And then....

And then....came the struggle...I've been challenged more the past few days than the entire first 30 days. I've been trying to evaluate what has been the biggest challenge and truthfully I think it's that on the weekends my hubby is around! We want to go do things, including eat out. Then there's the seasonal temptations of Halloween candy EVERYWHERE! and then to follow will be Thanksgiving then Christmas.....it never ends!

After a busy weekend running around and eating out I was up two pounds....depressing :( I found myself without prepared veggie juice cubes in the freezer and nothing greens left so I began deviating from plan. In short, it doesn't surprise me that I am feeling more tired a little defeated. However...
I am determined to get back on track after such a successful month.

I found that Costco has large bags of washed organic baby kale leaves for a great price as well as a spinach/variety leaf combo. I immediately juiced the kale w/carrots, cucumber, green apple, celery, and ginger root. I then filled all my ice cube trays with green juice and when they were frozen I popped them all out into a gallon freezer bag so that I could reuse my ice cube trays. You can store your left over juice in a mason jar or thermos in the meantime. I now have enough green juice to last me the entire week. Making this easy ensures my consistency!

I've also begun peeling and freezing my bananas as soon as the stems are no longer green. Finding ripe bananas can be a challenge I've found so I try to buy a green bunch along with a bunch of close to ripe at the same time because it can take days for them to ripen.

So to myself I say...."hang in there...Rome wasn't built in a day!".

30 days!

Experts say it takes 30 days to create a new habit or break one. Well, in the past month I've definitely made some new ones. As for the old habits, some of those are going to take more than a month to cure! Seriously, a lifetime of eating the SAD (standard American diet) a mindset is more than a habit. It would be SO much easier if the entire planet were on the same page, LOL, or at least my entire household.

I'm still sitting on a 19lb weight loss, nothing to sneeze at in a 30 day time span. I think I've hit a plateau because in the past 7 days I haven't seen much movement in the scale. Over the weekend I cheated here and there, enjoyed some pre-Halloween candy while at the movies but this time I took my own popcorn! Even with butter the home popped corn is much healthier and less calories/fat than the theatre popcorn.

It's been nice to have several people that I see often comment on the noticeable changes. Not only is my face thinner and my middle shrinking, my skin is clear, my energy level is up and I'm radiantly happy! So bring on another 30 days and hopefully another nearly 20lb weight loss!

Almond Parmesan crusted Talapia

If you are afraid of fish, don't be...it's really easy! Talapia is a firm white fish much less expensive that halibut. Costco has large bags of individually wrapped loins in the freezer section. It picks up the flavor you add to it. The following recipe has a lot of crunch and flavor and takes 30 minutes from start to finish.

Preheat your oven to 400. You will need 3 shallow bowls good for dipping.
 In the first- crack two eggs and whip lightly.
Second bowl - one cup a flour.
Third- one cup par meson (I suggest a mix w/asiago for more flavor) and one cup raw almond crumbs ( I use my nutribullet for crushing the almonds finely...works like a charm 1/2 a cup at a time) and seasoning. I like pepper and garlic salt.

Spray a cookie sheet w/olive oil.
Dip your fish first in the flour, then the egg wash, then the almond/cheese mixture: place on greased cookie sheet.
If you like lemon, place sliced lemon on top of the fish. If you like garlic, throw in a couple of whole cloves w/out the husk.
I then melt butter (one pat per piece of fish) then drizzle down the middle of each piece. This ends up adding allot of flavor to the fish so don't skip this step, it's such a small amount of calories.
Sprinkle with fresh organic parsley.

Cook in preheated oven at 400 uncovered for 20 min (or until the fish is white all the way through).

I plated this with some steamed broccoli with sea salt and organic baby red potatoes roasted in a cast iron pan in the oven. I toss the potatoes w/olive oil and add garlic salt, and crushed red peppers (pizza peppers) with fresh parsley and garlic or any other spices/herbs I have lying around. I cook them at 400, turn them after 10 min, cook another 10 (totalling 20 min).

This is such a healthful satisfying meal and, .....my hubby took the leftovers the following day for lunch and he said it was just as good or better the next day! Super score! He gave me permission to make this anytime :)

Happiness is yours to be had!

So, I'm coming up on completing my first month of juicing and it's been a great journey.I am SO HAPPY! I will say, it would be even greater if I'd get some feed back (from any of you who are reading the blog), just take a sec and leave a comment at the bottom of the page you enjoyed the most. :)

I've lost 19 pounds and it's so obvious around my middle, but what's more amazing is how I feel! I am still having pain in my joints, but with my medical history, that may never go away. My energy level has doubled therefore I'm exercising more frequently. I am sleeping about 2 hours less a night. I don't have any of the daily nausea. I've had to take ibuprofen 3 times; for joint pain and a headache once. I've been off my Cymbalta for the entire month also so the only thing I'm taking is vitamins and supplements. That in combination with the organic eating, my skin is also looking amazing!

Two years ago Jeff and I went on Medifast. It cost us $350 each per month and we still had to buy food for a healthy meal each day. It worked! I lost 20 pounds the first month just like I did juicing. However, I was hungry and craving food. The food is filled with soy and chemicals and you cannot exercise because you are not taking in enough calories. More importantly, I gained the weight back as soon as I started eating regular meals again. Juicing is all organic, you can eat and drink as much as you want of fruits and veggies. I am exercising which builds muscle and I'm eating savory satisfying meals each evening with my husband. Don't think I am skipping dessert cuz I'm not! I either have some popcorn or an all fruit Popsicle. This is the BEST "diet" ever!

If you are looking for a way to lose weight or just feel better by living a healthier lifestyle, try juicing for 30 days. This blog has been a great way for me to detail my journey but for those of you who are more shy, try a food journal. I wish you all great health and happiness!

"The Consitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness. YOU HAVE TO CATCH IT YOURSELF!" Benjamin Franklin

Gingerlicouse!

I am in LOVE with ginger. It can mask the taste of green juice like nothing else. I suggest experimenting with small amounts at first because it is very strong. I cut my root into knuckle size rounds and froze them in a zip lock bag. When I juice I just pop one of those rounds of ginger in my nutribullet and bam! I love it with the tropical fruits especially. Not only do I love the flavor that ginger brings to a smoothie, it has great healthy benefits outlined below.

What are the Health Benefits Of Ginger?

There is a wide range of benefits of ginger such as nausea, digestive problems, circulation and arthritis. Nausea caused during pregnancy or by travelling is one of the benefits of ginger root. Ginger is also known to have the ability to calm an upset stomach and to promote the flow of bile. Stomach cramps can be eased and circulation can also be improved. Ginger supports a healthy cardiovascular system by making platelets less sticky which in turn reduces circulatory problems.

Ginger oil used for massage can help relieve painful arthritis due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Ginger is often included in many herbal decongestants and can help to minimise the symptoms of respiratory conditions, colds and allergies.

With all the benefits of ginger and continuing research, the ginger root is fast becoming a very popular medicinal herb.
Ginger can be freshly grated and used in cooking. It is also available as a supplement which can be taken on a daily bases.

Gated ginger root mixed with diluted lime juice can help to soothe the digestive tract and reduce flatulence. It can be made into oil and used to massage areas of localised chronic pain. It can also be taken in an extract form to reduce inflammation.

So start experimenting with ginger now!

Go Coconutty!

Most of the nutritional and therapeutic benefits of coconut oil come from the saturated fats in the oil. Benefits of saturated fats include its resistance to oxidation, long shelf life, and cooking properties.

One of the reasons why I use coconut oil versus other oils is because of the medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). Medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) have antimicrobial effects, help with digestion and aid in nutrient delivery. By contrast, most common vegetable or seed oils are comprised of long chain fatty acids (LCFAs), also known as long-chain triglycerides or LCTs.

LCTs are large molecules, so they are difficult for your body to break down and are predominantly stored as fat.

Ketones produced from MCTs can protect the heart, brain, kidneys, colon, pancreas and other organs. These amazing ketones also increase metabolic effects, anti-diabetes effects, anti-cancer effects, and anti-Alzheimer’s effects.

Alzheimer’s is a type of diabetes of the brain according to Mary Newport, M.D. The disease can start twenty years before symptoms emerge.

Mary Newport, M.D. describes this scenario that can occur in an Alzheimer’s patient:

“A person develops a problem with insulin, perhaps from consuming too many refined carbohydrates or simple sugars or from other epigenetic factors that overly increase blood glucose and insulin production. The body reacts to the constant barrage of insulin by eliminating cell receptors for it, thus creating insulin resistance. The lack of insulin also prevents insulin-sensitive brain cells from taking in adequate quantities of glucose, a primary brain fuel without which the cells in the brain stat to die off, leading to such diseases such as Alzheimer’s.”

According to Newport, when brain cells lack the ability to uptake glucose, they can potentially accept ketones and use them as an “alternative” source of fuel. Thus cells begin to regenerate. Ketones are metabolized in the liver after MCTs are consumed by the body. The leading drugs for Alzheimer’s contains high amounts of MCTs. At the time, Newport’s husband was suffering from Alzheimer’s. She began to add coconut oil to her husbands food and over time she saw his symptoms improving.

Most people don’t use coconut oil because they believe that saturated fats are not beneficial for cholesterol and the cardiovascular system. According to Beverly Teeter, Ph.D., from the University of Maryland, researchers have discovered that there are two types of cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol and HDL (good) cholesterol and that coconut oil raises HDL levels.

There are many benefits of coconut oil. You can add coconut oil to your favorite dishes and also cook with it.

Make sure you buy organic, cold pressed, unrefined, virgin coconut oil packed with MCTs.

As you may know, I love juicing vegetables and fruits. I also love adding a tablespoon of coconut oil to my juice. It changes the texture of the juice, makes it more smooth and coconut oil actually helps with digestion and absorption of nutrients.



posted by Drew "Fitlife" Canole, 27th August 2012, Categories: default, Featured Tags: alzheimer's treatment, antimicrobial effects of coconut oil, benefits of coconut oil, benefits of MCTs, coconut oil, Green Drinks, juicing and coconut oil, medium chain triglycerides, virgin coconut oil. juicing vegetables

You actually ARE what you eat!