Category Archives: Painless Changes You Can Make Now

Finally…My Cookbook in Print!

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Yay! It took much longer than I expected but it’s finally finished and already selling like hotcakes. Low calorie hotcakes, of course!

It was frustrating that the process seemed to be so drawn out, but I only have myself to blame. Because I was combining all the previously published recipes plus about 60 new ones, I kept finding things that were formatted differently.

I wrote each cookbook at different times, so in one book, for example, I’d capitalize the first word in the ingredient list and in another I wouldn’t. The reader wouldn’t notice because the continuity was there within a cookbook, just not between cookbooks. So when they were all compiled together, it became obvious.

But not so obvious I’d catch everything at once!

However, it’s done now and I want to thank everyone for their patience. I know you’ve been on me for a print book rather than digital, and I hope you think it was worth the wait.

Here’s the link to buy … (THANK YOU!)

And here’s the cover, front and back …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Review — The Skinny Rules by Bob Harper

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Title: The Skinny Rules: The Simple, Nonnegotiable Principles for Getting to Thin

Author: Bob Harper with Greg Critser

Devour it

→ Nibble till it’s gone

Spit it out

 

Bob Harper has a new book out. After seeing some of the reviews, I wanted to take a look for myself. I’m a sucker for simple rules, after all. Just tell me what to do to keep the weight off and I’ll do it. Maybe.

“Today, like never before, we are bombarded from every direction with health advice — about diet, nutrition, weight loss, exercise, organic or nonorganic, free-range or corn-fed. Now add in the daily science and medical news, a lot of which sounds either stunningly obvious (not being obese = good) or ridiculously counter to what we thought was correct (fruit juice = not so good), and you’ve got a jumbo case of Clutter Brain.”

Sound familiar? Yeah, I thought so.

So Bob, like many of us, tried to distill it down to some simple rules, in his case 20 of them. Most are obvious and you probably already do them … don’t drink your calories, read food lables, don’t eat so many refined flours and grains, eat more fiber, blah, blah, blah.

But two of them piqued my interest a bit more. The first was “eat apples and berries every day.” Wow. So simple! So doable! So cheap! They’re rich in phytochemicals and fiber, and low in calories. They also help keep the balance of friendly bacteria in our gut and stabilize energy storage vs energy expenditure, which is how you prevent packing on the pounds. I can definitely eat apples and berries every day. I already eat berries every morning. To make sure I remember to eat an apple too, I set my alarm to take a break mid-afternoon. I watch Ellen’s monologue and eat my apple. It gives me a laugh, forces me away from my desk for 15 minutes, and now, Ellen Degeneres is that friendly face that reminds me to eat my apple.

Rule #7, however, has proven to be a bit more difficult for me. “No carbs after lunch.”

“Carbs are forms of sugar, and sugar cues the pancreas to make more insulin, which in turn triggers appetite …. the number of times during the day that you signal your pancreas to make insulin is just as important as how much sugar you eat. Each ‘excursion’ is like a hammer delivering blow after blow to your cells.”

I’m not a carb addict by any means, but I’m finding this rule quite challenging. Bob tells me to “eat lean and green at night.” Until I started thinking about this rule, I didn’t realize how often I ate lasagne for dinner, or a sandwich, or crackers with my soup. Plus, I’m completely unclear as to whether my afternoon apple counts as a carb. (I’m going to say it doesn’t. If Bob didn’t want me to eat my apple with Ellen he would have said “eat berries and apples every morning,” right? Right?!)

I’m going to keep trying the no-carbs-after-lunch thing partly because it is so difficult for me, but also because I want to believe Bob. He’s so adorable … he wouldn’t mislead me, right? Take a look at Bob’s rules and see if there’s some tweak(s) you can make to your lifestyle.

Maybe it’ll be the very one you’re missing.

What do you think … does Bob want me to eat my apple every day regardless of the time?

Book Review — Drop Dead Healthy by AJ Jacobs

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Title: DROP DEAD HEALTHY – One Man’s Humble Quest for Bodily Perfection

Author: A. J. Jacobs

→ Devour it

Nibble till it’s gone

Spit it out

 

AJ Jacobs is an immersion journalist. For previous books he spent time living the Bible and reading the encyclopedia. This time, he realized he wasn’t very healthy so he tried to “maximize health from head to toe,” getting up close and personal with each body part to learn how to make it the healthiest it can be.

His goal was to follow all the advice out there about healthy living — ALL the advice. Quite impossible, as you know, especially since so much is contradictory advice. For instance, trying to find the “best” diet. He says, “If you could lock ten thousand people in identical rooms for eighty years and feed half of them nothing but vegan food and feed the other half nothing but steak and eggs, and keep everything else the same, you could have some real data. But unless a Bond villain decides to pursue a doctorate in nutrition, that’s not going to happen.”

Jacobs tucks away lots of useful little nuggets. Like when he felt his willpower slipping away while trying to give up sugar. He wrote out a large “disincentive” check to the American Nazi Party, which is an organization that would make him sick to support. He’d see the signed, ready-to-mail check whenever he was in the grip of a seemingly uncontrollable sugar craving. He reports it was one of the most effective strategies to tame his weakness.

And this newsy nugget, when one of his experts explained that, despite what you’ve heard about carpel tunnel syndrome, it’s mostly inherited. That is, unless your job involves using a vibrating power tool in a very cold room, like people who process human cadavers for orthopedic use. “Jeffrey Dahmer was probably at high risk for carpel tunnel.”

Stuff you didn’t know you didn’t know.

Not only was this a fact-based, interesting read, it was also poignant and laugh-out-loud funny.

He talks about Coco Chanel, who is on his list of the top five health villains because of her influence in creating the idea of worshipping the sun. He points out her Nazi spy collaboration and adds, “Which makes her life especially ironic — she was involved with two opposed evils: white supremacy and tanning.”

At the beginning of each chapter he lists his stats that month. For Month 18 he lists:

“Days I activated Freedom software (prevents Internet access, thus lowering stress and improving concentration): 19.

Days I rebooted my computer in order to short-circuit Freedom software: 15.”

He wanted to jump-start his sex life but his wife was skeptical of his plans. “You can’t get much more testosterone-deprived than having your wife forbid you from taking testosterone supplements.”

Wiser words were never uttered.

Pretend you wanted to write a non-fiction book. Would you ever immerse yourself into that endeavor for two years or so? What idea would you like to explore?

7 Habits of Successful Losers

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I read an article about J. Graham Thomas’ study of over 6,000 people who have maintained a weight loss of one year or more. Ninety percent of them had lost weight in the past but put it all back on.

So how did they keep the weight off this time?

1. Committed to at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise/day

2. Limited TV time to less than 10 hours/week

3. Ate a low-calorie diet with less than 30% calories from fat

4. They stuck to regular eating patterns; not much food variety

5. Ate breakfast every day

6. Avoided emotional eating and fast food

7. Had weekly weigh-ins and tracked calories

No magic bullets and, I’m happy to say, everything I preach here in LazyLand. Except that TV thing … how’s a girl supposed to forget she’s on an elliptical, if she’s not immersed in Liz Lemon’s problems??

 Don’t you just love Liz Lemon?

 


 

 


 

 


10 More Ways To Lose 10 Pounds

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Here are the first 10 ways, in case you missed them!

1. If you’re not really keen on working out, ahem, ‘movement,’ then find an athletic goal. Training for a half-marathon might motivate you more than trying to fit into your skinny jeans.

2. Or at least ditch your car whenever possible. Walk or bike to work. If that’s not possible, at least park a few blocks away as often as possible. After work, take the long way around to get back to it. Drive to a beautiful park on your way home and take a few laps. Park in the far reaches of the mall parking lot and before you hit the sales, take a few fast laps. There are a million ways you can increase the amount of movement in your life. Get a pedometer and measure — 10,000 steps per day is to maintain your weight. More than that if you’re trying to lose.

3.Eat soup for dinner two nights a week. But not the cream-based ones. Load it up with veggies and eat as much as you want!

4. And speaking of veggies, eat more of them. They’re nutritionally dense, but calorie light. Aim for two-thirds of your plate at every meal.

5. Quit dieting. Instead, make a lifestyle change. Use these tips. Become a more mindful eater. Educate yourself about nutrition. Try a new vegetable. Eating shouldn’t be a burden or something to fear. Nor should it make you feel bad about yourself. That’s what you have teenagers and Martha Stewart for.

6. Snack on a handful of nuts. Studies have shown that even though nuts are high in calories, people still lost weight if they ate them over other snacks.

7. Work standing up. You’ll burn more calories than sitting and your posture will probably improve too. Either find a sturdy box to set your computer on or buy a treadmill desk. I have one which I’ll talk about soon. I won’t keep you in suspense … I love it!

8. If you delete one snack vice, delete potato chips. They’re Bad Snack Number One on the list of stuff that packs on the pounds. They are my number one nemesis.

9. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, “Eat breakfast.” Breakfast eaters are slimmer. Veggie omelettes, yogurt (watch the sugar!), oatmeal, whole grain toast, hard-boiled egg, smoothies … there are a million quick and easy choices. (If you haven’t yet downloaded my free 400-calorie menus, do it now!)

10. If mindless snacking is your bug-a-boo, then decide ahead of time what and when you’ll eat for the day. After you eat, be sure to brush and floss. Stay minty fresh and snack-free!

And a bonus … Get your mind off food. Do something creative. You can’t eat and knit at the same time. But if you can, I want to see video.

Which of these will you try? Which wouldn’t work for you in a gazillion years?

 

10 Ways To Lose 10 Pounds

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1.  Get rid of sugar. Yes, you see the granulated and the brown there in your pantry, but now take a  look at the labels on your spaghetti sauce, cereal, and frozen foods. Anything ending in “ose” is probably sugar. There are lots of other words that mean ‘sugar’ — syrup, sweetener, dehydrated cane juice, fruit juice concentrate, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), maltodextrin, saccharose, sucrose, xylose, plus all the ones you already know. Scary, huh? Regardless of what it’s called, your body knows it’s sugar.

2. Along those same lines, get rid of all packaged foods. No boxes, cans, bags, or cartons allowed. Nothing with a shelf life longer than the weather forecast.

3. And while you’re at it, get rid of floury foods like breads. Not forever, because we need whole grains, but as a kickstart. White flour foods tend to be sugary as well – think donuts, pastries, bagels. Then when it’s time to add them back in, stick to whole grain breads. “Whole grain” should be the first ingredient. If it’s not, keep looking.

4. Eat half of your normal portion. You’ll probably be happy with less food than you think you need. Plus, you have lunch already made for tomorrow AND you’re saving money!

5. Speaking of saving money, quit buying meat. You don’t have to become a vegetarian (even though they typically have lower body weights than their omnivore pals. Just sayin.). But it would benefit your body and your wallet to drop most of the meat from your diet. If you love a good steak, use the money you save to buy better quality grass-fed beef, or to visit a fantastic restaurant and have someone make one for you.

6. Walk 5 minutes out of every 30. Set your timer. If you can’t get regular workouts in, this is a terrific way to get moving every day. Studies have shown that several short sessions of movement are just as beneficial as one long one. Plus, it’s healthy to have mental breaks throughout the day too.

7. And if you can find a pal to exercise with, you’re more likely to walk or get to the gym.

8. If you’re not ready to cut calories seven days per week, try cutting calories just two days a week and eating normally the rest. Every little bit will help, and I bet you’ll find it’s not so hard to add in a third day, then a fourth. You’ll at least become more conscious of what you’re eating. And that’s half the battle.

9. Brown bag it. If you eat lunch out on a regular basis, bring healthy, fresh food from home every day. Plan it and/or get it ready the night before. To kickstart your weight loss, go one month without eating out at all. Restaurant meals have more calories, and they’re full of fat, sugar and salt.(Which is why they’re so delish!) Take a month away from all that, and you’ll see you don’t want it as much. And again, you’ll save a ton of money!

10. Swear off alcohol. At least until you’ve reached your weight loss goals. Alcohol is strictly empty calories. Replace booze with water, and that weight comes off much faster.

And a bonus … I heard today we should quit calling it ‘exercise’ or ‘working out’ and instead refer to it as ‘movement.’ It’s a psychological shift, thinking of it as a lifestyle change rather than a temporary fix.

(Here are ten more!)

Which is your favorite? Are any of these impossible for you?

How To Stop Overeating

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We all do it. It’s not a big deal if you only overindulge once in awhile.

I’m reading a book right now that I’m really liking and will report on in the future. In “Younger Next Year,” Chris Crowley and Dr. Henry Lodge say, “A normal American in his fifties or sixties has to get his caloric intake down to roughly 1500 calories to lose weight.” The book is geared toward men, but the implication is that women would need fewer than 1500 calories to lose weight.

If you’ve visited LazyLand before, you probably know I’m all about portion control and knowing how many calories you’re eating, so if you’re stuck in a cycle of regularly eating too many calories, here are some easy tips that might flip that switch for you.

1. Get rid of all the crap food taunting you from your pantry or refrigerator. Throw it out and don’t buy it ever again.

2. But — and I know this seems contradictory — if you’re REALLY craving something, go ahead and give in to it. Because it’s not kept in your house anymore, you have to think long and hard about actually going to buy it. Is it really worth the trip? If it is, that’s fine. But get a single serving of chips rather than the industrial sized bag. Fries off the children’s menu rather than SuperSizing. One perfect brownie at the bakery rather than whipping up a whole pan. (Shameless plug for my Just Desserts Cookbook here … I have some fab low-calorie brownie recipes, if you can resist eating the entire pan.)

3. And then get back on track. One fabulous brownie is not cause for starving yourself or skipping meals as ‘punishment.’ Plan your next week’s healthy meals and make a grocery list full of delicious and nutritious foods.

4. Eat more fruits and veggies. These will fill you up without the corresponding spike in calories. And, oh yeah, they’re good for you!

5. Drink lots of water. I can’t be bothered with counting ounces or even the number of glasses I drink. Your goal is for your pee to be colorless. Every day.

6. Then go get some vigorous exercise. Doesn’t matter what, just go get active. You’ll burn off some calories and you’ll be less interested in mindless snacking.

None of that is too difficult, is it? If you stay on track most of the time, then those little, ahem, dietary transgressions won’t derail you on your journey to good health.

What do you do if you’re tempted to overeat or if you realize too late you just consumed enough food for a family of five?

Google Map Pedometer

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This Google Map Pedometer is AWESOME! You can map your walking route and it will tell you how far you go. That way you can’t fib to yourself. Remember, just because it felt like the Bataan Death March doesn’t mean it was.

Here’s the park near where I used to live.

I walked around here countless times with my newborn in the Snugli.

Click the little blue dot up in the right hand corner under “Draw It”. Then click it at the beginning of your route. I can’t quite recall, but let’s pretend we used to come in from State College Blvd. See the little dot I made there?

Then click the little dot along your route. See that number 1 in the blue box along my route below in purple? You can add notes to your walk as well. I clicked it by mistake, so I’m not quite sure what I’d use that feature for. I guess if you’re walking in a neighborhood you could say, “scary dog here” … or “trash day is Thursday” … or “suck it in – cute guy lives here!” I guess the uses are endless!

You can see that route was 1.68 miles. Hmm. Seemed much longer. Maybe because I was loaded down with baby.

But this is a very cool toy to play with. For optimum health, you need to walk 10,000 steps and to lose weight, 12,000 – 15,000. Every day.

Plan a route in your neighborhood. Plug in your work location. If it’s too far to walk from home, is there a parking lot you could walk from? (I used to do that, back in the day when I went to an office. When it rained too hard, I could always find someone to drive me to my car on the days I wore suede.)

I’ve started to wear this pedometer.  My friend Olgy Gary told me about it and I’ll tell you what … it’s been an eye-opening experience for me. I move constantly. Or so I thought. I mean, c’mon! I have a stand-up desk (over a treadmill, for pete’s sake!) and most days I can’t even hit 10k unless I have a serious workout in the morning.

But my pedometer has become my constant companion. I stick it in my pocket and it tells me how many actual steps I go and translates that to miles for me. It even doubles as a clock. I’ve been known to feel inspired to take more steps, if my steps aren’t quite up to snuff for the day. (Still looking for the guilt button.) And I don’t get as annoyed when I forget something and have to trudge those 47 steps to retrieve it.

So, with my pedometer and my interactive map I think I’m ready to pedom up a storm! Now to find the Google map of the IKEA store.

Do you walk? Do you use a pedometer? Will you use this map? Do I ask too many questions? See my daughter’s little elf hair? Adorable.


Book Review – The Writing Diet by Julia Cameron

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Title: THE WRITING DIET — WRITE YOURSELF RIGHT-SIZE

Author: Julia Cameron

Devour it

→ Nibble till it’s gone

Spit it out

Coincidentally, yesterday I read a profile of Julia Cameron in the July/August 2011 edition of Writer’s Digest. There’s no link to the article — it’s like they want you to subscribe or something! — but it’s pretty interesting. She’s led a wild life.

Julia Cameron has written 25 books, both fiction and non-fiction. One of her best-sellers is The Artist’s Way, which is also the basis of courses she teaches, helping students find their creativity.

As she was teaching over the years, she saw her students not only transform their creative brains, but she saw them transform their bodies and lifestyles as well.

The Writing Diet explains that process. She provides several tools — “Morning Pages,” journaling, asking yourself four questions to distract you from your cravings, going on culinary adventures, and something as simple as taking walks, among many other exercises.

I didn’t think I’d find much of interest in this book because not only do I tap my creativity constantly, I’m not one for writing exercises and assignments. But I read the whole thing fairly quickly, enjoying it immensely. While I didn’t do any of the exercises, per se, many of them did make me stop and think.

She talks about “eating clean” which is the same thing I’m trying to do. She said, “The healthiest way to view our relationship to food is to see it in terms of progress, not perfection. Now we are eating more healthfully, if not perfectly. This is progress, and it is progress with which we must learn to be satisfied.”

Amen.

My favorite image from the book was a woman she quoted. “I have to take my overeating one day at a time,” says Eleanor. “I feel like I have my finger in the dyke. I can’t keep it there forever, but I can keep it there just for a day.”

I like that. In fact, there was a lot of similar talk about 12-step programs. Another of her students said he thought it was easier to be an alcoholic because alcoholics can stay away from liquor but everyone needs to eat.

If you can eat right for one day, maybe you can get up and do it again tomorrow. Pretty soon, you may find you’ve been doing it for years.

Lots of excellent, practical advice.

If you haven’t tried journaling before and seem to have some issues with food or healthy living, then you might benefit from reading The Writing Diet and doing the tasks Cameron lays out for each chapter.

What have you got to lose … besides weight, that is?

Have you tried journaling? Did it work for you? Have you ever dumped a bad habit or incorporated a good one? How did you do it?