Cooking Techniques

Cooking is not my speciality but I know when the cooking book or recipes says that you need oil in the pan, you don't have to. You can use cooking spray to just coat the pan to prevent sticking. You can choose recipes, and modify recipes to make them lower in fat and calories.

Roast: To cook uncovered in the oven.

Pan-broil: To cook in a heavy skillet without adding fat and draining off fat as it accumulates.

Parchment paper: Heavy, heat-resistant paper used in cooking. Fish or chicken breast cooked with spices and fruit comes out deliciously tender and healthy -- a great cooking technique that requires little or no fat.

Poach: Fish or chicken, simmered in liquid, could be seasoned broth or water.

Pressure cooking: A pressure cooker is essentially a saucepan with a locking lip. It uses steam heat to produce high temperatures that quickly cooks food, which leaves food tender and retains nutrients. Soups, stews and vegetables, especially dried beans and lentils are a snap with a pressure cooker.

Sauté: To cook quickly over direct heat, with just a little added fat or broth.

Steam: To cook over boiling water in a covered pan: Better than boiling, steaming retains the food's nutrition and texture. Steam vegetables, fish, shellfish or chicken: use a small metal insert in a large pasta pot with lid, or bamboo steamer.

Stir-fry: Involves no "frying," you cook foods quickly in a wok (a high-sided pan), stirring often, in small amounts of liquid, so it's both nutritious and tasty. Ingredients are all cut into bite-sized pieces for rapid cooking. Minimal or no fat is necessary; you can modify any recipe and use wine or broth. Shellfish, chicken, tofu and vegetables are very well suited to this healthful way of cooking.

Wednesday Weigh-In

I lost 2 lbs. these 2 weeks. Not a lot but it is a loss. It can be disappointing. You work hard towards a goal giving it all I have and still end up not great results. You ask yourself, "Where did I go wrong, what's the use of being dedicated and hard working?"

But on the other hand, by looking at my situation with a calm, detached attitude, I can locate the faults or leakages. Like, I should have walk more instead of sitting on the couch watching TV. Stop snacking crackers out of the box instead I should have put two servings in a bowl.

I have to be positive and put in a good prospective that I did lose 2 lbs. Even if I lost zero. I can't let it get me down. I need to loose weight, that is my answer to a good healthy future, life with my family and friends. Like the saying goes, "The glass is half full, not half empty."

Starting Over

There are days, you just don't care and you want to do what you want. No Dieting, no worrys, no responsibility and no exercising. We all get in those moods because we all are tried and want to do nothing and need a vacation from reality, but we can't do that. Your world is not going anywhere and need to face those problems. You need to coming back to realism and make a change in yourselves.

Being POSITIVE. Anne Frank quoted on Being Happy: Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy. When I read this poem, I think about "what I like about myself." I like to help people when they lease expect it. Like when I go shopping and you see a senior citizen trying to reach a box of cereal on top of shelves and she/he can't reach it. I run over and help, then I ask if they need anything else. It a great feeling, even though something small like that. I feel that I'm wanted, I'm appreciated that I can still do good in the world.

Think very hard about what you like about yourself. Is it your sense of humor (making people laugh), your giving (giving your time to someone at need) or your smile? What makes you happy that you like doing? Do it.

Dieting on Weekends

On weekends, it is very hard to stay on top of your diet. During the weekdays, most of us out there, are routine robots. We get up at an early, unfashionable time, 5:30 am, eat breakfast, brush our teeth, comb our hair, put on clothes and put a mask on our face, all in 1 hour to face our daily car rage of traffic. Working all day at work, keeps you busy to forget about dieting. It's a daily routine.

When Friday is here, we start to think about what are we going to do of our time to relax. And we start to think, on how it would be great, to eat out and enjoy those precious moments that we earned that working week. We start to forget about our diet and we want something to be rewarded because you did good all week and you deserve that cheesecake or chocolate brownie. It is hard to turn something down, though we earned something that we liked to be rewarded.

I didn't do so good this weekend. I ordered myself Chinese Beef Egg Fu Young and 2 Chicken Egg Rolls with all the fatty sauce that comes with it. I knew ahead of time that ordering these foods were bad, but I wanted it. I deserved it. I wanted to be rewarded. I didn't think of responsible on having these foods would do to me afterwards like gaining 4 lbs. on what I lost.

It is called WILL POWER, which is hard to control. Everyone has it in yourself, you just need to find it. STOP and ask yourself, why you want to lose weight. You need to have a good reason deep down within you of why you need to lose weight. As soon as you figure that out, write on a piece of paper and stick it on your fridge, your car, your desk at work and in your wallet or purse. Sounds silly, but it will remind you at all time that this reason will make a huge difference in your life. This desire will kick in the will power you need to make the lifestyle change. From there you can depend on plain routine to reinforce your dietary and lifestyle habits for a permanent weight loss.

2007 Top 10 Workouts DVDs

From Fitness Magazines, they did a screening process over 200 ladies, who tried more over 3 dozens of (2007) workouts dvds and picked best 10 to see which ones were fun and effected.

• Teri Jory: Poise Fitness - Core Training: Everything Core Center of your body and very simple and easy to follow. User friendly.
• Jeanette Jenkins - Hollywood Trainer 21 Day Total Body Circuit: It is a stregnth at different levels. Old school moves like crunches, squats and etc... Refreshing and fun.
• Bell Express - 15 Cardio Fitness Kit: You must of weights, jump rope and the ball to workout with the it. Excellent moves.
• Tracie Long Training Better Burn Better Buns: Lower body tone up. Need small medicine ball or not.
• Stott Pilates: Intense Sculpting Challenge: Advance with pilates. Need the resistance band to work out with.
• Dance off the Inches: Hip Hop Party: Hip hop dance fun workout. Great for young crowd. Easy moves - the trainer shows you in baby step in the 10 moves. Very different in sculpting.
• Billy Banks Tae Bo Amped: Comes with the weighted bar. Refresh, intense and a calorie burner. 500 calories.
• Jari Love's Get Ripped & Chiseled DVD: Advanced Training. Sculpture
• Yoga Fit Ultra: Calm and Relax workout. More slow breathing workout.
• 10 Minute Solution: Tone Trouble Zones: Comes with a resistance band. This dvd is broken down to target your abs, buns, thighs and etc.. in different 10 minutes segments.

It is great about buying dvds workouts. You don't have to worry about the weather, closing time at the gym. Also, you can use at home meaning you don't have to worry about what you wear or you can be silly if you mess up rather at a class workout.

Zucchini w/Pasta

Zucchini w/Pasta

1 lb of pasta (any kind)
1 jar of tomato sauce
1 large of Zucchini squash
5 Slices Mozzarella
Grated Cheese

Preheat oven at 375 degree.

Boil water for the pasta. When pasta is 1/2 or 3/4 of the way done, drain the noodles and put into casserole dish. Put the jar of tomato sauce into a bowl. Shred your Zucchini into little thin shred pieces and drain the zucchini to get the extra water and juices out. Put the zucchini in the bowl of tomato sauce. Mix. Then pour the sauce and zucchini onto the noodles. Put the mozzarella cheese on top. Put in to the oven for 20 minutes at 375 degrees, cover with foil, until it is hot and the cheese is melted. You could take off the foil when 5 minutes is at the end of time or an extra 5 minutes, if your oven is not hot at the time you put into the oven. This is a prefect meal to hide the squash but still get your vitamins.

1600 Calorie - Day Five

250 Breakfast : Cheerios w/slim milk 140, banana 110
580 Lunch : 6" Subway Turkey and Ham 290, w/ lite mayo 50, lettuce 0, American cheese 40, Italian White bread 200
405 Snack : pb crackers 180, half of Kellogg Raspberry bar 45, cornbread 180
620 Dinner : fish 300, shrimp 30, pasta 200, coconut oil 60, butter 30

Total : 1,855 calories, my bad. Fridays are very hard to control my will power but at least I'm in under 2,000. Well, starting now, no food, just water or 0 calorie tea.

( I always try to go below 1,600 calories because you never know you might get hungry at night and with cooking food in a frying pan, fat from foods are differ of what it actual is in the calorie book)

eDiets.com

I have tried this eDiets program online and it teaches you a lot, especially will-power. They have a lot of different plans that you can join like meals, healthy living, fitness, meal delivery and more. If you don't know what plan that you belong with, they do have a profile to fill out. They do ask you a few questions on what you like in foods and how active you are.

I highly recommend this program, if you can afford to stay with the meal plans. eDiets have great delicious recipes to make and the fitness are animation clips to watch. Join the FREE Newsletter, they have wonder and interesting articles on being healthy. Check out, also, their success stories. I know when I read and see the results of someone who lost weight, it encourages me to stay on a diet.

1600 Calories - Day Four

300 Breakfast : Cream of Wheat made with skim milk 220, butter 80
690 Lunch : Chef Salad (1 boil egg 80, carrots 10, lite ranch dressing 200, chicken grilled 200, bacon 90, cheese, 100)
390 Dinner : last of the Homemade broccoli soup 300, crackers 90
100 Dessert : lite ice cream sandwich 100

Total : 1,480 calories ( I always try to go below 1,600 calories because you never know you might get hungry at night and with cooking food in a frying pan, fat from foods are differ of what it actual is in the calorie book)

Splenda No Calories Sweetner

Most sugars have calories of 15 to 25. But SPLENDA has ZERO calorie and it can be used virtually anywhere sugar is used. In cooking and baking, It can replace sugar in a variety of recipes.

It is made from a process that begins with sugar through a patented, multi-step process that selectively replaces three hydrogen-oxygen groups on the sugar molecule with three chlorine atoms. The result is an exceptionally stable sweetener without the calories found in sugar. After consumption, sucralose passes through the body without being broken down for energy.

1600 Calorie - Day Three

250 Breakfast : Cheerios w/slim milk 140, banana 110
260 Lunch : grated cheese 50, cherry tomatoes 40, leaf lettuce 30, dressing 70, pinapple 70
660 Snack : pb crackers 180, large french frys 480 (my bad)
390 Dinner : Homemade broccoli soup 300, crackers 90

Total : 1,560 calories ( I always try to go below 1,600 calories because you never know you might get hungry at night and with cooking food in a frying pan, fat from foods are differ of what it actual is in the calorie book)

Superfoods RX Diet book

The Superfoods Rx Diet:
Lose Weight with the Power of SuperNutrients

This book is great motivator to a healthier you. It has very easy, quick cooking recipes and easy to understand. It will change you from bad habits into good and healthy habit to nutritious meals and snacks. Reading this book and follow the diet ideals, will help you get rid of the fast food and sugar cravings. It will benefit you to burn those calories.

1600 Calorie – Day Two

395 Breakfast : Turkey sausage link 120, 2 egg whites 80, 1 bread 35, butter/mint jelly 50, milk 50, coconut oil 60
350 Lunch : 2 breads 70, turkey 170, lead lettuce 10, mayo 30, pinapple 70
200 Snack : 3 cocoa dark chocolate 100, lite ice cream sandwich 100
480 Dinner : Homemade broccoli soup 300, crackers 180

Total : 1,425 calories ( I always try to go below 1,600 calories because you never know you might get hungry at night and with cooking food in a frying pan, fat from foods are differ of what it actual is in the calorie book)

Nutrition Label

It's hard to read the Nutrition Labels on food packages on the back. Half the time, I don't know what I'm looking at...numbers, percents, servings, grams ... oh my. I don't know, if the number it too high or too low of grams per serving or what it the moderate number, which is good for you? Ugh! make it stop.

But we can not stop reading the label. Our society, today, are making foods last longer and not healthy for us. They have weird food matter in ingredients, I can't even pronouns them in English. You need a dictionary to understand what it is what. They even have pesticides in some foods. Yuck.

• Rule #1 - Check the Serving Size and Servings Per Container.
• Rule #2 - Check the Calories. See Image, 1 cup but 2 servings meaning the Calories is double if you have the whole package of food.
• Rule #3 - Check the Total Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. You definitely want low number of grams. Also, to give you head up on the trans fats, if a product contains 0.5 or less grams of trans fat, the company can claim the product has 0% trans fat. So, if you see at 0%, it still has some trans fat in it. Website on Trans Fat.
• Rule #4 - Check the Sugar.
• Rule #5 - Check the Dietary Fiber and the Vitamins. You want these to be high number.
The quick guide to % Daily Value = 5% or less is low and 20% or more is high.
If you want to read more in detail, you can click on this website (U.S. Food & Drug Administration).

1,600 Calorie Diet - Day One

I have been do the 1,600 calorie diet since beginning of January. And I thought I would give you update every day this week to what I am eating and what to watch out for. You will be amazed which I was on how many calories are in certain food that which we eat everyday.

For instance, do you know that '1 cup of Quaker, Instant Oatmeal Express is 198 compare to '1 packet of Quaker, Instant Oatmeal is 145 (both dry and baked apple flavor). That difference of 50 calories alone, you can add milk or butter in your cereal. You have to read the labels on the packages before you buy. Here is another example about eggs, for one large egg is 80 calories but do you know the yellow yoke in the egg is 60 calories alone and the whites are 20. WOW. No wonder diets always push on the whites and trash the yoke. I usually give the yoke to my dog or you give it the cat to eat. Its good for them and makes their coat hair shiny.

265 = Breakfast : (155, Cheerios, skim milk)(110, 1 banana)
180 = 10 am : (0, hot green tea w/ no honey)(180, toasted p.b. crackers)
290 = Lunch : (30, about 2 cups leaf)(70, lite ranch)(70, fresh pineapple)(70, orange)(50, 5 cherry tomatoes)
70 = 3 pm : one orange
420 = Dinner : (200, fish)(100, 3 small red potatoes)(120, coconut oil)
170 = Dessert : (ice cream sandwich, the lite kind)(orange)

Total calories = 1400 (I always leave a little extra for cooking, you never know about cooking food gives more calories in the fat)
- 50 calories from doing exercise

Starting Tomorrow - My Exercise

Starting tomorrow, my exercise will consist of The Biggest Loser DVDs and other workouts. I'm putting up a schedule of working out with the The Biggest Loser Workout, Vol. 1 on Monday and Wednesday. On Tuesday and Thursday, I'll work on The Biggest Loser Workout: Power Sculpt dvd. And on Friday, Essential Yoga For Inflexible People and on Saturday I work out with Discover Tai Chi With Scott Cole - Weight Loss for relaxation and release my stress from work. Sunday is sale day and my day off and go walking in the mall and shop.

I always believe if you work out alone, you will probably quit. So, working out with someone or a dvd with a trainer, you will probably work out more or still continue because it's a motivation in your par. With The Biggest Loser dvds, they are funny and very good to start up with building up my strength. If you ever watch the show, the contestants and training are always joking around and pushing one another to lose weight. The Yoga for Inflexible people is good for people who are not flexible like me. It's hard for me even to touch my toes or have balance. It's a very great dvd to start out with to put balance in your life. With Tai Chi, well, I always wanted to try it and I heard with tai chi, it relaxes you like meditation. Also, its easy with your muscles and back but will give you balance and strength.

If I don't have time to work out during the week before my television show come on like "Heroes" or "Lost" (huge fan), I'll work out on my Spri Medium Xertube and my Max Exercise Balls for Premier Core Training (medium). If you don't know any core ball exercise here is a book that I thought has a lot of beginners to advance level of exercise: Ultimate Core Ball Workout: Strengthening and Sculpting Exercises with Over 200 Step-by-Step Photos.

Apple Spice Muffin Substitute

Apple Spice Muffin Recipe:
3/4 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup canola or soybean oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/5 teaspoon cinnamon
1 medium unpeeled apple, finely chopped (1 cup)

For substitutes, instead of a whole egg just use the egg whites. Rather then flour, use whole wheat flour or ground oatmeal flour (to make oatmeal flour, just put some oatmeal in a blender, until powder substance. Replace the plain sugar with a little less measurement of "Splenda" sugar, no calories involved. On the website recipe, they have a topping of cinnamon and sugar, don't put any topping to save the calories.

EatBetterAmerica.com

eatbetteramerica.com is a great website to visit and join. They have great recipes that do have the calories and fat percentage on per serving. I made this wonderful apple muffin to die for. Beside they have great recipes, they also, have fitness that teaches you step by step. And you can click on diet & nutrition which is awesome, if you are diabetic or have heart issue. Eat Better America website have articles to stay fit and healthy with cooking techniques and weight management. You can also, join the community forum to see other people on what they are doing to lose weight and stay fit.

Office Cramps

Do you like many others out there, spend your day in the office or at home behind a desk. It's hard to go outside and walk around due to the cold weather or even inside where its small to walk around at. So, I made a few stretch exercise tips to do in the office so that its not so noticeable. Sometimes some people will look at you funny, if you are doing something out of the ordinary. Don't let it bother you, they are just jealous of you because they are too embarrass to do it, too. Hold 5 seconds at each exercise and repeat as many as you can. And remember to breath - in and out.

1. Your Back: Sit upright in the chair, feet flatten down in front of you with the knees apart a little and twist at the your waist to your right, then your left. After that bend over the touch your toes. Don't bounce or go to far and pull anything out. Then, stand up and do the same thing.

2. Shoulders: Sit upright again, arms to your side, roll your neck/head around and open the shoulder blades. Then, your cling you fingers together, and stretch your arms out in front of you, hold and then over your head, hold.

3. Legs: Sit upright again, with yor feet flatten down in front of you with the knees apart a little, extend you one leg out straight. You can hold on the desk when you do this leg stretch. Then your other leg.

Also, most people have 1 hour for lunch during their work day and if you do, go to a big store and walk around for 30 minutes, you can catch up of what new in the store and sales. Even better, if you office building have stairs, walk up and down for 20 minutes. It will get your heart rate up and your blood flowing again. If you have any tips that you do in the office, leave a comment.

Tip in Exercising

The less time you rest between sets when strength training, the more calories you're likely to burn. So, take about 30 second break between each sets. Keeping rest periods short keeps your heart rate at a higher rate, which naturally increases the number of calories you're using.

Wednesday Weigh In

It has been two weeks. I lost a total of 8 lbs. in 2 weeks that almost 1/2 lb. a day. Not bad for the beginning. I was watching my calories and did the Master Cleanse diet but no exercise. I think if I did the exercise, I would have lost my weight. So, my solution to lose more, I have to step up my game and get my lazy butt up off the couch and move. Like someone said, "Don't move, you won't lose."

Progressive Soup - 100 Calories

If you live in the northern states like I do (PA) and the cold winter is here, it's very hard to eat chilly salads and cold turkey sandwiches. I saw a commerical last night on tv that Progressive Soup has 100 calorie meals. This is great when you don't have time for lunch or when you are working late in the mid late hours at work and you need want something easy to cook for dinner. They have different varieties of soups like:

Reduced Sodium

• Reduced Sodium Chicken Noodle
• Reduced Sodium Garden Vegetable

Traditional

• Beef & Baked Potato
• Beef & Mushroom
• Chicken & Dumplings
• Chicken & Wild Rice
• Chicken & Barley
• Chicken Noodle
• Chicken Rice with Vegetables
• Carb Monitor Chicken Vegetable
• Carb Monitor Tuscan Style Meatball
• 99% Fat Free Chicken Noodle
• Hearty Chicken & Rotini
• Homestyle Chicken with Vegetables & Pasta
• Manhattan Clam Chowder
• Roasted Chicken Italiano
• Roasted Chicken Rotini
• Roasted Garlic Chicken
• Turkey Noodle

Vegetable Classics

• 99% Fat Free Minestrone
• French Onion
• Garden Vegetable
• Hearty Chicken Broth with Pasta
• Minestrone
• Vegetable
• Vegetable Italiano
• Vegitarian Vegetable with Barley

Coconut Oil

Everyone know that Olive Oil is better than Vegetable Oil and Crisco Oil. But do you know that Coconut Oil suppress appetite, boost metabolism and weight loss. I just want to share this information to you, because I believe its a good value for you more then you think.

Studies has shown that people has lost weight cooking with coconut oil in their calorie diet. It suppress their appetite to their next meal that their are satisfied sooner and full. Coconut oil is high in saturated fats, but it's also, has a MCTs (medium-chain triglyceride) which it boosts your metabolism and fights the fats calories that which you are eating. Also, to let you know how safe it is, the oil is used in IV solutions in hospitals and infant formulas.

This white oily base, its taste is a little different than olive oil, but I have to admit coconut oil taste better. I cooked it with my fish and the fish is more fluffier and light, not greasy or heavy based. You can cook it with you vegetables like green beans or potatoes. You need just a little bit in a frying pan like a teaspoon and have it melt over the hot stove and put in you potatoes - cook away. Its one of those things, you must try to see if you like it. I highly recommend it. So, before you grab the olive oil bottle, try the coconut oil instead.

Spectrum Naturals - Coconut Oil Organic, 14 oz

McDonald's Nutrition Facts

Like me, always on the run, never have time to cook food or stop and prepare dinner - fast food to go is the best solution. Its getting harder everyday to make time to cook. Preparing food takes about 30 mins. and then adding 20 mins. to cook the food equals to about 45 mins to 1 hour to just to make a meal. Time is one of our precious things to take advantage of.

Fast food or restaurants meal are good but be careful of your choices. McDonald's Quarter Pounder with cheese is 510 calories and 23 grams of fat. WOW! Fillet O-Fish is 380 calories and 18 grams of fat. We all know whats is healthy, it just very hard to choose the right foods against the bad foods. Well, snap out of the smell of greasy hamburgers coma and back to reality.

The Grilled Snack Wrap with Honey Mustard or Chipotle BBQ is only 260 calories. Its a perfect snack for on the go until you can go home and eat something proper. If you go the for the 6 piece chicken nugget (250 calories), don't choose the creamy ranch at 200 calorie in a 1.5 oz. pack, try the Honey Mustard, Buffalo or the BBQ which is only 70 calories in a pack. McDonald's do have salad but be careful with the dressings.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I say get up early and have a bowl of cereal with fruit rather eating a Sauage Egg McMuffin (450 calories). If you did sleep in and on the go to work, order the English Toast McMuffin (160 calories) no butter with strawberry jam (40 calories) and add on (if you like) Fruit Yogurt w/granolas (160), w/out granolas (130). If you are a sweet tooth order a 1 pkg. Apple Dipper (35 calories, 0 fat) with the low fat caramel dip (70 calories, 5 fat).

Choose wisely, may the force be with you, here is the website for McDonald's Nutrition Information.

My favorite spice in the world, "Salad Supreme". I use it on my pasta, chicken, potatoes and even my salads. This wonder seasoning has the spices from sesame seeds, paprika, salt, poppy seeds, celery seeds, garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper and romano cheese. On the bottle, there is no Nutritional Information so I took it upon me to look it up. And guess what, it has 0 calories and 0 fat for every 1/2 teaspoon. Thank goodness. But be aware, it does have 100 mg of sodium, so be careful to the people who have high blood pressure.

Though this seasoning is great and all, but it does come in a bad price. If you do put more than the 1/2 tpsn. in a salad pasta bowl, the calories can add up to 403 calories in all 3.5 oz bottle. So, if you are on a diet and your food is bland, need a little flavor, season up but not too much. Here is the website to check it out.

CalorieCounter.net

Calorie Counter is a wonderful website, if you are counting calories in your diet. My doctor recommended this site to me because I'm doing a 1600 calorie diet.

They have great tips and tricks on different weight losses. It has great explanations on different diets out there like Atkins, Zone, Jenny Craig and more. Calorie Counter has calories on different food groups and many food restaurants, along with fast food places. So, if you are at work and having a unexpected business lunch, you can go online and check the calories before ordering off the menu. You can also, sign up for a FREE account with them that will calculate your calories for you. It show calories, fats, proteins and grams from number to percentages. It counts from cups to teaspoons on foods to fats. Its a wonder program - save it in your favorites on your web browser.

Orange for Dinner

Vitamin C is a great vitamin source to have in your meals. Structures that contain fat (like the lipoprotein molecules that carry fat around our body) are particularly dependent on vitamin C for protection. It, also, helps protect cells from free radical damage, lower your cancer risk, regenerate your vitamin E supplies and improve iron absorption. The protective role of vitamin C goes far beyond our skin and gums. Cardiovascular diseases, cancers, joint diseases and cataracts are all associated with vitamin C deficiency and can be partly prevented by optimal intake of vitamin C.

Here I made a dinner all with one oranges (juice). String Beans & Red Potatoes - Bake in the oven at 375 for 20 mins. with olive oil, salt and pepper and squeeze of orange juice (cut the orange in half, use only half of the orange for the vegetable and the half for the fish or chicken) . (You could bake in the microwave.) Orange Tilapia Fish (you could have chicken) - Clean fish with water first, then a little of breadcrumbs (no egg or oil) and orange juice squeeze of the other half of the fruit. Put a little of olive oil or coconut oil in the frying pan - cook it 8 mins cover or less. For finish, you could shred orange skin for zest. And Well-a, Dinner.

Doctor Appt. Today

Always consult with you doctor about trying any diets that consist of join clubs, taking pills or surgery. Some diets out there will hurt you especially the diet pills. Most doctors will ask you on taking a test like a stress test or blood work for sugar and cholesterol. They can tell you pacifically what is best for you and you well being.

My doctor told me, I should count calories of my diet foods. 1600 calories, the matter of fact. (2000 calories is the average cal. for everyday people.) So, I bought myself a calorie book, CalorieKing Calorie, Fat & Carbohydrate Counter (Calorie King) and a notebook to write all the foods and dressings to count my cal. It will be a challenge for me to squeeze this in my life of counting calories but I want to lose weight, I'll have to make the time for it.

Light Lunches But Filling

You can have light, low calorie lunch but with a big bite full. Here I made a salad with tomatoes, shredded carrots bits and grated cheese. Also, I made a seasoned turkey sausage along with carrot sticks to pick up the left over rather than having a piece of bread. With the carrot sticks, it fills you up if you are still hungry and its a great snack. With a dazzle of light Ranch dressing on the side, ravish your taste buds.

Salad: Iceburg lettuce, shredded carrots, tomatoes and grated cheese; Supreme Turkey Patty: 1 Turkey Sausage Links (no skin), olive oil for the pan and Salad Supreme Seasoning (my favorite season of all, you use this season for linguine); Snack: Carrot Stick; Dressing: Kraft Light Ranch; All equal to about 400 calories.

Eating Solid Foods

Back to solid foods. Its nice to chew once again. I thought since my body is clean and refresh I don't want to back it up (figure of speech). I going to eat light foods like scramble eggs, both soup, fish and lettuce. Nothing to heavy to make my stomach to explode.

Wow, the food taste better after doing 5 days of cleansing. Everything taste really good, but I have to be careful not to go over board and eat everything out of stores. Small amounts and chew slower and saver the taste. That's my motive, enjoy the food, not scrawful the food down like a puppy. The smaller bites and slow eating will make you full faster and you can have left over for tomorrow.

Day Five - Succuss

I lost 8 lbs. in 4 days. Yeah! Wow, its hard to believe I lost that much in a little time. But I know I probably will gain back 3 lbs. cause I will be eating solid foods. I feel wonderful.

The book, The Master Cleanser, says that, if you go on this cleansing diet for 10 days, on the 11th day you should drink orange juice. Then on the 12th day, you should have orange juice and vegetable soup. On the 13th day, you can have solid foods. In my issue that I went on 4 days of the cleanse, I will probably be doing the 12th day, orange juice and vege. soup.

The book, also, has a recipe on Vegetable soup but I think I'll probably have chicken both and some vegetable both from the organic containers. Still drinking plenty of water, of course.

Day Four - My Last Day

I woke up this morning and feeling refresh and awake. My head is so clear and light with no feeling to eat anything. Wow, I wish everyday feels like this. My back feels good with no pain. My skin is clearing up and my face seems to be tighten. Now, this might not happen to you cause everyone is different in their own way and some of you all are more toxic than others. It might take more time for you to feel like I do. I have been doing cleansing for about 4 years (twice a year). So, don't get discourage yourself, if it doesn't work as soon as you hope, it might take 6 or 7 days.

Once again, always, consult your doctor going on any diets. Some diets can back fire on you and you can get sick or reunion you chemical imbalance. Trust me, you don't want to end up in the ER feeling silly.

Day THREE

Last night, while driving home from work, I almost had an accident. Driving over a few pot holes and bumps, while listen to my radio, I all a sudden stop and had a weird feeling in pit of my lower intestines. I hurry over to the nearest restaurant, McDonald's, parked my car and ran with my butt cheeks together and I made it to the toilet. Thank goodness. Wow, I didn't accept so soon in moving my bowls on the second day.

Today, being the third day and all, I feel pretty good. I got up this morning with no back ache, feeling good. I had no headaches or no feeling to eat any food. But later this afternoon, I developed a little cold. I guess its from all the 20 degree temps. we've been having. I had the small high fever, sniffles and icky all over. I took one pill of TylenolCold, so I can still continue this journey.

I have been notice a lot of heartburn. It gets so bad I can't talk without burping. I'm taking Tums or a little bit of Pepto-Bismol. I know I should not take any but my calls for it. I'm hoping the heartburn stops so I can continue, if not, I think I will have to cut it short and go to the next step (orange juice).

Day TWO

It's day two and so far it has been good. I was very tried this morning but I got up, did my exercise and stretching before I went to work. I was still in the daze and my stomach was growling for food. It doesn't help to live in an apartment building, smell all the different foods that people are cooking. I thought I smell chicken from somewhere. But I'm staying on focus, until the 10th day.

Day ONE - Master Cleanser

First day is so exciting. It's a new beginning, a change in your life that can change the rest of your life. I weighted myself today and wow, I sure gained over the holidays. I weight at 327 lbs. Not my highest weight but close. I thought I would do a cleansing diet to remove all the toxins from my overall cells and vital organs with the Master Cleanser, Lemonade Diet. If you don't know what I am talking about, check out this thin book, The Master Cleanser,on amazon.com. Read the reviews on other people that experience on it.

The Master Cleanser diet otherwise known as the "lemonade diet" has been around over 25 years. Many people have tried this diet and had alot to say about it that it help them loose weight and feel healthy. The taste is a little bland but its better than those fiber, grainy texture cleanses drinks that out there like the GNC cleanse. UGH! The book explains how the cleansing works and how it can help you with detoxing your body. It also has few recipes on delicious sauces, dressings and healthy antibiotic recipes (like formula for eye drops and how wintergreen relieves pain in warts or corns and painful muscles and joints).

Here is a video, how to make the homemade lemonade diet recipe cleanse.



You can also check out on www.youtube.com with other people who experience this diet. Just search "master cleanser". To do a full cleanse diet is min. of 10 days and max. of 45 days. I'm going to try it for 4 days, because I'm diabetic. I can't imagine for 45 days that's too much to handle with work and life. Please make sure you consult with your doctor before trying this diet.

So far, my first day have been putting myself in the daze, but no headaches or hunger for food. Drinking plenty of water, I always keep a bit bottle of water by my side. My middle of my tong is a little bit numb 'cause I put in too much of the cayenne pepper (powder). My blood sugar is good so far (diabetic - no insulin shots, just pills). I have cut down in half on my pills, I don't want my blood count to go to low. I'm hoping my diabetic blood count, glucose, will go down by cleanse my body and lowering my sugar back the 130s rather than 190s. I'll give you heads up tomorrow.

New Year 2008

It's a new year and my resolution is, once again, to loose weight and getting health. Last 2006 and '07, I went through a stressful year with back surgery, physical theropy, family death, uterus cancer and radiation and the nominal. I am so fed up being sick or having some other stressful sickness to me. I am going make myself change in loosing weight and start getting healthier and stick with it. I'm going to be positive that I CAN LOOSE WEIGHT and not let myself down with stressful things in my life. If the people on The Biggest Looser can do it and the other people can loose - so I can too. This blog will have my weight loss each week, how I do it, receipes, websites, books and other insight of being healthier.