Number 1 out of 10 tips to transition to a healthier lifestyle and weight

 Number 1 out of 10 tips to transition to a healthier lifestyle and weight.

1. Upgrade what you drink: We drink liquids all day long and these drinks can add a ton of sugar, calories and dairy to our diet. Or we can choose to drink something that speeds up our metabolism, provides us with antioxidants and helps our skin look younger.

Change the way you think about giving up your drink. Instead look at it as a bonus, an upgrade to something better. Now you are drinking something that is refreshing and that will make you feel great, look thinner and younger.

However, be aware, the reality is that you will likely go through withdrawals when you give up soda and lattes for at least the first three days but the empty calories are not worth it in the long run.

Most sodas contain two of the worst enemies of your health which are high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners. A new study at Princeton University showed that rats who had access to high fructose syrup gained weight, belly fat and higher triglycerides significantly over those who had access to table sugar. High Fructose Corn Syrup was introduced into American culture in 1970 and since then our obesity rates have sky rocketed. I avoid anything with High Fructose Corn Syrup.  Moreover drinking diet soda is not beneficial for your weight and health either according to a study at the University of Texas Health Science Center, which showed showed people who drank diet soda put on more weight than people who drank the regular soda.  So if we eliminate drinks that contain high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners what is there left to drink? Plenty, look at the options below.

a.  Izzes are a great substitute for soda. an Izze soda is made with 100% natural juice and carbonated water and they taste delicious. You can also try making your own juice spritzer with apple, orange, pomegranate, or blueberry juice and soda water. Throw in a little lemon and it's a very refreshing drink.

b. Tea is a great drink full of antioxidants. I wasn't a big tea person but I have learned to love it and rarely put anything in it. Black and green tea are full of antioxidants and are great for speeding up your metabolism, keeping you healthy from degenerative diseases and helping you look younger. White tea is even better than black and green tea with less caffeine. However you lose most of the benefits when you add sugar and sugar substitute. Try Stevia in your ice teas and honey in your hot teas if you haven't been able to develop the taste for it yet. I also add coconut or almond milk to my hot tea. Very yummy.

c. Water. Yes, I went there. Come on guys, adults are around 55% to 60% water. Water speeds up the metabolism, detoxifies the body, hydrates our skin, protects our organs, and a host of other amazing things. Drinking lots of good water is essential to great health, losing weight and glowing skin. Be careful with drinking a lot of bottled water. If possible use a stainless steel water bottle. Plastic water bottles have been shown to carry BPA's (bisphenol A) which leads to cancer, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. So, drink water out of a glass or a stainless steel water bottle when you can. Add some organic lemon to help alkaline the body. I try to drink 8-10 glasses a day.

d. Natural sodas like Jones. You can find these in health food stores and they are made with cane sugar. Cane sugar is still sugar but it's a million times better for you than High Fructose Corn Syrup or Artificial sweeteners.

e.  Teeccino is an herbal coffee which is very tasty and naturally caffeine and acidity free. Regular coffee in moderation is a healthier choice than soda as long as you leave out all the sugar, sugar substitutes and dairy. I generally will drink half a cup of coffee with a little coconut milk every day.

The more you drink healthy drinks, the more you will crave them. With anything you invest in, you will begin to enjoy more. You will find great benefits if you upgrade what you drink.

Healthy and Tasty High Protein and Fiber Dish

Here is a great recipe for a healthy, tasty, high protein, and high fiber dish. A great meal if you are trying to lose weight, because the fiber will make you feel full and the protein provides a ton on enzymes and nutrients your body needs. When your body gets what it needs nutritionally, cravings for bad food often come to an end. This is an easy recipe and the main ingredient is black beans which is cost effective as well. Bon Appetit!

This dish is Mexican Black Beans and Brown Rice (Chicken is optional)

Saute one medium onion, chopped, with 1 or 2 cloves garlic, chopped

Add to pan 1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste, add a little spice of your choosing - oregano, thyme, rosemary are all good.

Add to pan 1 can black beans or pinto beans

simmer.

Meanwhile,  you have made your brown rice according to your recipe.

And meanwhile, in another pan saute 1 pound chicken breast, deboned and skinless, in smallish pieces.

Reserve part of the beans and rice for vegetarians, and add the chicken to the other portion.

Serve with a little salsa if desired.

 

Cool Greens Rocks

I know I talked about Cool Greens before but I have to say I love this restaurant more than any other in OKC. For lunch today I had the "Build Your Own" salad and the seasonal soup. The soup today was the Mango Gazpacho, so delicious. Cool Greens also has wraps, pizzas and frozen yogurt with wonderful fruit toppings. They now have two locations. one in Nichols Hills in the Avondale Shopping Plaza, and one off of North May Avenue. Get out there and try the menu. Don't be surprised when you try your Mango Gazpacho that it's cold. Gazpacho is a summer soup.

Orange Roughy aux Champignons et Fines Herbs

Here is a delicious and very healthy fish recipe.

Orange Roughy aux Champignons et Fines Herbs

Orange Roughy, about 4 – 6 ounces per serving.

(This recipe serves two)

2 tsp Coconut Oil

½ oz butter

Three mushrooms, washed and sliced and rubbed with Rosemary.

Zest from one lemon

Chives, oregano, and rosemary, minced

Salt, sea salt if you have it

Black Pepper, freshly ground if you have it

Paprika

Lemon slices

Wash and pat dry the fish.  Put ½ the coconut oil in the bottom of a

Broiler, and rub the rest of the oil into the fish on both sides.

Mix the lemon zest, herbs and salt together, rub onto both sides

of the fish.

Broil on one side, about 5 minutes.  Turn the Roughy over and

return to broiler.

After one minute add the butter to the broiler pan and then add the mushroom.

In about two or three minutes the dish will be ready to remove and place on a platter.

Sprinkle paprika on the fish and the lemon slices.

Pour the mushrooms on top, add black pepper to all, and garnish with the lemon.

Free Health Seminar with Raw Foods Chef Mandy!

Mandilyn Canistelle is my favorite Raw Foods chef. Tomorrow, June 5th, she will be holding a free health seminar and promoting her new book " The Raw Food Feast: 7 Days Through the Rainbow".

Chef Mandy and friends will feature three informative and health promoting topics to be shared during the book release. Chef Mandy believes in living simple with organic foods, therapeutic-grade essential oils and healthy water to function the way God intended for life.

There are two sessions during the day on Saturday at:
A.R.T.S
312 Coltrane,
Edmond, OK 73003

Schedule

9:00-12:00
9:00-9:30 Registration
9:30-10:00 Coconut Parfait Demo
10:00-11:30 Intro to Oils, Raindrop Application, Healthy Water
11:30-`12:00 Vegetable Soup Demo

1:00-4:00

1:00-1:30 Registration

1:30-2:00 Chocolate Sauce Demo

2:00-3:30 Intro to Oils, Raindrop Application, Healthy Water

3:30-4:00 Raw Ice Cream Social

I am going to attend for sure (probably the one with the raw ice cream) to learn all I can on how to be as healthy as possible. Hope to see you there!

            

7 tips on how to stay on your diet while eating out

7 Tips on How to Stay on your Diet While Eating Out


1. Pick or choose grilled protein with salad. Most restaurants have something that is grilled and the sides can be replaced with a garden salad. Avoid all fried food, bread products, pasta, or sugary desserts when eating out at major chain restaurants.

2. Ask for dressing on the side for your salad. Most commercial restaurants wreck your diet or calorie intake. Often the dressings are full of High Fructose Corn Syrup and other sugars that will spike your insulin and leave you craving carbohydrates for the rest of the day.  Having your dressing on the side will reduce the portion that you use and you don't have to use the entire thing. Ranch surprisingly enough though high in fat is the lowest dressing in sugar. I actually use olive oil and vinegar for my salads at home. if out I will try and order just plain vinegar for my salads, losing all the calories and fat.

3. Savor your first few bites. Nothing is going to taste as good as the first few bites, so slow down. Enjoy them and put your fork down between bites. The goal is to eat slowly enough for your stomach to realize you are getting food so it will tell your brain that you are full.

4. Leave food on the plate no matter what. Even if it's just a bite of everything but practice this self control technique. I know you've heard to clean your plate but that's just a crazy statement to make in a country that is two thirds overweight. Don't clean your plate. Reduce the amount of food you eat.

5. Take home enough food for another meal.  Order a "to go" box half way through your meal and put half of your meal in the box even while you're still eating. This will make it easier to reduce your portions.

6. Order an after meal coffee or tea drink. If your dinner companions order dessert and you feel uncomfortable getting nothing, then order a coffee or hot tea unless of course the restaurant has a fruit plate which in unlikely. Coffee and tea can be zero calories if they are consumed in their pure state. If you need to doctor them up than milk is better then cream and stevia is better than sugar. Honey is always a good substitute for sugar because of the minerals and nutrients in the honey. Local honey is best but not always available.

7. Treat and tip your server well. Waiting tables is a difficult job and people's livelihood is in the tip you leave behind. Show generosity and kindness and generosity and kindness will come back to you. If you are wondering how this will effect your weight: people who like themselves don't sabotage their own weight loss plans. When you treat others well, you will in turn treat yourself well and more than likely to stick to a plan that will bring your huge health benefits in life.

Number 1 Diet Mistake by Dr. Oz

I was at the gym watching Dr. Oz while on the treadmill. He was discussing the number 1 diet mistake and I can tell you that I've been guilty of this one a lot in the past. The number 1 diet mistake according to Dr. Oz is not eating enough while on your diet. Here are some of the problems with not eating enough and some tips to improve the results of your weight loss program:

1. Dr. Oz: When you don't eat enough, your metabolism slows and your body senses deprivation and starts an emergency storage of the calories you do consume.  

Me: When my body is getting all the nutrients that it needs, cravings go and I don't feel hungry. So I've found eating enough is beneficial to weight loss.
2. Dr. Oz: Your metabolic rate can be lowered by 40% by not eating breakfast.
Me: I went for years without eating breakfast and I can tell you that I also battled my weight constantly during that time. Since I've adopted eating a big breakfast I find I am not as hungry during the day and losing weight is a lot easier.
3. Dr. Oz: Eat every 3-4 hours: healthy whole foods, lean meats and fruits and vegetables
Me:  I eat 3 meals a day starting with a big breakfast and my meals get smaller during the day. If I find I'm hungry I will eat a healthy snack.
4. Dr. Oz: Snack through out the day on fruits, nuts and yogurt.
Me: That is exactly what I snack on.


So "Bon Appetit" as the french would say but be sure you are eating real, nutritious foods. Check out Dr. Oz's info on Diet Mistake #1 .