Caribbean Chicken
Note: If you want it more authentic, remove banana and :"For the flavour, I recommend seasoning the meat over night or for a couple days, include meat seasoning, salt black pepper, onions, thyme and escallion. Then you cook later. "
Or:
Marinated overnight in small can crushed pineapple, soy sauce, salt, lemon juice, & Johnny's "Jamaica Me Crazy" spice. Sauteed one onion finely chopped, before chicken. My son added soy sauce.
Ingredients
1 pound skinned and boned chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
2 cups pineapple tidbits, drained, reserve ¼ cup pineapple juice
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon dried garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon dried ginger
1 medium diced banana
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 cup uncooked brown rice
Directions
1. In a large sauce pan cook rice according to package directions.
2. In a large skillet sprayed with vegetable cooking spray, sauté chicken for 5 minutes until tender. Stir in pineapple and green pepper.
3. In a small bowl combine the 1/4 cup reserved pineapple juice, water, cornstarch, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger. Stir well.
4. Pour mixture into chicken mixture. Mix well to combine. Continue cooking for 5 minutes or until mixture thickens, stirring often.
5. Fold in banana and almonds. Heat through.
6. Prepare brown rice according to package directions.
7. Serve over cooked brown rice.
Makes 6 servings (approx 4 oz chicken with 1/3 cup cooked rice)
Nutritional Info
Fat: 3.3g
Carbohydrates: 34.9g
Calories: 186.6
Protein: 6.0g
It's The Weigh YOU do the Thin(gs) YOU Do! It flows, shimmer & glow...spinning and dancing in the light of THIS Moon for ... as it is the weigh you do the Thin(g) YOU do!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Icon & Family~ One can be Both & More..
Music Maker~ Art of Charles BibbsLast night as I was watching a memorial performance to honor the artistry of Michael Jackson a tearful , heartfelt comments by his sister Janet Jackson, her poignant words rang true. In essence she said "thank you for all your kindness. Many see my brother as an icon. We see him as family".
Icon & family one can indeed be both. Much has to do from the vantage point of an individual & their relationship with another.One can indeed be many things to different people and still be an alright person as no relationship is equally balance with everyone involved with a person.
When one is challenge with their health, finances, familial relationships or flowing in and out of circle of life if we have a challenge with one does not mean that it is the same way with all. Or if one person can (and cheers to them that do) release 100, 200 or 50 pounds means that another will do it at the same rate, same pace or at all. Our bodies as our minds are highly unique and individualized. How it responds even if several are using the same program does not mean said program will work the same for all.
Unless I am living in a dream world, it should not be a competition as there has to be a winner, one having something "over" the other. Whatever pace one chooses for themselves they became a winner from the moment the decision was made to do something. All the rest becomes the lagniappe (something extra).
Insights can come in many forms and one can use it a all or some or none at all to tailor it to their own needs. I have learned much from many people. I even have learn much from ones who seem bent on causing grief. As one woman I recalled saying she thank the ones who gave her grief as it taught her what not to do. So all can contribute something it just how one wants to view it.
In my own purpose in doing this is a personal one. As open as I am in disclosure, there are some things that remains in the secret garden for my eyes only. At times people have right and wrongly pass judgement on how they may see what I say and do of course with the requisite how I should do it their way or not at all. Undertones that are potent, laden with disapproval, envy, disappointment, expectations of my (or even you) living up or perchance living down to a decision not of my making.
We all know what we need to do, undo or not do at all and in our time we will get to it as we can be many things to many people, but most of all to ourselves...
Icon and family...One can be both or not at all. It comes from how the beholder or the reader wants to see it or use it.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
The Belly Project
http://thebellyproject.wordpress.com/
I discovered this today and would suggest you see. The Belly Project came about by 2 health educators to show that we've become so used to airbrushed/photoshopped images of women's bodies that we think something is wrong with ours since we cannov measure up and truth be told neither the models can too n real life.
Bellies come in all sapes and sizes, no 2 are alike. And we wonder why we have sucha distorted picture of what real women look like. And then we can be surprised we are vhe norm and not the exceptions. I carried 6 babies but just now having stretch marks because of a distention due an enlarged hernia. Stretch marks are a badge of honor if you have borne life into the world and distorted images of how bad it is or how ugly or whavever people may think needs to be revamped. Nov all the women shown have had babies and bellies are round, concaved, hanging whatever. In the final anylysis trying to meet unrealistic expectations does no one any good and does not futher the cause for what needs to be right in the world...
I discovered this today and would suggest you see. The Belly Project came about by 2 health educators to show that we've become so used to airbrushed/photoshopped images of women's bodies that we think something is wrong with ours since we cannov measure up and truth be told neither the models can too n real life.
Bellies come in all sapes and sizes, no 2 are alike. And we wonder why we have sucha distorted picture of what real women look like. And then we can be surprised we are vhe norm and not the exceptions. I carried 6 babies but just now having stretch marks because of a distention due an enlarged hernia. Stretch marks are a badge of honor if you have borne life into the world and distorted images of how bad it is or how ugly or whavever people may think needs to be revamped. Nov all the women shown have had babies and bellies are round, concaved, hanging whatever. In the final anylysis trying to meet unrealistic expectations does no one any good and does not futher the cause for what needs to be right in the world...
Wigs, Butterflies and other Crazy things that can Happen on a Sun Sun Monday (for a Free Woman)
Erykah Badu, singer
Wigs, Butterflies and other Crazy things that can Happen on a Sun Sun Monday (for a Free Woman)
©09
Can I Parler sans fards? ( to speak openly)?
I know some will wonder by the title, what any of this has to do with weight loss. Well it does and I must say that our bodies and our mind & emotions are clearly interlinked & there is no need to call in a rocket scientist to solidify that!
I should first explain what a Sun Sun Monday is. It came about last year with a sweet at that time 6 year old and I who had a conversation while waiting for his parents a lazy Sunday afternoon in the car. I wanted to keep him entertained as he was getting a little antsy and I asked him what his favorite day of the week. He liked Sundays, did not like Monday and was quite articulate in why.
So I said to him since you gave me all the virtues of Sunday and why you do not like Monday, we can move Monday aside and designate our new day as Sunday~Sunday so we can extend the enjoyment of Sunday for one more day. And it kind of stuck. Another artist shortened it to Sun –Sun & a new day is born!
So now Sun-Sun is a day designated as to how you want to use it and you do not need anyone’s permission as to how you will use it. Since you are a free woman or a free man. It is not bounded by space, time, or schedules, but by your own energy to do with it as you see fit. And it does not have to be the calendar Monday; it is the day as you see fit to be fit.
We can become so caught up in pounds, fat, calories, failure (?) success that when we achieve what some may see as unachievable we when we get to the Promise Land then it becomes: so now what? And sometimes when one achieve and then not too sure what to do now can slip back into old habits for not working on making a golden life while in the process. I am no different then any of the other very smart, capable women and men here or elsewhere as they find their way and make their mark.
This is simply an account of my everything that started on Sunday and heated up on Monday.
It has been no big secret of my interest & desire to return to my hometown. Ask and ye shall receive. Speak truth and truth will be found. Sometimes in the oddest places, times and people. I've learned as things unwrap physically in the weight release process, so can other facets can come unwrapped, in some cases unglued revealing all that simply is.
For me timing had not been right, health and wealth had not been right. And then it dawned on me when is it ever going to be right? Yes there are tose days when all systems are cookin' but most of the time, you get what you get until what you got doesn't work any longer...
A place I had been looking at rather casually and had actually veto in New Orleans ended up being revisited this week with renewed interest. After trying to find it on Google Earth unsuccessfully, I enlisted the aid of someone else and thankfully they found it!
Upon my searching out the neighborhood an adjacent street caught my attention. It sounded vaguely familiar but I did not know from where. And then it struck me, my parents, still in love and a young couple my mom then age 33 and daddy age 40 & I was a wee, newly born itty bitty one, fresh and wide eyed with out a clue as to what the world was going to throw at me lived on this adjacent street!
So I went on a search after confirming it on my birth certificate & found the place which literally was 3 blocks over from the house I am getting. My 94 year old mother confirmed the house which is now boarded up after Hurricane Katrina.
My 1st thoughts were "hmm so I am really returning to my roots". And then my 2nd was while discovering this part of my past, something clicked in my head from a article I read upon arising today in a wonderful article on "the Power & the Vision" of how some people, many times spend their whole lives: "it's interesting that most work makes us look downward, while dreams lift our eyes to the sky. While you're keeping that nose to the grindstone, make sure you keep your head up to see where you're going".
I've always known I was going somewhere even if the "where" may not always be clear & apparent to me and even less to others. As the artist, said to me today" I believe some people are being positioned in many aspect for some things big to happen. And if you are in the right place at the right time and ready, you will be there to reap large benefits".
Of course those benefits may be different things to different people. But what is clear if you are not there you will reap absolutely no thing but the same old thing. And the same old thing can get really old, you can start to tolerate what's intolerable, suffer in silence, get smaller, shrinking down and expectations narrow and then you are stuck miserable, bored and not filled. Not even knowing why or worse how you got there...
And even worse, how to get yourself out of it. So while looking into my little garden courtyard, I saw my 1st butterfly of the season. It was beautiful sort of a yellowed lime or a limed yellow color almost translucent. I found myself smiling and wow I get to see some before I leave. And then I stepped out into the garden and though it was high noon fed my plants, watering the ground, being soothe by the act though my thoughts were grumbling over some of the plants still not in the ground and other bulbs I will not get in the ground when it hit me, a missing link of my "Bringing it on Home" project I want to implement once I get there.
It was part of a proposal that was not accepted a year and a half ago when I thought I was going elsewhere. But here was a golden opportunity to bring this vision into fruition! And what a better place then New Orleans with its transformation in action now to do this! If that butterfly had not graced my garden on a Sun Sun Monday I might not have stepped outside to water and subsequently gotten the idea.
Of course I am not attributing anything mystical to this. My mind was relaxed, clear and comforted which allowed my creative juices to flow and with it the vision came & the idea resurfaced with a plan.
So now what do wigs have to do with all of this? Whenever I am ready for a change, I get the urge to cut my hair. Some women will identify with this. I've worn a curly blond fro for almost a decade and now I am bored, not knowing what I wanted to do as I am not prolific with hair. I knew I wanted to change the color, wasn't sure what style when I decided to look up wigs which can evoke a different mood experimenting with different looks without a permanent investment. So I found three. One is reminiscent of a period of Erykah Badu's many looks or a 1970's earlier Pam Grier style.
Yet another of an earlier Phyllis Yvonne Stickney, an actress and comedian I admire. Sharp clean and distinctive and one of a style I enjoyed on Gabrielle Union. Understand, I am not a 59 year old woman looking to be 16 who is aspiring to look 25 (years old). I am not going to lose me, but a fresher transformed me is where I want to be.
I know for sure that many things work in concert when a person is ready. While the emphasis is and will remain in shedding the physical weight for health many other things work in symphony with that. How exciting is it all!
So among a lot of smaller but weird things that occurred today, these were the thing that swung my day's rhythms. I never got to my "to do list" for a Sun Sun Monday, but that's ok because what needed to be done was indeed done. And embracing all that indeed can be golden...How cool is that?
Moon (being a free woman)
All rights reservedJHM6-23-09©09
Monday, June 22, 2009
Mushroom-Walnut-Veggie Burgers
Mushroom-Walnut-Veggie Burgers
Serves: 5
Serving Size: 1 burger
A wholesome and filling alternative to the traditional hamburger.
INGREDIENTS
3 Tbsp. bulgur
1/3 cup boiling water
1 Tbsp. canola oil
4 ounces sliced portobello mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 serrano or small jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and chopped
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 large egg white
3 Tbsp. seasoned breadcrumbs
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
5 whole-wheat buns, split and toasted
5 tsp. coarse seed mustard
5 thin slices red onion
5 romaine lettuce leaves, washed and dried
DIRECTIONS
1. Place bulgur in a small bowl. Add boiling water to cover. Let sit until grain softens, 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a medium skillet over high heat until very hot. Sauté mushrooms until the liquid they release evaporates. Add onions, garlic and chili pepper. Cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Mix in nuts, beans, Worcestershire and soy sauces. Remove from heat and let cool.
3. Transfer mixture to a food processor and pulse 4 times. Add bulgur and pulse 4 times, until mixture is finely chopped but not puréed. (Or, chop by hand until very fine.) Transfer to a mixing bowl. Mix in egg white, breadcrumbs and pepper, to taste. Form mixture into four patties.
4. Grill burgers about 2 1/2 minutes per side. (Or cook in a large non-stick skillet with 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Cook until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes in all.)
5. Spread mustard on cut sides of buns. Add a lettuce leaf to the bottom halves, then a burger, then a slice of red onion. Add the top halves of the buns and serve.
NUTRITION INFO
Calories: 314
Fat: 11.9 g
Carbohydrates: 40.1 g
Protein: 11.7 g
Serves: 5
Serving Size: 1 burger
A wholesome and filling alternative to the traditional hamburger.
INGREDIENTS
3 Tbsp. bulgur
1/3 cup boiling water
1 Tbsp. canola oil
4 ounces sliced portobello mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 serrano or small jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and chopped
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 large egg white
3 Tbsp. seasoned breadcrumbs
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
5 whole-wheat buns, split and toasted
5 tsp. coarse seed mustard
5 thin slices red onion
5 romaine lettuce leaves, washed and dried
DIRECTIONS
1. Place bulgur in a small bowl. Add boiling water to cover. Let sit until grain softens, 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a medium skillet over high heat until very hot. Sauté mushrooms until the liquid they release evaporates. Add onions, garlic and chili pepper. Cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Mix in nuts, beans, Worcestershire and soy sauces. Remove from heat and let cool.
3. Transfer mixture to a food processor and pulse 4 times. Add bulgur and pulse 4 times, until mixture is finely chopped but not puréed. (Or, chop by hand until very fine.) Transfer to a mixing bowl. Mix in egg white, breadcrumbs and pepper, to taste. Form mixture into four patties.
4. Grill burgers about 2 1/2 minutes per side. (Or cook in a large non-stick skillet with 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Cook until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes in all.)
5. Spread mustard on cut sides of buns. Add a lettuce leaf to the bottom halves, then a burger, then a slice of red onion. Add the top halves of the buns and serve.
NUTRITION INFO
Calories: 314
Fat: 11.9 g
Carbohydrates: 40.1 g
Protein: 11.7 g
Sunday, June 21, 2009
It Ain't Normal Folks!
10 High-Stress Personality Characteristics; Chronic Stress Isn't Normal
By Mike Kramer, Staff Writer & Jen Mueller, Certified Personal Trainer
Stress has been so ingrained in our days and in our culture, that we probably don’t even recognize it any more. We may believe that the general underlying sense of uneasiness we feel is normal and acceptable. Or we might blame the tension and stress we experience—in traffic, at work or at home—more on what’s happening “to” us than what’s happening “within” us.
The problem with this attitude is that it brings on a sense of helplessness, that there’s nothing we can do about stress other than cope. This thought alone is a source of stress, isn’t it?
When you realize that the stress you experience may have something to do with you, it helps you take control and start to solve the problem.
Here are 10 personality traits that are symptoms of being highly stressed. Some are characteristics that, by their nature, add even more stress to your life. This list will help you recognize if you are highly stressed and give you ideas for doing something about it.
How many of these qualities do you exhibit?
Over-planning each day.
Do you feel the need to stick to a strict schedule? Do you live in fear of falling behind or overlooking a task?
Doing several things at once.
With too much to do and not enough time, it’s easy to think that “efficient” means doing everything at once. He who chases two rabbits catches neither.
Extreme need to win.
Do you feel like a failure if you don’t come out on top—even when the only competition is your own expectations?
Excessive desire for advancement.
Highly stressed people need confirmation from outside sources that they’re doing okay and performing well.
Inability to relax without feeling guilty.
Do your weekends become opportunities for “accomplishment” and “getting something done.”
Impatience with delays.
When you’re under pressure, everything in life takes on urgency and the additional burdens to get everything done as fast as possible.
Overcommittment.
Are you chronically late or forgetful of commitments? Does your schedule cause problems in personal or professional relationships?
Chronic urgency.
See #6. Now!
Highly competitive drive.
Have you forgotten what it’s like to have fun for fun’s sake? Have you “grown up” so much that playtime actually causes you anxiety?
Compulsion to overwork.
Is your office more familiar to you than your backyard? Do you find yourself missing out on what you might otherwise deem “meaningful”?
By Mike Kramer, Staff Writer & Jen Mueller, Certified Personal Trainer
Stress has been so ingrained in our days and in our culture, that we probably don’t even recognize it any more. We may believe that the general underlying sense of uneasiness we feel is normal and acceptable. Or we might blame the tension and stress we experience—in traffic, at work or at home—more on what’s happening “to” us than what’s happening “within” us.
The problem with this attitude is that it brings on a sense of helplessness, that there’s nothing we can do about stress other than cope. This thought alone is a source of stress, isn’t it?
When you realize that the stress you experience may have something to do with you, it helps you take control and start to solve the problem.
Here are 10 personality traits that are symptoms of being highly stressed. Some are characteristics that, by their nature, add even more stress to your life. This list will help you recognize if you are highly stressed and give you ideas for doing something about it.
How many of these qualities do you exhibit?
Over-planning each day.
Do you feel the need to stick to a strict schedule? Do you live in fear of falling behind or overlooking a task?
Doing several things at once.
With too much to do and not enough time, it’s easy to think that “efficient” means doing everything at once. He who chases two rabbits catches neither.
Extreme need to win.
Do you feel like a failure if you don’t come out on top—even when the only competition is your own expectations?
Excessive desire for advancement.
Highly stressed people need confirmation from outside sources that they’re doing okay and performing well.
Inability to relax without feeling guilty.
Do your weekends become opportunities for “accomplishment” and “getting something done.”
Impatience with delays.
When you’re under pressure, everything in life takes on urgency and the additional burdens to get everything done as fast as possible.
Overcommittment.
Are you chronically late or forgetful of commitments? Does your schedule cause problems in personal or professional relationships?
Chronic urgency.
See #6. Now!
Highly competitive drive.
Have you forgotten what it’s like to have fun for fun’s sake? Have you “grown up” so much that playtime actually causes you anxiety?
Compulsion to overwork.
Is your office more familiar to you than your backyard? Do you find yourself missing out on what you might otherwise deem “meaningful”?
Going Through the Emotions
Going Through the Emotions;Why It's Worth the Trouble
By Mike Kramer, Staff Writer
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/wellness_articles.asp?id=98&page=3
The world can be a beautiful place, full of possibilities and life.
You can feel invincible and in control. But it’s not always like that, is it? The world can also be a stressful, upsetting, confidence-crushing place.
At times, it seems like even something as clear-cut as weight loss is harder than it really needs to be. Is it worth the trouble, you ask. Why am I banging my head against the wall? Is it really doing any good?You’re darned right it is!When life and your mind are full of troubles, when things seem out of control, you’ve got to take control of what you can.
When confidence is low, that’s exactly when you need to be at your healthiest, your strongest, your most energetic. There’s no better time to create your own little corner of sanity and positive feeling. The best way you can do that is to stick with those small daily weight loss goals.You can be the hammer, making things happen, or you can be the nail that sits there and gets pummeled over and over. If you’re starting to feel like a nail, it’s up to you to keep your program moving forward. Gather yourself together, draw a line in the sand and refuse to give in to the doubts and temptation to give in or quit.
You’ve probably heard this story before, but since you’re here, it’s worth retelling: A frog, hopping around the farm, minding his own business, fell right into a pail half-filled with cream. Swimming frantically, he found the sides too steep and too high. Determined not to give up, he continued to struggle. He kicked and squirmed, kicked and squirmed until at last his churning had turned the cream into a block of butter – allowing him to hop right out. He never gave up!
Here’s how your story and his intersect. If he only saw the hopelessness of his situation and started feeling sorry for himself, he would have sunk to the bottom. But instead he kept kicking. He kicked not because he knew it would help him escape, but because he was compelled to, he had no choice. He kicked because the alternative was no alternative at all.From the frog’s point of view, all he was doing was treading water (or cream), doing what he could in a bad situation.
If you keep kicking, even if it just seems like you’re treading water, you’re actually causing real change that will make a huge difference later on.There will be good days; there will be bad days – sometimes several in a row.
There will be lazy days and discouraging days. But there will also be days of revelation, days of making a breakthrough, days of being proud of who you are becoming, days of wanting to climb on top of your success and reach for the stars, because you just know that anything is possible.These are the days that make it all worthwhile. These are the days that let you deal with those other, not-so-great days.
Once you know those bad days will be there, it’s easier to accept them at face value and deal with them. But you have to keep kicking on those bad days to get to the good ones. If you’re not kicking, you’re sinking.Don’t let the world or your own doubts take away one of the most positive things you have going for yourself – your determination to create a healthier, more energetic, more vibrant, more wonderful YOU.
Article created on: 11/13/2003
By Mike Kramer, Staff Writer
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/wellness_articles.asp?id=98&page=3
The world can be a beautiful place, full of possibilities and life.
You can feel invincible and in control. But it’s not always like that, is it? The world can also be a stressful, upsetting, confidence-crushing place.
At times, it seems like even something as clear-cut as weight loss is harder than it really needs to be. Is it worth the trouble, you ask. Why am I banging my head against the wall? Is it really doing any good?You’re darned right it is!When life and your mind are full of troubles, when things seem out of control, you’ve got to take control of what you can.
When confidence is low, that’s exactly when you need to be at your healthiest, your strongest, your most energetic. There’s no better time to create your own little corner of sanity and positive feeling. The best way you can do that is to stick with those small daily weight loss goals.You can be the hammer, making things happen, or you can be the nail that sits there and gets pummeled over and over. If you’re starting to feel like a nail, it’s up to you to keep your program moving forward. Gather yourself together, draw a line in the sand and refuse to give in to the doubts and temptation to give in or quit.
You’ve probably heard this story before, but since you’re here, it’s worth retelling: A frog, hopping around the farm, minding his own business, fell right into a pail half-filled with cream. Swimming frantically, he found the sides too steep and too high. Determined not to give up, he continued to struggle. He kicked and squirmed, kicked and squirmed until at last his churning had turned the cream into a block of butter – allowing him to hop right out. He never gave up!
Here’s how your story and his intersect. If he only saw the hopelessness of his situation and started feeling sorry for himself, he would have sunk to the bottom. But instead he kept kicking. He kicked not because he knew it would help him escape, but because he was compelled to, he had no choice. He kicked because the alternative was no alternative at all.From the frog’s point of view, all he was doing was treading water (or cream), doing what he could in a bad situation.
If you keep kicking, even if it just seems like you’re treading water, you’re actually causing real change that will make a huge difference later on.There will be good days; there will be bad days – sometimes several in a row.
There will be lazy days and discouraging days. But there will also be days of revelation, days of making a breakthrough, days of being proud of who you are becoming, days of wanting to climb on top of your success and reach for the stars, because you just know that anything is possible.These are the days that make it all worthwhile. These are the days that let you deal with those other, not-so-great days.
Once you know those bad days will be there, it’s easier to accept them at face value and deal with them. But you have to keep kicking on those bad days to get to the good ones. If you’re not kicking, you’re sinking.Don’t let the world or your own doubts take away one of the most positive things you have going for yourself – your determination to create a healthier, more energetic, more vibrant, more wonderful YOU.
Article created on: 11/13/2003
Be a Melon Head~Cantaloupe Salsa.
Cantaloupe Salsa.
This can be a great addition to some chicken, pork, or even fish.
Cube one cantaloupe, removing the shell and seeds.
Chop one bell pepper, of any color.
Add the juice of one lime and a pinch of salt and pepper. Served chilled.
Want to kick it up a notch? Try adding some finally chopped cilantro, chiles, or scallions to taste. Enjoy!
How to pick a Good One
Pick one that is firm. It might give off a mild melon aroma; this is okay.
Choose one that appears more golden in the shell than green.
Also, “better” cantaloupes are said to have a more even “netting,” the markings on the outside of the fruit. They also might feel heavy for their size; this is a good thing.
Health Precaution in Preparation:
It is also important you wash the cantaloupe before you prepare it. You may not think germs on the shell will affect the fruit, but you can pass pesticides from the outside onto the inside with your knife.
Dive In:
There are many ways to enjoy cantaloupe and receive its fantastic nutritional benefits. One obvious choice is eat it plain, sliced or in cubes. However, you can also include it in fruit smoothies (paired with blueberries, this would be quite the nutritional kick) or as an ingredient in a chilled soup.
This can be a great addition to some chicken, pork, or even fish.
Cube one cantaloupe, removing the shell and seeds.
Chop one bell pepper, of any color.
Add the juice of one lime and a pinch of salt and pepper. Served chilled.
Want to kick it up a notch? Try adding some finally chopped cilantro, chiles, or scallions to taste. Enjoy!
How to pick a Good One
Pick one that is firm. It might give off a mild melon aroma; this is okay.
Choose one that appears more golden in the shell than green.
Also, “better” cantaloupes are said to have a more even “netting,” the markings on the outside of the fruit. They also might feel heavy for their size; this is a good thing.
Health Precaution in Preparation:
It is also important you wash the cantaloupe before you prepare it. You may not think germs on the shell will affect the fruit, but you can pass pesticides from the outside onto the inside with your knife.
Dive In:
There are many ways to enjoy cantaloupe and receive its fantastic nutritional benefits. One obvious choice is eat it plain, sliced or in cubes. However, you can also include it in fruit smoothies (paired with blueberries, this would be quite the nutritional kick) or as an ingredient in a chilled soup.
Knowledge is Power... DId you know?
The terms "free-range," "vegetarian-fed" and "organic" are all on egg cartons these days.
While free-range does mean the chicken is not caged, it does not necessarily mean that the chicken roams outdoors (it only has access to open space at some point each day).
A chicken's feed is what affects the nutritional quality of its eggs.
The label "vegetarian-fed" ensure no animal by-products are fed to the chickens laying the eggs, and "organic" means the chicken's feed is organic.
While free-range does mean the chicken is not caged, it does not necessarily mean that the chicken roams outdoors (it only has access to open space at some point each day).
A chicken's feed is what affects the nutritional quality of its eggs.
The label "vegetarian-fed" ensure no animal by-products are fed to the chickens laying the eggs, and "organic" means the chicken's feed is organic.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Tortilla Pinwheels
Tortilla Pinwheels
Serves: 4
With low fat and lively taste, this fun dish is great for a party, for the kids, or just for something to munch on!
INGREDIENTS
4 whole wheat tortillas
1/4 cup fat free cream cheese
8-12 spinach leaves, washed and dried
1/2 cup grated carrots
DIRECTIONS
1. Let the cream cheese come to room temperature. Whip with a mixer, or by hand, to make it easier to spread.
2. Using a spatula or knife, spread about 1 tablespoon cream cheese on each tortilla, making sure to reach the edges.
3. Put several spinach leaves in the center of the tortilla and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of carrots.
4. Roll tortilla tightly; secure with a toothpick.
5. Cut the tortilla into pinwheels by cutting it in half first, then making bite-sized slices along the tortilla until you reach the end. Lay each piece cut-side down on a serving plate.
NUTRITION INFO (per serving)
Calories: 144.5
Fat: 3.2 g
Carbohydrates: 26.6 g
Protein: 5.2 g
Serves: 4
With low fat and lively taste, this fun dish is great for a party, for the kids, or just for something to munch on!
INGREDIENTS
4 whole wheat tortillas
1/4 cup fat free cream cheese
8-12 spinach leaves, washed and dried
1/2 cup grated carrots
DIRECTIONS
1. Let the cream cheese come to room temperature. Whip with a mixer, or by hand, to make it easier to spread.
2. Using a spatula or knife, spread about 1 tablespoon cream cheese on each tortilla, making sure to reach the edges.
3. Put several spinach leaves in the center of the tortilla and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of carrots.
4. Roll tortilla tightly; secure with a toothpick.
5. Cut the tortilla into pinwheels by cutting it in half first, then making bite-sized slices along the tortilla until you reach the end. Lay each piece cut-side down on a serving plate.
NUTRITION INFO (per serving)
Calories: 144.5
Fat: 3.2 g
Carbohydrates: 26.6 g
Protein: 5.2 g
Find Your Perfect Weight - Part 3
Find Your Perfect Weight - Part 3~Only You Can Decide What's Good Enough
By Dean Anderson, Fitness & Behavior Expert
The third major element in picking a goal weight that’s right for you (along with those described in Parts 1 and 2) is figuring out what it will take to make you feel happy and satisfied in your own skin. Sure, we all care about our health. But when it comes right down to it, most of us want to look good — and feel good about how we look too! There’s nothing at all wrong with that…unless it’s someone else’s idea of “looking good” that you’re trying to achieve instead of your own. Why does it matter?
Because the more you expect weight loss to influence how other people see you or relate to you, the harder it is to be successful. Eventually, you’ll be resentful that you have to work so hard to lose weight just to keep someone else happy. And that will lead to anger and rebellion against your own efforts. The simple reality is that you can’t control what other people think of you, no matter what you do, how much you weigh, or what you look like.
If you want to feel happy in your own skin, it’s your own happiness and your own attitude that you have to focus on — those are the only things you have any control over. And that begins with choosing to lose weight for yourself and on your own terms, not to conform to other people's preferences. This is easier said than done when you live in a society obsessed with thinness and beauty.
Who doesn't have at least some desire to be accepted and admired by their peers? We all want to fit in! Because of this, being overweight means that you may not be as popular as the “beautiful" people. It means you may find it harder to get the job you want. And you might even be excluded from certain activities.
Excess weight can, literally, come between people in personal relationships, too. And worst of all, it can interfere with your relationship with yourself. When your weight causes you come up short when making a first impression (no matter how superficial or unfair you believe this to be), it hurts. And it’s very easy to start hating yourself or your own body for “causing” this problem, even though the real problem is a foolish and mean-spirited cultural stereotype. So, is it realistic for you to think that losing weight will help you avoid these kinds of problems?
Yes — but that is no guarantee. (After all, there are plenty of unhappy, frustrated, and lonely people who will tell you that being thin is no guarantee that things will go the way you want.) If losing weight is going to change your life, it's not because of how you look, how many pounds you lose, or what others will think of you. Your life, confidence, self-esteem, and attitude will improve when the process of losing weight itself empowers you — to seek what you want, to succeed without limiting yourself, and to believe that who you are doesn't depend on how you look and how others react to your appearance.
And that process of empowerment begins with choosing to lose weight the right way, for the right reasons — and for you alone. So how do you use these principles to set goal weight? This mental exercise will help: Imagine you live on a planet where scales have never been invented, where there is no concept of body weight at all, and no formulas like BMI have ever been conceived.
On this planet, sex appeal is not used to sell or market cars, fragrances, or anything for that matter. There are no public images that tell people what's "attractive" and what's not. Friendships, social groups, and intimate relationships are a basic part of life, but physical appearance is only one of many factors that attract people to one another. Everyone wears basic unisex clothing that minimizes differences in body size and shape.
How will you know when your body is the right size and shape? What criteria will you use to decide when it’s OK to accept your body the way it is, and when you need to change something? How will you know that you feel good enough about being in your own skin?
Now ask yourself this: Is there any reason you can't answer these same questions on this planet? Article created on: 4/29/2008
Find Your Perfect Weight Part 2
Find Your Perfect Weight Part 2~Your Body Type: What You Can & Can't Change
By Dean Anderson, Fitness and Behavior Expert
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=1042
You know that you want to lose weight. But how do you pick a goal weight that’s right for you? Do you find a celebrity, or even a friend, whose body you like and try to reach the same weight as him? Do you aim for a previous weight of your own, like what you weighed when you wore that junior prom dress 25 years ago? Unfortunately, neither of these are good ways to set a weight loss goal. Finding your best weight isn't as simple as plugging your height, age, and gender into a formula and getting a number spit back at you.
Your body is unique to you, and so is your ideal weight. Because it involves factors that are both objective (like your health risks) and subjective (like your personal satisfaction with your appearance), your ideal body weight is much more than a number on the scale: it’s more like a state of being.
You’re at your ideal body weight when:
Your weight isn’t causing (or putting you at risk for) any health problems
Your weight doesn't limit you from living the life you want
You can accept your body as it is, without feeling uncomfortably self-conscious
You can enjoy being in your own skin, without worrying too much about how you compare to others (or cultural ideals)
In Part 1 of this series, we looked at several of the methods experts use to determine when your weight puts you at risk of having health problems, and how you can use those methods to set a realistic goal weight for yourself. But let’s face it. Good health isn’t the only reason most of us want to lose weight. We also want to look great. We all live in a social world that tells us “thin is in” and fat is...well, whatever it is, it’s definitely not in. It can be awfully hard to feel good in your own skin if there’s quite a bit more of it than you see on those in the “in crowd.” There’s nothing at all wrong with caring about your appearance or wanting to look as good as you can. This natural desire can play an important role in your motivation to lose weight, and your ability to keep going when the going gets tough.
But it’s also important to keep this desire grounded in your personal reality—not in the images you see in the media, or in someone else’s reality. We each have unique genes that determine our basic shape and size, how low we can go on body fat, how much muscle development and definition we can achieve, and how easy or hard it will be for us to reach and maintain the weight we would like to be.
The more you know about your own biological reality, the easier it is to set realistic goals and expectations when it comes to your body. It will help you avoid making yourself miserable by trying to achieve something that just can’t be done (or isn’t worth the constant struggle). So, let’s take a look at what diet and exercise can change and what it can’t, based on your individual biology.
Body Types Makes a Difference
Genetics play a large role in determining your basic body type and how easy it is for you to gain or lose weight. Here’s an example. In one recent study, researchers overfed a group of people 1,000 extra calories every day for eight weeks and found that there was a huge difference in the amount of weight gained (ranging from 3 to 16 pounds)!
The researchers concluded that the people who gained less weight were able to “waste” the extra calories by fidgeting more and giving off more body heat. The people who gained more weight lacked this capability and simply stored the extra calories. These differences are related to basic differences in body type. Although there are truly almost as many different body types as there are people, scientists have grouped them into three general categories in order to study the relationship between body type, body composition, metabolism and weight. Which one sounds like you?
Ectomorphs are generally tall and thin and have long arms and legs. These people have difficulty gaining weight and muscle no matter how much they eat or how hard they train, because their metabolisms are geared to burn calories rather than convert them into fat or muscle. In some cases, the more the person eats, the more their metabolism speeds up to burn off those calories. They have the body type you tend to see in ballet dancers, runway models, elite long-distance runners, and some basketball players. Although we’re often bombarded with images of bodies like this, only about 5% of the population has this type of body.
Mesomorphs are generally muscular, shorter, and have stocky arms and legs. These people are strong and tend to gain muscle mass easily when they do strength training. They may find it difficult to lose weight, but they may not have that much excess fat even though their weight is higher than average for their height.
Endomorphs are generally shaped like apples (men, especially) or pears (women, especially), and naturally carry more body fat even at their ideal weight. Their bodies may resist losing weight and body fat even when they are restrictive with their eating. In fact, the more they “diet,” the more their metabolisms slow down to resist weight loss. Overweight endomorphs don’t necessarily eat more than their slimmer counterparts—they simply tend to store more calories as fat than ectomorphs and mesomorphs. This is a handy trait to have if you have to contend with famines and food shortages—but not so handy otherwise.
If you don’t think you fit completely into any of these categories, don’t worry. Very few people are pure types—most of us have characteristics of all three types to one degree or another, with one type being more dominant. The important thing to know is that there are many body types, and all of these types are normal—and all of them are basically unchangeable.
Losing weight is not going to change your basic body type or shape—all it can do is reduce the amount of excess fat, and make you smaller overall. It can’t make stocky legs long and lean, and it can’t change where you naturally tend to store your body fat. If your genes program you to store a certain amount of fat between your skin and the muscles underneath, you just aren’t going to see those six-pack abs you’ve got hiding under there, no matter how much weight you lose or how many crunches you do.
If you’re a pear or apple shape now, you still will be after you lose weight—you’ll just be smaller and healthier. These differences in body type can also make formulas for figuring out your ideal weight pretty unreliable. If you compare a classic ectomorph, endomorph, and mesomorph of the same age, gender, and height, you’ll get three very different healthy and normal weights.
Since most of us aren’t pure types, and fall somewhere in between the extremes on all the various dimensions involved, there is no simple way to “adjust” for these differences when trying to estimate an ideal body weight.
Often, you’ll have to wait until your body lets you know you’re at the best weight for you by resisting further weight loss despite your best efforts. But your body type doesn’t doom you to chronic weight problems or obesity, either.
Even if you’re a classic endomorph with a metabolism that seems to snatch calories right out of thin air and deposit them directly on your hips or waist, you can lose fat and achieve a healthy weight. And you can look good too—even if you don’t have the body type that makes it onto the covers of fashion magazines.
What You Can Change
While you'll always have characteristics of a certain body type, you CAN work on changing your body composition (the amount of fat versus the amount of muscle you have). Virtually everybody can lose weight and become more fit. To lose one pound of fat, you need to create a 3,500-calorie deficit—no matter what your body type—by eating less and/or exercising more. What differs from person to person is the number of calories your body uses each day.
Ectomorphs are likely to burn quite a few more calories than everyone else just by sitting around. But it's still important for ectomorphs to make healthy food choices and exercise regularly because of the health and fitness benefits these practices provide.
Mesomorphs, thanks to their extra muscle, also have a pretty fast resting metabolic rate (RMR) that also boosts their calorie burning during vigorous activity. For weight loss, mesomorphs should emphasize high-intensity cardio exercise (20-30 minutes, several times a week) in order to use those extra muscles they’ve got to burn some extra calories, and strength training to preserve their muscle mass.
Endomorphs will likely have to work harder to nudge their metabolisms away from fat storage mode and into fat burning mode. Becoming more physically active and more careful about what, when, and how much they eat are keys for weight loss. Endomorphs usually benefit from eating smaller, more frequent meals to minimize the opportunity to store extra calories as fat. Large calorie deficits are usually not necessary or helpful to endomorphs for losing body fat (that will slow down your metabolism and increase muscle loss), so making healthy food choices with moderate calorie restriction, like SparkPeople recommends, is usually the best eating plan.
Endomorphs also benefit from high-intensity cardio and moderate strength training (like mesomorphs) and increases in general lifestyle activity like walking, dancing, gardening and yard work. When you keep your focus on what you can change, you avoid the frustration that comes with unrealistic weight or appearance goals, helping to pave the way for you to achieve your best weight and appearance.
In Part 3 of this series, we’ll look at some of the mental exercises you can use to keep yourself on this track. Article created on: 3/4/2008
-->
By Dean Anderson, Fitness and Behavior Expert
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=1042
You know that you want to lose weight. But how do you pick a goal weight that’s right for you? Do you find a celebrity, or even a friend, whose body you like and try to reach the same weight as him? Do you aim for a previous weight of your own, like what you weighed when you wore that junior prom dress 25 years ago? Unfortunately, neither of these are good ways to set a weight loss goal. Finding your best weight isn't as simple as plugging your height, age, and gender into a formula and getting a number spit back at you.
Your body is unique to you, and so is your ideal weight. Because it involves factors that are both objective (like your health risks) and subjective (like your personal satisfaction with your appearance), your ideal body weight is much more than a number on the scale: it’s more like a state of being.
You’re at your ideal body weight when:
Your weight isn’t causing (or putting you at risk for) any health problems
Your weight doesn't limit you from living the life you want
You can accept your body as it is, without feeling uncomfortably self-conscious
You can enjoy being in your own skin, without worrying too much about how you compare to others (or cultural ideals)
In Part 1 of this series, we looked at several of the methods experts use to determine when your weight puts you at risk of having health problems, and how you can use those methods to set a realistic goal weight for yourself. But let’s face it. Good health isn’t the only reason most of us want to lose weight. We also want to look great. We all live in a social world that tells us “thin is in” and fat is...well, whatever it is, it’s definitely not in. It can be awfully hard to feel good in your own skin if there’s quite a bit more of it than you see on those in the “in crowd.” There’s nothing at all wrong with caring about your appearance or wanting to look as good as you can. This natural desire can play an important role in your motivation to lose weight, and your ability to keep going when the going gets tough.
But it’s also important to keep this desire grounded in your personal reality—not in the images you see in the media, or in someone else’s reality. We each have unique genes that determine our basic shape and size, how low we can go on body fat, how much muscle development and definition we can achieve, and how easy or hard it will be for us to reach and maintain the weight we would like to be.
The more you know about your own biological reality, the easier it is to set realistic goals and expectations when it comes to your body. It will help you avoid making yourself miserable by trying to achieve something that just can’t be done (or isn’t worth the constant struggle). So, let’s take a look at what diet and exercise can change and what it can’t, based on your individual biology.
Body Types Makes a Difference
Genetics play a large role in determining your basic body type and how easy it is for you to gain or lose weight. Here’s an example. In one recent study, researchers overfed a group of people 1,000 extra calories every day for eight weeks and found that there was a huge difference in the amount of weight gained (ranging from 3 to 16 pounds)!
The researchers concluded that the people who gained less weight were able to “waste” the extra calories by fidgeting more and giving off more body heat. The people who gained more weight lacked this capability and simply stored the extra calories. These differences are related to basic differences in body type. Although there are truly almost as many different body types as there are people, scientists have grouped them into three general categories in order to study the relationship between body type, body composition, metabolism and weight. Which one sounds like you?
Ectomorphs are generally tall and thin and have long arms and legs. These people have difficulty gaining weight and muscle no matter how much they eat or how hard they train, because their metabolisms are geared to burn calories rather than convert them into fat or muscle. In some cases, the more the person eats, the more their metabolism speeds up to burn off those calories. They have the body type you tend to see in ballet dancers, runway models, elite long-distance runners, and some basketball players. Although we’re often bombarded with images of bodies like this, only about 5% of the population has this type of body.
Mesomorphs are generally muscular, shorter, and have stocky arms and legs. These people are strong and tend to gain muscle mass easily when they do strength training. They may find it difficult to lose weight, but they may not have that much excess fat even though their weight is higher than average for their height.
Endomorphs are generally shaped like apples (men, especially) or pears (women, especially), and naturally carry more body fat even at their ideal weight. Their bodies may resist losing weight and body fat even when they are restrictive with their eating. In fact, the more they “diet,” the more their metabolisms slow down to resist weight loss. Overweight endomorphs don’t necessarily eat more than their slimmer counterparts—they simply tend to store more calories as fat than ectomorphs and mesomorphs. This is a handy trait to have if you have to contend with famines and food shortages—but not so handy otherwise.
If you don’t think you fit completely into any of these categories, don’t worry. Very few people are pure types—most of us have characteristics of all three types to one degree or another, with one type being more dominant. The important thing to know is that there are many body types, and all of these types are normal—and all of them are basically unchangeable.
Losing weight is not going to change your basic body type or shape—all it can do is reduce the amount of excess fat, and make you smaller overall. It can’t make stocky legs long and lean, and it can’t change where you naturally tend to store your body fat. If your genes program you to store a certain amount of fat between your skin and the muscles underneath, you just aren’t going to see those six-pack abs you’ve got hiding under there, no matter how much weight you lose or how many crunches you do.
If you’re a pear or apple shape now, you still will be after you lose weight—you’ll just be smaller and healthier. These differences in body type can also make formulas for figuring out your ideal weight pretty unreliable. If you compare a classic ectomorph, endomorph, and mesomorph of the same age, gender, and height, you’ll get three very different healthy and normal weights.
Since most of us aren’t pure types, and fall somewhere in between the extremes on all the various dimensions involved, there is no simple way to “adjust” for these differences when trying to estimate an ideal body weight.
Often, you’ll have to wait until your body lets you know you’re at the best weight for you by resisting further weight loss despite your best efforts. But your body type doesn’t doom you to chronic weight problems or obesity, either.
Even if you’re a classic endomorph with a metabolism that seems to snatch calories right out of thin air and deposit them directly on your hips or waist, you can lose fat and achieve a healthy weight. And you can look good too—even if you don’t have the body type that makes it onto the covers of fashion magazines.
What You Can Change
While you'll always have characteristics of a certain body type, you CAN work on changing your body composition (the amount of fat versus the amount of muscle you have). Virtually everybody can lose weight and become more fit. To lose one pound of fat, you need to create a 3,500-calorie deficit—no matter what your body type—by eating less and/or exercising more. What differs from person to person is the number of calories your body uses each day.
Ectomorphs are likely to burn quite a few more calories than everyone else just by sitting around. But it's still important for ectomorphs to make healthy food choices and exercise regularly because of the health and fitness benefits these practices provide.
Mesomorphs, thanks to their extra muscle, also have a pretty fast resting metabolic rate (RMR) that also boosts their calorie burning during vigorous activity. For weight loss, mesomorphs should emphasize high-intensity cardio exercise (20-30 minutes, several times a week) in order to use those extra muscles they’ve got to burn some extra calories, and strength training to preserve their muscle mass.
Endomorphs will likely have to work harder to nudge their metabolisms away from fat storage mode and into fat burning mode. Becoming more physically active and more careful about what, when, and how much they eat are keys for weight loss. Endomorphs usually benefit from eating smaller, more frequent meals to minimize the opportunity to store extra calories as fat. Large calorie deficits are usually not necessary or helpful to endomorphs for losing body fat (that will slow down your metabolism and increase muscle loss), so making healthy food choices with moderate calorie restriction, like SparkPeople recommends, is usually the best eating plan.
Endomorphs also benefit from high-intensity cardio and moderate strength training (like mesomorphs) and increases in general lifestyle activity like walking, dancing, gardening and yard work. When you keep your focus on what you can change, you avoid the frustration that comes with unrealistic weight or appearance goals, helping to pave the way for you to achieve your best weight and appearance.
In Part 3 of this series, we’ll look at some of the mental exercises you can use to keep yourself on this track. Article created on: 3/4/2008
-->
Find Your Perfect Weight - Part 1
Find Your Perfect Weight - Part 1~Setting a Healthy & Achievable Weight Loss Goal
By Dean Anderson, Fitness & Behavior Expert
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=1008
You know that you want to lose weight. But how do you pick a goal weight that’s right for you? Do you find a celebrity, or even a friend, whose body you like and try to reach the same weight as him? Do you aim for a previous weight of your own, like what you weighed when you wore that junior prom dress 25 years ago?
Unfortunately, neither of these are good ways to set a weight loss goal. Finding your best weight isn't as simple as plugging your height, age, and gender into a formula and getting a number spit back at you. Your body is unique to you, and so is your ideal weight. Because it involves factors that are both objective (like your health risks) and subjective (like your personal satisfaction with your appearance), your ideal body weight is much more than a number on the scale: it’s more like a state of being.
You’re at your ideal body weight when:
Your weight isn’t causing (or putting you at risk for) any health problems
Your weight doesn't limit you from living the life you want
You can accept your body as it is, without feeling uncomfortably self-conscious
You can enjoy being in your own skin, without worrying too much about how you compare to others (or cultural ideals)
There are charts and formulas that can help you determine what the number on the scale tells you about your risk for health problems, and give you a general weight range to shoot for to decrease your risk. There are other standards and measures that can help you fine tune this big picture and focus in on optimal fitness and body composition. This article, part 1 in a 3-part series, will look strictly at these kinds of numbers—a great place to start when determining your weight loss goals.
How Body Weight Affects HealthIn the best of all possible worlds, this business of picking a good weight loss goal wouldn’t be a problem. In fact, bathroom scales wouldn’t even exist. If you think about it, what does the number on your scale really have to do with any of the reasons you want to lose weight? Whether you want to look a certain way, be more attractive or popular, manage or avoid health problems, get back into all those smaller clothes you’ve got in your closet, improve your athletic performance, recapture the glories of your youth, or simply feel a little more comfortable in your own body, the number on the scale is not what determines your success or failure. There are much better ways than scale-watching to assess your progress along the way.
The only real reason to even think in terms of a “normal” or “ideal” body weight is because there is a statistical correlation between your weight and your risk of having certain health problems that can lead to premature death or disability. Although your weight may or may not be the cause of these health problems, it’s clear that people who weigh more—or less—than “normal” are more likely to have these problems.
Experts who study these things have come up with several different methods of estimating your health risks based on your weight and size, as well as a set of calculations that are routinely used to determine whether your weight/size is in the normal range or not. Here are three of the most commonly used calculations:
Body Mass Index (BMI) is simply the number you get when you divide your weight (in kilograms) by your height squared (in centimeters). According to years of health research, the further your BMI deviates from the normal range (whether above or below), the higher your risk for obesity-related health problems (such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke, heart disease, and bone/joint disorders).
Similarly, you can calculate your goal weight and see if it fits in with these ranges. If not, then your expectations might be unrealistic. Height/Weight Charts, such as the HANWI formula (below), have been around since the 1950's. BMI has pretty much replaced the older height/weight charts as the most common way to assess health risks related to weight. But variations of these charts are still used today as quick and simple ways to estimate the normal weight range for your height. Here's a simple formula you can use:
Women: Allow 100 pounds for the first 60 inches of height, plus 5 pounds for each additional inch (i.e. 130 pounds for someone that is 66 inches tall). Men: Allow 106 pounds for the first 60 inches of height, plus 6 pounds for each additional inch (i.e. 154 for someone that is 68 inches tall).
The number you get above is the midpoint of the normal range; subtract or add 10% to get the low and high ends (117-143 pounds for the female above, 139-169 pounds for the man).
People of average frame size should weigh close to the midpoint number, while those with large or small frames should be closer to the high or low end of the range. To determine whether you are large, small, or average frame, make a circle around the wrist of your dominant hand at the widest point (over the bones that protrude) with the thumb and middle finger of your opposite hand. If your thumb and finger don’t touch, you are large framed; if they just barely touch, you are medium, and if they overlap you are small framed.
Does your goal weight fit well within these ranges? If not, you might want to adjust it. One potential problem with both the BMI and height/weight tables is that neither formula distinguishes between fat weight and lean tissue (muscle) weight.
BMI, for example, may incorrectly put people with unusually large amounts of muscle weight in the overweight category (even when their level of body fat might be normal), and people with poor muscle tone into the normal category (even when their level of body fat might be excessive).
Another drawback to these formulas is that they don’t take into account where you store your fat. That's where this next formula comes in. Waist-to-Hip Ratio is an important measure to use along with BMI and height/weight charts when considering your weight.
Research shows that where you store body fat may be even more important than how much you have. Fat stored in the abdominal area, especially under the muscle and inside the abdominal cavity, is a lot more dangerous than fat stored in the hips and thighs, for example. One good way to make sure you aren’t overlooking a problem is to calculate your waist-to-hip ratio. Your ideal measurements should also fit into the ranges of a healthy waist-to-hip ratio. Similarly, even if you're at a "healthy" weight now according to your BMI or Height/Weight table, you might want to consider losing some extra weight if your current waist-to-hip ratio is unhealthy.
All the methods above will give you a good starting point for setting a goal weight that is reasonable (and healthy) for your height, gender, and age. However, not everyone will fit well within these ranges, and there’s no guarantee that a normal weight will mean good health everyone (or that being above normal automatically means you’ll have health problems, for that matter). Your state of health depends on other factors as well, including the quality of your diet and your exercise routine.
But if the goal weight or measurements you’re hoping to achieve are very far outside the ranges you get from these methods, that’s a good indication that you may need to think twice about how realistic your goal is.
The next article in this series will examine other factors—besides numbers—that determine what kind of changes you can (and can’t) achieve with diet and exercise, including the roles of your body type and genes. Article created on: 1/22/2008
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By Dean Anderson, Fitness & Behavior Expert
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=1008
You know that you want to lose weight. But how do you pick a goal weight that’s right for you? Do you find a celebrity, or even a friend, whose body you like and try to reach the same weight as him? Do you aim for a previous weight of your own, like what you weighed when you wore that junior prom dress 25 years ago?
Unfortunately, neither of these are good ways to set a weight loss goal. Finding your best weight isn't as simple as plugging your height, age, and gender into a formula and getting a number spit back at you. Your body is unique to you, and so is your ideal weight. Because it involves factors that are both objective (like your health risks) and subjective (like your personal satisfaction with your appearance), your ideal body weight is much more than a number on the scale: it’s more like a state of being.
You’re at your ideal body weight when:
Your weight isn’t causing (or putting you at risk for) any health problems
Your weight doesn't limit you from living the life you want
You can accept your body as it is, without feeling uncomfortably self-conscious
You can enjoy being in your own skin, without worrying too much about how you compare to others (or cultural ideals)
There are charts and formulas that can help you determine what the number on the scale tells you about your risk for health problems, and give you a general weight range to shoot for to decrease your risk. There are other standards and measures that can help you fine tune this big picture and focus in on optimal fitness and body composition. This article, part 1 in a 3-part series, will look strictly at these kinds of numbers—a great place to start when determining your weight loss goals.
How Body Weight Affects HealthIn the best of all possible worlds, this business of picking a good weight loss goal wouldn’t be a problem. In fact, bathroom scales wouldn’t even exist. If you think about it, what does the number on your scale really have to do with any of the reasons you want to lose weight? Whether you want to look a certain way, be more attractive or popular, manage or avoid health problems, get back into all those smaller clothes you’ve got in your closet, improve your athletic performance, recapture the glories of your youth, or simply feel a little more comfortable in your own body, the number on the scale is not what determines your success or failure. There are much better ways than scale-watching to assess your progress along the way.
The only real reason to even think in terms of a “normal” or “ideal” body weight is because there is a statistical correlation between your weight and your risk of having certain health problems that can lead to premature death or disability. Although your weight may or may not be the cause of these health problems, it’s clear that people who weigh more—or less—than “normal” are more likely to have these problems.
Experts who study these things have come up with several different methods of estimating your health risks based on your weight and size, as well as a set of calculations that are routinely used to determine whether your weight/size is in the normal range or not. Here are three of the most commonly used calculations:
Body Mass Index (BMI) is simply the number you get when you divide your weight (in kilograms) by your height squared (in centimeters). According to years of health research, the further your BMI deviates from the normal range (whether above or below), the higher your risk for obesity-related health problems (such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke, heart disease, and bone/joint disorders).
Similarly, you can calculate your goal weight and see if it fits in with these ranges. If not, then your expectations might be unrealistic. Height/Weight Charts, such as the HANWI formula (below), have been around since the 1950's. BMI has pretty much replaced the older height/weight charts as the most common way to assess health risks related to weight. But variations of these charts are still used today as quick and simple ways to estimate the normal weight range for your height. Here's a simple formula you can use:
Women: Allow 100 pounds for the first 60 inches of height, plus 5 pounds for each additional inch (i.e. 130 pounds for someone that is 66 inches tall). Men: Allow 106 pounds for the first 60 inches of height, plus 6 pounds for each additional inch (i.e. 154 for someone that is 68 inches tall).
The number you get above is the midpoint of the normal range; subtract or add 10% to get the low and high ends (117-143 pounds for the female above, 139-169 pounds for the man).
People of average frame size should weigh close to the midpoint number, while those with large or small frames should be closer to the high or low end of the range. To determine whether you are large, small, or average frame, make a circle around the wrist of your dominant hand at the widest point (over the bones that protrude) with the thumb and middle finger of your opposite hand. If your thumb and finger don’t touch, you are large framed; if they just barely touch, you are medium, and if they overlap you are small framed.
Does your goal weight fit well within these ranges? If not, you might want to adjust it. One potential problem with both the BMI and height/weight tables is that neither formula distinguishes between fat weight and lean tissue (muscle) weight.
BMI, for example, may incorrectly put people with unusually large amounts of muscle weight in the overweight category (even when their level of body fat might be normal), and people with poor muscle tone into the normal category (even when their level of body fat might be excessive).
Another drawback to these formulas is that they don’t take into account where you store your fat. That's where this next formula comes in. Waist-to-Hip Ratio is an important measure to use along with BMI and height/weight charts when considering your weight.
Research shows that where you store body fat may be even more important than how much you have. Fat stored in the abdominal area, especially under the muscle and inside the abdominal cavity, is a lot more dangerous than fat stored in the hips and thighs, for example. One good way to make sure you aren’t overlooking a problem is to calculate your waist-to-hip ratio. Your ideal measurements should also fit into the ranges of a healthy waist-to-hip ratio. Similarly, even if you're at a "healthy" weight now according to your BMI or Height/Weight table, you might want to consider losing some extra weight if your current waist-to-hip ratio is unhealthy.
All the methods above will give you a good starting point for setting a goal weight that is reasonable (and healthy) for your height, gender, and age. However, not everyone will fit well within these ranges, and there’s no guarantee that a normal weight will mean good health everyone (or that being above normal automatically means you’ll have health problems, for that matter). Your state of health depends on other factors as well, including the quality of your diet and your exercise routine.
But if the goal weight or measurements you’re hoping to achieve are very far outside the ranges you get from these methods, that’s a good indication that you may need to think twice about how realistic your goal is.
The next article in this series will examine other factors—besides numbers—that determine what kind of changes you can (and can’t) achieve with diet and exercise, including the roles of your body type and genes. Article created on: 1/22/2008
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Lol Cal AND Fast Food?
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=546
Applebee’s
Low-POINT appetizers, desserts and entrees for dieters
Burger King
Chicken baguette sandwiches have just 350 cals and 5g fat.
Chili's
• "Guiltless Grill" selections are lower in fat and list nutritional information right on the menu.
Chipotle
Instead of Chicken Burrito (1179 calories, 47g fat), try a Burrito Bol w/chicken, minus the rice, cheese, and sour cream (369 calories, 12g fat).
Fazoli’s
You make your own pasta bowl, controlling the ingredients you want to include or eliminate.
You can also substitute whole wheat pasta.
Jack in the Box
Chicken Fajita Pita is filling with only 10 grams of fat. Leave the shredded cheese out and make it 3 grams.
Skipping the mayonnaise or mayonnaise-based sauces can skim 100 or more calories and 12 grams of fat. Or use the Low Fat Herb Mayonnaise, with only 4 grams of fat.
Olive Garden
Restaurant encourages you to choose whole wheat linguine with your pasta selection. Whole wheat pasta has three times more fiber and roughly 17% fewer carbohydrates than traditional pasta.
Outback
Order Grilled Shrimp on the Barbie without butter and seasonings and with cocktail or BBQ sauce.
Try Tangy Tomato (fat free), Mustard Vinaigrette, Olive Oil & Red Wine Vinegar dressings.
Order Grillers without butter or glaze during preparation.
Order Outback Lamb without sauce.
Order Chicken on the Barbie without butter. Request BBQ sauce to be used during preparation.
For Botany Fish of the Day and Salmon, order with cocktail sauce or fresh lemon instead of Remoulade Sauce.
For Barbie Chook ‘n Bacon , order prepared without butter or bbq sauce, and without the bacon and cheese.
Panera Bread
The Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad is a seasonal favorite.
Pei Wei
Edemame (2 servings per dish) 156 calories, 8 grams fat
Wonton Soup (cup, multiply by 2 for a bowl) 110 calories, 1.5 grams fat
Hot & Sour Soup (cup, multiply by 2 for a bowl) 150 calories, 9 grams fat
Vietnamese Chicken Salad Rolls (3 servings per dish) 80 calories, 4 grams fat
Pizza Hut
Fit N Delicious Pizza (less cheese, more sauce) as little as 3.5 g fat per slice.
Red Lobster
When ordering a baked potato, try pico de gallo sauce instead of butter and sour cream.
Low fat, low calorie and low carb diners can find options in the Light House Selections menu.
Schlotzky’s
Zesty Albacore Tuna Wrap has only 311 calories and 7g fat.
Chinese Chicken Salad has only 127 calories and 3g fat.
Fresh Fruit Salad has only 123 calories and 1g fat. Sweet Tomatoes
Several vegetarian menu options, including salads, soups, pastas.
Low-fat menu items and fresh fruit desserts are also available.
Taco Bell
Order entrée “fresco style” meaning salsa instead of cheese and sauce, saving about 25% of calories and fat.
Tacone
A host of healthy menu options are available from this restaurant chain, with complete nutritional information available online.
Wendy’s
Grilled chicken without mayo has just 310 calories 8 grams of fat.
Zoe’s Kitchen
Grilled Chicken Pita No.1 (chicken and Zoe's slaw on pita bread) and a side of fresh fruit. Only about 400 calories.
Applebee’s
Low-POINT appetizers, desserts and entrees for dieters
Burger King
Chicken baguette sandwiches have just 350 cals and 5g fat.
Chili's
• "Guiltless Grill" selections are lower in fat and list nutritional information right on the menu.
Chipotle
Instead of Chicken Burrito (1179 calories, 47g fat), try a Burrito Bol w/chicken, minus the rice, cheese, and sour cream (369 calories, 12g fat).
Fazoli’s
You make your own pasta bowl, controlling the ingredients you want to include or eliminate.
You can also substitute whole wheat pasta.
Jack in the Box
Chicken Fajita Pita is filling with only 10 grams of fat. Leave the shredded cheese out and make it 3 grams.
Skipping the mayonnaise or mayonnaise-based sauces can skim 100 or more calories and 12 grams of fat. Or use the Low Fat Herb Mayonnaise, with only 4 grams of fat.
Olive Garden
Restaurant encourages you to choose whole wheat linguine with your pasta selection. Whole wheat pasta has three times more fiber and roughly 17% fewer carbohydrates than traditional pasta.
Outback
Order Grilled Shrimp on the Barbie without butter and seasonings and with cocktail or BBQ sauce.
Try Tangy Tomato (fat free), Mustard Vinaigrette, Olive Oil & Red Wine Vinegar dressings.
Order Grillers without butter or glaze during preparation.
Order Outback Lamb without sauce.
Order Chicken on the Barbie without butter. Request BBQ sauce to be used during preparation.
For Botany Fish of the Day and Salmon, order with cocktail sauce or fresh lemon instead of Remoulade Sauce.
For Barbie Chook ‘n Bacon , order prepared without butter or bbq sauce, and without the bacon and cheese.
Panera Bread
The Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad is a seasonal favorite.
Pei Wei
Edemame (2 servings per dish) 156 calories, 8 grams fat
Wonton Soup (cup, multiply by 2 for a bowl) 110 calories, 1.5 grams fat
Hot & Sour Soup (cup, multiply by 2 for a bowl) 150 calories, 9 grams fat
Vietnamese Chicken Salad Rolls (3 servings per dish) 80 calories, 4 grams fat
Pizza Hut
Fit N Delicious Pizza (less cheese, more sauce) as little as 3.5 g fat per slice.
Red Lobster
When ordering a baked potato, try pico de gallo sauce instead of butter and sour cream.
Low fat, low calorie and low carb diners can find options in the Light House Selections menu.
Schlotzky’s
Zesty Albacore Tuna Wrap has only 311 calories and 7g fat.
Chinese Chicken Salad has only 127 calories and 3g fat.
Fresh Fruit Salad has only 123 calories and 1g fat. Sweet Tomatoes
Several vegetarian menu options, including salads, soups, pastas.
Low-fat menu items and fresh fruit desserts are also available.
Taco Bell
Order entrée “fresco style” meaning salsa instead of cheese and sauce, saving about 25% of calories and fat.
Tacone
A host of healthy menu options are available from this restaurant chain, with complete nutritional information available online.
Wendy’s
Grilled chicken without mayo has just 310 calories 8 grams of fat.
Zoe’s Kitchen
Grilled Chicken Pita No.1 (chicken and Zoe's slaw on pita bread) and a side of fresh fruit. Only about 400 calories.
Coach Nicole's Mini Vegetable Frittatas
Coach Nicole's Mini Vegetable Frittatas
Make this ahead of time and then refrigerate for a quick, protein-packed breakfast that's also portion-controlled. Top with salsa (optional) and serve with toast for a complete meal. You can swap red peppers for tomatoes, feta for the goat cheese and spinach for the broccoli. You really can't go wrong!
Ingredients:
5 eggs2 T low-fat milk
1 c diced tomato
2 oz goat cheese, crumbled
2 c chopped broccoli, fresh (or frozen and thawed)
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Mix eggs and milk in a bowl. Add crumbled goat cheese and chopped vegetables. Season with salt and pepper.
Spoon mixture into muffin tins coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until "set" and golden on top.
You can refrigerate and reheat these in the microwave for a quick meal or snack. Microwave on high for approximately 30 seconds. Serve warm.
Makes 9 "mini" frittatas.
Nutrition: (for one frittata)
Calories: 71.3
Total Fat: 4.0 g
Cholesterol: 107.0 mg
Sodium: 88.6 mg
Total Carbs: 3.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.4 g
Protein: 5.3 g
Friday, June 19, 2009
Yum
Photo: Kate Sears
Now pull out your prettiest bowl and silverware add candles and flowers and indulge!
Now pull out your prettiest bowl and silverware add candles and flowers and indulge!Caramelized Nectarine Melbas Recipe
Nutrition Facts
Yield 4 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 342
Total Fat NA
Saturated Fat NA
Cholesterol NA
Sodium 1mg
Total Carbohydrates 87g
Dietary Fiber 5g
Protein 1g
INGREDIENTS
1 (10-oz) package frozen red raspberries in syrup, thawed
1 (10-oz) package frozen red raspberries in syrup, thawed
1⁄4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp water
2 ripe nectarines, halved and pitted
1 pt peach sorbet
1⁄2 pt raspberry sorbet
Garnish: fresh raspberries
PREPARATION
1. Purée raspberries in syrup in blender. Scrape through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to discard seeds; set aside.
1. Purée raspberries in syrup in blender. Scrape through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to discard seeds; set aside.
2. Combine sugar and water in small nonstick skillet and place over medium-high heat. When sugar is dissolved and it starts to boil, add nectarines, cut side down. Continue to boil sugar mixture until it starts to caramelize and turn a deep golden brown, about 6 minutes, swirling pan occasionally. Remove from heat; carefully turn nectarines over and spoon caramel from skillet over cut sides.
3. To serve: Place a scoop of peach sorbet into each of 4 dessert bowls; nestle a nectarine, cut side up, on top of sorbet. Place a mini-scoop of raspberry sorbet in pit cavity of each nectarine.
Drizzle with raspberry sauce and fresh raspberries if desired.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
A 'Nutta Peanut butter
Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
Serves: 2
Sweet and creamy, peanut butter does not have to be with jelly.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup low-fat plain or vanilla yogurt
1 medium banana, quartered
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1-1/2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup ice cubes
1/2 cup non-fat milk
DIRECTIONS
1. Purée all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
NUTRITION INFO (per serving)
Calories: 229.9
Fat: 9.4 g
Carbohydrates: 30.3 g
Protein: 9.7 g
Serves: 2
Sweet and creamy, peanut butter does not have to be with jelly.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup low-fat plain or vanilla yogurt
1 medium banana, quartered
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1-1/2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup ice cubes
1/2 cup non-fat milk
DIRECTIONS
1. Purée all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
NUTRITION INFO (per serving)
Calories: 229.9
Fat: 9.4 g
Carbohydrates: 30.3 g
Protein: 9.7 g
Am I Nuts?
Check out the flax seeds in the almond butter!
Almond Butter slightly pricier at $8.99 but health benefits far outweigh...
Peanut Butter $3.99 at WalMart
I could not believe it at 1st, but I am going to try some my next shopping day!
We Ate It: Peanut and Almond Butters Fortified with Flax
By Stepfanie Romini
By Stepfanie Romini
Coach Nicole interviewed her friend Kelly, who participated in a figure competition? During her brutal training, she ate a very restrictive diet. One of the few foods she really loved was fancy almond and peanut butter made with flaxseed. She shared some with Nicole, who LOVES peanut butter. It was such a unique product that we assumed it would be really pricey and only available at specialty stores.
Au contraire, Kelly told us. She buys hers at Wal-Mart for less than $4! And so we reached out to the folks at Naturally More. They sent us samples of the peanut butter, almond butter--and organic peanut butter! What they say: "Naturally More easily differentiates itself from other natural peanut butters with the added benefits of Omega-3, fewer calories than other peanut butter competitors, 25% more protein, and 50% more fiber than regular brands currently on the market."
What we say:
The nut butters have fewer calories and more fiber than traditional nut butters because of the addition of dehydrated cane juice, wheat germ, flax seed and egg whites.
The nut butters have fewer calories and more fiber than traditional nut butters because of the addition of dehydrated cane juice, wheat germ, flax seed and egg whites.
These are thicker and slightly sweeter than normal nut butters. Sometimes, natural nut butters are bland on their own. These are not! They're really tasty on their own.
I tried the peanut butter and I really like it. I really like the addition of the flax seed. I would think about buying this just for the better taste, not just the health benefits.
The almond butter is DELICIOUS, like a treat. It seems richer than almond butters I have had before. It is pretty grainy, which I like, but people new to natural butters may find it too grainy.
We LOVED these nut butters. While I usually prefer pure nut butters--ground nuts, nothing more--and generally choose whole foods over functional foods, these are excellent. I like that they have some fiber and substance to them. The nut butter is gritty in a good way--hard to explain, but trust me.
I ate this almond butter with cinnamon chips from Food Should Taste Good. Oh, wow! It's a great snack. More often these days, I eat it with an apple sprinkled in cinnamon.
We found it at Wal-Mart. It's also available by the case at Naturally More's website. (You can also find other retailers at the company's website.) Have you tried Naturally More nut butters? Will you? How do you usually eat PB (peanut butter) and AB (almond butter)?
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