

These are my tips for the day. As I come across more helful ideas, I will post them here, as well as how my tips are helping in my own weight loss and maintenance. I would really love to hear what is working for you. Please comment and let me know how we can work together to achieve our goals of eating for health and happiness! And please read my book, Effortless Weightloss: Small Changes That Lead To Extraordinary Results! for the full story of how I overcame depression and anxiety and lost 40 lbs!

Where to get it:
ACAI Juice Extreem -240 CAPSULES 100% PURE, 4 times MORE potent for each MG ACAI Berry Natural Nutrition, Energy and also used for Weight Loss Detox Diet 4 Bottles, 4 Months , 1200 Mg
SAMBAZON Organic Freeze-Dried Acai Powder Drink Mix,
90-Gram JarNatrol Acai 60 Capsules


Milk Thistle - Standardized Extract 120 vcaps
21st Century Standardized Herbal Extract Capsules, Milk Thistle Extract, Maximum Strength, 200-Count Bottles (Pack of 2)

Vitamin Shoppe - Alpha-Lipoic Acid, 300 mg, 120 capsules.
ALAEV279 - Emergen-C Immune Defense Drink Mix

Biotivia Resveratrol Bioforte 250mg , Full Spectrum Resveratrol Supplement, Capsules, 60-Count Bottle
Natural Resveratrol (Mega Potency) 200 mg - 60 Vcaps- NOW FOODS

Source Naturals Tonalin 1000 CLA, Softgels,
120 softgelsTonalin Cla 1,000 mg 180 Sgels

Source Naturals Garcinia 1000, 180 tablets
Garcinia: A Natural Approach to Weight Loss (Woodland Health)Garcinia - Lipid Control - 60 - Veg Cap

PowerNutra L-CARNITINE 500 - 90 Capsules 500mg Metabolize Food Into Energy
L-Carnitine 500mg 100 Tabs
L-Carnitine Liquid (3000mg) Citrus 16 fl.oz

What about organic, grass-fed meat?

I have had a busy week, how about you? I haven't posted but I have been using my treadmill and thinking about food, as usual. We have made quite a few recipes from The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet and have eaten very little meat. Overall the recipes were good, and all of us liked most of the offerings on the table. At this point, I believe we can easily cut out the majority, but not all, meat. I don't see us cutting out all cheese and dairy. I get that there is "alternative" meat, eggs and dairy, but what is the point? OK, I can see that I might need a transitional food to help me let go of my favorites, but for the long-term? I don't think I am ready for that.

It seems a lot of the moral issue with meat and dairy products is the way commercial farms raise and process the meat, or produce the milk and cheese. I heartily agree. We raised our own beef last year and although we did not feed organically, our pasture was organic and our animals were raised in a very low-stress, loving environment right up to butcher, which was done on our property. Now, we were in the process of moving, so I didn't actually see the killing or whether the steers were frightened in the process, but an experienced local butcher completed the task right in our own barn. We also had the meat cut up in a local butcher shop with a good reputation for cleanliness and professionalism, and the owner does the cutting in view of customers.

We fed our cattle a grain mixture we bought locally by the ton, and supplemented during winter with whole dried corn. We also fed local meadow hay on demand and kept the stalls nicely bedded with straw. We used a watering system to make sure fresh clean water was always available. We didn't over-crowd, didn't vaccinate, gave antibiotics only upon arrival from the sale-barn (a necessity if you want living calves two days later as a sale-barn environment provides a lot of exposure to disease.) We also treated animals who were sick, of course, which doesn't happen very often if you are doing other things right. We found it was most important to keep them dry, well-fed and to check on them frequently as calves are amazingly good at getting themselves into predicaments. Now, we did treat for ring-worm which gets into the wood of the stalls and really can't be eradicated, and sprayed for flies when it got really bad, but didn't put a growth hormone delivery unit into their ears (as many commercial beef and milk producers do) or give them any other hormones or routine medications.

The result is that the beef in our freezer is far more tender and flavorful than anything I have eaten or bought in my life! I don't even buy beef from a store or order in restaurants anymore because I know it will be a disappointment in comparison. It is hard to believe that although we did not do anything extraordinary in raising our animals, the methods we did use, created such an improvement in the quality of the meat!

So, my question now is: if you are buying (or raising) organic, even grass-fed (as ruminant animals are designed to be fed) meat, from local farmers who raise animals with care and with ethical practices, then is it still "bad" for you to eat the meat?

As for dairy being a good choice at all, what about goat's milk products, which are highly digestible? We raised and milked our own cow when I was a child, and I was still allergic to the milk. But, the milk from our Nubian goats enabled me to enjoy dairy all I wanted, as well as exceptional health and vitality. So, is the meat and dairy itself that is unhealthy, or only the chemically-laced commercially raised meat and dairy, that is the real issue? Seriously, I want to know.

Resources:

I stand corrected . . .

I finished the last half of The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet, by Alicia Silverstone, and I have to say that I stand corrected. The recipes look delicious and completely do-able. Now if you do not eat or cook a lot of Asian food, some of the ingredients might seem a little strange, like udon, which is just a noodle, but others will be familiar, like soy sauce (shoyu.) I have never heard of seitan, which I think is like vegie "meat" or umeboshi (a plum) vinegar, but I am willing to try them. I already bought the brown rice syrup which looks and tastes similar to caramel sauce, but not as sweet, and the blackstrap molasses, which is even more mildly sweet than the rice syrup. So far, so good.

Today was actually day 4 on my new treadmill, the Sole F80 Treadmill which I am loving. Where I live, it is winter about 7 months of the year and bitterly cold for a good 4-5 months, so it is very easy to do nothing more than hibernate with movies and comfort food during the winter. Each winter I feel more light-deprived and depressed, and what helps me get through is walking. Before I eat in the morning I choose one of the 5 pre-set programs and set it for 30 minutes and turn on the t.v. Even if I don't walk my dogs much some days, like today, I have my work-out in.

I would love to know what helps you fight off the winter blues, keeps you motivated to get up and move, or helps keep your weight in a healthy range. I'd also like to hear what you struggle with - because we can ALL relate to that! Here's to finding ways to eat for health and happiness, for all of us!

Resources: