Friday, February 15, 2013

3 Day Game Plan

This weekend I am going to be visiting Charlotte, NC.
 
 
but first I have to make it through the work day blah 
 
 
and of course during my lunch I had to do a little retail therapy
 

 

Your 3-Day Game Plan


Welcome to the weekend, when you kick off your shoes, pull on your jeans -- and fling your diet out the window! "After watching what you eat all week, it's natural to want to indulge a little. The problem is that once you loosen the reins, it's easy to lose control. "I've seen people erase in two days every ounce of progress they made all week," says Rachel Beller, RD, founder of the Beller Nutrition Institute in Beverly Hills.
Taking a step back for every step forward isn't just frustrating. It can lead to your giving up on slimming down. "Eventually the yo-yoing can screw up your metabolism and make it even harder to drop pounds," says Joanne Lichten, PhD, RD, author of Dr. Jo's No Big Deal Diet. To keep that from happening, try these stay-strong strategies for every situation, guaranteed to get you to Monday with your diet intact.

FRIDAY: Happy Hour After Work

You're in the mood to unwind, but the more you drink, the more you munch. "Alcohol makes you hungry because it lowers your blood sugar," Lichten says. "Plus, it lifts your inhibitions, so you'll eat just about anything."
Don't order your usual. You're more likely to have a second round when you're drinking your fave. "To keep it to one serving, get something you can nurse for the time you're there," says Marissa Lippert, RD, author of The Cheater's Diet. For example, if you guzzle white wine, order a light beer instead.
Go solo. Sharing a pitcher of margaritas with your friends may be more economical, but you're better off, calorie-wise, ordering by the glass. "That way you can't lose sight of how much you're downing because someone is constantly topping you off," says Evelyn Tribole, RD, coauthor of Intuitive Eating.
Cover up the snacks. If you seem to be magnetically drawn to that bowl of spicy nuts, drape a napkin over it. Even if you end up sneaking a few bites, you'll nibble 40 percent less, according to a recent study. "Inserting an extra step is always smart because it slows you down," says Brian Wansink, PhD, director of the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab and a FITNESS advisory board member.
 
 

FRIDAY: Dinner Out with Girlfriends

You feel like a party pooper picking at a salad. "Research shows that women eat similarly when they're together, possibly as a way of relating to each other," says Sarah-Jeanne Salvy, PhD, assistant professor of psychology at the State University of New York Buffalo. So if your posse is chowing down, chances are you will too.
Find a designated dieter. The good news is that the influence works both ways: You'll consume less if you're with light eaters. "Having just one fellow calorie-conscious person can really help you stay the course," Salvy notes. "Sit next to each other for extra support."
Lead the charge. To avoid being swayed by someone's pasta Alfredo calorie bomb, be the first to order. "Make a healthy choice up front," Salvy recommends.
Cut yourself off. Once your entree arrives, switch to a nonalcoholic beverage. "You don't need the extra calories to wash down your food," says Connie Diekman, RD, director of university nutrition at Washington University in Saint Louis.
 

SATURDAY: A Friend's Dinner Party

Being a guest at someone's house can pose a real dilemma for a dieter. "Not only do you have zero control over the menu, but some hosts are offended when you turn down the food they offer," Beck says.
Don't arrive ravenous. It's tempting to skip lunch in anticipation of a big meal, "but that will lead to overeating, especially if dinner is served later than you expect," Tribole says. Instead, stick to your regular lunch and afternoon snack and you'll find it easier not to eat too many canapes.
Stake out the salad bowl. Is the main dish something sinful, like a 40-pound lasagna? "Fortunately, people usually also serve salad," Beller says. So fill the majority of your plate with leafy greens.
Learn to fend off food pushers. Sometimes saying "No thanks" isn't enough to stop an insistent host. The best way to derail her: "Tell her that you can't possibly have another bite, but if she is offering leftovers, you would love to take some home," Tribole suggests
 

SATURDAY: Up Late Watching a Movie

It's past your usual bedtime, and you're on the prowl in the pantry. "If it's four hours since dinner, you're going to be hungry," Lichten says. "Your body is looking for a quick energy boost." Here come the midnight munchies!
Do crunches. When you've got a hankering for chips, a banana isn't going to cut it. But chomping on something equally noisy will, Beller says. Crisp veggies like carrots, sugar snap peas, and jicama make an especially satisfying sound. Or keep crackling with light microwave popcorn; three cups will cost you less than 100 calories.
Save the Oscar winner for prime time. Watch a show that's really engrossing and you'll eat up to 44 percent more than if you weren't distracted, a new study found. "When you're not paying attention to the way a food tastes or smells, the sensory satiety center in your brain isn't triggered, and you'll keep eating," explains Alan Hirsch, MD, neurological director of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago. So watch that half-hour sitcom on your DVR instead.
 

SUNDAY: Big Blowout Brunch

During the week, breakfast is typically fast, healthy, and 300 calories, tops. But a leisurely weekend brunch is filled with decadent menu options. "Just a bagel and cream cheese can pack a whopping 600 calories," says Lisa Young, PhD, RD, author of The Portion Teller Plan. "And that's without the lox."
Think of it as lunch. You can still have midday eggs. Just don't let them be your first bite of the day. "If you wait until late morning to eat, you up the chance of overdoing it because you'll be so hungry," Lippert says. To prevent a blood sugar dip, rise and reach for a slow-to-digest, lighter pre-brunch meal, like nonfat Greek yogurt sprinkled with berries and sliced almonds.
Share the special stuff. If you've been waiting all week for those golden chocolate chip pancakes, don't deny yourself. "Order a plate for the table and something more satisfying for yourself, like an omelet with vegetables and a bit of cheese," Lippert suggests. "A few indulgent bites will take care of your craving."
Don't linger. Part of the reason you eat more with a group is that you're sitting at the table longer, Wansink says. When you finish, have your plate removed. If the gang isn't ready to break up after everyone has stopped eating, suggest moving outside to a nearby bench or going for a walk. Whatever you do, don't order more coffee. That's when you start grazing.
 

Sunday Night Scramble

Where did the weekend go? You've still got chores to do, e-mails to write, maybe work to catch up on. Usually around now, after all your diet lapses, you feel like throwing in the towel. "You may think you'll eat what you want and start fresh tomorrow," Young says. Don't.
Seek heat. You can't scarf down something piping hot, so go slow with a steamy snack, like a chopped-up apple microwaved and sprinkled with cinnamon, Young recommends. Or drink some sugar-free hot cocoa or a cup of tea.
Surrender sweetly. Is that pint of Ben & Jerry's in the freezer calling your name? Now is not the time to see if you can eat only two spoonfuls of NewYork Super Fudge Chunk. To make it more likely that you'll keep things under control, reach for an individually wrapped treat, such as a piece of dark chocolate or a low-fat ice cream sandwich.
Hit the sack. Sometimes people eat in response to exhaustion, turning to brownies when what they really need is rest, Tribole explains. Consider calling it a night and waking up early Monday morning to finish whatever you have left to do. Tomorrow, after all, is a new day.
 
 
Day 22:
Breakfast: egg and turkey sausage casserole
Snack: 20 almonds and handful of plain sunflower seeds
Lunch: the last of my broccoli and cheese soup and leftover grilled chicken from dinner last night
 
 
56days
 
 
 
 
 

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day!
Brooklyn has the best valentine this year.
 
I am sure all of you ladies are thinking about flowers, candies & diamonds.
Then some of you are thinking how am I going to stick to a healthy diet at dinner tonight?

Tips for Eating Healthy When Eating out

  • As a beverage choice, ask for water or order fat-free or low-fat milk, unsweetened tea, or other drinks without added sugars.
  • Ask for whole-wheat bread for sandwiches.
  • In a restaurant, start your meal with a salad packed with veggies, to help control hunger and feel satisfied sooner.
  • Ask for salad dressing to be served on the side. Then use only as much as you want.
  • Veggie kebobsChoose main dishes that include vegetables, such as stir fries, kabobs, or pasta with a tomato sauce.
  • Order steamed, grilled, or broiled dishes instead of those that are fried or sauteed.
  • Choose a small" or "medium" portion. This includes main dishes, side dishes, and beverages.
  • Order an item from the menu instead heading for the "all-you-can-eat" buffet.
  • If main portions at a restaurant are larger than you want, try one of these strategies to keep from overeating:
    • Order an appetizer-sized portion or a side dish instead of an entrée.
    • Share a main dish with a friend.
    • If you can chill the extra food right away, take leftovers home in a "doggy bag."
    • When your food is delivered, set aside or pack half of it to go immediately.
    • Resign from the "clean your plate club" - when you've eaten enough, leave the rest.
  • To keep your meal moderate in calories, fat, and sugars:
    • Ask for salad dressing to be served "on the side" so you can add only as much as you want.
    • Order foods that do not have creamy sauces or gravies
    • Add little or no butter to your food.
    • Choose fruits for dessert most often.
  • On long commutes or shopping trips, pack some fresh fruit, cut-up vegetables, low-fat string cheese sticks, or a handful of unsalted nuts to help you avoid stopping for sweet or fatty snacks.


Day 21:
                                                                                  preparing my casserole last night
Breakfast: egg, parmesan cheese, turkey sausage casserole
Snack: two tablespoons of peanut butter and handful of fruit (grapes,blueberries, and pineapple)
Lunch: company lunch for valentines day.
small salad (blah but of course they had pasta) So I had lettuce, spinach, green peppers, cheddar
cheese & marina sauce as dressing. Also I had 30 pistachios, it's a great on the go and filling.
Snack: handful of sunflower seeds
Dinner: When I got home I had these beautiful flowers and a handsome date waiting to take me to dinner. We had dinner at the Four Seasons and it was to die for. We started out with a crap and shrimp dip which Shaun made me try because it was Valentines day so I had 1 chip and had a few bites of it. I then ordered the Mediterranean Chicken which had a fresh tomato and feta sauce. It came with pasta but I decided to have asparagus instead. All in all this was a fabulous Valentines day.

 
 
 



57days

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Tips on an Active Lifestyle

An active lifestyle can improve your health and make you look and feel better. These are 10 tips that can help you to achieve a more active lifestyle and the benefits that come with it
 

Start Early: It's much easier to maintain a level of fitness than to achieve it in the first place. So get started on an active lifestyle as early in life as possible.

Sleep and Rest: About 65% of Americans are overweight and about 65% don't get enough sleep. So the connection is obvious. Sleep and rest are critical to keeping your body healthy so that you'll get the full benefits from an active lifestyle and so that you'll feel energetic enough to want to exercise.

Diet: You also need to have a healthy diet to complement an active lifestyle. Most people overestimate the calories burned during minor activity so don't think you can eat a lot more. And stay hydrated by drinking lots of water and limiting caffeinated beverages and alcohol.

Avoid Injury: Don't let injuries become a barrier to a more active lifestyle. Do safe stretching exercises regularly, use proper care lifting any objects, wear comfortable shoes as much as possible and apply a heating pad at the first sign of stiffness to keep it from getting worse.

Good Posture: Practice good posture at all times, and you'll be treating your body to the benefits of an active lifestyle even when no one can see you exercising. Good posture firms your abdominal muscles, improves your breathing, promotes strength and stability, and prevents injury.

Walking: Brisk walking is excellent exercise. Take a walk before work or on your lunch hour or walk to work if possible. Do not overestimate how much exercise you really get just walking around your home or office.

Stairs: Skip the elevator or escalator and walk up the stairs whenever possible. Walking downstairs is just hard on your joints.

Pilate's: You'll get more out of any exercise if you put your full mental concentration into it. I find Pilate's very efficient but you can apply this to many activities.

Make Sedentary Activities Less Sedentary: It's best to concentrate on exercising, but there is still some benefit in doing exercises while watching TV or talking on the phone. So you can try such things as treadmills or floor exercises.

Social Activities: It will be a lot easier to stick with a more active lifestyle if you make it part of your social activities by doing things together like hiking, biking, tennis, horseback riding or yoga.



Day 20:
Breakfast: leftover egg and turkey casserole
Snack: 20 almonds
Lunch: Business lunch at Palmetto Ale House
3 grain veggie burger with corn, black beans
and roasted peppers served with fresh
guacamole, lettuce & onion (no bread) with a side of veggies
Snack: leftover asparagus
Dinner: me and the bf went to our favorite Chinese restaurant in town,  New China. We know the owner's and I personally think one of the owners has a small crush on my bf :). Anyhow I started with some wonton soup (didn't eat the wontons just the broth) then for my main dish I had the hunan chicken with just broccoli and onion, extra spicy (no rice).
Dessert: no sugar added fudgesicle


 
I had to share this.
My nephew Carter. My sister said he must take after us cause he is ready to party!!

 
 
 
 
 
 












58days

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

All About the Fiber

A diet rich in fiber promotes weight loss

 
A diet rich in fiber promotes weight loss
Fiber-rich foods help with weight loss and maintenance of a healthy weight. And it's nice to know that a healthy weight is possible with foods that are high in a nutrient — as opposed to diets that leave out entire food groups. "So many diets fail because people focus on what they are cutting out. A high fiber diet is about what you're adding in," explains Zuckerbrot.Since fiber takes longer to digest compared to refined carbohydrates, it results in feeling full longer, which can curb consumption. Additionally, foods rich in fiber are usually lower in calories than refined foods and provide a bevy of other nutrients, including antioxidants. Zuckerbrot says, "My patients can't believe how full they feel! At the same time, they are losing weight."The fiber expert adds, "In a study conducted by David J Baer of the US Department of Agriculture's Human Nutrition Research Center, researchers found that women who doubled their fiber intake from 12 to 24 grams per day cut their absorption by 90 calories a day!"What does that mean for the average woman? A 9.4 pound weight loss in a year. That may not seem like much for a year, but with the addition of exercise and making sure you are consuming a healthy, balanced diet, you could experience even greater weight loss. Research even suggests that people who have higher intakes of fiber tend to have healthier body weights.

Fiber gobbles up calories

According to Zuckerbrot, fiber promotes weight loss by acting like a sponge in your digestive tract, absorbing other molecules like carbs, fats, and sugars, along with all their calories - and preventing them from settling on your hips. She explains, "In one study, scientists determined that for every gram of fiber ingested, your body excretes an average of 7 calories in the stool. That means that if you consumed 35 grams of fiber in one day, you would excrete 245 calories in your stool—just by increasing your fiber intake!"

Easy, delicious ways to fill up on fiber

Getting enough fiber in your diet has never been so convenient or tasty.

Increase your intake of foods naturally high in fiber

Plant-based foods are typically high in fiber. Create meals based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes and seeds. Zuckerbrot says, "Some of my favorite sources of fiber are lentils, whole wheat spaghetti and pistachios."

Read labels and choose foods with more fiber

Due to the recent focus on the health benefits of fiber, food manufacturers have responded with an increasing variety of foods high in fiber — and flavor. Zuckerbrot says, "There is now more variety then just foods which naturally contain fiber like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes." She recommends, in addition to naturally fiber-rich foods, seek out yogurts, cereals, chips, breads, pastas and even orange juice that now come loaded with fiber. "Fiber One yogurt is a good example, with 5 grams of fiber per cup and only 80 calories — a tasty way to get 20 percent of the Daily Recommended Value of fiber."
Day 19:
Breakfast: leftover egg and turkey sausage casserole
Snack: 20 almonds
Lunch: leftover broccoli and cheese soup / tuna and hot sauce
Snack: they catered PF changs for a snack at work so I had. 1 lettuce wrap and edamame
Dinner: rotisserie chicken (just the white meat) with parmesan cheese asparagus and corn


As you can see this was a very lazy night for cooking, but who can beat quick & healthy?
 

 
This was a new recipe for asparagus
1 can asparagus
spray I can't believe it's not butter on top with a pinch of salt and pepper
and finish it of with shredded parmesan


 




59days

Monday, February 11, 2013

My Hometown Loveliness

What a blessed and fabulous weekend this was. It first started by meeting my best friend Andria in Asheville, NC at one of my favorite places Hickory Tavern, where of course we chatted all night like we do best.
 
 
After hanging out,  we went back to my parents house and stayed the night and giggled while falling asleep like we were middle schoolers again.
 
The next morning I met all the girls for lunch and to meet the newest addition to the family at Tipping Point Tavern in Wanyesville, NC.
 
Here are just a few pictures
 
Welcome to the family Bronx

"You have a baby....in a bar"

 Ssshhhh I'm mommy's secret admirer
of course from his Auntie Missa

 “A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.”
Elbert Hubbard

Givin some kisses
 
Now to my eating choices. I was pretty shocked how well I did because there was plenty of times where I was very tempted. From the late night chicken fingers to the pizza for lunch.
 
 
Day 18:
Breakfast: egg white omelet with spinach and feta and 2 pieces of turkey sausage
Lunch: veggie burger with provolone, no bread with pickles
Dinner: grilled chicken salad with marinara sauce as dressing
Day 19: 
Breakfast: 2 eggs with jalapenos
Lunch: Went to my favorite Thai restaurant back home on Main Street where I had spicy chicken and veggies with no rice.                                                                            
Dinner: homemade broccoli soup.

Recipe: 2 bags of frozen broccoli spears 
             8 ounces of reduced fat Velveeta cheese
             2 cans chicken broth
             1 can rotel tomatoes and green chilies
             crushed red pepper (depends if you want it spicy)

Day 20:
Breakfast: homemade egg and turkey casserole with skim mozzarella cheese.
Lunch: leftover broccoli soup
Snack: 20 almonds
Dinner: I went with the boyfriend to the local Irish Pub Delaney's for dinner and had mahi mahi with steamed broccoli and hot sauce. Later on that night I had a few bits of tuna and some reduced fat cheese as a snack
Dessert: Brewster's fat free sugar free coffee caramel swirl


18days
60days.goal.date.goal.loss.17.pounds.from.today