The PCOS Diet Cookbook

I've been looking for a diet cookbook that would be good for Becca's PCOS. I found it! It's called The PCOS Diet Cookbook by Nadir R. Farid and Norene Gilletz.

This book is filled with over 300 recipes and variations for women with PCOS and ones that need to follow a low glycemic index diet. It includes introductory chapters about PCOS and shopping and meal planning.

If you have PCOS, it would definitely be a great addition to your kitchen! Check it out!

Ramp It Up!

I took my exercising to the next level in Slim in 6 by doing the Ramp It Up section! It's 50 minutes long instead of only 25, so it's twice as long. Wow, did it seem long! lol!

It starts out with the exact same exercise as Start It Up, but a bit faster, which I like a lot. Then it goes into some new exercises and then down on the floor with a bit longer floor exercise. It ends with a few yoga moves. I truly felt like I got a great workout this morning and I'm very anxious to do it again tomorrow morning.

My weight this morning was 142.4. My goal for August is to lose those last 7 pounds. I plan to exercise every weekday morning and at least once on weekends.

Day Six!

I've made it 6 days doing the Slim in 6 Start It Up dvd! I feel much better than I did earlier in the week! lol!

Tomorrow, I'll take it up a notch and do the next level which is 50 minutes.... wish me luck! lol!

Something for the BBQ

Here is a great article about BBQ'ing from caloriesperhour.com that I wanted to share.

Thinking of cooking hot dogs, hamburgers and brats on the grill this summer? These foods all add lots of fat and calories to your meal, so you'd do well to think about venturing out a bit and grilling up some lower fat options.

There are plenty of other choices that are great for your taste buds as well as your waistline. Freshen things up a bit by grilling a variety of fruits, vegetables and lean meats.

Cooking vegetables right on the grill adds a wonderful flavor. Baste firm vegetables like peppers, corn, eggplant and mushrooms with balsamic vinegar. Then season them with herbs and place them on a hot grill until they are tender and brown, usually about 10 to 15 minutes.

Place harder root vegetables like carrots and rutabagas in heavy-duty foil and sprinkle them with a little water and seasoning. Then wrap the foil closed and place the bundle on the grill until the vegetables are tender.

Marinate lean meats, including poultry and fish, before grilling. A simple oil and vinegar dressing in a zip-top plastic bag works well and makes for quick cleanup. Brush on light, oil-based sauces during grilling, but baste with sauces containing sugars (fruit puree, honey, preserves) toward the end of the cooking so they don't burn.

Kabobs made from fruit are a delicious ending to any meal. Place them right on the grill, over low heat, until the fruit is hot and slightly golden.

To learn more about selecting and barbecuing lean meats, see Fire Up the BBQ and Make It Lean:

http://www.caloriesperhour.com/news_060510.html

To learn more about fun and healthy alternatives to meat, see Barbecuing Fruits and Vegetables:

http://www.caloriesperhour.com/news_060809.html

Treat yourself to something new from the BBQ this summer!

Day Four!

Yes, I've made it four days with the Slim in 6! I'm not doing too bad today, but boy was I sore yesterday! I could barely walk... Mostly it was my butt and thighs. There are a lot of lunges and squats, so I'm sure that was what did it. I had quilting class last night and I'm piecing together a quilt, so I was up and down in my seat a lot and felt like a little old lady!

I was very tempted not to get up this morning and exercise, but I knew that if I continued, I'd feel better in the long run ... and I was right. I have so much more energy when I exercise! I can notice a huge difference in my energy level throughout the whole day. In the evenings, I'm getting more done, and I'm sleeping better too, just after 4 days. The scales are showing that I'm down about 1 1/2 pounds since this weekend... but I must confess that I was very bad with my eating over the weekend when we went camping ... so when I weigh in on Thursday at my TOPS meeting, I'm not sure if I'll show a loss even with all the exercise.

But, I'm going to keep it up! I get to switch to the next section this weekend and I'm anxious to see how much harder it is... I hope it's not too hard! lol!

I did it!

I actually got up this morning at 6:30 a.m. and did the Slim in 6 dvd!!!! Woo Hoo! I'm so proud of myself! You have no idea how tempting it was to just hit that snooze button and roll back over. But I didn't. I got up and did the dvd, then got my shower.

I am determined to do it every morning this week. In the evenings, 3 days a week, I'll be doing the Strength Circuit training that I wrote about on July 13th. I also want to try to go for a walk every day this week at work. I walked one day last week and felt like I had gone for quite a while, so I measured it with my car after work and it was 1.2 miles. Not too bad. I try to walk briskly. But if I can do that a couple times during the week, in addition to the Slim in 6 in the mornings and the Strength training in the evenings, I should do pretty well in getting toned up!

Wish me luck in sticking to it!

Slim in 6. . .

Well, I did the first Slim in 6 dvd tonight for the first time. Becca ordered them last week and has done it twice so far, but she did it when I was at work, so I couldn't do it with her. So, tonight we got home from camping for the weekend, and we did it together in the living room. I made it! lol!

It wasn't too bad. lol! Seriously, I did make it without too much trouble. My arms are very tired. I'm not used to using them that much! But that's what I need, to tighten up my underarms. They also do a lot of lunges, which will help tighten up my thighs, my other problem area! So this dvd is definitely going to be a good one for me.

So, I'm supposed to do this same dvd for 7 days straight, then I get to move up to the next level. I'm honestly going to try as hard as I can to keep up with it this week every day. My goal is going to be to get up at 6:30 a.m. and work out for 30 minutes before I have to get in the shower and get ready for work. I really want to try my best to do that every day.

Less than 3 weeks until we go to the beach and I'd really like to drop7 pounds by then... I really hope I can do it! These last few pounds have really been tough... I've been stuck between 142 and 145 for almost 3 months now. My goal weight is 135 and I'm at 142 right now, so I only need to lose 7 to get to my goal weight! But, I also really need to tone up.

So, that is what I'm going to work towards! I'll report my progress here!

Ten Healthiest 100 Calorie Snacks

Found these great snack ideas over at Yahoo Food. Give them a try next time you're looking for a snack!

Snack Smackdown: The 10 Healthiest 100-Calorie Treats

Those 100-calorie snack packs are tasty, convenient, and perfectly portioned for calorie counters. And they're selling like iPhones on opening day. But what's nutritious about a handful of Cheese Nips or Oreo Thins (even with no creamy centers to lick!)? Instead, try these 10 far healthier 100-calorie treats. Stash them in your desk drawer, fridge, and/or car -- wherever hunger pangs hit you. The best part: Most will curb your appetite for hours because they're high in filling fiber or satisfying protein.

1. Mid-Morning Fill-Up Just add hot water to a 100-calorie packet of McCann's Instant Cinnamon Roll Irish Oatmeal, which smells ahh-mazing and comes sweetened with Splenda. No doughnut guilt and there's a bonus: 3 grams of filling, cholesterol-fighting oat fiber.

2. Peanut Butter Crackers Make sandwiches out of 6 All Bran Multi-Grain Crackers (45 deliciously crunchy calories) and 1½ teaspoons peanut butter (45 smooth calories). You'll get about 2 grams of fiber and a little healthy fat.

3. Apple Mousse Mix a cup of unsweetened applesauce (50 calories) with 3 tablespoons of fat-free nondairy topping (45 calories), and ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon. Make a batch at a time and refrigerate in portable snack cups. Supplies 20% of your daily vitamin C and counts as 1 serving of fruit. Sweet.

4. Veggies and Dip Flavor up ready-to-eat veggies from the produce section -- which have almost no calories -- with a dip: 2 tablespoons of hummus (60 calories) or light ranch dressing (80 calories). For the veggies, think broccoli and cauliflower florets, baby carrots, snap peas, pepper strips, baby squash -- all of them filled with fiber, vitamins, and protective phytonutrients.

5. Café Mocha Stir a packet of Swiss Miss No-Sugar-Added Hot Chocolate mix (60 calories) into hot coffee for an instant afternoon pick-me-up that only tastes decadent. It actually delivers 30% of your calcium, 6% of your iron, and even a gram of fiber. Add a splash of milk for more goodness. Compare that to 200 calories for the smallest Caffe Mocha at Starbucks (2% milk, no whip), with 6g of fat.

6. Mexican Potato Microwave a medium potato and slice in half (80 calories). Save one piece for tomorrow. Mash the other half inside the potato skin and top it with 2 tablespoons of salsa (10 calories). Eat the whole thing, skin too. Warm-spicy-satisfying and 2 grams each of protein and fiber, some vitamin C, plus a little iron.

7. Finger Food Munch edamame like nuts: ½ cup of these quick-cooked frozen soybeans (about 95 calories) makes a great nibble, which is why they're a staple at hip bars -- which probably don't care that they're serving you 8 grams of protein, 4g of fiber, and lots of minerals.

8. Snack on a Mini-Meal When you're starving but trying to hold back, try this: Wrap a Morningstar Farms Vegan Burger (100 calories), a tomato slice, hamburger pickles, and a little mustard or ketchup in lettuce leaves instead of bread. The 10g of protein will keep you filled till it's really mealtime.

9. Happy Hour Combo Mix 1/2 cup of tomato juice (22 calories) with ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 drops of Tabasco sauce, and a dash of lemon juice. Serve over ice with a celery stick and about a dozen dry roasted peanuts (about 60 calories). Have a second "drink" if you like -- no biggie!

10. Healthy Confetti Crisps If chips are your downfall, make a batch of these RealAge crisps and divide into 6 portions (95 calories each). Much through a bag while sipping your club soda and lime. If you remember to, enjoy the good fat from the olive oil and the fiber and vitamins in the veggies -- though these taste so good you may forget they're healthy.

REALAGE CONFETTI CRISPS
6 servings, 95 calories each

2 Tbsps. olive oil
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. dried dill weed
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 cup each of peeled and thinly sliced purple potatoes, carrots, and parsnips

Mix the oil and seasonings together, add the vegetables, and toss to coat. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet lightly sprayed with olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown.

Boost Metabolism with Strength Circuit

I found a GREAT Strength training program that I've printed out and am planning to use starting tonight!!! I found it at Prevention.com . They have 4 routines in this article, but I like the first one best. I've been looking for something like this and couldn't find one I was really happy with, but I have a feeling this is going to be it!

Boost Metabolism with a Strength Circuit

It includes Lateral Lifts, Chest Flies and Press, Plie Squats, One Arm Rotation Rows, Lunges, Tuck and Crunches, Uppercuts, and Rotating Knees. Only 9 exercises, but they work out your whole body. For the first two weeks, you are supposed to do this routine 3 times a week on non consecutive days using light dumbbells. Start off with 1 set of 12 to 15 repetitions of each move without stopping, or rest for no longer than 15 seconds. For weeks 3 and 4, you increase to repeating the circuit twice so that you're doing a total of 2 sets per exercise. After 4 weeks, increase the weights by 1 to 3 pounds.

I'll let you know how I feel after doing it tonight!

Smoking and Weight Loss

I'm not a smoker and never have been. But I have some friends who have run into the problem of gaining weight once they have quit smoking. I found this great article over at Calories per hour that may help if you're trying to kick the habit and are afraid you'll gain weight.

I thought this was a good ad :)

Smoking and Weight Loss

Heavy smokers and people who have smoked for a long time often gain a few pounds after they quit smoking. Unfortunately, smokers often use this fact to justify continuing to smoke. But this weight gain isn't inevitable.

Weight gain can be avoided by eating less and/or exercising more. And if you're making poor food choices now, simply eating healthier foods can do the trick.

Here are some of the reasons why quitting smoking causes people to gain weight:

• Smoking increases your metabolism, the rate at which you burn calories. So quitting smoking will cause your metabolism to decrease a little to its normal rate.

• People who quit smoking are inclined to eat more because they reach for snacks as a substitute for cigarettes.

• People who quit smoking are inclined to eat more because food tastes better!

Quitting smoking is difficult enough without the fear of gaining weight. The primary reason that people gain weight when they quit smoking is that they tend to eat more, and you can control that. If you can keep from turning to food in place of cigarettes, and make a few adjustments to your eating and exercise habits, you won't have to gain any weight at all.

You know that smoking is bad for you. Now read what the American Lung Association says will happen when you quit smoking:

After 20 minutes:

• Your blood pressure will decrease.
• Your heart rate will decrease.
• The temperature of your hands and feet will increase.

After 8 hours:

• The level of carbon monoxide in your blood will drop to normal.
• The level of oxygen in your blood will increase to normal.

After 24 hours:

• Your chance of heart attack will decrease.

After 48 hours:

• Your nerve endings will start to regrow.
• Your ability to smell and taste will improve.

After 2 weeks to 3 months:

• Your circulation will improve.
• Your lung function will improve.
• Aerobic activity (e.g., walking) will become easier.

After 1 to 9 months:

• Symptoms including coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath will decrease.

After 1 year:

• Excess risk of coronary heart disease will decrease to half that of a smoker.

After 5 to 15 years:

• Risk of stroke will decrease to that of people who have never smoked.

After 10 years:

• Risk of lung cancer will decrease to half that of continuing smokers.
• Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas will decrease.
• Risk of ulcers will decrease.

After 15 years:

• Risk of coronary heart disease will decrease to that of people who have never smoked.
• Risk of death will decrease to near the level of people who have never smoked.

You don't have to gain weight if you quit smoking. And you'll be healthier, have more friends and more money, and smell better.

Sweet Potato Fries

Tasty Sweet Potato 'Fries'

I got this recipe from Angie Newton's Losing It and Loving It newsletter. Sounds delicious!

You will need one medium to large sweet potato, peeled.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Cut sweet potato into 1/4 inch thick slices. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray foil with fat free olive oil spray. Arrange sweet potato slices on the cookie sheet and then spray the top of the sweet potatoes. Now you can sprinkle with sea salt or your choice of seasoning.

Bake in oven for 8-10 minutes. No turning required. If you prefer crispier 'fries', bake a bit longer.

Natures Cures in Fruits

I love fruit, and so does the rest of my family. We're not big veggie eaters, so I push my kids to eat fruit as much as possible.

I found a great article over at Natures Cures where Diane gives the following list of fruits and their benefits to our body. Great, great list!

• APPLES - the pectin in apples lowers cholesterol. They also stimulate digestion and help relieve constipation. Remember, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away"!
• APRICOTS - they are high in vitamin A and other minerals (like iron). Those clean the blood of impurities, and help us get over anemia. Apricots also help with acidic conditions and sluggish digestion and are helpful to inflamed bronchial tubes.
• AVOCADOS - they contain essential fatty acids that our heart, brain and skin need. And, yes, they are a fruit!
• BANANAS - they have been known to heal diarrhea, colitis, ulcers and constipation. The potassium in them makes them perfect for athletes as it gives quick yet lasting energy.
• BLUEBERRIES - help clean the blood and ease inflammation. Adding blueberries to your diet can help with constipation, diarrhea, anemia and menstrual problems.
• CANTALOUPE - is rich in potassium, vitamins A and C. Helps heal constipation, stiff joints, blood disorders, and obesity.
• CHERRIES - cleanse kidneys, liver and urinary system. Rich in magnesium and iron they are excellent for high blood pressure, anemia and arthritis.
• CRANBERRIES - help the kidneys and bladder because their acidity creates an environment where bacteria cannot thrive. Also used to clarify the complexion.
• DATES - They are an energy - giving source of dietary fiber, iron and potassium.
• GRAPES - have easily digested sugar for energy. Potent cleansers for liver and kidneys.
• KIWIS - higher in vitamin C than most fruits.
• LEMONS - they are a natural antiseptic, which makes them a powerful internal cleanser for the whole body.
• MANGOES - helps strengthen poor digestion and overcome acidity in the body. Will help calm inflamed kidneys. They are also rich in beta carotene.
• ORANGES - will help with high blood pressure, lung problems and vitamin C deficiency. They are alkalizing to the body.
• PAPAYAS - rich in papain, which helps the digestive system. Contain a large amount of alkaline minerals, especially calcium, vitamins A and C.
• PEACHES - improve color and health of the skin and the complexion. Valuable in treating anemia, sluggish digestion and high acid blood conditions.
• PLUMS - great energizers and cleansers of the intestinal tract. They have a mild laxative effect which gives them the ability to relieve gas and hemorrhoids.
• RASPBERRIES - have the ability to heal obesity, high blood pressure and constipation. Their ellagic acid is helpful in treating cancer. High in vitamins A and C.
• STRAWBERRIES - rid the bloodstream, liver and intestines of toxins. They can benefit stiff joints and rid the body of excess catarrh.

7 Day Fitness Boot Camp

This is exactly what I need to get me motivated again! Becca and I have kinda of stalled on our exercise program, so I've signed up for this 7 Day Fitness Boot Camp to help us get started again!

7 Day Fitness Boot Camp

Check it out and let me know what you think!