Saturday, February 23, 2013
Starting up again
What a year this has been. We had houseguests for 11 months. It was nearly impossible for us to stick with any plan. That being said, we were totally derailed. I totally understand that everyone in the household needs to be on the same eating plan. I learned that our bodies have been biochemically changed because of the American diet. We are at the mercy of our food industry. Wheat, corn and soy have been so modified that they no longer have any nutritional value. All three genetically include pesticides in the seeds themselves. Wheat has become addictive and spikes glucose in the system. It is worse than eating a bowl of sugar. Eating or 4 servings of wheat a day will assuredly result in diabetes. Corn is not much better. Soy has estrogen hormones that totally mess up your system. The next hurray is processed food. Basically anything with a label on it probably has sugar in some form or another. I never realized how bad sugar was for the system. I knew sugar was "sinful", had a lot of calories and that desserts needed to be kept to a minimum or you would gain weight. Well it is much worse than that. Sugar completely shuts down the ability for the body to burn fat. Sugar turns on all of the bodies hormones to STORE fat and to make you hungry. Basically you get biological changes in your brain that tells your body you are starving. Your body goes into store mode and you get unbelieveable cravings for fat and sugar.
Sugar is both fat and a carb. Eating sugar will result in weight gain, insulin resistance, diabetes, fatty liver and a host of health problems that go along with obesity. You end up with a metabolic illness and your hormones stop working as they should.
The only way to get around it is to cut out wheat, corn, soy, and sugar. You already know to give up all of the bad fats so through that in too. You also know to give up artificial flavors and dyes because they are toxic to the system. That means no processed foods. No breads, cakes, cookies, pies, cupcakes. No sodas of any kind! No junk food. After all, what can you buy that doesn't have a bun or bread at a fast food place. Easier to say what it DOES leave in the diet. This is what we strive to do 95% of the time. Our diet consists of vegetables and fruits, beans, nuts and seeds. We have all of the tea we want. About twice a week we might have fish. We limited our dairy consumption considerably. We might have a little sprinkle of goat cheese with our food from time to time. I am also looking into Kefir and yogurt made from hormone free goat milk at the suggestion of a detox book I am following. We have a smoothie every morning made with spinach, vegetables and fruits. We had a raw salad for lunch and steamed vegetables or vegetable soup for dinner. Sometimes we have a salad for dinner as well, epecially if it is late. Beans are our main source of protein. Quinioa, steel cut oats or black rice are some of the grains we eat but rather sparingly. I make salad dressing everyday with fresh lemon juice and olive oil. We use himalayan salt. I cook with grape seed oil if I saute my food. I use every kind of seasoning there is. We drink herbal teas and Yerba mate which is a type of tea. We cut out coffee a long time ago.
I would say we do this 100% of the time but we slide when we go to dinner with our friends. We only know of 2 or 3 restaurants that we can eat at without completely going off the plan. When we do go out, we strive for a salad or maybe grilled fish.
We do a detox and liver cleanse one a month. We started in September but skipped December and January because of social constraints. The detox really takes a full weekend and we cannot compromise or diet.
We are losing weight. Slowly, but it is coming off. The program is really not about weightloss but to regain our health.
Books I am reading:
The Amazing Gallbladder Flush by Andeas Moritz
Natural Medicine Third Edition by Michael Murray M.D. and Joseph Pizzorno M.D. Warning, this is a 46,901 page encyclopedia on health. A really dry read.
Detox and Revitalize by Susanne Belen
Most recently,
FAT CHANCE - Beating the odds against sugar, processed food, obesity and disease by Robert Lustig M.D.
This book was really an eye opener. It doesn't tell you how to lose weight but tells you why you cannot.
We don't have a chance of losing weight unless something is done about the American diet. The government will not do anything until the American citizen's vote is proved o be more important than the lobbiest.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
A recipe I have to share
This was a casserole I made that was so good I had to share it. I made it with the intention that we could eat on it all week and we polished it off in two days. You can do this three ways, one for meat eater, one for vegetarians and one for vegans.
Italian vegetable "lazagna" casserole
Vegetable layers
1 medium eggplant washed and sliced very thin (about 1/8" with skin).
Slice these first and set in a tub of salted water while prepping
the rest of the dish
1 red bell pepper, sliced into 1/4" rounds
1 lb package baby portobello mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 Zucchini squash sliced into 1/4' slices
1 small onion (about 1/2 cup chopped fine)
1 handful of fresh basil
1/2 lb spinach, washed with stems removed. Leave whole.
1 tsbp olive oil
Filling
Vegetarian version (this is the version I made):
1 can white canelli beans, rinsed and drained
1 pint ricotta cheese
2 tbsp milk or cream
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
For the Vegan version
substitute the ricotta cheese and milk for pureed cauliflower
Sauce
1 large can tomatoe sauce
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
Preheat oven to 375
Make this in a 9X12 covered baking dish that is 4" deep
If you have no cover, aluminum foil will do.
For the filling:
If you are making this with cauliflower, Chop the cauliflower fine and boil in water until soft. Drain, but reserve about 2 tbsp or so of the water to use instead of cream.
Put all filling ingredients in the blender and blend until very smooth. This should be thick like a pudding.
For the tomatoe sauce:
Empty the tomatoe sauce into a bowl, add the seasonings and stir to blend.
For the dish:
Rub bottom and sides of baking dish with olive oil
Arrange spinach leaves to cover the bottom of the dish
Sprinkle on onion
Arrange one layer of eggplant, followed by one layer of zucchini.
Arrange layer of red bell pepper
Layer on all of the filling to form a solid layer
Layer on 1/2 of tomatoe sauce mixture
Add 1 layer of basil, try to cover entire dish with basil
Add the remaining eggplant and zucchini
Add chopped mushrooms
Finish with remaining tomato sauce.
Sprinkle on Parmesan cheese if desired, or nutritional yeast.
Cover and back for 50 minutes.
Serve with salad and garlic bread.
For the meat version
Add 1lb each of cooked italian sausage before the first layer of eggplant and 1 1lb cooked ground beef before the second layer of eggplant.
Italian vegetable "lazagna" casserole
Vegetable layers
1 medium eggplant washed and sliced very thin (about 1/8" with skin).
Slice these first and set in a tub of salted water while prepping
the rest of the dish
1 red bell pepper, sliced into 1/4" rounds
1 lb package baby portobello mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 Zucchini squash sliced into 1/4' slices
1 small onion (about 1/2 cup chopped fine)
1 handful of fresh basil
1/2 lb spinach, washed with stems removed. Leave whole.
1 tsbp olive oil
Filling
Vegetarian version (this is the version I made):
1 can white canelli beans, rinsed and drained
1 pint ricotta cheese
2 tbsp milk or cream
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
For the Vegan version
substitute the ricotta cheese and milk for pureed cauliflower
Sauce
1 large can tomatoe sauce
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
Preheat oven to 375
Make this in a 9X12 covered baking dish that is 4" deep
If you have no cover, aluminum foil will do.
For the filling:
If you are making this with cauliflower, Chop the cauliflower fine and boil in water until soft. Drain, but reserve about 2 tbsp or so of the water to use instead of cream.
Put all filling ingredients in the blender and blend until very smooth. This should be thick like a pudding.
For the tomatoe sauce:
Empty the tomatoe sauce into a bowl, add the seasonings and stir to blend.
For the dish:
Rub bottom and sides of baking dish with olive oil
Arrange spinach leaves to cover the bottom of the dish
Sprinkle on onion
Arrange one layer of eggplant, followed by one layer of zucchini.
Arrange layer of red bell pepper
Layer on all of the filling to form a solid layer
Layer on 1/2 of tomatoe sauce mixture
Add 1 layer of basil, try to cover entire dish with basil
Add the remaining eggplant and zucchini
Add chopped mushrooms
Finish with remaining tomato sauce.
Sprinkle on Parmesan cheese if desired, or nutritional yeast.
Cover and back for 50 minutes.
Serve with salad and garlic bread.
For the meat version
Add 1lb each of cooked italian sausage before the first layer of eggplant and 1 1lb cooked ground beef before the second layer of eggplant.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Do you read tags?
There are tags and labels on everything these days.
Do you still have the tags on your pillows? The ones that say it is illegal to remove the tags unless you are the consumer? What do you thing of those stickers they put on your produce? I usually end up cutting them off because I can't remove them otherwise. When I do, I can see the glue where the sticker was.
What about electric cords? There are so many warning labels and tags on Christmas lights that we have come to see the silvery labels as "bonus Christmas decor".
Then I looked at the warning on the visor in my car about airbags. Man those things can kill a child in the front seat. No calling dibbs on the passenger seat anymore.
Warnings on food wrappers, cans, beverages, alcohol. They are all there. We see them every day.
When is the last time you read one?
I have a waterpick that I got from my Dentist some time in November. I read the instructions, used it daily. I had to unplug it recently and went I plugged it in again, I read the label.
This cord is coated with LEAD. Lead has been shown to cause illness and birth defects. Wash hands thoroughly after handling.
Oh and this... made in China.
Later in the day I read where a product called brown rice syrup (supposedly a healthier alternative to corn syrup) has 5 times the amount of arsenic than the FDA will allow in our water. Arsenic never leaves your system. It just accumulates. The FDA has to allow arsenic in the water or we would not be able to drink it.
Yet again, the same day, I read where some turkey jerkey dog snacks (from China)caused several dogs to die from liver failure just hours after eating the treats.
I remembered when my grandson had on pj's so tight he could barely breathe. The label said, not fire retardant. Clothing meant to fit tight to reduce hazard. So rather than make the product fire safe, my grandson has to sleep in over tight pjs?
I could launch into how unfair it is that other countries can import unsafe products into our country. People or animals have to die before we notice or do anything about it. I could say it is unfair that the USA has to adhere to much higher standards which makes it difficult to compete with other countries. Well I DO think it is appauling that we let countires import their poison into our country and we take it because we want the cheaper product. We are literally destroying our own country by continuing to support foreign countries and not our own people. I am glad we have the standards, or we would start producing products like China all in the name of the greenbacks.
Ok, off the soap box. What the heck do we do?
Well for starters, i am going to wash my hands after using my waterpik.
I am going to read labels better and go for the more expensive product if there is an unacceptable warning label on the cheaper one. For that matter, I am going to make sure that at least 1 in 5 things I buy are made in the USA. I know I can't buy exclusively items made in the USA. For one I am in the market for a flat screen and none are made in the USA!
I will pay more attention to those annoying labels and tags and take heed. I will start readin about the ingredients in food and be wary when I can't pronounce it or know what it is.
I read the labels on some beans when I was at the store today. One can had about 15 products that I could not pronounce. The other said "beans, water, salt". I bought those.
I am going to pay attention to the little stickers on the produce. That is not necessarily a good thing. We know that California has had their share of E Coli in produce the last few months. Lets not forget the Catalope fiasco. However I am going to be more prudent about washing produce before cutting. I bought some vegetable spray just for cleaning vegetables. I bough a colander that sits in a bowl. I can give my herbs a bath then let them drain several times.
As for the pets, I plan to find some recipes and learn to make my own dog treats.
There is a product called Charcoal that one can take to reduce the heavy metals and poisons in the body. The amount to take for a few weeks is about 5 times the recommended dosage. I don't recommend this for pets because I really don't know if it is safe. However if my dog turned ill with liver failure, I might give it a shot.
Do you still have the tags on your pillows? The ones that say it is illegal to remove the tags unless you are the consumer? What do you thing of those stickers they put on your produce? I usually end up cutting them off because I can't remove them otherwise. When I do, I can see the glue where the sticker was.
What about electric cords? There are so many warning labels and tags on Christmas lights that we have come to see the silvery labels as "bonus Christmas decor".
Then I looked at the warning on the visor in my car about airbags. Man those things can kill a child in the front seat. No calling dibbs on the passenger seat anymore.
Warnings on food wrappers, cans, beverages, alcohol. They are all there. We see them every day.
When is the last time you read one?
I have a waterpick that I got from my Dentist some time in November. I read the instructions, used it daily. I had to unplug it recently and went I plugged it in again, I read the label.
This cord is coated with LEAD. Lead has been shown to cause illness and birth defects. Wash hands thoroughly after handling.
Oh and this... made in China.
Later in the day I read where a product called brown rice syrup (supposedly a healthier alternative to corn syrup) has 5 times the amount of arsenic than the FDA will allow in our water. Arsenic never leaves your system. It just accumulates. The FDA has to allow arsenic in the water or we would not be able to drink it.
Yet again, the same day, I read where some turkey jerkey dog snacks (from China)caused several dogs to die from liver failure just hours after eating the treats.
I remembered when my grandson had on pj's so tight he could barely breathe. The label said, not fire retardant. Clothing meant to fit tight to reduce hazard. So rather than make the product fire safe, my grandson has to sleep in over tight pjs?
I could launch into how unfair it is that other countries can import unsafe products into our country. People or animals have to die before we notice or do anything about it. I could say it is unfair that the USA has to adhere to much higher standards which makes it difficult to compete with other countries. Well I DO think it is appauling that we let countires import their poison into our country and we take it because we want the cheaper product. We are literally destroying our own country by continuing to support foreign countries and not our own people. I am glad we have the standards, or we would start producing products like China all in the name of the greenbacks.
Ok, off the soap box. What the heck do we do?
Well for starters, i am going to wash my hands after using my waterpik.
I am going to read labels better and go for the more expensive product if there is an unacceptable warning label on the cheaper one. For that matter, I am going to make sure that at least 1 in 5 things I buy are made in the USA. I know I can't buy exclusively items made in the USA. For one I am in the market for a flat screen and none are made in the USA!
I will pay more attention to those annoying labels and tags and take heed. I will start readin about the ingredients in food and be wary when I can't pronounce it or know what it is.
I read the labels on some beans when I was at the store today. One can had about 15 products that I could not pronounce. The other said "beans, water, salt". I bought those.
I am going to pay attention to the little stickers on the produce. That is not necessarily a good thing. We know that California has had their share of E Coli in produce the last few months. Lets not forget the Catalope fiasco. However I am going to be more prudent about washing produce before cutting. I bought some vegetable spray just for cleaning vegetables. I bough a colander that sits in a bowl. I can give my herbs a bath then let them drain several times.
As for the pets, I plan to find some recipes and learn to make my own dog treats.
There is a product called Charcoal that one can take to reduce the heavy metals and poisons in the body. The amount to take for a few weeks is about 5 times the recommended dosage. I don't recommend this for pets because I really don't know if it is safe. However if my dog turned ill with liver failure, I might give it a shot.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Revelation and Resolutions
My brother and son have both been living with us for the last few months. We let this derail us considerably. Our predominately vegan diet is somewhat time consuming as I will use my Sunday to prepare flax crackers, salads, beans, soups and the like for the week. We don't have much time during the week as we get home from work just a few hours before we need to retire for the next day. We now spend that time preparing meals and cleaning the kitchen. I have no time on Sunday to prepare things ahead for more than a day or two I suppose all of this sounds familiar to everyone as it is likely the norm for a family. However Harry and I are often content to come home and eat a can of beans with some fresh tomatoes and onions for dinner. I can't expect my brother and son to eat like that. They are truckers and used to more hearty fare.
My truckers finally went out on a run and we had three days to think about things. We have both gained back all the weight we lost, Harry doesn't feel well and I have constant headaches. Now that my headaches are on the road, we decided to renew our diet and continue it even when they are here. When they return, they are going to be surprised to find a diet of 95% fruits and vegetables, mostly raw. Why? Outside of us both wanting to resume getting our health back, my truckers both found they have high blood pressure. My brother actually went to the VA hospital to get his blood pressure checked out and they admitted him because it was so high. 170 over 105. Before I went on the detox diet, mine reached 200/100. Now it is mostly normal but sometimes it registers pre-hypertension. No telling what their cholesterol is.
Well this revelation frightened my brother. Having high blood pressure or even taking medication for it could affect his job. This made my son take notice as his high blood pressure was almost as high as my brothers. Before now, my son didn't pay any attention to his blood pressure much less know the risks.
My son also ratted on my brother and told me that every meal my brother eats on the road is at McDonalds! Every meal! I need to find the movie "Super Size Me" for him to watch. He explained that stopping on the road cost time and money.In addition, McDonalds is cheap while truck stop meals open run $15 to $20. Well now more than ever, both of these guys need to be on our diet. So be it.
I got a Kindle Fire for Christmas. What a wonderful device. Well I found a book call EAT TO LIVE by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. This has been a good read and I learned a few things. For example, even lean animal protein contributes to high cholesterol, even more so than saturated fat. Another that just bought me some time is that vegetables, especially lettuce and greens have protein! I don't need to create a protien combination with every meal, the vegetables are sufficient! I may have to supplement B12, but I should get all of my protein, carbohydrates and fats from vegetables and fruits! I have not finished reading the book and I'm already putting it to good use. You can read more about his program at http://www.drfuhrman.com/default.aspx. Dr. Fuhran recommends eating two HUGE salads a day making salad the mainstay of the diet. And while this is not a diet but a lifestyle change, weight loss will come quite naturally with it.
So our New Year's resolution, 15 days late, is to make the lifestyle change as though there is no choice. It should be much easier now that I know I can grab a bag of pre-made salad for a quick meal when I don't have time. I am not a slave to the extensive food prep anymore. For the record, my husband is back up to 230 and I weigh 205. I am excited to start seeing weight loss again but I am also looking forward to regaining our energy and health. The added benefit of course is lowering our chances of getting cancer, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, dementia and a myriad of other life threatening diseases.
Until next time.
My truckers finally went out on a run and we had three days to think about things. We have both gained back all the weight we lost, Harry doesn't feel well and I have constant headaches. Now that my headaches are on the road, we decided to renew our diet and continue it even when they are here. When they return, they are going to be surprised to find a diet of 95% fruits and vegetables, mostly raw. Why? Outside of us both wanting to resume getting our health back, my truckers both found they have high blood pressure. My brother actually went to the VA hospital to get his blood pressure checked out and they admitted him because it was so high. 170 over 105. Before I went on the detox diet, mine reached 200/100. Now it is mostly normal but sometimes it registers pre-hypertension. No telling what their cholesterol is.
Well this revelation frightened my brother. Having high blood pressure or even taking medication for it could affect his job. This made my son take notice as his high blood pressure was almost as high as my brothers. Before now, my son didn't pay any attention to his blood pressure much less know the risks.
My son also ratted on my brother and told me that every meal my brother eats on the road is at McDonalds! Every meal! I need to find the movie "Super Size Me" for him to watch. He explained that stopping on the road cost time and money.In addition, McDonalds is cheap while truck stop meals open run $15 to $20. Well now more than ever, both of these guys need to be on our diet. So be it.
I got a Kindle Fire for Christmas. What a wonderful device. Well I found a book call EAT TO LIVE by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. This has been a good read and I learned a few things. For example, even lean animal protein contributes to high cholesterol, even more so than saturated fat. Another that just bought me some time is that vegetables, especially lettuce and greens have protein! I don't need to create a protien combination with every meal, the vegetables are sufficient! I may have to supplement B12, but I should get all of my protein, carbohydrates and fats from vegetables and fruits! I have not finished reading the book and I'm already putting it to good use. You can read more about his program at http://www.drfuhrman.com/default.aspx. Dr. Fuhran recommends eating two HUGE salads a day making salad the mainstay of the diet. And while this is not a diet but a lifestyle change, weight loss will come quite naturally with it.
So our New Year's resolution, 15 days late, is to make the lifestyle change as though there is no choice. It should be much easier now that I know I can grab a bag of pre-made salad for a quick meal when I don't have time. I am not a slave to the extensive food prep anymore. For the record, my husband is back up to 230 and I weigh 205. I am excited to start seeing weight loss again but I am also looking forward to regaining our energy and health. The added benefit of course is lowering our chances of getting cancer, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, dementia and a myriad of other life threatening diseases.
Until next time.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Happy new Year
I am ashamed to say I have not written since October 18th. Part of my New Year's resolution is to not let that happen again. I will at the very least post once a week.
In October, I suddenly had a rush of house guests. Since then I have had anywhere from 1 to 9 persons in my home at one time. Needless to say, our program was completely derailed. It is impossible to plan meals when I don't even know how many to cook for and I am working a full time job. Just before this happened, I had some wonderful soups already made that simply went to waste. Servings for two just can't stretch that far.
Of course Thanksgiving and Christmas were in the middle of this. I still made all of our favorites and the detox program seemed like a far away dream.
My trucker stayed on her program about a month then simply stopped without a word. Her world was turned upside down as the employment situation changed for her husband, my son and house guest. She was suddenly driving a truck alone and did not have the option to have someone circle the grocery store while she opted for healthier fare than the truck stops had to offer. She is looking for local work now and I think that will offer her a life where she has more control over the situation.
It is a crying shame in this country that it is exceptionally easy to get something eat that is full of grease and toxins and totally devoid of any nutritional value but it takes time and planning to eat right.
Vegetables,fruits, nuts and grains are generally cheaper than meats and cheeses but the later is expected at every meal in one form or another. You can't go through a drive through and get steamed veggies in a cup. At least we have our brewers yeast shakes and our Juice Plus supplements.
So should my guests continue to stay, they will learn how to prepare vegetables for the tagine or put together some salads or soups. We can really tell a difference when we eat that way and it is our resolution to get back to it.
I will start posting again on a regular basis with a progress report.
Here is to a prosperous and healthy new year.
In October, I suddenly had a rush of house guests. Since then I have had anywhere from 1 to 9 persons in my home at one time. Needless to say, our program was completely derailed. It is impossible to plan meals when I don't even know how many to cook for and I am working a full time job. Just before this happened, I had some wonderful soups already made that simply went to waste. Servings for two just can't stretch that far.
Of course Thanksgiving and Christmas were in the middle of this. I still made all of our favorites and the detox program seemed like a far away dream.
My trucker stayed on her program about a month then simply stopped without a word. Her world was turned upside down as the employment situation changed for her husband, my son and house guest. She was suddenly driving a truck alone and did not have the option to have someone circle the grocery store while she opted for healthier fare than the truck stops had to offer. She is looking for local work now and I think that will offer her a life where she has more control over the situation.
It is a crying shame in this country that it is exceptionally easy to get something eat that is full of grease and toxins and totally devoid of any nutritional value but it takes time and planning to eat right.
Vegetables,fruits, nuts and grains are generally cheaper than meats and cheeses but the later is expected at every meal in one form or another. You can't go through a drive through and get steamed veggies in a cup. At least we have our brewers yeast shakes and our Juice Plus supplements.
So should my guests continue to stay, they will learn how to prepare vegetables for the tagine or put together some salads or soups. We can really tell a difference when we eat that way and it is our resolution to get back to it.
I will start posting again on a regular basis with a progress report.
Here is to a prosperous and healthy new year.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Worth a try, a more concrete plan
First, a progress report on my trucker. She has lost 5 pounds so far. She finally hit the 25 point mark. She was averaging about 15 points a day and it wasn't because of the food she was eating. It was because she simply was not eating enough of the food that would give her points.
We have been doing the plan as well. I make an all vegetable soup or a salad with beans and barley, a tagine full of vegetables or a mixed grill. This is like my detox plan except we are allowing ourselves a bit of dairy and eggs, plus we can have limited amounts of lean meat, poultry or fish. On the plan, each half cup of vegetables is one serving or one point, so the vegetable soup or salad can rack up some points. Animal protein is 1 point for 1-6 oz but starts going negative after that. The aim is to keep the portions small.
I am letting my trucker eat unlimited fruit because I would rather have her eat some than hold out for what not may be available on the road. I think there should be a rule to not eat ANY thing three hours before bed that can convert to sugar. That is really hard for us because we get home fairly late and usually eat about an hour or two before bed. So that means no fruit in the evening, or at least very sparing and low suagr fruit, like a few apple slices in a salad.
All of that being said, this modified detox is not working as well as the detox diet. I had to start rethinking my supplements.
During the detox and Perricone diets, we were taking supplements. Too many in my opinion and not sustainable at $200 per month each. However I ran across something recently that was touting Alpha Lipoic acid as a weight loss supplement. Well we were taking that on both plans. The other items were garlic extract, green tea and sugar cane extract. According to the article, sugarcane extract can lower cholesterol by 24% without any other change to the diet.
Another article I read might help my trucker. If she can maintain the points and stay below 1200 calories every other day, this should allow the fat to burn twice as fast.
So, stick with the 25 point plan - stay under 1200 calories every other day, add supplements: Garlic extract 200 mg before breakfast, lunch and dinner and at bed time. Alpha Lipoic Acid 100-300mg and a cup of green tea or 325 mg green tea flavanoids before breakfast, lunch and dinner, then the sugarcane extract or Policosano 20-25 mg before bedtime. We are also taking our Juice Plus capsules and Evening Primrose. We have a shake every day with brewers yeast, protein powder and lecithin made with 1 banana, almond milk and cinnamon.
An example of a daily plan:
Breakfast:
Juice Plus capsules (2 pts)
Alpha Lipoic Acid 100-300 mg
Green Tea Flavanoids 325mg
Garlic Extract 200mg
Evening Primrose (or Omega 3) 1000 mg
Breakfast shake with banana (described above - 4 pts)
Coffee (may use stevia and fat free milk: 0 pts)
12 oz water (1 pt)
On higher calorie days, add 2 eggs and 1 slice multi grain toast with almond
butter. (3pt)
Citrus fruit or 6 oz natural unsweetened orange juice (1 pt)
Lunch
Alpha Lipoic Acid 100-300 mg
Green Tea Flavanoids 325mg
Garlic Extract 200mg
12 oz water (before meal) 1 point
2 cups salad with mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, red cabbage, yellow
bell peppers, parsley, olives, (4 pts for veggies), kidney beans or
chick peas, prepared bulgar wheat,quinoa, or pearl couscous,
(3 points for complex carb), feta cheese, lemon vinegarette (1 point)
On higher calorie days add
1-6 oz chicken breast or fish (1 pt)
with lemon (1)
Sliced apple with 12 almonds or walnuts (2 pt)
(Or 1 cup watermelon, also 2 pts)
Iced green tea (1 pt)
Snack
12 oz water (before meal) 1 point
Raw carrots and celery (2)
1 wedge laughing cow cheese
On higher calorie days, may add
4 walnut halves (1)
1 apple (1)
Dinner
Alpha Lipoic Acid 100-300 mg
Green Tea Flavanoids 325mg
Garlic Extract 200mg
12 oz water (1)
3-6 oz chicken breast, 3 oz lean steak or 6 oz broiled/baked fish (1 pt)
1/2 cup sauteed mushrooms (1)
1 cup grilled vegetables (2)
1/2 cup brown rice and black beans (3)
On high calorie days, add 6 or red wine (-3)
Additional cup grilled vegetables (2)
Bedtime
Alpha Lipoic Acid 100-300 mg
Garlic Extract 200mg
Policosanal 20-25 mg
12 oz water (1)
Total points on low days: 26
Total points on high days: 36
We can incorporate this immediately, except for the sugar cane extract. I am off to the Internet to find that!
We have been doing the plan as well. I make an all vegetable soup or a salad with beans and barley, a tagine full of vegetables or a mixed grill. This is like my detox plan except we are allowing ourselves a bit of dairy and eggs, plus we can have limited amounts of lean meat, poultry or fish. On the plan, each half cup of vegetables is one serving or one point, so the vegetable soup or salad can rack up some points. Animal protein is 1 point for 1-6 oz but starts going negative after that. The aim is to keep the portions small.
I am letting my trucker eat unlimited fruit because I would rather have her eat some than hold out for what not may be available on the road. I think there should be a rule to not eat ANY thing three hours before bed that can convert to sugar. That is really hard for us because we get home fairly late and usually eat about an hour or two before bed. So that means no fruit in the evening, or at least very sparing and low suagr fruit, like a few apple slices in a salad.
All of that being said, this modified detox is not working as well as the detox diet. I had to start rethinking my supplements.
During the detox and Perricone diets, we were taking supplements. Too many in my opinion and not sustainable at $200 per month each. However I ran across something recently that was touting Alpha Lipoic acid as a weight loss supplement. Well we were taking that on both plans. The other items were garlic extract, green tea and sugar cane extract. According to the article, sugarcane extract can lower cholesterol by 24% without any other change to the diet.
Another article I read might help my trucker. If she can maintain the points and stay below 1200 calories every other day, this should allow the fat to burn twice as fast.
So, stick with the 25 point plan - stay under 1200 calories every other day, add supplements: Garlic extract 200 mg before breakfast, lunch and dinner and at bed time. Alpha Lipoic Acid 100-300mg and a cup of green tea or 325 mg green tea flavanoids before breakfast, lunch and dinner, then the sugarcane extract or Policosano 20-25 mg before bedtime. We are also taking our Juice Plus capsules and Evening Primrose. We have a shake every day with brewers yeast, protein powder and lecithin made with 1 banana, almond milk and cinnamon.
An example of a daily plan:
Breakfast:
Juice Plus capsules (2 pts)
Alpha Lipoic Acid 100-300 mg
Green Tea Flavanoids 325mg
Garlic Extract 200mg
Evening Primrose (or Omega 3) 1000 mg
Breakfast shake with banana (described above - 4 pts)
Coffee (may use stevia and fat free milk: 0 pts)
12 oz water (1 pt)
On higher calorie days, add 2 eggs and 1 slice multi grain toast with almond
butter. (3pt)
Citrus fruit or 6 oz natural unsweetened orange juice (1 pt)
Lunch
Alpha Lipoic Acid 100-300 mg
Green Tea Flavanoids 325mg
Garlic Extract 200mg
12 oz water (before meal) 1 point
2 cups salad with mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, red cabbage, yellow
bell peppers, parsley, olives, (4 pts for veggies), kidney beans or
chick peas, prepared bulgar wheat,quinoa, or pearl couscous,
(3 points for complex carb), feta cheese, lemon vinegarette (1 point)
On higher calorie days add
1-6 oz chicken breast or fish (1 pt)
with lemon (1)
Sliced apple with 12 almonds or walnuts (2 pt)
(Or 1 cup watermelon, also 2 pts)
Iced green tea (1 pt)
Snack
12 oz water (before meal) 1 point
Raw carrots and celery (2)
1 wedge laughing cow cheese
On higher calorie days, may add
4 walnut halves (1)
1 apple (1)
Dinner
Alpha Lipoic Acid 100-300 mg
Green Tea Flavanoids 325mg
Garlic Extract 200mg
12 oz water (1)
3-6 oz chicken breast, 3 oz lean steak or 6 oz broiled/baked fish (1 pt)
1/2 cup sauteed mushrooms (1)
1 cup grilled vegetables (2)
1/2 cup brown rice and black beans (3)
On high calorie days, add 6 or red wine (-3)
Additional cup grilled vegetables (2)
Bedtime
Alpha Lipoic Acid 100-300 mg
Garlic Extract 200mg
Policosanal 20-25 mg
12 oz water (1)
Total points on low days: 26
Total points on high days: 36
We can incorporate this immediately, except for the sugar cane extract. I am off to the Internet to find that!
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Progress on the point plan
My trucker is trying the point plan and doing good. She is doing pretty darn well considering what is available on the road. However she is not getting enough points. It is not because she is eating stuff that bad either.
I think the problem is the lack of availability of fruits and veggies on the road. The very thing that gives her points are the fruits, veggies and water. Fruits and veggies are hard to come by on the road. She limits her water because she doesn't want to have to stop on the road.
She is managing to find chicken breast to eat which is 1 point until it exceeds 6 ounces. Some chicken breasts are huge and could make two meals. My husband and I often share a chicken breast because they are so large. I told her to save some for later if she can. Disperse the protein.
She was using artificial cream in her coffee. I would rather see her use real cream than anything artificial in spite of the fat content. So she is using half and half. I haven't gotten her buy-in on fat free milk yet. I have noticed though that most convenience stores carry whole or low fat milk, but rarely fat free.
I looked at some yogurt she was eating. The yogurt had 28 carbs from the sugar, it high frutose corn syrup. artificial flavor and at least a dozen ingredients I could not pronounce. This is a very popular yogurt and is usually the one they sell in convenience stores or truck stops. Another example of the marketing of food that is no better than a toxic waste dump in the body. There is no nutritional value in that food at all and it would cause her blood sugar to spike. It goes straight to belly fat. It is a shame that an otherwise good food can be rendered so unhealthy. We see commercials all the time that say, eat yogurt because it is good for the body. Well there is yogurt, which is milk and fruit, then there is the yogurt like this one that bears little resemblance to anything natural. Canned peaches with cottage cheese would be better than this stuff.
She asked about cheerios. Well cheerios are oats. I have none in my cupboard, but it is probably one of the healthier of the cereals that are readily available. She wanted to eat it as a snack. I told her to add nuts which would make it a complex carb instead of a simple carb. A simple carb turns quickly into sugar.
As for me, it is the weekend. I intend to roast some lovely vegetables, put on some greens, have a nice salad.... maybe I will bake some fish. I will easily have 15 points just from dinner. Glad I am not on the road.
I think the problem is the lack of availability of fruits and veggies on the road. The very thing that gives her points are the fruits, veggies and water. Fruits and veggies are hard to come by on the road. She limits her water because she doesn't want to have to stop on the road.
She is managing to find chicken breast to eat which is 1 point until it exceeds 6 ounces. Some chicken breasts are huge and could make two meals. My husband and I often share a chicken breast because they are so large. I told her to save some for later if she can. Disperse the protein.
She was using artificial cream in her coffee. I would rather see her use real cream than anything artificial in spite of the fat content. So she is using half and half. I haven't gotten her buy-in on fat free milk yet. I have noticed though that most convenience stores carry whole or low fat milk, but rarely fat free.
I looked at some yogurt she was eating. The yogurt had 28 carbs from the sugar, it high frutose corn syrup. artificial flavor and at least a dozen ingredients I could not pronounce. This is a very popular yogurt and is usually the one they sell in convenience stores or truck stops. Another example of the marketing of food that is no better than a toxic waste dump in the body. There is no nutritional value in that food at all and it would cause her blood sugar to spike. It goes straight to belly fat. It is a shame that an otherwise good food can be rendered so unhealthy. We see commercials all the time that say, eat yogurt because it is good for the body. Well there is yogurt, which is milk and fruit, then there is the yogurt like this one that bears little resemblance to anything natural. Canned peaches with cottage cheese would be better than this stuff.
She asked about cheerios. Well cheerios are oats. I have none in my cupboard, but it is probably one of the healthier of the cereals that are readily available. She wanted to eat it as a snack. I told her to add nuts which would make it a complex carb instead of a simple carb. A simple carb turns quickly into sugar.
As for me, it is the weekend. I intend to roast some lovely vegetables, put on some greens, have a nice salad.... maybe I will bake some fish. I will easily have 15 points just from dinner. Glad I am not on the road.
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