Trip to Sprouts

Image courtesy of Almogaver/morguefile.com

Well, I got to Sprouts Farmers Market to pick some of their great bargains on fresh produce, but haven't made it yet to the grocery stores to complete my list.  As I shopped, I felt an excitement about starting up the accelerate cycle again.  Am I weird or what?



What did I buy and why? (All of these were on sale at Sprouts):



Cucumbers - I eat them sliced as a snack and also pile tuna salad on top, using them like crackers.



Red Bell Peppers - They were 49 cents, so I bought a bag full! I love them in stir fry, sliced to eat as a snack in the evening with fat free sour cream dip, and I grill them whole, along with zuchinni squash and eggplant, for dinner. The outside of the peppers roast quickly and are very juicy grilled).



Zuchinni Squash and eggplant - They both are good on the grill and in stir fry, but my favorite way to fix these vegetables is to slice, coat with egg white and then dip each piece in low fat parmesan cheese, and pan "fry" them on both side in a pan coated with spray olive oil plus 1 tablespoon olive oil (using one of my allowed fat servings). I spoon low sugar marinara on top of the eggplant. (I like it this way better than the eggplant parmesan recipe in the book)!



Celery - for snacking and the vegetable soup.



Head of Cabbage - for the vegetable soup, or steamed.



Lettuce - Iceberg and Red Leaf for salads.



Berries - Blackberries, blueberries and strawberries.  I eat these plain and also freeze some for the Kefir Smoothies. See previous posts for more on this.



Jicama - I don't think this veggie is listed on the 17 Day Diet's accelerate cycle, but it should be, since it is low on the glycemic index.  If you haven't eaten jicama, it looks similar to a potato, is crunchy and great for snacking.



Nectarines - 77 cents a pound! I love Sprouts Farmers Market!



Watermelon - I know this isn't supposed to be okay for cycle 1, but I did research when I lost weight on the medi-weight loss plan and the volume of water in watermelon brings down the glycemic load. (For info on the importance of the glycemic index when trying to lose weight, read my article "Understanding the Glycemic Index 101") I ate watermelon the whole 3 months during that diet and lost 40 pounds! (One of my blog posts on my Medi Weightloss Blog explains the low-glycemic qualities of jicama and watermelon.  You can read it here.) Up to you whether to include watermelon, but I am.



I need to finish my shopping and then I am ready to go tomorrow! This cruise vacation weight is coming off! Bye bye chocolate melted cake!



Note:

For my experience with the Medi Weightloss Program you can either go to "My Medi-Weightloss Tips and Recipes" blog or read the following articles (You'll find some good recipes that will work for the 17 Day Diet there):



"How Does the Medi Weightloss Program Work?"



"A Review of the Medi Weightloss Program"

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A 17 Day Diet Recipe Idea: Apple French Toast without the Toast?



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 I'm always searching around the net for recipes that will work on this 17 day diet.  I ran across this 'almost french toast' idea and thought I'd share.  It involves apples, eggs, cinnamon and sweetener. Perfect for every 17 Day Diet cycle!



Let's see who tries it out first!



Here's the link:  http://www.weightloss-hq.biz/weight-loss-forum/17-day-diet-recipes/index.php?option=com_fireboard&func=view&catid=26&id=68085&Itemid=46



Update: Today (2/27/11) I made this recipe and it was good!  I would recommend, however that if you make it, use two eggs for a large apple, and only one egg if the apple is smaller.  I'm going to try it next adding a 1/2 slice of whole grain bread torn into chunks to the cooked apple before I pour the egg.  (Of course, wait to add the bread until you've gotten to the activate cycle!) I'll report back how that goes.

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The Joy of the 17 Day Diet's Accelerate Cycle - Fast Weight Loss!

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I'm happy to report that today, my 55th day on the 17-day diet, I have lost a total of 18 pounds, losing 2 pounds since I decided to repeat the accelerate cycle on Monday (today's Friday).  I'm repeating this cycle since Dr. Moreno's book suggests that if you haven't reached your goal weight, to repeat a precious cycle.  I chose the accelerate cycle for these reasons:

• The weight came off fastest on this cycle


• It's easier to get into the daily groove


• The low carb menu on this cycle works like an appetite suppressant for me and I gain incredible self control.

Also, I was wiser this time, having found out mid way the first time that there were some items I could be eating (check page 46 in the book under condiments) that I didn't know about .  Last time I didn't realize I could have fat-free cheese and salad dressings on my salad (I like Kraft fat-free cheddar). I didn't realize I could have lowcarb marina sauce (top eggplant with it!) Also, this time I know that I can make a dip using fat free sour cream or yogurt and dip my cleansing veggies in it as as a snack.  If you use the yogurt it counts toward one pro-biotic serving.



Over the past 55 days, I have learned to absolutely LOVE eating raw bell peppers.....green, yellow, red and orange and nibble on them every day now.  I cut out the seeds and slice them into strips and crunch on them whenever I need to.  I've been watching the sales and buying bags of them.  Sprouts had green peppers for 49 cents each and the red, orange, and yellow peppers for 88 cents last week.  I was in Heaven!



I would have never guessed that I could lose 18 pounds in less than two months using pure will power. I'm now within 13 pounds of my goal weight.  Thank you Dr. Moreno for your 17 Day Diet Plan.

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Low Carb Cauliflower Rice



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I ran across a video tonight and had never heard of using cauliflower as a rice alternative. I'll be trying it for the accelerate cycle!



Watch the instruction video on turning this head of cauliflower into rice here: "Low Carb Cauliflower Rice"

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Low Carb Whole Wheat Crepes

I've been trying out different crepe recipes from online sites and now have the perfect crepe recipe for the 17 Day Diet.  I fill mine with low carb yogurt and fruit, which means it would count as 1 probiotic and 1 fruit.  Here it is:



Low Carb Whole Wheat Crepes



In France, crepes are a national dish and served widely. According to epicurean.com, "crepes are traditionally offered on Candlemas and Shrove Tuesday to celebrate renewal, family life, and hope for good fortune and happiness ahead.



Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time:10 min

Total Time:25 min

6 Servings

Ingredients:



1  Whole Egg

1  Egg White

1/4 cup  Low Fat Ricotta Cheese

2 Tbls  Wheat Flour

2 Tbls Half and Half, non fat

Pinch  Salt

1/2 teas Vanilla - Optional

2 pkts Sweetener (Truvia or Splenda) - Optional

1/2 cup Fruit (Strawberries, bluberries, peaches)

To preference Light Whipped Creme

Click here for step by step instructions: "Low Carb Whole Wheat Crepes"

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Brown Rice and the 17 Day Diet



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When you reach the second cycle of the 17 Day Diet, you can have some starchy carbs every other day.  Dr. Mike Moreno stresses having brown rice instead of white rice due to its low glycemic load.  If you are still on the fence about switching over to brown rice, try different types and accept that this change is good for your health, not just your waistline.  I Love California Basmati Brown Rice and will never go back to white rice.  It smells like popcorn when it is cooking and cooks fluffy and light. Still not convinced?  Read my article below for the full health benefits and types of brown rice available. Keep an open mind and, in time, you'll learn to love brown rice better than its unhealthy, stripped-of-nutrients, bleached cousin!



Brown Rice and Your Health



What kind of rice are you serving with your meals? If it is that same boring white rice, there are many benefits to switching to one of the healthier brown rice choices.



The Difference between White Rice and Brown Rice



Both white and brown rice are gluten-free, and contain no trans fat or cholesterol, however, the

differences between the two can be monumental in regard to many diseases and health conditions.



The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that the foundation for a healthy diet be three servings daily of whole grains. Brown rice is 100% whole grain, with the bran and inner germ layer still intact. It is not milled like white rice which removes the fiber, the plant-based carbohydrate part of the food our bodies don't digest. Fiber can relieve constipation and prevent several conditions such as gallstones, kidney stones, hemorrhoids, and diverticular disease, a condition in which small pouches develop in the colon that become infected and cause painful digestive problems.



Health Benefits of Eating Brown Rice



1. Lower Blood Glucose.  Diabetes tells us in their Fall 2010 magazine edition that eating five or more servings of white rice weekly increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, while two or more servings of brown rice actually lowers that risk. Their article, "Brown Rice for Lower Blood Glucose," states "replacing 50 grams of white rice (one third of a serving) with the same amount  of brown rice would lower type 2 diabetes risk by 16%.



Physicians consider a healthy diet one that includes foods low in saturated fat, cholesterol and made with whole grains. Selecting brown rice in place of white rice as a whole grain choice has several benefits for your body.



Continue Reading "Brown Rice and Your Health"

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