Monday, December 16, 2013

Fruits and Vegetables - To Buy Organic or Not to Buy Organic?

Sometimes it's just not in the budget to buy "all" organic. 

These two lists will help you with what fruit and vegetables you should always buy organic and what is OK to skip when you just can't fit it in your budget.


The Dirty Dozen aka the twelve most contaminated fruits and vegetables.


The Clean Fifteen aka the fifteen least contaminated fruits and vegetables.



Thursday, December 5, 2013

The Holiday Season: Parties, Weigh In, and Workouts

Tops (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) Weigh in #3 and #4


On the 25th I was down one pound. At that meeting everyone was welcome to share their Tops journey. Very emotional with lots of laughs and tears. Some of these ladies have been with Tops/Kops since their teens. I wish I could share some of the stories but they are not mine to tell. Since I'm new to the group I didn't have a story to tell. Next year...

This past Monday I had gained 1.5. I went to Napa to spend Thanksgiving with my family and for three days and nights we ate and drank. It was worth every pound. ;) I'm sure if I had exercised at all this past week I wouldn't have gained anything. But I didn't so I did. Lesson learned.


This month is going to be a tough one. As of now, I have a work party tonight, two parties on Saturday, a dinner party on Sunday, another work party on Wednesday, and Thursday, then two more parties Saturday. Then the following week my husbands work party. Then I'll have a couple days off to get ready for my families arrival. I better step up my workout.

Every year I hear the tip "fill up first" regarding holiday parties. The "experts" say to fill up on healthy snacks before attending a party. I say one of the enjoyments of going to a party is the food and drinks being served. This is my (Bethenny's) tip to you... Taste everything, eat nothing.



Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Tops (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) Weigh in #2

Down another 5.25 pounds for a total of 10 pounds. I missed last Mondays weigh in due to the lovely root canal I got instead.

At this meeting we did a mock Thanksgiving dinner to figure out how many calories we end up eating with the choices we make. By being aware of what we put on our plates it helps make smarter choices. Taste everything, eat nothing that's what I'll be doing. And then a few hours later I'll do it again. ;)

Photo

Free Paleo Beginners Cookbook [Kindle Edition] - Today Only


FREE: Today 11/19/2013
Paleo Beginners Cookbook - Paleo Diet Solutions & Recipes 
Paleo Diet Solutions and Recipes by Ned Campbell

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

The Elimination Diet: Could a Healthy Food be Making you Fat?

The Elimination Diet is like the The Plan Diet. Find out what you need to eliminate from your diet and then all is well in your world. ;)

Dr. Oz offers this quick guide to help you get started.

http://s.doctoroz.com/sites/default/files/dm_uploads/EliminationDiet.pdf

Supercharged Hormone - Melt Your Fat Away

OK!

The Book: The Supercharged Hormone Diet: A 30-Day Accelerated Plan to Lose Weight, Restore Metabolism and Feel Younger Longer by Dr. Natasha Turner ND (available for pre-order in the US.)

In the meantime I'll check out Dr. Turner's book The Hormone Diet: A 3-Step Program to Help You Lose Weight, Gain Strength, and Live Younger Longer. 

Photo: The Hormone Diet Facebook
Notes from Dr. OZ 11/11/13 

Supercharged Detox Water

1/2 Organic Lemon
1 inch piece of Ginger
pinch of Cayenne Pepper
4 cups of Water

Drink 8 cups a day.

The lemon stimulates your liver, which is your fat burning organ. The ginger and cayenne stimulate your metabolism and control your cravings. 

Along with the Super Charge Detox Water eat 35 grams of fiber a day. This will helps with digestion and keep you full longer. 

Cut out processed foods high in carbs and sugar. These foods wreak havoc on hormones and promote the storage of belly fat.

Supplements
Tummy Fat: Holy Basil - Two gel caps a day in the morning and your hormones will be in check all day.
Butt Fat: Indole-3-Carbinol - helps your liver break down the bad estrogen to the good.  200 mg twice a day. 
Always consult your doctor before starting a new supplement.

Dr. Turner's top picks for hormone foods to help melt fat.

Whey Protein Isolate: Add a scoop and a half to a smoothie every morning. WPI acts as an appetite suppressant. As well as it also help control blood sugar and enhance muscle mass and weight loss.


Pomegranate: Helps press down the effects of estrogen. Pomegranate contains anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory factors. Half a cup of pomegranate seeds a day.

Buckwheat: Great substitute for people that are sensitive to gluten. Buckwheat helps control blood sugar and insulin levels.

Red Wine: Dry red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah. These two red wines contain high levels of flavonoids that help with digestion if consumed with or after a meal. 2-3 glasses a week.

Roasted Soy Nuts: A handful a day help increase metabolism and manage fat cell deposition. 


For more information visit Dr. Natasha Turner ND website.
What's your hormone type? Quiz



Friday, November 8, 2013

Yacon Syrup a Sweetener that Aids in Weight Loss says Dr.Oz


Yacon Syrup is the newest wonder food/product Dr. Oz has shared with us. A sweetener that aids in weight loss. This sounds a little to good to be true. I guess I will have to find out for myself. I think it's worth a try. Not so much as a weigh loss aid but as an alternative to other sweeteners. So the search begins to find this super sweetener. I found several online, now which one? Oh and it's not cheap. Let's hope a little goes along way.

The Dr. Oz show conducted "The Yacon Project" to see if Yacon Syrup lives up to the hype.

Photo: Wikipedia







Tuesday, November 5, 2013

First Weigh In with Tops


My first weigh in was last night and I had lost 4.75 lbs. I was surprised because I had not exercised at all and on Wednesday (Halloween.) I had three glasses of wine and I know I ate more than I should have. I was pretty good all the other days so I knew I would lose a pound or two but almost five I was not expecting.

At my Tops chapter they have different incentives and to weigh in you have to pay a quarter. Then the person or persons that lose the most gets the pot. Also you have to bring in two healthy snacks and each one gets put into a basket. The person to lose the most gets one of the baskets full of healthy snacks. Last night I got one of the baskets and I also got half the weigh in money. I also won a couple other cash prizes but to be honest there are so many different incentives I don't even know what they all were for.

Today I started getting my fitness on. I started slow with walking 1.5 miles this morning. I'll do some hand weight exercises this afternoon. By next week I'll double the miles and add some other fun actives to get more exercise in.


Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Tops (Take Off Pounds Sensibly)

Last night I became a member of Tops (Take Off Pounds Sensibly.) I've been looking for something that is motivating and would hold me accountable. I have already tried the whole buddy system with family and friends with no luck. You need to want to be motivated and want to be held accountable. They just weren't so they weren't giving it back.

 I thought about joining weight watchers for the weekly meetings. I also thought a personal trainer may be the right person to motivate and hold me accountable. I was searching the web for other local programs when I came across Tops. This was just what I was looking for. Tops has the weekly meetings (accountability), weekly weigh ins, with small rewards (motivation), education (knowledge is power is always motivating), and the right price (28.00 to join, plus 3.00 a month.)



For $17.00 I purchased the book Real Life: The Hands-on Pounds-off Guide. Not required but I'm the kind of person that wants all the resources available.





Such a great group and I'm so happy I found Tops and that I joined.


About TOPS weight-loss support!

No quick fixes. No fad diets. 
No pills or magic potions.

No outrageous monthly fees.


TOPS Club, Inc. is the original, nonprofit, weight-loss support and wellness education organization. Our program is scientifically proven and has helped millions over the last 60+ years. TOPS promotes successful, affordable weight management with "a hands-on pounds-off approach to weight loss®" that combines:
  1. healthy eating
  2. regular physical activity
  3. wellness information
  4. awards and recognition
  5. support from others at weekly chapter meetings
Weekly meetings provide a supportive, educational environment where people are encouraged and not judged. If face-to-face meetings aren’t your style or if you can’t find a meeting that fits your schedule, you can be an online member and still take advantage of our experts’ tips and our many print and online materials. Plus, you can choose to join a chapter at any time in the future or change chapters.

With thousands of chapters across the U.S. and Canada, each meeting is a little different, so you might want to visit a few meetings in your area to find the one that’s best for you.

The first visit to any chapter is free.

  1. Each meeting starts with a private Weigh-In, so you can stay accountable to the goals you’ve set for yourself.
  2. That’s often followed by Roll Call, which is a chance for members to share challenges, successes, or goals if they wish to.
  3. Many chapters hand out Awards each week or month and participate in the TOPS International Recognition program.
  4. TOPS experts on nutrition, fitness, and motivation share their best tips to Take Off Pounds Sensibly® in our brief, interactiveChapter Programs, presented by volunteer Leaders.
  5. The meeting closes with a Thought for the Week or other inspirational activity.
Visit Tops.org for more information.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Celebrity Diet and Fitness Secrets


Kim Cattrall
"As I get older, I find that cardio is less important to me. What I want to do more of is intense stretching." 

Kim's newest workout addiction is "Fizzy Yoga", a hybrid of yoga and physiotherapy that incorporates meditative breathing, physio adjustments and yoga poses.
(Via: Glamour)

Maria Menounos
"My Secret is to always be moving." 

Maria walks 10,000 steps daily.
(Via: Examiner)

Rihanna
'It's all about trying to eat healthy and be in the gym to feel better. If you look at it that way, and not like you're trying to lose weight, then it's more successful.' 

Rihanna's diet includes veggies, egg whites, and fruit as snacks, plus she drinks loads of water. No Carbs for her.
(Via: Marie Claire)

Gwen Stefani
“I’d like to have no rules and eat what I want." 

So Gwen can eat what she wants, she works out five days a week.
(Via: Glamour)

Sharon Stone
"I don't have a regular routine. When I notice things aren't quite where I want them to be, I step it up. You park further from the door, you take the stairs instead of the elevator."

Sharon follows a low-sugar diet of lean proteins, fruits, and whole grains. She avoids caffeine and too much alcohol. But she does splurge every once in a while.
(Via: Shape)

Ginnifer Godwin
"My mom always taught me to listen to my body." 

Ginnifer has been on Weight Watchers since she was 9 years old.

Kate Hudson
"It's important to be conscious of your health and not indulge too much in the things that are bad for you."

Kate stays active and she love of pilates. Kate enjoys a smart eating plan that includes a lot of sushi, and organic food wherever possible.
(Via: Fit Sugar)

Blake Lively
"I am terrible, I don't do any exercise.” 

Blake eats quinoa for a week when she's feeling she's gained some weight.

Rebecca Romijn
"I don't drink wine during the week - just on the weekends."

Cameron Diaz
“I’m very thoughtful about what I eat." 

Cameron lifts weights and stay clear of fried food.
(Via: Daily Mail)

Jennifer Lopez
“I work out because I have to.” 

Jennifer is a fan of Dukan diet and the Tracy Anderson dance fitness method.

Saturday, September 14, 2013

What I've Learned from Skinny Girl Bethenny Frankel





  • Your Diet is a Bank Account - Balance your food choices just like you balance your spending and savings (bank account). Bethenny says "don’t eat too much of any one thing, balance starches with protein, vegetables and fruits with sweets, and always balance a splurge with a save."


  • You can have it all, just not all at once. So no more fries with my cheeseburger. Or no more cheeseburger with my fries. ;) Side salad it is.


  • Mangia Poco Ma Bene - Eat little but good (well). Quality versus quantity.


  • Spoil your appetite. Bethenny says "if you are ravenous, you’re going to have a hard time just tasting something great. But if you have spoiled your appetite? No problem." So true.


  • Take a  seat, slow down, pause between bites, and make food special.


  • Downsizing is not deprivation.


  • Check yourself before you wreck yourself. NEVER BINGE. Make peace with food.


  • Know thyself: Know your own hunger, know your own food triggers.


  • Exercise, sleep, participate (in your life), and loving yourself are all good for me.


  • Trust my food voice, not my food noise. Bethenny says "Your food voice is a deep inner wisdom that tells you when you are hungry, and what you really want to eat. Your food noise is that obsessive voice that tells us we can’t eat this, we must never eat that, we can’t can’t possibly touch even a bite of something else. Then it turns on us and commands us to eat everything in sight because we feel deprived or stressed out and we “deserve” to eat. But then it makes us feel guilty about what we did, and subsequently tells us we don’t deserve anything good again. Or it tells us how good and virtuous we are when we don’t eat."


  • If I’m going to drink with my meal I should eat protein. The protein will balance the sugar in the alcohol, and the food will stay with me longer. Keep it light and clean.


  • Learn to love vegetables. Seasonal will always taste better. Your local farmers market is the best place to find them.

These are a few of my favorite take aways from Naturally Thin by Bethenny Frankel.


Thursday, August 15, 2013

12 Week Biggest Loser Challenge - Effective Planning and Goal Setting


On Sunday a few of my family and friends are starting a "12 Week Biggest Loser Challenge".  One thing I've learned is planning ahead works and that is what I've been doing the last few days. I started with Charles Platkin's "effective planning and goal setting" outline. 

1. Specific: Plan it out.

How - Calories intake: 1200 - 1550 a day. Eating clean. Plan my meals ahead of time. Keep fresh fruits and vegetables available at all times for snacking. 

Exercise: Walk 2 miles (+) every day. Every other day either go to the gym, or do the 30 Day Shred


I've got my Fitbit to help track my miles and I'll be using Sparkpeople.com and Sparkpeople app to track my calorie intake and exercise (calorie burn). My Fitbit is also linked to my Sparkpeople account. I need to burn at least 770 calories per week. Sparkpeople helped me figure that out.

When - Eat within an hour of waking and stop eating three hours before bed. I like to get my exercise out of the way (or I tend to not get around to it) so I'll be going to the gym or doing the 30 Day Shred in the morning. The walking I'll do either in the morning or in the afternoon or both. 

Where - Where ever I'm at. No Excuses. 

Why - I'm tired of carrying around the extra weight. I'm tired of not ever having anything (cute) to wear. Most important, I'd like to get healthy and be around for my family. 

2. Motivating: My why for sure and the 12 week BL challenge. We will keep each other motivated.

3. Achievable: Very achievable. 

4. Rewarding: See my why above. The 12 week BL challenge does have a cash reward but losing the weight is reward enough for me.

5. Tactical: See my how above.

6. Evaluated: With my Sparkpeople account I'll be able to evaluate if it's working or not.

7. Revisable: Yes and if needed I will revise and not give up.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Pick a Diet Any Diet or Fitness Program - The Perfect Plan Just For You

Image courtesy of Marin / freedigitalphotos.net


Diet is a tricky word. I'm not a fan of the word dieting, but diet on the other hand is OK to me. If you think about it, everyone is on a diet. The dictionary calls it our habitual nourishment. The problem is that most peoples diets aren't that nourishing. The goal is to turn your diet into a healthy one that nourishes your body and helps you lose weight or keeps you at your ideal weight. 

A great book that I recommend is The Four Day Win - End Your Diet War and Achieve Thinner Peace by Martha Beck, PhD. The Four Day Plan is a science-based thought and behavior strategies that will enable you to stay on a healthy eating program forever

I also recommend The Plan by Lyn-Genet Recitas. The Plan gives readers a ground breaking 20-day program designed to help them unlock the mystery behind what works for their individual body. I've learned so much about what I should not eat. It's not easy and I didn't follow it to a tee. 

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / freedigitalphotos.net

Fitbie has several 2 weeks jumpstart/challenges to get you started on a diet plan and/or fitness program. This is a great way to find a plan that works for you. 

Abs Diet For Women - Sculpt Flatter Abs in Just 2 Weeks!

The Abs Diet for Women Jumpstart is a simple, sacrifice-free plan that helps you lose weight and shape the healthier, hotter body you’ve always wanted. The plan’s fat-blasting meals and toning workouts will help you trim away belly fat for good.
  • Expert-approved meals and workouts will turn your body into a lean, fat-burning machine.
  • 12 Abs Diet Powerfoods fuel metabolism and help you slim and tone your figure faster. You’ll eat them at every meal.
  • Exercise anywhere! The pounds-melting workouts can be done at home or the gym.

400 Calorie Fix - Lose Up to 11 Pounds in 14 Days!

Eat what you love and still shed pounds to get the body you’ve always wanted. Our diet plan teaches you to limit your meals to about 400 calories with simple portion control tricks. It’s the world’s easiest weight loss plan.
  • A 2-week jumpstart program helps you drop pounds quickly and easily.
  • The structured plan is built around tasty 400-calorie meals to keep hunger at bay.
  • Healthy fast food options and recipes fit into the busiest schedule.

Diabetes Dtour Diet - Eat to Beat Diabetes!

Whether you have diabetes or just want to look and feel better, the Diabetes DTOUR Diet Plan delivers a one-two punch: weight loss and blood sugar control. Stop fretting over calories and carbs and start picking the right foods in the right portions. It’s that easy.
  • A 2-week diet plan helps you drop up to 13 pounds right away.
  • A flexible meal plan built around the Fat-Fighting 4 allows you to indulge in your favorite foods like spaghetti and ice cream.
  • 5 meals and snacks a day keep you full and your blood sugar stable.

Eat This, Not That! - Eat What You Love and Lose 10, 20, 30 Pounds—or More!

Don’t let sneaky calories add extra pounds to your waistline. Making a few easy swaps every day will help you save thousands of calories and lose more weight—without going on a diet. You can build the lean body you want and still enjoy burgers, pizza, ice cream, and more!
  • Eat 5 or 6 times a day. Curb hunger all day with calorie-controlled meals and snacks.
  • No need to cook! Learn to find the healthiest foods at any restaurant or supermarket.
  • Satisfy your cravings—no foods are off-limits with this Eat This, Not That!

Flat Belly Diet - Flatten Your Belly with Food!

Try the cutting-edge plan that has helped thousands of women conquer belly fat! The secret? Delicious foods packed with monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) that keep you satisfied as you peel off pounds.
  • The five major MUFA groups are: (1) oils, (2) nuts and seeds, (3) avocado, (4) olives, and (5) chocolate.
  • Eat one serving of any MUFA at every meal to help control calorie intake and lose belly fat.
  • No exercise required! This plan helps you lose weight by eating the foods you love.

Look Better Naked - Sculpt a Look-at-Me Body in 2 Weeks

Boost your in-the-buff confidence and sculpt your best body ever. Our simple plan helps you torch fat and build tight, toned muscles, so you’ll look and feel amazing—with or without your clothes on.
  • An innovative strength-training regimen targets and tones trouble zones.
  • An intense interval workout boosts metabolism for supercharged weight loss.
  • A healthfully indulgent meal plan lets you eat your favorite foods and still lose weight.
  • Built-in “off” days help you stay on track.

Personal Trainer For Women - Get an Amazing Body in Less Time!

Don’t work out harder, work out smarter: The Women’s Health Personal Trainer Plan combines the genius of interval cardio with full-body strength training to keep your body burning calories longer.
  • Exercise for a total of 3 hours per week to get your fittest body ever in fewer steps than you ever imagined.
  • 10 strength-training moves help you build lean, toned muscles, especially on your backside.
  • An interval-sprint cardio workout helps you slim down and banish belly fat.

Slim, Calm, Sexy - Calm Your Mind and Get a Sexy Body with Yoga

Transform your body, clear your head, and feel stronger and sexier than ever with the Slim, Calm, Sexy plan. These simple yoga workouts will help you manage stress, elevate your mood, and firm your figure in just 2 weeks.
  • Do the Fat-Burning Yoga Workout 4 days a week to slim down and build a lean body.
  • Boost calorie burn with a 5-minute Metabolism-Revving Kickoff 3 mornings a week.
  • Wind down with a Relaxing Yoga Sequence once a week. Do it more often if you really need to mellow out!

Walk Off Weight - Trim Your Belly, Butt, and Back Fat—Fast!

You can lose weight just by walking! The secret is a mix of steady-paced walks, fat-blasting intervals, and strength training that will melt away fat and send your metabolism soaring.
  • Lose up to 3 times the weight with a mix of cardio and body-toning strength-training workouts.
  • Maximize fat loss with interval walks that challenge your body with bursts of high intensity and bouts of recovery.
  • Eat what you want! This exercise-only plan helps you spur weight loss without a strict diet.

5-K Jumpstart - The Perfect Race for Beginners

If you’re new to running, signing up for a race is the perfect way to kick off your routine and boost motivation. This 2-week Runner’s World 5-K Training Jumpstart will help get you build your base to prepare for a full-length training plan.
  • Train 3 days a week. Running just a few times a week will get you where you need to be.
  • Go at your own pace. The emphasis in this plan is distance, not speed, so you don’t have to worry about your finish time.

Half-Marathon Jumpstart - Get in Half-Marathon Shape

Challenge yourself mentally and physically with this popular distance race. The 2-week Runner's World Half-Marathon Jumpstart will help you build your base before you embark on a complete 10-week training regimen.
  • Run 3 to 4 days a week. Add cross training to your regimen twice a week to build endurance and prevent burnout.
  • Build up strength and endurance with a mix of moderate and easy runs.

Bicycling Weight Loss Kick-Start - Blaze the Trail to a Better Body

Ready to turn flab into muscle and have fun while doing it? The Bicycling Weight Loss Kick-Start is designed to increase the number of calories burned after your wheels stop spinning, so you will maximize fat loss on every ride.
  • Four original cycling workouts challenge your body all week long—it’s like having a personal coach!
  • Ride 3 days a week. Mix in optional easy rides on days off to improve results.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Fooducate - Best "Food and Diet" App on the Block



Fooducate - Diet Tracker & Healthy Food Nutrition Scanner

By Fooducate, Ltd.


Description

GET FOODUCATED!
Lose weight, eat REAL food, and track your progress. Fooducate grades your food, explains what's really inside each product, and offers healthier alternatives. We've got the largest database of UPC-based nutrition information - over 200,000 unique products and growing.
• Premium version of Fooducate - Best of the iPhone Health & Fitness category - Apple App Store
• 1st prize - US Surgeon General Healthy App Challenge
• Featured in Oprah, USAToday, NYTimes, WSJ, and on ABC, FOX, NBC and more...
• Recommended by dietitians, physicians, fitness gurus, and your friends

FOODUCATE HELPS YOU EAT HEALTHY
+ Track your diet, calorie quality, and exercise
+ Automatically scan a product barcode, search for products, or browse by categories
+ See a food's nutrition grade (A, B, C, or D)
+ Learn about a product's pros and cons
+ Choose healthier alternatives
+ Add your own foods to track
+ Share your feedback with the community
+ Create a healthy shopping list
+ Submit new products for analysis

FOODUCATE TEACHES YOU
Fooducate analyzes information found in a product nutrition panels and ingredient lists. You'll discover things manufacturers don't want you to notice, such as
- excessive sugar
- tricky trans fats
- high fructose corn syrup
- controversial food colorings
- GMO - genetical modified organisms (premium versions only)
- additives and preservatives
- artificial sweeteners
- and more...

Just pick up a product from the shelf, scan it, and let Fooducate do the rest. 



Photo Credit: blog.fooducate.com

Friday, March 1, 2013

Bye Bye Sourdough - For Now

Notes from The My Plan: This morning when I stepped on the scale...

The good news is I didn't gain any weight. The bad news is I didn't lose any. The worst news, I tested sourdough bread yesterday. Sourdough is one of my favorites (I am from San Francisco after all). :(

I've been on such a good non-reactive streak. Why my sourdough? I shouldn't complain. I'm so grateful  for all the other foods that I've tested NR. When I read about other people that are reactive to so many of their favorite foods as well as staple foods, I feel so bad for them. How can I complain?



Thursday, February 21, 2013

Up and Then I'm Down - But Its a Good Thing

Notes from The My Plan:

First thing I did when I woke up was weigh myself. I was up .2. :( At first I thought it might have been the bread I ate yesterday. Silly me, thought it was wheat white bread (which I had tested non reactive) but it turns out it was whole grain white bread. But then I remembered I didn't go to the bathroom yesterday. Can you say constipated? So I'm wondering if that's the reason I'm up .2.? 

Before drinking my lemon water and dandelion tea I took a hot Epsom salt bath. Then after I went to the bathroom (I know tmi, but I need to journal everything). I weighed myself and I'm down .6 pounds. AWESOME!! I'm down and I tested another food that is non-reactive.

I would never have even thought about all of this before. I love how I'm getting to know how food and my body play together. Thank you Lyn-Genet for the "The Plan" and all your knowledge. I love reading her facebook and forum posts, Lyn-Genet and her staff are always feeding my brain, while I'm learning to feed my body with the right foods that work for me. 

For breakfast I had a Blueberry Pear Smoothie (I just love these).

1/2 cup frozen Blueberries
1/2 Pear, chopped
1/2 cup Silk Coconut Milk
1 1/2 tbsp Chia Seeds
A dash or two of Cinnamon and/or Nutmeg (I use both).

Blend until fully blended.

For lunch I had a avocado and goat cheese sandwich with sunflower seeds and mixed lettuce. This was so good.



1/4 avocado
.5 oz (about 2 Tbsp) crumbled goat cheese
sunflower seeds
lettuce
2 slices of bread (I used white whole grain)

I went to a friends going-away happy hour and ate french fries (the only thing on the menu I could eat besides salad. I was not going to pay $13 for lettuce). I had tested fries before so I went for it. On the bad side, the fries were very salty. :( On the good side I also had 3 glasses of red wine. :) When I got home I was planning on eating some leftover zucchini but ended up just going to bed.

I woke up this morning with very puffy eyes and up .6 lbs. Thanks salt!

Today I'll take a break from testing and the only salt I'll be using is the Epsom salt in my bath.