TGB Weight Loss Support Group

Pamper mom with these easy but impressive breakfast dishes.

By Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD/LD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic – Expert Column

Most moms welcome a break from the kitchen. And what better day than Mother’s Day to show your mom how much you love her? To set the tone for a day of pampering, surprise mom with a special Mother’s Day breakfast in bed. Or gather the family around the kitchen table to celebrate the beginning of her special day.

You don’t need to be a talented cook to whip up a wonderful Mother’s Day breakfast. With a little creativity and an attractive presentation, even a simple meal will delight mom. (It also means that even young kids can be involved in the preparation.) Just be sure to plan ahead so you have all the ingredients on hand.

Keep It Healthy

Do mom a favor by serving up a meal that’s healthy as well as tasty. After all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. After a long night’s sleep, food acts as fuel to get the body’s engine started.

Here are the components of a healthy breakfast:

• Whole-grain carbohydrates (like breads, cereals, and waffles).
• Lean protein or low- or non-fat dairy (like eggs, yogurt, cheese, milk, and tofu).
• Healthy fats (nuts, seeds, flaxseed, healthy oils).
• Fruit, 100% fruit juice, and/or vegetables.

Since it’s a special day, you may want to branch out beyond the same old cereal and toast. Try taking one of mom’s favorite breakfast dishes and jazzing it up. Mix flavors, textures, and colors for variety and eye appeal. If you want to try something different, why not serve mom her favorite lunch for breakfast?

Brew a pot of coffee or her favorite tea. For a special addition, make a mock Mimosa: Add sparking water or ginger ale to orange juice, and garnish with a fresh strawberry wedged onto the rim of the glass.

Get up early on Mother’s Day, and be quiet so you won’t wake mom before breakfast is ready. Choose a menu that is easy for you to prepare and clean up. You can save time and steps by starting with foods that are already prepped, like cut-up fruit or vegetables.

Mother’s Day Breakfast Ideas

Here are some suggestions for a simple, yet impressive, Mother’s Day breakfast:

• Yogurt parfait: Layer low-fat yogurt, granola (mixed with flaxseed for extra omega-3s), and mixed berries in a tall, clear glass.
• Whole-grain waffles (homemade or frozen) topped with sliced bananas, toasted pecans, and warm maple syrup.
• Mango smoothie: Toss a cut-up mango, low-fat yogurt, mango or orange juice, and a handful of ice into a blender. Serve with whole-wheat toast spread with almond butter.
• Breakfast burrito: Stir-fry cut-up vegetables, like onions, zucchini, and red peppers, until tender. Add beaten eggs (or egg substitute) and stir until cooked. Top with shredded cheese and wrap in a whole-wheat tortilla. Serve a fruit salsa on the side.
• Frittata: Using an iron skillet, fry vegetables as in the burrito recipe. Add last night’s leftover steak and potatoes to the vegetables. Add eggs, and cook over medium heat on the stovetop until the bottom is set (without stirring). Then run under the oven broiler briefly until the top is cooked. Serve with fruit salad.
• Bagels and cream cheese: Start with fresh whole-grain bagels. Top with low-fat cream cheese, sliced salmon, sliced tomatoes, chopped red onion, and a few capers. Serve with half a pink grapefruit or fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice.
• Berry ricotta toast: Toast two slices of whole-wheat bread. Top with part-skim ricotta cheese and fresh berries.
• Fruity French toast: Make French toast special by adding cinnamon to the batter. Top with a dollop of vanilla yogurt, sliced fresh fruit, and a drizzle of maple syrup.
• Egg “Mock” Muffin. Toast a whole-wheat muffin. Cook one egg and place it on the muffin. Then top with prepared turkey bacon or Canadian bacon and a slice of cheese for a faster than fast-food breakfast.
• Apple pancakes: Add a cup of chunky applesauce and a teaspoon of cinnamon to your favorite pancake batter. (Make the pancakes extra-special by cooking them in a heart-shaped cookie cutter or mold.) Top cooked pancakes with apple butter or maple syrup and toasted walnuts.
• Heart eggs: Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out the center of a slice of whole- grain bread. Spray both sides of bread with cooking spray and place in saute pan over medium heat. Crack an egg into the center hole, cover the pan, and cook until done as desired. Serve mom one or two heart eggs with a fruit garnish.
• Cottage cheese crunch: Start with a clear glass bowl. Layer sliced fruit, such as peaches and bananas. Then add a layer of low-fat cottage cheese, and top it off with mom’s favorite whole-grain cereal.
• Open face waffle sandwich: Toast a whole-grain waffle. Spread with nut butter and jam, then top with sliced bananas and slivered almonds.
• Cranberry nut oatmeal: Make instant oatmeal according to package directions. Top with dried cranberries and toasted nuts for a delicious, cholesterol-lowering breakfast.

Dr. Nicholas Perricone says that wrinkles and lines can be reduced by what you decide to put in your grocery cart. Here are some of his best bets for anti-aging and better nutrition.

Best carbohydrate choices
Artichokes, avocados, dark-green leafy vegetables, broccoli, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, spinach, escarole, romaine lettuce, cherries, berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, etc.), apples, pears, barley, beans (dried and fresh), bean sprouts, endive, eggplant, cabbage, kale, red and green peppers, bok choy, celery, cucumbers, kidney beans, pinto beans, chick peas, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, honeydew melons, lentils, bean sprouts, mushrooms, tomatoes, turnips, pomegranates, snow peas, slow cooking oatmeal

Best Protein sources
Wild Alaskan salmon, halibut, trout, anchovies, sardines, poultry, yogurt, high EFA eggs, kefir, cottage cheese, tofu

Best fats
Extra virgin olive oil, flax oil, flax seed, nuts (esp. almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts and macadamia), pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds

Beverages
Spring water, green tea, white tea, black tea

Grains
Buckwheat, whole oats, barley

Spices
Turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, oregano, basil, thyme, cayenne, (every spice and herb you can think of are stellar anti-aging foods)

Check out Dr. Perricone’s sample menu for a whole week of superfoods!

source: http://www.oprah.com/health/A-Facelift-in-Your-Fridge

One great way to spend a fabulous Valentine’s Day!

Foods You Love That Love You Back! Whether you’re madly in love, mad at your love, or mad that you don’t have a love this Valentine’s Day, how about having a love affair with your heart? Feed it well. Give it the gift of health and it will love you for the rest of your life. No questions asked. Now, isn’t that romantic?

Not so romantic—according to the American Heart Association, more than 500,000 adults in the United States die of broken hearts each year, so to speak. Not actually romantic heartbreak, but rather the kind caused by cardiovascular diseases. The good news: You can eat your way to good health. Research shows that eating a variety of cholesterol-lowering foods can be as powerful as taking cholesterol-lowering drugs, like statins, but without the nasty side effects. Heart-healthy foods are also sweeter on your pocketbook, with a trip to the grocery store generally being a lot less expensive than a trip to the pharmacy.

Here are some top picks to show your heart just how much you care.

Pistachios: Not only are pistachios shaped like a heart, they’re good for it too! Compared with other nuts, pistachios have the highest content of phytosterols, a plant sterol that reduces cholesterol absorption from other foods. In a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers found that eating two handfuls of pistachios a day reduced LDL (bad cholesterol) by 12 percent. Now that’s reason to go nuts!

Oats: Oatmeal is packed with soluble fiber that soaks up cholesterol, allowing the body to eliminate it. Five to 10 grams of soluble fiber a day decreases your LDL (bad cholesterol) by about 5 percent. If you’re in a rush, grab a packet of high-fiber instant oatmeal—some provide as much as eight grams of soluble fiber, along with four grams of protein to keep your heart healthy and your hunger at bay. Oat-yeah!

Apples: Apples contain pectin, a soluble fiber that helps draw cholesterol out of your system, as well as flavonoids, which act as a powerful antioxidant that seems to short-circuit the process that leads LDL (bad cholesterol) to accumulate in your bloodstream. Aim for an apple a day …

Tea: Whether it’s black, white, green, or oolong, tea packs a heart-healthful punch. Flavonoids, the major antioxidants in tea, have been shown to promote healthy arteries, lower LDL (bad cholesterol), and dilate blood vessels. Drinking as little as two to four cups per day has been shown to be effective.

Fatty Fish: Because fish is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids and protein, the American Heart Association recommends that you include at least two servings a week for heart health. Your best bets: salmon, white albacore tuna canned in water, rainbow trout, anchovies, herring, sardines, and mackerel. (Because of its high mercury content, it’s best to stay away from shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tile fish). Eating fish four times a week can lower your risk of heart disease by as much as 14 percent.

Flaxseed: A good source of dietary fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseed can help get your LDL (bad cholesterol) down, raise your HDL (good cholesterol), and lower triglycerides. Few foods offer this triple threat for heart health. Grinding just three teaspoons of flaxseed into your food gives you 10 whole grams of fiber!

Plant Sterols: Substances found in plants that help block the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines, plant sterols (or phytosterols) can help reduce your LDL (bad cholesterol) by 10 to 15 percent. Margarine, orange juice, and yogurt drinks fortified with plant sterols can help you reach the recommended two grams a day of plant sterols for heart health.

Whole Soy: Reducing saturated fat in your diet is the single most important dietary change you can make to cut blood cholesterol—that’s where soy can help. Because soy is a complete protein, you can use it as a replacement for meat and cheese in your diet to slash the amount of saturated fat that you eat. Look for “whole soy” in the ingredients. Whole soy is best to lower cholesterol because it’s minimally processed and provides all the nutrients contained in the soybean. Aim for 25 grams of whole soy a day.

Olive Oil: Olive oil provides a potent mix of antioxidants that can lower your LDL (bad cholesterol) while leaving your HDL (good cholesterol) untouched. The Food and Drug Administration recommends using about two tablespoons of olive oil a day to get its heart-healthy benefits. To add olive oil to your diet, mix it with vinegar for a quick and delicious salad dressing.

Dark Chocolate: Research shows that dark chocolate—not milk chocolate or even dark chocolate with milk—is packed with antioxidants that ward off heart disease and other problems. Researchers found that milk can interfere with the absorption of the antioxidants from chocolate… so forgo the chocolate milk shake and order a quality piece of dark chocolate. Individually wrapped dark chocolates are just the right size at about 40-calories per treat.

source: http://ca-health.glam.com/

6 Healthy Tips to Stay in Shape:

1. Portion control! There is no reason to pile food on your plate! Just take a reasonable amount, and you should be good! Overeating is a huge problem in America because we don’t know when to stop!

2. Eat slowly. I know when you are really hungry that can be hard, but if you take time and chew everything slowly, you are less likely to overeat. How crazy is that? Just slow down, and enjoy the food.

3. If you don’t like the food, don’t eat it. I know that sounds silly, but we tend to just eat whatever is in front of us, whenever it is there. But if you only eat what you really like, that will also cut down on your food intake.

4. Don’t park close to the store. I know everyone wants the “prime” parking places, but it won’t kill you to walk the extra few hundred feet from the car to the store.

5. Switch it up! Don’t eat the same thing every week. Variety is the spice of life, and trying new things is good for your digestion as well!

6. Eat as much fresh food as possible. I know its tough sometimes, but be sure you aren’t always eating packaged food. They tend to have much higher amounts of sodium and other bad things for you.

source: http://www.healthheartmarket.com/

Your body needs and craves plain H₂O (water), as pure as you can find it.  Our bodies are made up of at least 60% or more water and every process including breathing use it.  For all you soda pop drinkers who have switched to diet soda please be aware: studies have shown that drinking even 2 cans of diet soda a day increases your chances of becoming over weight by 57%.

While it is not yet known exactly why you would gain weight with a zero calorie drink, some speculate that anything other than water will cause your stomach to desire more food intake.  Which leads me to believe that if we give our body’s what it really needs when it needs we will be less likely to over indulge in the things that create weight gain in the first place.

If you really feel you must have a soft drink, why not try and make your own?  I simply take bottled mineral (seltzer) water and add a natural fruit juice to it and the taste is very similar to a soda without the harmful chemicals, and not as many calories as regular soda. Brands like Perrier, San Pellegrino, and Blue Italian can be found at Trader Joe’s for the best prices.  You can add in your favorite fruit juice to make it taste like you are drinking a soda

Now this is my belief: When we put man made substances in our body’s it is difficult for the body to recognize it and thus our metabolism tries to flush it out causing what some term false fat (bloating).  So please do your body a favor and kick the diet soda habit right away!  Make it a habit this year to drink as much water as necessary for your well being.  Not only will it help with controlling your weight and keep you healthier, but your skin will thank you too.

For further information on this subject check out the following websites:

Poulos, Rob “Do You Drink This Stuff:. <http://fatburningfurnace.com>

Droth, J. The Dangers of Diet Soda” February 7, 2009 <http://www.getfitslowly.com/2008/02/12/the-dangers-of-diet-soda/>

Willson, Chris. Why is Diet Soda Bad For You? Top 3 Healthy Alternatives to Diet Soda Exposed! <http://www.ezinearticles.com/?Why-is-Diet-Soda-Bad-For-You?-Top-3-Healthy-Alternatives-to-Diet-Soda-Exposed!&id=3073970>

BBC Home Page. “Why Do We Need Water” <http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4800000/newsid_4806400/4806466.stm>

NancyT

Carbs are broken down into simple sugars, and in turn absorb through the bloodstream.  As your sugar levels increase your pancreas releases a hormone (insulin), which transports glucose into your cells supplying them with their source of energy. When this process happens too quickly your energy is used up faster and you become hungry sooner.  However, when the process is slower as with; complexed carbs your energy levels are sustained longer.  Which mean you are satisfied longer, thus you eat less.

Carbohydrates produce six different functions in the body:

Provide energy and regulation of blood sugar

1. Sparing the use of proteins for energy
2. Breakdown of fatty acids and preventing ketosis
3. Biological recognition processes
4. Flavor and Sweeteners
5. Dietary fiber

There appears to be a direct link between what is going on with the blood sugar and diabetes and heart disease.  This makes it very important for you to select your carbs wisely to maintain healthy levels of insulin in your blood to avoid these diseases.

NancyT

Most foods contain carbs, which the body breaks down into simple sugars and are the major source of energy for our bodies.  Understanding carbs and their purpose will help us make healthier carb choices and not get caught up in fad carb diets. 

Carbohydrates give the body energy to perform its many functions. There are two different types of carbs; simple and complex.

 Simple Carbs (simple sugars) are found in table sugar, candy, fruit and milk.  Of those three, fruit and milk are the healthier choices.   Fruit contains vitamins and fiber and  milk contains calcium. (I am not a big advocate of milk and I will share why at a later time).  While simple sugars give a quick energy increase, they also crash quickly causing you to be hungry sooner.

 Complex Carbs(starches) include the grain products; bread, pasta, crackers, vegetables and rice.  It is always best to select unrefined grain products over refined.  Refined, are white flour, white rice any thing that has been bleached and or processed.  Unrefined grains are best because they have not been processed to the point of removing fiber, vitamins and minerals. These carbs stick with you longer with the added bonus of fiber, which helps with digestion and elimination.

NancyT

Knowing our Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is helpful when planning our meals.  This tells us how many calories we need to stay at our current weight or to achieve our desired weight.  Go to (http://exercise.about.com/library/blbmrcalculator.htm) and plug in your height, weight and gender to get your BMR.

1.  Decide how much we want to lose each week (no more than 1 -2 lbs.) and pace ourselves accordingly.  Losing weight too fast can result in saggy skin and can sometimes be unhealthy. 
2. Keep track of our blood pressure.  BP machines are free at most Fry’s Food Stores.
3. Take a week to observe what we actually eat.  Write down every single thing that goes into our mouths daily.  We’ll be surprised at some of the mindless eating we often do.

Meal planning is vital to weight loss.   In order to maintain good health it is best to eat balanced meals.  Let’s plan our meals and try to eat more whole foods and less processed foods.  Taking a lunch to work verses eating out will not only help our waistlines but also save money.  Include healthy snacks such as carrots, celery, fresh fruit, nut and berries.  We can make our own trail mix with nuts and raisins, so we don’t get too hungry in between meals.

Eating an apple a day is really good for us!  God’s natural candies (fresh fruit) are healthy and make great snacks when on the go.  Drink plenty of water.  Listen to your body it will tell you when you eat something that does not agree with you.  You know that bloated feeling you get after a heavy greasy meal.  That’s your body telling you not to do that again.

Remember, we don’t want to live to eat; we want to eat to live!

NancyT

I don’t like the word diet because the first three letters spell die, and I am not trying to do that right now.  So I opt to eat more living foods such as fruits, nuts and vegetables as close to their natural state as possible.   

 Now that doesn’t mean I don’t have fried chicken, which is my personal favorite.  But I keep the bad, unhealthy meals to a minimum.  I do a Daniel fast at least twice a year.  During this time I only eat raw fruits, nuts and vegetables for a month.  It gives your body a rest from all the processed junk.  It allows you to get protein and fiber which helps clean you out.  I usually chop up the vegetables differently for different taste.  For salad dressing I mix together pure lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.

By the time I finish my Daniel fast, my taste buds have changed.  I gradually reintroduce meats and other things into my meals and often find that they don’t taste as good as they once they did.  But the best secret I can pass on to you is how to structure your plate at meal times.  If you follow this you will lose weight.

●Make sure ½ of your plate is filled with fruits and/or vegetables,  ¼ grains and beans and only ¼ is devoted to meat, poultry or fish:

●Fill up on high fiber food and you won’t have much room for the other stuff.  I have  a salad with every sit down meal, even if it is just some fried chicken!

 ●Drink plenty of pure water and don’t substitute any other drink!If you’re a soda drinker cut down as soon as possible.  Later I’ll explain why.

 NancyT

The bible teaches us to write our plans down and make them plain and a healthy body is (or should be) part of our overall life plan. Some of us may need to modify our weight because of health issues. We highly recommend consulting your Doctor prior to starting any weight loss program.

Let’s note where we are and set some realistic goals for ourselves.

1) Write down our measurements including neck, arms (biceps), above and     under the breasts, waist, abdomen, hips, both thighs, calves.
2) Weigh ourselves and then decide:

• What size we want to wear (4, 5, 6, 10 or 12)
• How much we want to weigh
• What we want our measurements to be (36, 24, 36 is not for everyone)
• Favorite kind of exercise
• How often we will exercise (3 times a week is ideal)

3) Keep a weekly log of our progress. Take note of setbacks (why, what we can do differently, etc.) and be encouraged by our accomplishments.

NancyT