A 3x5 card version of this recipe can be found here.
Makes 6 Servings
~ 1 tablespoon butter
~ 2 tablespoons flour
~ 1 cup fat free milk
~ ¼ pound ham, chopped fine
~ 4 tablespoons grated parmesan, divided
~ 1/3 cup shredded reduced-fat swiss cheese
~ 1-1/4 cup egg substitute
~ 6 phyllo dough sheets (18” x 14”)
~ non-stick cooking spray
~ butter spray
~ ¼ cup cry bread crumbs
~ 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a saucepan on medium heat, melt butter, stir in flour until smooth, then gradually stir in the milk. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened. Add ham, stir and remove from heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons of parmesan and all the swiss cheese until melted. Set aside.
Cook the egg substitute until set, stir in the cheese mixture. Now you are ready to assemble the strudel.
Place one sheet of phyllo dough on a clean work surface with the short side facing you. Coat the phyllo with cooking spray, fold in half length-wise. Coat with cooking spray and butter spray. Sprinkle the dough with 2 tablespoons of the bread crumbs then spread 1/6th of the egg mixture over the bottom third of the dough, leaving about 3/4 from the sides and bottom. Fold in the sides and roll-up the dough. Repeat six times.
Place strudels, seam side down in a prepared baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Spray tops of all strudel with more cooking spray and butter spray, then sprinkle with remaining parmesan and parsley. Bake 15-18 minutes until lightly browned.
Cheddar cheese is also a great substitute if you don't have or like swiss.
Recipe - Eggplant Snack Sticks
A 3x5 card version of this recipe can be found here.
Makes 8 Servings
~ 1 medium eggplant (about 1-1/4 pounds)
~ 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
~ 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
~ 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
~ 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
~ 1/2 cup egg substitute
~ 1 cup marinara sauce (no meat), warmed
Cut eggplant length into half inch slices, then cut each slice lengthwise into ½ inch strips. You should end up with 32 strips (4 per serving).
In a shallow bowl, mix the wheat germ, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and garlic salt. Dip eggplant in egg substitute and then into the wheat germ mixture until the
sticks are completely coated.
Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet that has been coated with non-stick cooking spray. Spray the sticks with a quick coating of the cooking spray also.
Broil four inches away from the heat element for three minutes. Remove from the oven, turn the sticks over and spray again with cooking spray. Broil for an additional two minutes or until golden brown.
Serve immediately with warmed marinara sauce. I have a great recipe here for marinara.
4 sticks, plus 2 tablespoons of sauce = 1 serving
Notes: We prefer to use garlic powder to keep the sodium level down. I think the parmesan has enough of a salt flavor. Sticks can always be salted after they come out of the broiler for guests who prefer a saltier stick.
Makes 8 Servings
~ 1 medium eggplant (about 1-1/4 pounds)
~ 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
~ 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
~ 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
~ 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
~ 1/2 cup egg substitute
~ 1 cup marinara sauce (no meat), warmed
Cut eggplant length into half inch slices, then cut each slice lengthwise into ½ inch strips. You should end up with 32 strips (4 per serving).
In a shallow bowl, mix the wheat germ, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and garlic salt. Dip eggplant in egg substitute and then into the wheat germ mixture until the
sticks are completely coated.
Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet that has been coated with non-stick cooking spray. Spray the sticks with a quick coating of the cooking spray also.
Broil four inches away from the heat element for three minutes. Remove from the oven, turn the sticks over and spray again with cooking spray. Broil for an additional two minutes or until golden brown.
Serve immediately with warmed marinara sauce. I have a great recipe here for marinara.
4 sticks, plus 2 tablespoons of sauce = 1 serving
Notes: We prefer to use garlic powder to keep the sodium level down. I think the parmesan has enough of a salt flavor. Sticks can always be salted after they come out of the broiler for guests who prefer a saltier stick.
Recipe - Zucchini Crust Pizza
A 3x5 card version of this recipe can be printed here.
Makes 6 Servings
~ 3 cups shredded zucchini, drained
~ 3/4 cup egg substitute
~ 1/3 cup flour
~ 1/2 teaspoon salt
~ 8 oz. part skim mozzarella or fresh mozzarella
~ 2 small tomatoes, thinly sliced
~ 1/2 cup onion, chopped
~ 1/2 green pepper, julienned
~ 3 tablespoons shredded parmesan
~ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
~ 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Combine zucchini, egg substitute flour and salt and mix well. Press into a 12” pizza pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.
Reduce heat and sprinkle the crust with the remaining ingredients. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.
Cut into 6 slices. One slice = serving
Variations:
A thick homemade marinara sauce makes a great substitute to the sliced tomatoes. In fact any normal pizza topping tastes great on this crust and is a great way to indulge in the toppings since you save so many calories on the crust.
Makes 6 Servings
~ 3 cups shredded zucchini, drained
~ 3/4 cup egg substitute
~ 1/3 cup flour
~ 1/2 teaspoon salt
~ 8 oz. part skim mozzarella or fresh mozzarella
~ 2 small tomatoes, thinly sliced
~ 1/2 cup onion, chopped
~ 1/2 green pepper, julienned
~ 3 tablespoons shredded parmesan
~ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
~ 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Combine zucchini, egg substitute flour and salt and mix well. Press into a 12” pizza pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.
Reduce heat and sprinkle the crust with the remaining ingredients. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.
Cut into 6 slices. One slice = serving
Variations:
A thick homemade marinara sauce makes a great substitute to the sliced tomatoes. In fact any normal pizza topping tastes great on this crust and is a great way to indulge in the toppings since you save so many calories on the crust.
10 Tips for Starting a Wellness Program
Many of you may be wondering how to get started on your weight loss journey. I've been wanting to write more about how I got started, but haven't had a chance. I came across this article this week and had to share it with you.
10 Tips for Starting a Wellness Program Today
Easy Ways to Get Healthy
By Carrie Myers Smith, Health & Fitness Writer
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/wellness_articles.asp?id=269
10 Tips for Starting a Wellness Program Today
Easy Ways to Get Healthy
By Carrie Myers Smith, Health & Fitness Writer
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/wellness_articles.asp?id=269
Some Great Articles for You
I found some interesting articles over at Sparkpeople.com I thought you all would like.
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=135
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=590
Over 100 Super Foods for a Super You
Include These Foods for Maximum Body Benefits
-- By Becky Hand, Licensed & Registered Dietitian
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=307The No-Excuses Appeal of Fruits and Veggies
Check Your Reasons at the Door
-- By Laura Bofinger, Staff Writer
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=135
The Truth About Carbohydrates
Not all Carbs are Created Equal
-- By Becky Hand, Licensed & Registered Dietitian
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=590
Recipe - Caramel Apple Bread Pudding
This is a wonderful recipe to use up day old bread. I have been baking my own bread for the past month or so using a bread machine I got at a garage sale over the summer. It's been wonderful having fresh baked bread in the house and I like that I know exactly what's in it. Homemade bread also makes the best grilled sandwiches you've ever tasted. Restaurant quality for sure. I found this recipe and it is really great with homemade bread, whether it be wheat, white or a mixture of the two. I suppose store bought bread would work well also, just get a loaf from the bakery, not the processed loaves that come in the bread aisle as they won't hold up as well during baking. Any kind of apple will do also. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup of chopped apple, I just use one medium sized apple that's about 2-1/2" in size.
A 3x5 card version of this recipe can be found here.
Makes 8 Servings
~ 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
~ 1 cup fat free milk
~ 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
~ 1/2 cup egg substitute or 2 large eggs
~ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
~ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
~ 5 cups cubed day old bread
~ 1/2 cup chopped apple (leave skin on for more fiber)
~ 1/2 cup fat free whipped topping (optional)
~ 1/2 cup fat free caramel ice cream topping (optional)
In a large bowl, combine applesauce, milk, brown sugar, egg substitute, vanilla and cinnamon. Fold in the bread cubes and the apple.
Pour into an 8" square baking pan coated with non-stick cooking spray and back uncovered at 325 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until knife inserted near the center comes out clean and the top is a nice golden brown.
Serve warm with caramel sauce or whipped topping. Also great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Substitutions:
Soy milk, coconut milk and almond milk are great substitutions if you don't use cow's milk.
You can also add a 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts, almonds or pecans when you are folding in the bread and apples.
A 3x5 card version of this recipe can be found here.
Makes 8 Servings
~ 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
~ 1 cup fat free milk
~ 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
~ 1/2 cup egg substitute or 2 large eggs
~ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
~ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
~ 5 cups cubed day old bread
~ 1/2 cup chopped apple (leave skin on for more fiber)
~ 1/2 cup fat free whipped topping (optional)
~ 1/2 cup fat free caramel ice cream topping (optional)
In a large bowl, combine applesauce, milk, brown sugar, egg substitute, vanilla and cinnamon. Fold in the bread cubes and the apple.
Pour into an 8" square baking pan coated with non-stick cooking spray and back uncovered at 325 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until knife inserted near the center comes out clean and the top is a nice golden brown.
Serve warm with caramel sauce or whipped topping. Also great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Substitutions:
Soy milk, coconut milk and almond milk are great substitutions if you don't use cow's milk.
You can also add a 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts, almonds or pecans when you are folding in the bread and apples.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is important to our body in more ways than you might think. There are actually two forms of vitamin D; D2 and D3. We get Vitamin D2 naturally from some foods and from fortified foods and our body produces Vitamin D3 when we are exposed to UVB rays from the sun.
Vitamin D plays an important role in bone development at a very early age and is essential in preventing osteoporosis in older adults. A vitamin D deficiency has been linked to many illness such as high blood pressure, type 1 diabetes, seasonal affective disorder, autoimmune disorders, cancer, heart disease, and memory loss. Vitamin D is essential in helping our body absorb calcium, which is why you find it fortified in many products that contain calcium. Vitamin D also plays a key roll in maintaining muscle strength, which makes it even more important to people who are strength training to lose weight or to just stay fit. Actually, that should be important to everyone.
More studies are also pointing to how important vitamin D is to our immune system. This could be why people who are more active outdoors seem to get less colds and flu since they have a regular source of vitamin D from being outdoors so often.
To get enough vitamin D you should get at least 10 minutes of direct sun exposure a day and to include foods in your diet that contain vitamin D. People with dark skin should take a supplement containing vitamin D as the melanin in their skin prevents the vitamin D from forming when exposed to the sun. During the winter months, we should all take a 1000 IU vitamin D supplement because we can not produce enough vitamin D on our own since UVB rays are limited during that time. Smog, cloud cover, and sunscreen use can also inhibit vitamin D as well. A 400 IU supplement is sufficient for other times of the year and for people at low risk for vitamin D deficiency.
Foods containing vitamin D naturally include fatty fish such as catfish, salmon, mackeral and tuna. Other good sources of vitamin D are egg yolks, beef liver and cheese. If you don't eat a lot of processed foods or fortified foods, it's even more important to take a supplement since you may not be getting enough vitamin D on your own. Cod Liver Oil is a great choice to take in a capsule form. But don't rely on supplements and food alone, as it's very important to get vitamin D from the sun as well. It's hard to overdose on vitamin D, so to be safe, make sure your daily multi-vitamin contains vitamin D.
Royalty free graphic courtesy of http://www.clker.com/
B Vitamins
B Vitamins are extremely important when it comes to your health and weight loss.
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) is important for nerve function and for energy.
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) and B6 (Pyridoxin) helps normalize your metabolism and thyroid function. If either are too low, it makes it very difficult to lose weight or to keep the weight off. B6 is needed to convert protein into usable energy.
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) is also helpful in increasing thyroid function.
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) helps your body utilize fat by increasing the adrenal function and plays a role in your energy level.
Vitamin B7 (Biotin) is needed to metabolize carbohydrates, proteins and fats and supports healthy skin.
Vitamin B12 works to create healthy red blood cells, maintains a healthy nervous system, and helps the body absorb food and metabolize protein, carbohydrates and fat. It is also very helpful in digestion. Because B12 is water soluble, it's lost in urine, so it's important to take a supplement to prevent deficiencies.
Choline and Inositol are complex B vitamins that are synthesized in your body and are critical in metabolizing fat.
Luckily it's pretty easy to get enough B vitamins if you eat healthy. Some good sources include:
- almonds (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7)
- avocado (B3, B5, B6)
- bananas (B3, B5, B6)
- barley (B3, B5)
- beans (B5)
- beef (B3, B12, Choline)
- beef liver (B2, B5, B7, B12, Choline, Inositol)
- brown rice (B3, B5, B6)
- cabbage (B3, B5, B6)
- cauliflower (B7, Choline, Inositol)
- cucumber (B5, Choline, Inositol)
- eggs (B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B12, Choline, Inositol)
- green leafy vegetables (B1, B2, B6, B7)
- hard cheese (B2, B3)
- milk (B2, B6, B7, B12)
- oats (B3, B5, B6, B7)
- pecans (B1, B3, B5, B6, Choline)
- pork (B1, B3, B5)
- potato (B3, B5, B6, Choline)
- poultry (B3, B5, B6)
- salmon (B3, B5, B12)
- shrimp (B3, Choline)
- sunflower seeds (B1, B3, B5, B6, Choline)
- watermelon (B1, B5, B6)
- wheat bran (B3, B5, B6)
- wheat germ (B1, B3, B5, B6)
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) is important for nerve function and for energy.
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) and B6 (Pyridoxin) helps normalize your metabolism and thyroid function. If either are too low, it makes it very difficult to lose weight or to keep the weight off. B6 is needed to convert protein into usable energy.
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) is also helpful in increasing thyroid function.
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) helps your body utilize fat by increasing the adrenal function and plays a role in your energy level.
Vitamin B7 (Biotin) is needed to metabolize carbohydrates, proteins and fats and supports healthy skin.
Vitamin B12 works to create healthy red blood cells, maintains a healthy nervous system, and helps the body absorb food and metabolize protein, carbohydrates and fat. It is also very helpful in digestion. Because B12 is water soluble, it's lost in urine, so it's important to take a supplement to prevent deficiencies.
Choline and Inositol are complex B vitamins that are synthesized in your body and are critical in metabolizing fat.
Luckily it's pretty easy to get enough B vitamins if you eat healthy. Some good sources include:
- almonds (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7)
- avocado (B3, B5, B6)
- bananas (B3, B5, B6)
- barley (B3, B5)
- beans (B5)
- beef (B3, B12, Choline)
- beef liver (B2, B5, B7, B12, Choline, Inositol)
- brown rice (B3, B5, B6)
- cabbage (B3, B5, B6)
- cauliflower (B7, Choline, Inositol)
- cucumber (B5, Choline, Inositol)
- eggs (B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B12, Choline, Inositol)
- green leafy vegetables (B1, B2, B6, B7)
- hard cheese (B2, B3)
- milk (B2, B6, B7, B12)
- oats (B3, B5, B6, B7)
- pecans (B1, B3, B5, B6, Choline)
- pork (B1, B3, B5)
- potato (B3, B5, B6, Choline)
- poultry (B3, B5, B6)
- salmon (B3, B5, B12)
- shrimp (B3, Choline)
- sunflower seeds (B1, B3, B5, B6, Choline)
- watermelon (B1, B5, B6)
- wheat bran (B3, B5, B6)
- wheat germ (B1, B3, B5, B6)
Vitamins as they relate to your health & weight loss
I always thought that I got enough vitamins from the foods that I ate, but then I began reading articles that suggested that the minimum recommendations that the government suggests, is just that, a minimum. These numbers may not actually prevent most illnesses, they are just the minimum requirement to live, but not necessarily to live at an optimum level.
That got me to thinking and I did more research. The food we produce today does not have as many vitamins and nutrients as it once had. Partly because of the processing methods used to get the food to market and partly because the animals we breed for food production are not fed food that they would normally eat in the wild. We also don't feed the soil like we should before during and after growing fruits and vegetables. Everything is done synthetically to produce higher yields, but at what cost?
You may have seen a green bean commercial recently that states that a green bean loses half of it's vitamin C in a week. That's true. That's why growing your own produce can be so much healthier than you realize because in many cases, you are harvesting and eating them within the same day or two. Shopping at the Farmer's market is generally better because the produce was just harvested and brought to market to be sold, in some cases, the very same day. If you can't get fresh, frozen is the next best thing, because the product is frozen quickly, while the produce was at it's peak of freshness. I can't imagine that a canned item has many nutrients left in it once it's been cooked at high temperatures and left on a shelf for a year or more. I suppose that is why a lot of processed foods are fortified these days with extra vitamins, because there is nothing left when they get through packaging the product.
Eating organic food is becoming more and more popular probably because they have a higher level of vitamins and minerals in them and lower levels of bad fats and cholesterol. They also contain no chemicals that can interact with our body. Did you know that many processed foods can actually cause your body to produce an excess amount of estrogen? No wonder our hormones are out of whack.
Organic foods are more expensive because a little more work needs to go into growing it and producing it and the yields can be smaller than traditional grown foods. The soil needs to be fed with compost and manure, the natural way to feed the soil. Cover crops need to be planted and fields rotated to help replenish the soil. Animals are allowed to feed naturally in fields which produces smaller yields of meat and eggs, but the meat and eggs are healthier for you because traditional feeds cause the animals to produce more bad fats than naturally fed animals. Just think about it. If all you ate was junk food all day, you'd start developing large amounts of fat in your body. Synthetic fertilizers to the soil and feed products to animals is like junk food to us.
Now I'm like you, I just can't afford to buy everything organic right now, but I've chosen to make small changes now that do make a difference in the long run. Even before I started taking a daily multi-vitamin, I felt so much better when I was actually eating nutrient rich foods. For starters, I grow what I can myself. This saves a lot of money during the growing season.
When I can't grow my own, I buy from the Farmer's market. Some is organic and some is not. There are many farms that are at my Farmer's market that grow organically but are not officially certified, so their product is a little less expensive than a certified organic farm. If you can only afford to buy a few organic products, start with root crops like potatoes and carrots that come in direct contact with the soil. Buy what's in season for the best prices and buy frozen when it's not in season as the price is usually better than buying fresh out of season. Avoid buying canned goods unless it's for an emergency. When money is really tight, anything that has a peel or a rind that I don't eat, I don't worry about buying it organically. I always wash anything before eating it or slicing into it. A 50/50 solution of white distilled vinegar and water works best. Works great to disinfect the counters also...LOL.
Once you've gotten a good selection of fresh fruits and veggies I move on to the meat department. To be honest, I haven't bought a whole lot of organic meats yet, because it's just too expensive. I watch for mark-downs at my supermarket and buy at those times. Our market has special vacuum sealed bags that allows the meat to stay fresher longer, so I have to really look hard for those mark-downs. If you can only afford one or two items, go for the organic beef and wild caught fish as they are lower in fat than regular beef and fish. I also splurge on organic eggs, as they too are lower in bad fats, but higher in the good fats our bodies need. Another approach would be if you eat a lot of one thing, buy organic in that item, since you will be consuming that the most. I love to eat yogurt everyday, so I buy organic yogurt that doesn't contain any artificial sweeteners since I consume so much of it. All organic products seem to have a higher concentration of naturally ocurring vitamins and minerals so you can't lose with organic products.
When it comes to side dishes, we don't buy anything that is boxed anymore. I thought I'd miss it, but in reality I don't. The exception would be pasta, and I try to buy organic pastas and pastas that are not made from flour to get a variety in our diet. I don't buy convenience foods like macaroni and cheese. I just buy the pasta itself and I cook the side dish from scratch otherwise. Many meals we don't even have a traditional rice or pasta side dish. Many times we have a white potato or a sweet potato and a heaping pile of veggies like broccoli (which is a super food of nutrients). I bet we have broccoli 4-5 times a week now. Other days we have couscous, quinoa, barley, or wild rice for a side dish. They all taste wonderful with the additional of a flavored broth, garlic and herbs. A little fresh grated cheese on top and you are in business.
In addition to eating good quality foods that contain high levels of vitamins and minerals, we should all be taking a good quality multi-vitamin to help supplement our efforts. Since vitamins are not regulated by the FDA, it's hard to know if the vitamin you are using is of good quality and readily absorbed into the body. I use a vitamin that is made from whole fruits and vegetables. I buy mine online, but you can find many good quality products in the organic section of your grocery store. If you'd like to take a look at the one I use, it can be found here. (I get no money or free products for mentioning their product in my blog). Food based vitamins are usually gentler on your stomach, but you should know that it's easier to absorb them when taken with food and a large glass of water.
Over the next few weeks, I will be talking about many vitamins and how they may affect our health and weight loss efforts. This post was meant to be an introduction to vitamins and their importance to our health and weight loss, when in reality it looks like a promotion for organic foods....LOL. I didn't intend for that to happen, but they are the best ways to get good quality vitamins and minerals in our diet.
That got me to thinking and I did more research. The food we produce today does not have as many vitamins and nutrients as it once had. Partly because of the processing methods used to get the food to market and partly because the animals we breed for food production are not fed food that they would normally eat in the wild. We also don't feed the soil like we should before during and after growing fruits and vegetables. Everything is done synthetically to produce higher yields, but at what cost?
You may have seen a green bean commercial recently that states that a green bean loses half of it's vitamin C in a week. That's true. That's why growing your own produce can be so much healthier than you realize because in many cases, you are harvesting and eating them within the same day or two. Shopping at the Farmer's market is generally better because the produce was just harvested and brought to market to be sold, in some cases, the very same day. If you can't get fresh, frozen is the next best thing, because the product is frozen quickly, while the produce was at it's peak of freshness. I can't imagine that a canned item has many nutrients left in it once it's been cooked at high temperatures and left on a shelf for a year or more. I suppose that is why a lot of processed foods are fortified these days with extra vitamins, because there is nothing left when they get through packaging the product.
Eating organic food is becoming more and more popular probably because they have a higher level of vitamins and minerals in them and lower levels of bad fats and cholesterol. They also contain no chemicals that can interact with our body. Did you know that many processed foods can actually cause your body to produce an excess amount of estrogen? No wonder our hormones are out of whack.
Organic foods are more expensive because a little more work needs to go into growing it and producing it and the yields can be smaller than traditional grown foods. The soil needs to be fed with compost and manure, the natural way to feed the soil. Cover crops need to be planted and fields rotated to help replenish the soil. Animals are allowed to feed naturally in fields which produces smaller yields of meat and eggs, but the meat and eggs are healthier for you because traditional feeds cause the animals to produce more bad fats than naturally fed animals. Just think about it. If all you ate was junk food all day, you'd start developing large amounts of fat in your body. Synthetic fertilizers to the soil and feed products to animals is like junk food to us.
Now I'm like you, I just can't afford to buy everything organic right now, but I've chosen to make small changes now that do make a difference in the long run. Even before I started taking a daily multi-vitamin, I felt so much better when I was actually eating nutrient rich foods. For starters, I grow what I can myself. This saves a lot of money during the growing season.
When I can't grow my own, I buy from the Farmer's market. Some is organic and some is not. There are many farms that are at my Farmer's market that grow organically but are not officially certified, so their product is a little less expensive than a certified organic farm. If you can only afford to buy a few organic products, start with root crops like potatoes and carrots that come in direct contact with the soil. Buy what's in season for the best prices and buy frozen when it's not in season as the price is usually better than buying fresh out of season. Avoid buying canned goods unless it's for an emergency. When money is really tight, anything that has a peel or a rind that I don't eat, I don't worry about buying it organically. I always wash anything before eating it or slicing into it. A 50/50 solution of white distilled vinegar and water works best. Works great to disinfect the counters also...LOL.
Once you've gotten a good selection of fresh fruits and veggies I move on to the meat department. To be honest, I haven't bought a whole lot of organic meats yet, because it's just too expensive. I watch for mark-downs at my supermarket and buy at those times. Our market has special vacuum sealed bags that allows the meat to stay fresher longer, so I have to really look hard for those mark-downs. If you can only afford one or two items, go for the organic beef and wild caught fish as they are lower in fat than regular beef and fish. I also splurge on organic eggs, as they too are lower in bad fats, but higher in the good fats our bodies need. Another approach would be if you eat a lot of one thing, buy organic in that item, since you will be consuming that the most. I love to eat yogurt everyday, so I buy organic yogurt that doesn't contain any artificial sweeteners since I consume so much of it. All organic products seem to have a higher concentration of naturally ocurring vitamins and minerals so you can't lose with organic products.
When it comes to side dishes, we don't buy anything that is boxed anymore. I thought I'd miss it, but in reality I don't. The exception would be pasta, and I try to buy organic pastas and pastas that are not made from flour to get a variety in our diet. I don't buy convenience foods like macaroni and cheese. I just buy the pasta itself and I cook the side dish from scratch otherwise. Many meals we don't even have a traditional rice or pasta side dish. Many times we have a white potato or a sweet potato and a heaping pile of veggies like broccoli (which is a super food of nutrients). I bet we have broccoli 4-5 times a week now. Other days we have couscous, quinoa, barley, or wild rice for a side dish. They all taste wonderful with the additional of a flavored broth, garlic and herbs. A little fresh grated cheese on top and you are in business.
In addition to eating good quality foods that contain high levels of vitamins and minerals, we should all be taking a good quality multi-vitamin to help supplement our efforts. Since vitamins are not regulated by the FDA, it's hard to know if the vitamin you are using is of good quality and readily absorbed into the body. I use a vitamin that is made from whole fruits and vegetables. I buy mine online, but you can find many good quality products in the organic section of your grocery store. If you'd like to take a look at the one I use, it can be found here. (I get no money or free products for mentioning their product in my blog). Food based vitamins are usually gentler on your stomach, but you should know that it's easier to absorb them when taken with food and a large glass of water.
Over the next few weeks, I will be talking about many vitamins and how they may affect our health and weight loss efforts. This post was meant to be an introduction to vitamins and their importance to our health and weight loss, when in reality it looks like a promotion for organic foods....LOL. I didn't intend for that to happen, but they are the best ways to get good quality vitamins and minerals in our diet.
Weight Loss Update
You may have noticed I'm not updating weekly anymore. I am in a maintaining mode right now, so there is not a lot to report. I will still be updating my weight each week in the sidebar to the right, so you can see if I get too far off track or not. With things being so hectic at the house, it's really all I can do to maintain my weight, which for me is a huge accomplishment on my part. I still pay great attention to what I'm eating and weighing in every Sunday, but I can't always get in a traditional workout when I should, so the weight is not coming off as easily as it did. But it does feel good to know that I can maintain this current weight with ease, for the most part.
That being said, it worries me a little that my goal weight is 170 and it takes all my willpower to maintain less than 230. I worry if I would ever be successful maintaining a weight that low. Though 170 may still sound heavy to most, I am tall and built larger than the average woman, so 170 is actually the top end of a normal weight for me. I would almost rather not reach that goal, but maintain this weight for the rest of my life. I don't handle failure very well...LOL.
But, I'm not going to stop trying. I will be fitting in exercise routines whenever I can and will report back the results. I really want to continue with the intensive 20 minute workouts I tried recently since you are only supposed to have to do them twice a week.
I've also started to notice a trend in our eating, but not sure if it's just a fluke or if it's really working. Last week I baked my own bread and made pumpkin pie from scratch. Certainly not "healthy" foods when eaten too often, yet, neither one of us gained weight from eating them. We had almost no processed foods last week, except for the frozen meals I take to lunch most days. I use cold pressed coconut oil or olive oil when ever possible and real butter not a low fat alternative. It might be that these real homemade foods are more satisfying and you don't eat as much each time.
I've stopped worrying about whether foods are low in fat or not, and worried more about how much it's processed and the quality of the fat. I may be getting more fat in my diet, but I have not seen a gain in fat on my body. I'll investigating that further.
I hope to have some more yummy recipes on the website this week also, so stay tuned for that as well.
That being said, it worries me a little that my goal weight is 170 and it takes all my willpower to maintain less than 230. I worry if I would ever be successful maintaining a weight that low. Though 170 may still sound heavy to most, I am tall and built larger than the average woman, so 170 is actually the top end of a normal weight for me. I would almost rather not reach that goal, but maintain this weight for the rest of my life. I don't handle failure very well...LOL.
But, I'm not going to stop trying. I will be fitting in exercise routines whenever I can and will report back the results. I really want to continue with the intensive 20 minute workouts I tried recently since you are only supposed to have to do them twice a week.
I've also started to notice a trend in our eating, but not sure if it's just a fluke or if it's really working. Last week I baked my own bread and made pumpkin pie from scratch. Certainly not "healthy" foods when eaten too often, yet, neither one of us gained weight from eating them. We had almost no processed foods last week, except for the frozen meals I take to lunch most days. I use cold pressed coconut oil or olive oil when ever possible and real butter not a low fat alternative. It might be that these real homemade foods are more satisfying and you don't eat as much each time.
I've stopped worrying about whether foods are low in fat or not, and worried more about how much it's processed and the quality of the fat. I may be getting more fat in my diet, but I have not seen a gain in fat on my body. I'll investigating that further.
I hope to have some more yummy recipes on the website this week also, so stay tuned for that as well.
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