How does Breakfast Help You to Control Your Weight?

This article appeared on the Mayo Clinic Site:  How does breakfast help you to control your weight?

Answer
from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D., Mayo Clinic

Here are some of the ways regularly eating a healthy breakfast may help you lose excess weight and maintain your weight loss:

• Eating breakfast reduces your hunger later in the day, making it easier to avoid overeating. When you skip breakfast, you may feel ravenous later and be tempted to reach for a quick fix, such as candy from the vending machine. In addition, prolonged fasting — which occurs when you skip breakfast — can increase your body's insulin response, which in turn increases fat storage and weight gain. In fact, skipping breakfast actually increases your risk of obesity.
• Eating breakfast gets you on track to make healthy choices all day. People who eat breakfast regularly tend to eat a healthier diet — one that is more nutritious and lower in fat. When you skip breakfast, you're more likely to skip fruits and vegetables the rest of the day too.
• Eating breakfast gives you energy, increasing your physical activity during the day. A healthy breakfast refuels your body and replenishes the glycogen stores that supply blood sugar (glucose). Skipping breakfast is associated with decreased physical activity.

Unfortunately, more Americans are skipping breakfast. If you're one of them — whether you're trying to save time or cut calories — you may want to reconsider, especially if you're trying to control your weight.

My New Favorite ... Whatever It Is?????

If you have been reading my blog, you know I am trying to expand the "vegetables" in our diet.  If a vegetable didn't come from a can or the Salad Bar at Izzy's ... we probably didn't eat it.  Since the first of the year, we have added several new veggies (and recipes) to our diet.  My latest find is Jicama!!!  Who knew???

Jicama is a crispy, sweet, edible root that resembles a turnip in physical appearance, although the plants are not related. Jicama has been cultivated in South America for centuries, and the vegetable is quite popular in Mexican cuisine. Jicama has a unique flavor that lends itself well to salads, salsas, and vegetable platters. The roots can sometimes grow to be quite large, although when they exceed the size of two fists, they begin to convert the sugars that give jicama its sweet flavor into starches, making the root somewhat woody to the taste.

The Jicama has a very tough outer layer which was a little difficult to peel.  But inside was the sweet meat of the vegetable.  I thought it tasted a lot like a juicy Fiji apple.  I ended up shredding it and adding it to a bag of broccoli slaw and a can of Mandarin oranges.  I made it with a tart dressing and it came out like a sweet-tangy slaw.  We loved it.

The best thing about Jicama is that a cup of sliced Jicama has only 46 calories, no fats, no cholesterol, 5mg of sodium and 11g of carbohydrates (which is mostly dietary fiber).

Try it ... you might like it too!!

Tip for Grilling your Salmon this Summer

Grilling season has started (at least for us!!).  Friday night I am going to be grilling some salmon for Tom and a friend.  I found these great tips.  Enjoy!!!

Grilling Salmon

There are various ways of Grilling Salmon - on the barbeque, under a grill , on top of the cooker in a Grill Pan or on a Chargrill. Grilling salmon has the added advantage of being very quick and therefore keeping much of the flavor.

In all these cooking methods follow these simple guidelines and you won’t go wrong.

1.  Make sure that the cut of fish is suitable, some nice salmon steaks or cutlets, thick salmon fillets or a whole salmon is ideal.

2.  If you’re using a whole salmon, make 2 or 3 slashes in each side of the fish to speed up the cooking process and place the fish further away from the source of heat to prevent it burning too much before it’s properly cooked.

3.  Never salt the salmon before you cook it, all this does is draw out the very juices that you want to keep in but by all means use pepper, herbs, rubs and marinades to vary the flavor.

4.  Take your fish out of the fridge beforehand so that it has a chance to reach room temperature.

5.  Turn your grill on at least 5 - 10 minutes before you intend to cook the salmon, if you’ve decided to have a barbecue it will need to be lit at least ½ hour before you intend to cook to allow the flames to die down and the charcoal to become grey.

6.  Oil your fish - not the grill! - This is extremely important, if you oil the grill your fish will stick.

7.  Try not to move the salmon around too much once it’s been put on the grill or Barbecue, leave it until there are bar marks on it and then give it a quarter turn, that way you’ll end up with a professional looking lattice mark. Once one side is done, flip it over and repeat on the other side.

Maybe Chocolates for Mother's Day Isn't Such a Bad Idea After All!

Scientists find new explanation for why dark chocolate is heart healthy.

Scientists are only beginning to understand why dark chocolate is heart healthy, but a new study offers this explanation—its rich content of cocoa antioxidant compounds, called polyphenols, could enhance activity of special proteins called sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBPs), which are involved in cholesterol metabolism.

These activated SREBPs then bind to genes on DNA (sterol regulatory element sequences) that boost liver production of another protein called apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1), which is the major protein component of HDL “good” cholesterol.

Correspondingly, cocoa polyphenols decreased production of another protein in the liver called apolipoprotein B (ApoB), which is the major protein component of LDL “bad” cholesterol. The study also showed cocoa polyphenols induced activity of LDL receptors, allowing more cholesterol to be removed from the bloodstream.

The scientist’s findings—suggesting that polyphenols in dark chocolate may help maintain higher “good” cholesterol levels and lower “bad” cholesterol levels—were published in the February issue of Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, published by the American Chemical Society.

The researchers write, “As cholesterol metabolism is known to be regulated by several different mechanisms, it is possible that cacao polyphenols may act on multiple pathways as a regulatory receptor agonist or ligand, similar to other plant polyphenols.”

Source: Yasuda A, Natsume M, Osakabe N, Kawahata K, Koga J. Cacao Polyphenols Influence the Regulation of Apolipoprotein in HepG2 and Caco2 Cells. J Agric Food Chem 2011.

Three Guilt Free Desserts!!!! Really!!!

I wish I could take credit for these … but they are from HUNGRY GIRL.  Not only are these cupcakes quick and easy to make ... they are also Lo-Cal and Delish!!

Jelly-Filled Cupcakes

2 cups moist style yellow cake mix (1/2 of an 18.25 box)
1 cup water
1/3 cup no-sugar-added applesauce
1/4 cup sugar-free strawberry preserves
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix and baking powder.  Add applesauce and 1 cup water, then stir until blended.

Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray.  Evenly distribute cake mixture among the cups.  Bake in the oven for 20 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

Meanwhile, place preserves in the bottom corner of a large plastic bag.  Snip the corner off with scissors.  This will be used to pipe the preserves into the cupcakes.

Remove cupcakes from the oven.  Use a knife to carefully poke a small hole right in the middle of the top of each cupcake.  Use the baggie to squeeze the preserves evenly into the holes you created in the cupcakes.  Allow to cool completely, then enjoy.

Makes 12 servings.

Per Serving (1 cupcake): 92 calories, 1.75g fat, 155mg sodium, 19g carbs, 0g fiber, 9.5g sugars, 0.5g protein.

Iced ‘n Spiced Pumpkin Puddin’ Cupcakes

2 cups moist-style spice cake mix (1/2 of an 18.25-oz box)
1 cup canned pure pumpkin
1/3 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the cupcake ingredients.  Mix until blended.

Line a 12-cup muffin pan with baking cups and/or spray with nonstick spray.  Evenly distribute cake mixture among the cups.

Bake in the oven about 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcakes comes out clean.

Cool the cupcakes completely and evenly distribute frosting among the tops.  Yum!

Frosting:
1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon Cool Whip Free, thawed
2 Tablespoons Splenda No Calorie Sweetner (granulated)
2 Tablespoons fat-free cream cheese, room temperature
1 Tablespoon canned pure pumpkin
1 teaspoon sugar-free fat-free vanilla instant pudding mix
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

In a medium mixing bowl, combine all of the frosting ingredients, stirring until well mixed.  Refrigerate until cupcakes are ready to be frosted.

Makes 12 Servings.

Per Serving (1 frosted cupcake): 112 calories, 1.75g fat, 200mg sodium, 22g carbs, 0.5g fiber, 12g sugars, 2g protein.

Yum Yum Brownie Muffins

1 box devil’s food cake mix (about 18 oz.)
1 15-oz can pure pumpkin

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix the two ingredients together.  Don’t add anything else that may be mentioned on the box, like eggs, oil, or water.  The mixture will be very thick, so you might be tempted to add the other things to make the batter smoother.  Do not do this!

Place batter into a 12-cup muffin pan lined with baking cups or sprayed with nonstick spray.  Place pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Makes 12 servings.

Per Serving (1 cup cake): 181 calories, 3.5g fat, 357mg sodium, 37g carbs, 2g fiber, 20g sugars, 2g protein.

Note:  Just for fun we add about 15 calories worth of fat-free whipped cream to the top.

Why Cleansing is Essential for Weight Loss





Phoenix Rising

 

I read this article on Suite101.com.  It explains why I have been able to lose 100 pounds with my cleansing program.  Those who know me know that I had all the odds stacked against me when it came to losing weight.  I think I finally tapped into the secret, and this article explains what that secret is!!

________________________________________________________

Storage of Toxins in the Liver and Fat Tissue May Hinder Weight Loss By Victoria Anisman-Reiner, Suite 101.com

Toxic build-up can be the cause of weight gain and may interfere with conventional weight loss efforts. Cleansing draws out these toxins for a slimmer and healthier body.

If you haven't heard of cleansing, the concept may seem to contradict conventional approaches to weight loss. Cleansing approaches the body from a fundamentally different perspective than calorie-restricted diets. Instead of counting calories and eating less, a cleanse helps you to eat the right foods and supplements so your body can purge toxins and wastes that accumulate in organs (such as the liver) and in adipose tissue, or fat.

A New Paradigm for Weight Gain and Loss

The conventional understanding of weight gain and loss tell us that the body stores fat when it is fed excess calories, and breaks fat down for energy when food is scarce. According to this model, body weight is based on a person’s unique metabolic rate and how much they consume.

Holistic weight loss experts present an alternate model in which it is the chemical toxins in our food (pesticides, preservatives, MSG, artificial colors and flavorings, and artificial sweeteners)

Where Does the Human Body Store Toxins?

Our bodies are equipped with complex systems to drain toxins and metabolic wastes through the skin, kidneys, lungs, liver and colon. But with exposure to food additives, synthetic personal care products, and chemicals in our water and air, the human body can be overloaded with chemicals to detox.

Most of the toxic load which cannot be detoxified is stored in the liver (right at your midsection) or isolated from the body’s systems in additional adipose tissue, or fat.

Why Some Diets Work and Others Don’t

If weight gain is the body’s way of segregating toxins where they can’t harm the rest of your system, then it logically follows that a weight-loss diet that does not help the body to purge these stored toxins will only succeed temporarily.

Weight loss can’t last without some form of cleanse because the toxins that were stored in fat tissue circulate in the bloodstream and other systems of the body - causing headaches, fatigue, achiness, pain, dizziness, moodiness, and other withdrawal-type symptoms - until the body locks them away in new fat tissue.

For optimal functioning, the body wants to segregate whatever toxins it can’t remove - which is why people regain weight after most diets.

Cleansing For Healthy, Sustained Weight Loss

If you’re interested in clearing out the toxins polluting your body and achieving real, permanent weight loss, the following tips will help you in your next cleanse:

Stop eating or drinking diet products! “Diet” sodas, "sugar-free" snacks and most energy bars are loaded with artificial sweeteners and flavorings. In the long run, these only sabotage better health and a slimmer body.

Don’t eat white. White bread, white flour, and white sugar are bleached and heavily processed.

Likewise, stop eating artificial sweeteners. They may say "lo-cal," but they’re even worse for your health and weight than white sugar.

Don’t starve yourself. Starvation dieting only slows down metabolism.

Go organic. Non-organic fruits and vegetables (especially these worst offenders) only put more pesticides into your body.

Try adding more fresh lemons, uncooked virgin olive oil, virgin coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, goji or wolfberries to your diet, all of which promote healthy weight loss and cleansing.

Replace refined sugars with healthier sweeteners like agave and stevia, which balance blood sugar levels, support the pancreas, and do not promote weight gain.

How We Spent May Day 2011

What a fantastic day!!  The weather was gorgeous (63 degrees!!)  We set up our little green house and put all the plants we bought from Territorial Seeds in it, which consisted mostly of lettuce and tomatoes.  We started our squashes, peas and beans in our little peat pots.

We put all of our herbs into the planter box.  And although you can't see them in our pictures, we set up all the geraniums (which were still blooming in the pool building), in their planter boxes on the deck.

It was a GREAT day!!  Smiles!!