Fat Flush: Week 1 - Shopping

Today was an adventure! It was my grocery shopping day.  Time to prepare for the next week or so.  Now, I have lots of choices when it comes to what to eat while on my Fat Flush Diet.

 You may think that the food choices are limiting, but I can guarantee you that I will not be going hungry on this "diet".  Look at all the protein, fruits and vegetables.   The stuff you see in these pictures are things I picked up today.  I still have some food in my fridge and freezer that I will use to add to recipes (for example: I love frozen mustard greens mixed with a can of diced tomatoes).

I have my Week 1 Meal Plan already sorted out in my head.  I am a simpleton.  I can eat the same thing for breakfast every day, same lunch, same snack...as long as I don't have the same meal for each meal (i.e. breakfast, lunch AND dinner).

So here's my plan:

Breakfast:

Power Berry Shake

1 scoop of Whey Protein
1 cup of mixed berries (blueberries and raspberries)
1 cup of kale
1 cup of spinach
8 oz of Cran-Water Mixture

 Lunch: 

Slow Cooker Barbacoa
(prepared ahead of time) Recipe Link Here

Side Salad:
1 cup of Sweet Lettuce Mix
1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tomato
1 slice red onion

 Dinner:

This is where I will have my variety :)  I will update with recipes in the future.

-Harris Teeter Chicken (see side photo)
-Healthy Meatloaf
-Chicken with Stewed Tomatoes
-Spaghetti (Squash) and Turkey Meatballs
-Fajitas
-Turkey Burgers
-Stuffed Bell Peppers

Snacks: 

This is where I will take advantage of the extra fruit I can have (I already had my first portion in my shake).

Apples
Tangerines
Grapefruit with Cinnamon
Hard Boiled Egg (sprinkled with dry mustard)

Stay tuned...My goal is to check in and give feedback on my progress.  Ready...Set...Go!

Day 2 of Gluten/Dairy Free: 07.02.13

Today was much better!  This morning I opted to leave out the egg and add cucumber to my breakfast mixture.  I found research that said cucumber is good for the gallbladder.  Well, guess what?  I did not have an attach today.

I had the same hunger attacks today as I did yesterday.  I was craving SUGAR!  I swear I now know what an alcoholic feels like.  The more you deny your craving the more you want it.

To make matters worse, I had to go to a meeting at work today.  Guess what they had in little bowls all around the conference room? Candy!  I saw bowls and bowls of Reeses minis, mini Hershey bars, Smarties, and so on...  I really, really wanted that Reeses cup!

Thankfully, I packed something with me.  I reached in my purse and pulling out a baggie of cucumbers and strawberries.  I have to admit that I was only satisfied for about 5 minutes before the chocolate was calling my name again.  It seemed like that 3 1/2 hour meeting lasted for hours!

The cravings got the best of me... when the meeting let out (and no I didn't eat any candy!) I was on the search for something to snack on.  I decided to stop by Trader Joe's.  I remembered a friend of mine buying these corn tortilla chips that had flax seeds on them.  I was so excited because they were gluten free!  I found my way over to the snack section and grabbed them up.  They would go perfect with my homemade salsa (recipe is located on my blog- I omitted the sugar this time though).

I will sadly admit that I was still craving sweets.  So I was on the hunt... I got out three things... 1) Stevia 2) Almond milk 3) Unsweetened Pure Cocoa powder.  I thought if I mixed the three together I would have a nice, sweet treat.  FAIL!  The cocoa powder was very clumpy and it didn't taste as good as regular chocolate milk.

On a good note, once I ate dinner (left overs from last night, brussels sprouts, and a sweet potato) my cravings went away.  Hallelujah!

Day 1 of Gluten/Dairy Free 7.1.13

I woke up this morning fully charged. I had my breakfast and lunch packed. So my expectation that today was going to be a good day was really high.

For breakfast, I had a hard boiled egg, 2 meatballs (Find the recipe on my blog under the recipe section.  I got this off of weightandwellness.com.  However, I like them much better cold than warm), fruit, and green beans.  I ate this around 7:30.  By 10:30 I was having a gallbladder attack (and it was in the middle of a business appointment!).  I had severe shooting pains on my right side and it felt like some invisible person was stabbing me.  This lasted about 10 minutes off and on.  When I felt my side it actually felt like a small round ball on my (near my rib).  While doing a little research I thought the attack could have resulted from the hard boiled egg.

I snacked on pistachios, a banana, and carrots until dinner.  Then, I had my chicken and vegetables.  No attacks here.

Sadly, I have to admit that I was hungry for most of the day and craving sugar really bad.  However, I held strong telling myself that I have to find out what is causing all of my issues.  If I gave in now I would never know.

A bonus from the day was that I got a 1/2 hour walk in... I was even greeted by a copperhead that decided he wanted to hang out on the same trail I was on.  EEWWW!

I hope that my blogs/stories help to inspire others who are facing health issues.  Feel free to add me on facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/brandy.randall.90

I would love to hear about your journey!

Chow!

Going Gluten & Dairy Free For a Month

I have made a firm decision to go Gluten and Dairy free for the entire month of July.  This is not a fad diet.  This is not an attempt for extreme weight-loss.  This IS a frustrated individual who desperately wants to find out what is going on with her body.

Sadly, I got off of the "weight-loss" train last December.  I had my bottom two wisdom teeth taken out, and I have been unable to successfully get back on track.

I have been noticing several signs that I am unhealthy yet again.  Here are just a few of my symptoms:

• Bloated
• Constipated
• Hungry all the time
• Acne
• Sharp pains in my head (right side)
• Pain behind my right breast
• Stomach aches
• Breathing issues (stop breathing when I sleep)
• Muscle cramps (including Charlie Horses)
• Spells of feeling sick to my stomach
• Swelling in the legs
• Aching joints
• Floaters and lights in my right eye

I could go on.  When I started my healthy kick start last August all of these symptoms went away.  ALL of THEM!  Yet, here I am right where I started almost a year ago.

The one thing I did not do last year was find out if I had a dairy or wheat allergy.  Either of these things could be causing the symptoms above (maybe not all of them but a majority).  So this is why I am doing this for 30 days.  I will test how I feel and then slowly add these foods back into my diet to see if I have any negative reactions.

To get started, I have already planned out my dinners for the first week.  I will post the recipes as I go along.  I will be having a very simple breakfast of Wild Rice Meatballs, Boiled Egg, Cucumber, and Fruit.  My lunch will either consist of left overs or a homemade soup/chili (I find these keep me full).  I have bought a few snacks which include nuts, fruit and vegetables.

Please keep checking in  I will keep you updated on my progress.

Breakfast: Egg Stuffed Bell Pepper

This morning I wanted to create my own breakfast (inspired by Fitness Magazine's Easy, Cheesy Baked Egg).  I experimented and boy did I enjoy it!  I am sitting here writing my blog, and I am stuffed!  I hope you enjoy!

Breakfast: Egg Stuffed Bell Pepper
Serving: 1
# of Calories (Egg Stuffed Bell Pepper): 168
# of Calories (Full Plate Below): 274

 Ingredients:
1 Slice Tomato
1 tsp Parmesan Cheese
1 Green Bell Pepper
1 egg
1 egg white
1 tbsp Best Damn HOT Salsa (see my recipe on previous post)
1 tsp butter
1 tsp 2% milk

Non-stick Cooking Spray

Directions:
1) Set oven to broil
2) Cut top off of bell pepper and clean out inside
3) Place bell pepper on a non-stick pan and place in oven.
4) Once bell pepper starts to char around the ring (see photo) begin preparing egg mixture.
5) Mix egg, egg white, butter, milk together and place in a pan coated with non-stick cooking spray on medium heat.
6) Scramble mixture and continue cooking until mixture is solid (no longer runny)  then mix in salsa.
7) Pull bell pepper out of the oven and place egg mixture inside the bell pepper.
8) Place sliced tomato on top of egg mixture (to fill hole) and then top with 1 tsp of Parmesan cheese.
9) Place bell pepper back in over and cook until cheese is well melted and slightly browning.  Then remove and enjoy!

I served this with 1 cup 50/.50 Spring Mix salad topped with 1 tbsp Kraft Italian Roasted Red Pepper Dressing and 6 strawberries topped with 1 tbsp Cool-Whip.

Tips for Healthy Grocery Shopping

Video:Make a Healthy Grocery List

with Lynn Reynolds

Learning how to properly make a healthy grocery list before heading to the store can save you money and slim your waist. Here, see instructions for making a healthy grocery list.

Supermarket Savvy

Ward offers this checklist for making healthier food choices in every department of your supermarket:

1. Produce. Spend the most time in the produce section, the first area you encounter in most grocery stores (and usually the largest). Choose a rainbow of colorful fruits and vegetables. The colors reflect the different vitamin, mineral, and phytonutrient content of each fruit or vegetable.
2. Breads, Cereals, and Pasta. Choose the least processed foods that are made from whole grains. For example, regular oatmeal is preferable to instant oatmeal. But even instant oatmeal is a whole grain, and a good choice.
   When choosing whole-grain cereals, aim for at least 4 grams of fiber per serving, and the less sugar, the better. Keep in mind that 1 level teaspoon of sugar equals 4 grams and let this guide your selections. Ward points out that cereals -- even those with added sugar -- make great vehicles for milk, yogurt, and/or fruit. Avoid granolas, even the low-fat variety; they tend to have more fat and sugar than other cereals.
   Bread, pasta, rice, and grains offer more opportunities to work whole grains into your diet. Choose whole-wheat bread and pastas, brown rice, grain mixes, quinoa, bulgur, and barley. To help your family get used to whole grains, you can start out with whole-wheat blends and slowly transition to 100% whole-wheat pasta and breads.
3. Meat, Fish, and Poultry. The American Heart Association recommends two servings of fish a week. Ward recommends salmon because people often like it, and it's widely available, affordable, not too fishy, and a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Be sure to choose lean cuts of meat (like round, top sirloin, and tenderloin), opt for skinless poultry, and watch your portion sizes.
4. Dairy. Dairy foods are an excellent source of bone-building calcium and vitamin D. There are plenty of low-fat and nonfat options to help you get three servings a day, including drinkable and single-serve tube yogurts, and pre-portioned cheeses. If you enjoy higher-fat cheeses, no problem -- just keep your portions small.
5. Frozen Foods. Frozen fruits and vegetables (without sauce) are a convenient way to help fill in the produce gap, especially in winter. Some of Ward's frozen favorites include whole-grain waffles for snacks or meals, portion-controlled bagels, 100% juices for marinades and beverages, and plain cheese pizza that she jazzes up with an extra dose of skim mozzarella cheese and a variety of veggies.
6. Canned and Dried Foods. Keep a variety of canned vegetables, fruits, and beans on hand to toss into soups, salads, pasta, or rice dishes. Whenever possible, choose vegetables without added salt, and fruit packed in juice. Tuna packed in water, low-fat soups, nut butters, olive and canola oils, and assorted vinegars should be in every healthy pantry.

Nestle offers these simple solutions to savvy shopping without spending hours in the grocery store:

• Shop the perimeter of the grocery store, where fresh foods like fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat, and fish are usually located. Avoid the center aisles where junk foods lurk.
• Choose "real" foods, such as 100% fruit juice or 100% whole-grain items with as little processing and as few additives as possible. If you want more salt or sugar, add it yourself.
• Stay clear of foods with cartoons on the label that are targeted to children. If you don't want your kids eating junk foods, don't have them in the house.
• Avoiding foods that contain more than five ingredients, artificial ingredients, or ingredients you can't pronounce.

Published May 26, 2006

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SOURCES: Marion Nestle, PhD, MPH, professor of nutrition, New York University; author, What to Eat: An Aisle-by-Aisle Guide to Savvy Food Choices and Good Eating. Elizabeth Ward, RD, author,The Pocket Idiot's Guide to the New Food Pyramids.

©2006 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.

My Recipe: Easy Chicken Mozzarella

This evening I made my Chicken Mozzarella (easy style).  I plugged the ingredients in the recipe creator on www.myfitnesspal.com.  I was happy to see the calorie count.    Since there are three of us and my son does not like rice I had to break my recipe into two (see below).  Altogether my calories for my portion ( 1 of each below) was 341.  I had it with a side salad and a little ranch.  Yumm!  The recipe will be in my recipe section (top of my blog).

Chicken Mozzarella (Chicken/Tomatoes/Cheese Only)
Number of servings

Serves  people

Ingredients	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein
Aldi Fit & Active - Light String Cheese: Mozzarella 24 g (1piece), 48 g	100	1	5	14
Perdue - Thin Sliced Chicken Breast, 4 Breast Piece	320	0	4	68
Happy Harvest - Stewed Tomatoes, 7 \2 cup	245	56	0	7
Add Ingredient

Total:	665	57	9	89
Per Serving:	166	14	2	22

Chicken Mozzarella (Brown Rice Mix)
Number of servings

Serves  people

Ingredients	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein
Aldi Fit & Active - Instant Brown Rice, 1 cup (42g) dry - 2/3 cup cooked	300	66	2	8
Aldi Casa Mamita - Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies, 1 1/4 cup (121g)	50	10	0	3
Add Ingredient

Total:	350	76	2	11
Per Serving:	175	38	1	6

Sorry for the crappy photos.  They were taken with my IPod.  

Brown Rice with Tomatoes & Diced Green Chilies

Chicken with Stewed Tomatoes

Chicken with Rice, Tomatoes & Mozzarella with a side salad

Subway: Is It Really Healthy

I have ate Subway 6 days in a row (Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon, Tues, Wed).  On Wednesday, I actually ate it for breakfast AND dinner.  This is because I am trying to watch my calories, AND it tasted so good AND it was so filling that I wanted it over and over again.

However, after a few days I noticed that my face started breaking out.  Now, I had some pimples on the side of my chin which I am almost sure are from hormones (it's the cycle y'all).  However, I broke out pretty bad on my forehead.

Now, let me just tell you that I am not prone to acne.  When I do get a pimple I usually only get one or two.  This time I had a lot.

Ironically, I did NOT eat Subway today, and I came across this article on Prevention Magazine's website.  It is titled, "10 400-Calorie Subway Meals- Exposed!."

My favorite sub is the Turkey Breast Sub.  I love having a 6" sub with 9 grain whole wheat bread with a little turkey and a whole lot of veggies (can't forget the oil/vinegar blend).

Well, guess which sub was the first one on their list?  You got it! My favorite one!!!!

Come to find out, my TURKEY has 12 ingredients!!!!  My bread has 41!!!!!  Oh, and I quote (about my bread), "you’ll find diacetyl tartaric acid esters of monoglycerides—a dough conditioner that is forbidden in any product sold at Whole Foods Market—and azodicarbonamide, another dough conditioner that is banned in Europe and Australia."

Really?!?!?!  Not to mention that my TURKEY has a ton of preservatives.

So I ask myself, is this scientifically engineered sub what caused my acne?  Was it an allergic reaction to something found in the 53 ingredients (not counting my veggies or oil blend)?  Since some food allergies don't pop up unless ate in excess (which Subway six days in a row is a little excessive) one would have to conclude that it is highly likely.

I didn't finish reading the results about the other 9 subs.  I was too afraid too.  However, if you are a Subway lover like me, you might want to read up on your "healthy" choices.

Protein: My New Best Friend

Who has has had a best friend that they knew would stab them in the back if they weren't careful?  Well if you have I am so sorry.  However, the best friend I am going to refer to today is "Protein".

I have known Protein for years.  During my various battles with weight loss I have heard that if you eat a lot of it you can increase your weight loss.

Well, here is the "skinny" on my good 'ol friend:

Amino Acids are the building blocks of Protein.  Since our bodies cannot make essential amino acids, we must rely on the food we eat to supply this.  Then, our body goes through the process of breaking down the protein into non-essential amino acids.

Now, why do you need to know this?  Because when our body has to break down the protein it takes longer for our body to digest it thus making us feel fuller longer.  Also, the slower digestion process means that the protein is not going to spike our blood sugar.

Protein has the same number of calories per gram as carbohydrates.  1 gram = 4 calories
If you think of fat...which we all hate... there are 9 calories in 1 gram (more than 2x's that of protein!)  Also, think of saturated fats as artery cloggers.

You should try to get 8 grams of protein for every 20 pounds of fat (i.e. a 200 lb person should get 80 grams of protein) per day.  Otherwise, our body will start to break down its own tissue.

Some good sources of protein are: Tofu, Soybean products, Beans, Nuts, Eggs, Fish, Peanut Butter, Lean Meats, Fish, Poultry, and Dairy

Now, remember I told you that my new best friend is Protein?  And, I also mentioned that some best friends become back stabbers if you don't keep an eye on them (yeah, I am sure you know one or two)?  Well, here is why I have to keep an eye on my ol' friend, Protein.

If you consume too much protein then it could put a strain on certain organs in the body like the kidneys and liver.  Too much protein also promotes the loss of calcium in the bones via your urine which can cause osteoporosis.  In addition, any extra protein that is left over (because our body can't store it) is stored as fat if we can't use it as energy.

Sources: The book I am reading 2-Week Total Body Turnaround & Help With Cooking .Com

Acne Blues

Hello everyone.  So my face is starting to breakout. I think it is all those Subway sandwiches I have eaten lately.  I noticed that I am breaking out mainly on my forehead and side of my chin.

I remember reading something about acne and face mapping.  I decided to give it a look to understand why the sudden breakout.  Here is what I found:

Forehead: Bladder & Digestive System — Improve your diet and drink more water.

Between Eyebrows: Liver — Try cutting back on alcohol, heavy food or dairy. This area can also indicate a food allergy.

Side of face near ears:  Kidneys — Make sure you’re keeping yourself hydrated with water and cut back on liquids that dehydrate you. This means nix the soda, coffee and/or alcohol.

Cheek Bones: Respiratory system — Those who smoke or have allergies tend to have acne here.

Sides of Eyes: Kidneys — Dark circles are usually a result of dehydration. Drink up!

Nose: Heart — Check your blood pressure and make sure you’re not using makeup that irritates your skin.

Chin: Stomach — Consider a detox or adding more fiber to your diet to help with digestion.

Sides of Chin: Hormones — Stress and hormonal changes can sometimes be alleviated with more water and a few extra servings of dark, leafy greens but if breakouts in this area persistent, make an appointment with your doctor to look into a possible hormonal imbalance. Additionally, breakouts in this area also indicate when you are ovulating (and which side).

Neck:  Illness — Can be a sign of your body fighting bacteria to avoid illness. Take a breather and drink plenty of fluids.

Now, just because you are breaking out does not mean you have one of the reasons above. Always check with a doctor.

I just find it interesting that this has come on since eating the same thing six days in a row.  I do think my ovulation is playing a big part in some of this, but I have been on "that time of the month" for four weeks straight.  No surprise since I haven't had it for months.

Well, as always I am not only giving you health information but way too much info on me, lol.

Information Source: U Look Haute

Waist to Hip Ratio: Why it matters...

So today I learned what waist to hip ratio is.  Let me share... Our health risks are not based solely on how much fat we have.  It is also based on where most of that fat is located.  People that have more weight around their waist is at at greater risk of heart disease and diabetes than those packing on the pounds around the hips.

Several studies have also shown that as we (women) age and get closer to menopause our fat suddenly starts to migrate upward to our midsections. So ladies, if you don't start working out those thunder thighs you may soon find all that fat popping a cork in that belly button of yours.

How to Calculate Waist Hip Ratio

Waist Hip Ratio is calculated by dividing the measurement of your waist by the measurement of your hips.

How to Get Your Waist and Hip Measurements

Use a measuring tape to take your waist and hip measurement. If you do not have a measuring tape available, use a long piece of string instead and then measure the length of the string against a flat ruler.

Stand in a relaxed position breathing normally when you take the measurement. Do not pull tightly on the measuring tape or string.

Waist: Your waist measurement should be taken at the smaller section of your natural waist, usually located just above the belly button.
Hips: Your hip measurement should be taken at the your hips on the widest part of your buttocks.

So let me tell you where I am.  My waist circumference is 37 inches.  My hip circumference is 43.5 inches.  This puts me at a waist to hip ratio of 0.85.  I am considered to be at Moderate Risk.

The calculation is as follows:  waist (37) / hips (43.5) = 85

Waist to hip ratio chart:
Male: 0.95 or below= low risk.   0.96 to 1.0= moderate risk.     1.0+= high risk
Female: 0.80 or below= low risk     0.81 to 0.85= moderate risk.    0.85+= high risk

Food: A Powerful Obsession

There is an emotional connection to food. If there wasn't then we would all be skinny. There is something about the way it tastes on our pallette, smells in our nostrils and appeals to our eyes. There is definitely a comfort in the way food connects to all of our senses.

Today, I saw an obese women whom I have seen in the past. However, today as I headed off to lunch I thought to myself, "Why do people let themselves get so big. Why don't they just stop cramming their plates full of food? If they would just STOP doing all the things that got them fat in the first place they may actually start losing weight."

This is where I stopped myself and said, "I AM 'they'." By definition, I too am obese. Just because I fill my plate up with small portion sizes and have to go back 5 or 6 times for more does not make me any different than the person who crams it on their plate the first time.

The one thing I have learned (which someone who's never been fat may never learn) is that there is an obsession with food that has to be dealt with if you truly want to loose weight and keep it off for good. 

Right now what is working for me is that I have found a new obsession. I can proudly say YOU, my readers, are my new obsession. As I have mentioned a million times before, I want to inspire YOU. I believe my goal on earth is to motivate and encourage others. If I am doing something just for my benefit I don't feel the same kind of satisfaction that I feel when i know I am helping someone else.

I am curious to know what will be your new obsession once you realize that food no longer has control over you. There is something very rewarding and powerful when you realize that food is meant to keep you alive  and not kill you.  Learning how to take control over food takes patience, knowledge, and WILL. Without those three things you may find that the cycle to lose weight will have no beginning and sadly, no end.