Weekly Weigh In: I Already Blew It, So It Doesn't Matter What I Eat!

I read something last week that said "If you're tired of starting over, stop giving up!" Well, isn't that just about the most applicable statement you've ever read when it comes to taking care of your health and/or losing weight?!

Change happens immediately, but sometimes progress is slower than others. It might be due to curve balls thrown at us (beyond our control) that knock us off balance. It might be due to our own wavering commitment. The important thing is that we continue to move in the direction of our goal. 

You've heard "Rome wasn't built in a day", or "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!" "A child learns to walk one step at a time." These statements are applicable when we have made a change and are working towards a goal. While the "change" happens immediately, the results take a little longer to show up.

Let me clarify. You don't "ease into" making a change. It doesn't take a long time to make a change. It sometimes takes a long time "decide" to make a change, or to be ready to make the commitment. You can think about it for a long time, but the moment you make the decision to change, you've made a change. The change in our thought process and our actions happens immediately. The results, however, don't happen immediately.


Just thinking about it and telling yourself that you "should" eat healthier or exercise more isn't making a change. Even telling yourself that you "want to" or "need to" isn't making a change. Saying "I will" and "I am" and then taking the required steps is making a change. Here are some ideas for implementing Healthy Habits.


When you decide you are going to change the way you eat by adding fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein and whole grains to your diet, you do it. When you decide to eliminate processed food or fried food from your diet, you do it. You make the change today and your health begins to improve immediately. But it will take a number of days to see the full affect of this change. Educating yourself on the nutritional value of the food you eat is a "step". Each good food choice you make today is a "bite" of your elephant. Each day that you follow the plan that you have committed to is another "day" towards building your Rome.


So you indulged in the fresh apple fritter your husband brought home from the bakery Saturday morning. Or you went out to eat for date night and ate a little, (okay a LOT) too much. Does that mean that the steps you've taken don't matter and aren't helping you reach your goal? Of course not!

When a child is learning to walk, they take a step and fall down. No one tells them to just stay on the floor because it's hopeless and they will never learn to walk anyway! Instead, everyone claps their hands, congratulates them for the steps they did take and makes all sorts of sounds to positively reinforce the child. We then reach down to give them a hand to hold so they can stand up and try again.

So what do you tell yourself when you splurge on something that doesn't fit into your "healthy food" plan? What do you tell yourself when you finish a big dinner and then dessert on top of it and now feel uncomfortable with a full and bloated stomach? Have you ever said, "I already blew it today, so it doesn't matter what I eat the rest of the day!"? (Come on, be honest.)

That's like saying, "I already dropped my phone, so I'll just stomp on it til it's broken!"  Seriously? Don't be ridiculous, you say? I'll just pick my phone up, dust it off and it will be fine.

If you stepped off the curb and then looked up to see that the light wasn't green for you to cross, would you just keep walking into the middle of the street and say, "Oh, well, I'm already off the curb...so what if I get hit."? 

I love analogies! The same principle applies to your goals. So you stepped off the curb of your healthy eating plan. If you stay there you may get run over, and recovery will be a lot harder. Acknowledge that you chose to do it. Then step right back up. I love My Friend Marie's Attitude about running her own race.


In my last Weekly Weigh In I had stepped off the curb and gained some weight. I didn't even weigh because I knew I was up; I didn't care how much, I just resolved to take care of it. This week I lost whatever I had gained, plus another 2 lbs.


I am committed to eating the whole "elephant". I am building a pretty cool "Rome". I am very aware that I am also dealing with some major curve balls being thrown at me right now. But I am committed to my health! I am committed to me! The change is made. My commitment is strong. Each day is a step towards my desired result! Click here for more Weekly Weigh Ins.


Have you committed to change in your health? Do you know what steps you need to take to achieve your goal? To leave a comment Click Here.

Weekly Weigh In: Results of 7-Day Juice Diet

Did you think I could do it...drink only raw juice and smoothies for one week?
Last week I said I was going on a Seven Day Juice Diet. I juiced from Saturday night to Saturday night. Doug juiced with me. Here's the skinny:


Why Did We Juice For A Week?
If you read Sick of It, you got the details. We were sick of going to bed on a full stomach after attending events with late meals. We were sick of our clothes not fitting well. We wanted to cleanse and detox. We were ready to feel energized, light and healthy. We needed to get back in control over what and when we ate. And last, but definitely not least, we wanted a jump start on our weight loss. You can read about My Weight Loss Goal here and Why I went Public with it.


How Did We Juice For A Week?
We went cold turkey from Saturday to Saturday. We gathered our favorite juice and smoothie recipes. We prepared a variety of juices each evening for the next day. (**see note below) We put the juice in glass pint jars with tight lids. We put no limits on the amount we would drink. We drank whenever we were hungry.


**Note: It is ideal to drink the juice as soon as you make it. When that is not possible, the best way to store fresh juice is in glass container, with a tight lid. Fill it to the top so there is little air to cause oxidation. With a high quality juicer your juice will be just fine for 24 hours.


What We Experienced
The very first night, I slept very deeply and felt great when I woke up. The next morning I had lost 4.5 lbs and Doug was down 2.5 lbs. We found that seeing immediate results was a huge motivation to continue our plan. Throughout our week of juicing we weighed every single day; we both experienced weight loss every day.


Each night I slept very deeply and woke feeling energized and healthy. I actually slept less than I normally do, yet had more energy. Even when I tried to stay in bed and get another hour or so (because I thought I needed more), I couldn't sleep. I woke up when my body was rested and felt alert and energetic. I never felt sluggish or lethargic throughout the week. Each night at bedtime I still felt energetic, yet when I went to bed I fell asleep quickly and slept very well. I never felt weak, tired or nauseous. I am still blown away by how little sleep I got and how much energy I had!


Neither of us ever felt deprived nutritionally. Whenever we felt hungry, we drank a jar of juice. The intense concentration of nutrition in the juice was like pouring energy directly into our veins. We felt satisfied and energized each time. It is very interesting to note that neither of us ever craved sugar, or anything else for that matter. Which proves to me that when our body gets proper nutrition it will be satisfied and not need to crave anything. When our bodies do not have the proper nutrition to sustain them, they look for something that will generate energy. Sugar is quick energy. That's why we crave sugar.


There were two days when we felt really hungry and wanted to eat. I found it interesting that for both  of us it was day 4 and day 6. We just felt really hungry on those days. As soon as we drank more juice we were satisfied and energized. On those days we drank 6-7 pint jars (jucie or smoothie). On those days we also made smoothies which add a little more bulk. Most days we drank 5 pint jars. A big part of wanting to eat is just putting something in your mouth and chewing it. As we talked about it we realized that after drinking juice we were satisfied, but the habit of eating made us want to chew something. But we didn't, and we're so glad we stuck to it because it went away.


Another interesting observation is in our choice of juice. I found that I needed variety in my juice. I wanted six jars of different types of juice in the fridge so when I was hungry I had a choice. I never wanted the same juice twice in the same day. Doug, on the other hand, preferred several jars of Carrot/Apple/Ginger Juice and then just one or two of another type.


How Much Weight We Lost
At the end of the seven days I had lost 12 lbs and Doug was down 10.5 lbs.
Here we are on Sunday with TEAM JULES at the Brain Tumor Walk with our friend Julie who is battling her second round with a brain tumor. I love her beautiful smile! She made it through the entire walk being pushed in her wheelchair. (I pulled a muscle in my calf that day and could have used a wheelchair!)

What We've Done Since Then
We had a couple of events to attend over the weekend where we did eat. We were cautious about eating too much too fast after a week of juicing. And going forward we wanted to eat much less and continue the weight loss. Even after eating light and healthy, we both felt a difference Monday morning in the quality of sleep we got and the level of energy we felt. We both wanted to continue juicing because of that. Doug's comment was "I think I'm addicted to feeling great!" So we decided that we would continue to juice and when we got that feeling that we really want to eat we would eat something healthy. We won't feel "stuck" juicing because we can eat any time. And we will continue to lose weight and feel great.


Today's Weekly Weigh in
Today is Wednesday...my weekly weigh in always goes from Wednesday to Wednesday. After eating over the weekend I juiced Monday and Tuesday. Tuesday I had a big raw salad for dinner. This weeks weigh in shows me down 4.5 lbs.

Here are some of our favorite juice and smoothie recipes from the week:

Carrot/Beet Cucumber Juice

Carrot/Apple/Ginger Juice

Arizona Red Juice

V38 Juice

2COP Juice

Mickey Mouse Juice

Orange Juice Plus (I did NOT use the vanilla this week)

Sweet Green Smoothie

Have you ever done a juice fast or a juice diet? Would you consider doing it for improved energy, sleep and nutrition?

Juicy Gossip: V38

Yesterday I posted a sweet juice recipe (2COP Juice), so today I give you a savory recipe. This is a favorite as well as Gazpacho Juice, which I will post soon.

I wish I could fully capture the bright, rich red color of this juice. It truly is a beautiful color. (I'm thinking I need to build a light box for photos...probably need to talk to one of my photographer friends for tips on taking great pics of food and juice.)

I wasn't sure what to call this one. This juice is so packed full of vitamins and anti-oxidants it's crazy! And it's such a beautiful red color. I thought of V-Red, but settled on V38 ('cause there's way more vitamins in it than V8). You may also want to try Carrot/Beet/Cucumber Juice. Click on the Juicy Gossip tab for more juicing and smoothie recipes.


Just a word of caution - it stains, so don't drip it on your shirt.


You know, when I juice I see the vibrant and intense colors that naturally come from the vegetable plants. It's easy to see why Native Americans used these colors for paint. Especially beets. The juice of the beet is such a luscious red color. I enjoy looking at all the colors of the juice lined up.

V38 Juice
3 Lg Beets
2 Med-Lg Carrots
2 Lg Tomatoes (or 4 small)
1 Jalapeno, cut in half and remove seeds
12 Radishes
1 Bunch Parsley (about 4 cups if it were roughly chopped and packed in measuring cup)


Juice and mix well. Makes a great dinner drink. Enjoy!


What veggie do you not like to eat that we could hide in juice?

Juicy Gossip: 2COP Juice

It's day five of our seven day juice diet. I feel great. I am sleeping better. My body feels lighter, more energetic. But you don't have to do a 100% juice diet to reap the benefit of juicing. Even juicing once a day will improve your health and how you feel. The intense concentration of vitamins you get from juicing is like pouring energy straight into your veins. For that reason, I like to juice for breakfast. It helps me start my day with a clear mind and high energy. However, if you prefer to juice for dinner you will be getting all the nutrition you need without filling your stomach full of food that may sit heavy all night long.

A friend  of ours received a juicer as a wedding gift. It had been sitting in the attic for over a year. He was interested in juicing, but didn't know where to start. I invited him over and we made four or five juices so he could taste the difference and ask any questions he had about the equipment or the fruits and veggies. He went home and decided that he would juice for breakfast each morning. Other than that, he has changed nothing about his daily activity or diet. (I've known him since 1983 and rarely a day goes by that he doesn't have his BBQ or steak; a true carnivore.) He has now been juicing a little over 3 months. He just told me that he has lost 15 pounds. And he wasn't even trying! He feels healthier and more energetic as well.

Some of you have asked for specific juice recipes to try. I have lots, and I'm trying new combinations all the time. I will share one or two every couple of days. If you want something specific and I haven't posted it yet, let me know.

There are sweet juices and savory juices. Sweet juice does not mean it only has fruit in it. Certain veggies when combined with fruit will give you the nutrition of the veggie and the sweetness of the fruit.

I typically like to start my day with a sweet juice. Fruits are natural carbohydrates. Your body uses carbs for energy. I want to start my day with energy. Drinking a juice with fruit is like pouring energy straight into my bloodstream.

Side note on carbs...carbs themselves are not bad for you. Our bodies require carbohydrates for energy. What is bad for us is processed carbs. If it has white flour in it is processed. If you look at the ingredients of most wheat breads on the shelf they will have enriched, processed white flour in them. If you want the "staff of life" carbohydrates, you should look for 100% whole grain. If it says "enriched", "refined", "bleached", "unbleached" it is processed. In fact, "enriched" means that they have added vitamins back into the flour that were stripped away in the refining process. Crazy, isn't it? If we stick with the whole grain before refining, we get all the natural nutrition and carbs that the body can process well. Unfortunately, even white rice has been processed.

The bottom line is, when you get your carbs from fruit and whole grains your body can process it into energy and it doesn't sit and turn into fat. So don't be afraid of carbs, be afraid of PROCESSED CARBS!!

Anyway, that's why I like to start my day with sweet juices and end it with savory juices. One of my favorites is Mickey Mouse Juice. Click to see why I call it Mickey Mouse. Perfect example of getting veggies in with my fruit, but the juice is sweet and perfect for morning.

Another favorite is this 2COP juice. The name reminds me what ingredients I need...2 C's an O and a P.

2COP Juice

3 Carrots

1 Cucumber

1 Orange

1 Pear

This juice is has a good variety of vitamins while the fruit is the dominant flavor, making it another great morning drink. 

How frequently do you juice? Is there a fruit that you haven't been able to work into a juice yet?

Weekly Weigh In: Seven Days of Juicing

Have you noticed that as soon as you commit to eating healthy and losing a few pounds, suddenly "events" pop up all around you to make you say, "I'll start tomorrow"? Tomorrow keeps getting pushed out another day, and another day. If we are ever to make a change and improve our health, tomorrow needs to become today! There comes a moment when you get so sick of it that you are ready and willing to make a change; when you get so sick of not feeling strong, healthy and energetic that you are ready to make yourself a priority in your life.


I hit that moment Friday night. It came after the third time in a week that Doug and I had eaten large meals late in the evening. As we lay in bed, moaning and groaning about how miserable we felt with full stomachs, feeling angry that we hadn't just eaten a few bites (knowing that it was late), we both said, "I'm so sick of this! I'm done with feeling gross!" Right there we decided that we would go on a juice diet for a week...a full seven days. Juicing will give us intense nutrition and give our bodies a chance to detox from the sugar, fat and bulk of food we had been taking in. We juice at least once every day, but this would be ONLY juice for seven days.


Saturday morning, as we hiked a local trail, we talked about any food we might "miss" during the week of juicing. We decided that we would eat whatever we wanted that day, and the next morning, Sunday, we would start juicing. On our way home from the mountain we hit the drive through for french fries. I knew if I had fries, I would be good for months. That night we made bacon burgers for dinner with Homemade Whoope Pies for dessert.

Sunday morning I was SO ready to start juicing. It's important to be able to have choices for meals, even when juicing. Any time you try to eat (or drink) the same thing over and over with no variation, you will get tired of it and find it very difficult to stick with your plan. So each night I juice a variety of combinations and pour them into pint jars. I prepare 5-6 jars for each of us each day, with each jar being a different flavor. We created Carrot/Apple/Ginger Juice, Mickey Mouse Juice, and more.Tomorrow I'll share more recipes.


So here's what you have been waiting for. After three days of juicing I am down 9 lbs. We all know the first few pounds is water weight. Once that is gone, we can start to lose the fat. More importantly, I feel better. I have slept very deeply and well the last three nights and have an incredible amount of energy.


So here's the tough part. Monday morning when he got to work, Doug found that a co-worker had brought doughnuts and chocolate milk as a thank you for help given; he declined. Tuesday morning I attended a breakfast business meeting. I drank my juice before I left the house and ordered herbal tea for breakfast. Tuesday afternoon a vendor came into my office with a box of doughnuts; I put them in the kitchen for the staff and walked away. Today, Doug will attend a spring training baseball game with his work team where the company is buying them lunch (ballpark hot dogs); Doug will use his "lunch money" for a couple bottles of water (after all it's going to be 84* in Phoenix today!). Tomorrow I have a lunch date with a dear friend who I don't see very often. I will drink my juice before I meet her and order herbal tea for lunch. After all, it's seeing her that I'm looking forward to, not eating a specific meal. Saturday night (St. Patrick's Day) I am having dinner with my Mango Chica's, a close group of friends that have loved, laughed and been there for one another for more than 16 years. We will meet at one friends home where she is cooking a corned beef dinner with all the fixin's. I know it is the seventh day and the last meal of the day, but...I have committed to juicing for SEVEN FULL DAYS. I will take a jar of juice with me and drink it for my dinner. Again, the important part of this night is the friendship shared, not what I am eating.


I will do this for seven days to prove to myself that I can. I will do this because I know what the results will be and how great I will feel. I will do this because I made a commitment to Doug that I would do it with him for seven days, and I won't go back on that. I will do this because I'M SICK OF IT! I will do this because I want to feel strong and healthy! (Click here to see the results of 7-days of juicing)


What moment or time in your life have you realized you were sick of the way something was and committed to making a change?

Healthy Habits: Roasted Asparagus

Normally, the only time I use canned Parmesan Cheese is to marinate cut up chunks of hotdog overnight to use as good, stinky fish bait the next morning. Wow, that's really appetizing, huh!? For this recipe I thought canned Parmesan Cheese would stick better than fresh grated. It did, and it tasted great!

I have heard of Roasted Asparagus, but never tried it. Since I got two bunches of fresh asparagus last week in my Bountiful Baskets food coop basket, I figured it's time to try it. 

By the way, if you're not familiar with Bountiful Baskets, go to the website and check it out. You have the opportunity to participate every Saturday, or as frequently as you'd like. When you participate your money is pooled to purchase fresh produce in bulk at wholesale prices. It is purchased from the produce companies that supply the grocery store that you purchase your fruits and veggies from every week. You get a basket of half veggies, half fruit, and the selection is different each week.

Anyway, back to the asparagus...

I am a true asparagus fan! I have never met an asparagus I didn't like. I've even been known to eat it raw when I have the munchies. That being said, this Roasted Asparagus is a contender for the best asparagus I've ever had. And it was super simple and quick. I love recipes that anyone can make and get the same results an experienced chef would get. This is definitely one of those!                              

What you need:      

Asparagus

Olive Oil (in sprayer)      

Sea Salt

Fresh Black Pepper

Parmesan Cheese (in can)

How to do it:                                                                                    

Turn oven on to 350 degrees F.                                           

Cut (and throw away) hard ends of Asparagus.

Lay Asparagus out on baking sheet.

Spray lightly with Olive Oil.

Sprinkle very lightly with Sea Salt (don't need much with the Parm)

Grind fresh Black Pepper over Asparagus.

Sprinkle Parmesan Cheese over Asparagus.

Put in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.

The amount of cooking time is variable depending on how thick the Asparagus is. Very thin obviously takes less time, while big, fat stalks can take 20-22 minutes.

After cooking the first batch of Asparagus, I removed it from the tray and spread out another batch. I actually cooked three batches of Asparagus one right after the other. I had put foil on the baking sheet; I did not replace or clean the foil between batches. From batch to batch, the Parmesan built up on the foil (because let's face it, even though hubby thinks I'm perfect, even I can't sprinkle Parmesan and have it land only on the asparagus). Each time it went back into the oven, that Parmesan got browner and browner. When I took the last batch out, I rubbed it around in the toasted Parmesan Cheese on the tray. Mmmmm....soooo good!!

That's how easy it is. If you are trying to get more fresh veggies in your diet and don't really know how to go about preparing them, this recipe is definitely one to try. You can serve this for a special occasion and look like a gourmet chef.

For another super easy, fresh veggie recipe try this Warm Caprese or these Roasted Veggies.

What is your favorite veggie? Is there any veggie that you don't dislike, but just haven't found a favorite way to prepare?

Healthy Habits: 3 Minute Omelette

People often ask for tips on how to eat healthier without taking a lot of time. I'm going to share three tips in a row to help you have fast, healthy breakfasts.

The first tip is a 3 Minute Omelette. This recipe is super easy. It literally takes me 1 minute to put it together and 3 minutes to cook. You have a very nutritious, low calorie and super good tasting breakfast in less than 5 minutes!

The best part is that everyone can have a customized breakfast and it doesn't require additional time or work for you to prepare. If one is a vegetarian skip the meat. If one doesn't like mushrooms, use onions and spinach. You can use leftover veggies from dinner or raw veggies...either cooks just fine. Once a week I cut up a bunch of veggies to use on salads during the week. I store them in individual plastic containers in the fridge, so it is easy to grab whatever veggies are wanted for an omelette. Things like broccoli I will cut into smaller pieces than we use on salad (add about 15 seconds to the above time).

Ingredients:

2 Eggs

1.5 Tbsp Water

2-4 Tbsp cut up veggies (onions, peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, mushrooms, asparagus, spinach, etc)

1-2 Tbsp cut up Ham, Bacon (cooked), Canadian Bacon (or other meat you like)

                                                                         

You will also need a Glad Microwave Steaming Bag. (It's like a ziploc bag for the microwave)

Technique:

Crack eggs into bowl and whisk with 1.5 Tbsp water.

Put cut up veggies and meat into bag. (I'm using ham, onions & spinach)

Pour eggs into the bag (over veggies)

Seal the bag. Put it in the microwave for 3 minutes. If you have a high powered microwave you may find that it only takes 2:30 to 2:40.

Remove from microwave.

Open bag and slide onto plate to serve. This is exactly how it came out of the bag. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on it and it's ready to eat.

Delicious! We have even been known to wrap it in a couple of paper towels and take it on the go.

Question: What is your favorite breakfast? Is it quick, or would you like to find a way to make it quicker?

PERSONAL FRITTATAS

Now that we've cooked Perfectly Crisp Bacon, and made BLT's for dinner, what do you do with the rest of the bacon. One of my favorite Holiday Breakfasts is Personal Frittatas. These are always a huge hit at the holidays. You can customize them if needed and family can serve themselves while you are busy preparing the big holiday meal.


You can make a batch of these on the weekend and put them in baggies in the fridge to heat during the week for quick breakfasts. They also freeze well for future use.

What you need:
12 Eggs
Water
Veggies/Meat of Choice (I'm using Bacon, Spinach & Cheese)
Cheese


In this demo I am using Crumbled Bacon from Perfectly Crisp Bacon, Fresh Spinach and Cheese. You can use Sausage, Canadian Bacon, Broccoli, Mushrooms, Peppers (Red or Green), well, pretty much any meat and/or veggie makes a great addition to this Frittata.


How you do it:
Preheat oven to 350*
Spray a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. 
Crack an egg into a bowl, add 2 tsp water and beat the egg.

 Pour the egg into a muffin mold. Repeat 12 times. (I told you this was easy!)

Now add the Crumbled Bacon and Chopped Spinach (or veggies of your choice).
Sprinkle with a little Salt and Pepper.
Next top with Shredded Cheese.

Put into the 350* oven and bake for about 25 minute, until puffy and golden brown on top.

Run a plastic knife around each Frittata to remove easily. Serve with Fruit and Toast for a complete breakfast.


Do you have a favorite Holiday Breakfast food? Feel free to add a link to your favorite recipe in your comment.