Cravings

Constant craving, has always been...   ~KD Lang

As a societal group, most Americans are food centric.  That is, our gatherings and activities tend to include a food component.  The food can be used as a reward for a job well done, as a means to get everyone together to enjoy the moment, or even as a way to spark and continue conversation.

The rub comes when you are intrenched in this behavior but are working diligently to correct poor eating habits.  As stated before moderation and intelligent choices are key to changing a lifelong battle with poor eating habits.  But what happens when Aunt Edna brings her decadent chocolate, peanut butter fudge quadruple layer, ice box chocolate cake that you have enjoyed for the last 35 years; well, you need to make a choice (without hurting aunties feelings)

You need a daily & weekly plan for your meals and special gathering need to be included in this plan, so you have a contingency on how to address this issue.  If you know this treat is something you look forward to each year, plan on having a smaller piece so you do not feel deprived.  Plan on reducing your intake of other delicacies so you still can have a balanced intake of food.

PLANNING and PREPERATION is the KEY to a sustained lifestyle change!  Will we backslide and fail, yes.  Paramount is taking responsibilities and producing a course of action to avoid these pitfalls.

EXAMPLE:  I know I am currently limited to 1000 calories per day, I need 100-120 grams of protein daily, fat and carb intake needs to be as minimal as possible.  If I have an unusual occurrence item coming up in my food intake, I need to edit what I am taking in. (truthfully without making excuses)  I had half a glazed donut which is 150 calories, so I cut my lunch down to a 3-ounce grilled skinless chicken breast from a 4-5 ounce, the 150-calorie overage was then accounted for.

Cravings occur a lot for me, I find keeping sugar free gum in the truck keeps me from stopping for something to eat when I don't really need it.  I keep a bowl of sugar free gelatin made up in the refrigerator at all time.  This gelatin (cherry usually) with a dollop of low-fat whipped topping and a few peanuts is a great sweet treat that satisfies.

If I find I am still craving food, I drink my cocktail of Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar, Lemon Juice and tepid water, then I brush my teeth.  The mint from the toothpaste usually quells my food desires.

Finally, I keep a picture of me at my highest weight (385#) on my desktop to remind me why I need to stay disciplined.

BOTTOM LINE:  If you fail to plan you will fail, period.  You need to be dedicated and passionate for a life change, you are responsible for the outcome, no one else.  This does not mean you become the obnoxious person that crucifies people for eating different than you do, just set the example and your positive change will inspire so many others.

Keep up the good work, reevaluate every once and a while to see what needs adjusted, and enjoy your new path, it is so rewarding!

Lite Please

I love the smells of fall!

 

Many of the foods associated with fall are however very heavy in carbs and fat.  The challenge is how to enjoy these flavors, but not partake in consuming the high amounts of fats, sugars, and other carbs associated with the traditional recipes.  I am not about to pretend that my versions of fall favorites are an exact taste duplication, but they are enjoyable and are (at least for me) a guilt free indulgence.

BAKED APPLES

1 cored apple with the skin on, sliced thin and placed in a bowl

Drizzle 1TBS dark corn syrup over top of apple slices

Sprinkle 1tsp cinnamon and 1/2tsp pumpkin pie seasoning over top

Cover with parchment paper and microwave on high for 70 seconds

Top with 2TBS fat free whipped topping ~or~ 1/4 cup low-fat or lite salted caramel ice cream

This version of a fall favorite comes in at around 140 calories instead of 290 in the traditional recipe

AMBROSIA

1 cored apple with skin on sliced thin

1/4 cup crushed pineapple

1 TBS chopped pecans

1 mandarin orange peeled, segmented, chunked

1 tsp unsweetened coconut flakes

2 TBS fat free whipped toping

Mix the first 5 ingredients thoroughly and fold in the whipped topping 

This version of a fall favorite comes in at around 165 calories instead of 295 in the traditional recipe

FRUIT PARFAIT

1 pkg sugar free gelatin made per package directions (cherry is my favorite)

2TBS fat free whipped topping

2TBS salted, dry roasted peanuts

Layer the chilled gelatin, 1TBS whipped topping, 1TBS peanuts and repeat to fill a parfait glass

This version comes in at around 100 calories versus the 220 the traditional recipe.

Simply put, these recipe versions are tasty but not exactly like the traditional.  Play with the old heavy recipes substituting sugar free and fat free ingredients to create a new low calorie, healthier version.

2 Steps Forward, 1 Step Back

 Not everything is going to go smoothly; often in life there are setbacks.

We all have setbacks in our life journey, some are beyond our control others are self-inflicted.  We are defined by how we handle setbacks; you can decide to sit back and whine, blame someone else for the situation or address them straight on.

On my health journey I was up to walking 4 miles a day and was feeling great!  My back pain was low to nonexistent, my spirits were high, I was looking at the old me in the rearview mirror with no regrets.  That changed, slowly my left knee began to hurt (work it out was my thought) then not able to put weight on it.  Yes, I am older and have arthritis and water on the knee, proper care and rest and I am healing.

Could this have been the end of my journey had I made that choice, but I did not end it there.  We will all have frustrations and challenges that force us to make changes to our journey and adjust the goals.  JUST DON'T GIVE UP!  

When setbacks occur, look at what caused them, explore options, formulate remedies and stay positive.  Attitude is a major influence in success at anything.  As I have stated previously and feel very strong about, make a list.  Write down pros, cons, aspects you are not happy with, aspects you want to change, formulate a game plan for change.  You are the conduit for change or failure, your choice, take charge and make a move!

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Ruffage & Fiber

 Keep it moving, keep it moving!

It's no secret, you have to keep everything moving through your intestinal tract to maintain optimal health.  It may not be a secret, but many do not understand how to keep everything moving through.

My diet is rich in protein, vegetables, fruit, and a LOT of water and green tea.  I thought my intake of fiber was sufficient, but I was wrong.  Most dieticians tell you the body needs 28 grams of fiber a day.  Even with 2-3 apples a day and a nice big salad, I was at only at 6 grams of fiber.  Lack of fiber was causing major intestinal problems and I began searching for a solution.  

Kale is high in fiber, but it's like eating green poster board, many of the other typical greens taste good, but are not all that appealing to me (mainly because of the time it takes to prepare them and).  I needed to explore and come up with a plan that would work for me.

I began searching supplements and found so many fiber pills, cookies, and drinks it soon became overwhelming.  I decided on a psyllium fiber drink that is sugar free and taken 3 times a day.

    

As a recap, my diet is a maximum 1,000 calories a day, I shoot for 150-200 grams of protein a day and now I know I need to have 28 grams of fiber today.  Suffice it to say vitamin supplements, fiber supplements, and on occasion protein drink supplements are needed to carry out my weight loss/maintenance plan.

What it boils down to is, know what you are taking into your body I suggest you keep a notebook on daily food intake, that way you can review what you are taking in and tweak it should you start experiencing problems.  I thought I was surely taking in enough ruffage/fiber with all the fruit and vegetables I consumed, but I was wrong. 

Keep the list, check what your food has in it to meet your body's needs, and keep an open mind to change and adjust to reach those goals

TOFU Really?

 I get it, TOFU is not a favorite of many people, but hear me out, it really can be a great & tasty addition to your cooking.

For many, tofu is that bland white block of "hippie food" with little texture or flavor.  In reality tofu is a great mimicker and takes on the flavor of what it is surrounded with.  This soy-based bean curd can be a great way to reduce calories and fat while boosting your daily protein.  I have used it in stir fry dishes, as a topper for salads, and even meatloaf (Sorry vegans but it works great paired with ground meat).  Here are two of my favorite recipes incorporating tofu; try some, modify them to your taste, make them your own and I think you will enjoy it.

TOFU infused Meatloaf

1# Extra firm tofu

1/2# Extra lean ground beef

1/2# ground turkey or chicken

1 medium onion diced

1 medium bell pepper diced

1 package dry au jus mix

1 tbsp ground black pepper

1 tbsp minced garlic

2 tbsp teriyaki sauce

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 tbsp brown sugar (or 2 tbsp monk fruit sweetener)

2 eggs

4 slices keto friendly bread, diced

Crumble the tofu and combine with all remaining ingredients in a large bowl.

Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well incorporated.

Form into a loaf and place into a glass bread baking dish

(Now at this point I do a typical Western PA step by scoring the top of the loaf and drizzling HEINZ ketchup over the top.  This is totally optional)

Place in 350degree, preheated oven for 60 minutes

Remove from oven, cover with foil, and let stand for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

TOFU & Chicken breast stir fry

1/2 package extra firm tofu, crumbled

1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced

1 cup sugar snap pea pods chopped

1 large onion shopped

2 ribs celery chopped

1/2 package cole slaw mix (this is a short cut you can shred your own cabbage and carrots if you prefer)

1 tbsp minced ginger

2 tbsp Hoisin sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp teriyaki sauce

2 tbsp minced ginger

1 pkg stir fry seasoning

2 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp red pepper flakes (optional but I love the flavor)

In a large Wok or non-stick skillet, add 4 tbsp olive, heat until shimmering

Add CRUMBLED tofu and DICED chicken breast, stir until browned.

Add ALL remaining ingredients and stir until warmed though and browned

Taste for seasoning.

I like to eat it just as is, but it is also great served over brown rice.

This also works GREAT as an egg roll filler, simply place 2 tsp of the mixture in the center of a moist rice wrapper, tuck sides in and roll up.  Place rolls in the air fryer seam side down, cook 5 minutes at 400 degrees.

Control, Restraint, Planning

 “Are you ready to sacrifice who you are, for what you will become.” —Eric Thomas

When you are working to arrive at a goal, results are only achieved with control, restraint, and planning.

I get it, retraining yourself to a healthier you is hard.  Regardless of if you need to drop some pounds, get more exercise, change your mindset, or whatever it is, it takes time, planning and self-control.  

My first advanced degree was in Computer Science (and yes, I have many degrees and even my Doctorate but that is for another time).  The first thing I learned and retain to this day is a statement one of my professors for Cobol-68 said "Garbage in, Garbage out" or simply GIGO.  What you put into the coding of a program is what you are going to get out.  Lack of planning and forethought brings about unexpected and poor consequences.  The same is for anything you are working on to make a lasting life changing event.

It is said you can change your life in 21 days!  That is BS in my opinion, for a conscience decision to become a change and thus a habit, you are looking at 358 days.  Yes, nearly a year of repeating something for it to become an unconscious act or habit. 

Let's talk diet (as this is what brought about the creation of this blog).  I very much enjoyed fried foods but consuming this was not a good act on my part, so I searched for alternatives.  Air fried foods gave me the crispy texture I desired but at a fraction of the calories.  Sweets have never been a big desire of mine, but when I want something sweet, I really want it!  Working with that I can have sugar free gelatin in a variety of favors, with some low-fat whipped topping and have a great sweet treat or desert for 50 calories.  I was addicted to bread, discovered KETO friendly bread at only 35 calories per slice with a small smear of butter and I am satiated.  Egg white omelets in for whole egg omelets, great taste, less than 1/4 the calories.  Simply put, you need to make conscience decisions to become who you want to be and what you envision.

Let's talk exercise.  You don't need a lot of equipment to achieve an exercise goal.  Walking takes only a decent pair of shoes and a nice, paved area such as a sidewalk, parking lot, or mall concourse.  You have to start somewhere and even if it's only a few hundred yards, well that is a beginning.  Remember to challenge yourself, the goal is to increase your effort weekly.  

If you are physically challenged, check you tube for chair exercises or isometric workouts.  The point is you have to start somewhere.

Let's talk mental health and exercise; your mindset can be your biggest setback.  To be a better individual and achieve the purpose you have been placed on this earth for means you have to have a positive outlook.  Sit back, think about what you have a passion for and set a goal to work towards.

Bottom line, you need dietary stability, physical health, and mental health to be a positive individual that can carry out the calling God has put in place for you.  Does this take effort, most assuredly, but the end is worth the means.  Put the excuses and poor me attitude behind you, just start a positive approach to all three of these aspects.  When you start a new regime, celebrate the achievements, address the detractions, keep going is a positive manner, you will become a much happier & positive individual and this will spill over to everyone you meet.  YOU CAN DO THIS, but it takes effort, just put the effort in!