Review: Choose to Lose: The 7-Day Carb Cycle Solution

Click on photo for link to this great book!

(For your convenience, this post contains affiliate links.)

Weight Watchers.  I've tried it.  Counting calories.  I've been there.  Low carb.  I've done that too.  21 Day Fix.  Yes, I've even tried that.  No sugar.  You guessed it!  I've tried it too.  And of course, the oldie but goodie, the low fat diet.  I've been there, done that.  Do you know what all those "diets" or "life style changes" have left me feeling?  Deprived.  Hungry.  Overwhelmed.

For the most part, I eat clean.  With that said, "eating clean" is a big term that could mean a lot of things, and ultimately, you can still consume things that add to weight gain.  For example, raw honey and maple syrup are technically sugars that are "okay" to eat when eating clean.  These, however, when consumed in a large amount (i.e. baked goods), even with other healthy ingredients like oats and dark chocolate can add up in caloric value AND they can make my blood sugar sky rocket.  

After realizing I needed more of a plan than to just "eat clean,"  I started noticing the term "Carb Cycling" all over social media.  People I follow on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook were following these plans, as well as selling them.  All these plans were slightly different and why the planned worked was always explained in different ways.  A personal trainer I look up to is Chris Powell of ABC's Extreme Weight Loss.  That show is one of my favorites to watch for realistic weight loss and motivation.  Chris Powell wrote a book called Choose to Lose:  The 7-Day Carb Cycle Solution.  I recently ordered the book on Amazon and I just ate it up.  Pun intended.  I have been looking for a way I can eat that is truly a life style change--- a realistic plan that I can truly stick to without feeling deprived.  

Carb Cycling is basically eating meals high in carbs one day and low carbs the next.  On the high carb days, your nutrients should be lower in fat and a little less protein as well.  On the low carb days, your nutrients should be built up of high amounts of protein and good fats instead of carbs.  Breakfast on low and high-carb days is always higher in carbs.   This is what keeps you feeling satisfied.  Let me tell you:  IT WORKS!  I feel so satisfied on my low carb/high protein days!  I've noticed more muscle growth and I've lost 5 lbs in a couple weeks.  My husband has also lost 5 lbs!  I fit into more of my clothes!  Did I say I feel satisfied???  I still record everything I eat in my Lose It App, in order to count my proteins, fats, and carbs.  As far as calories go,  I still end up with enough calories.  When counting macronutrients (fat, carbs, protein), it is amazing how that works!  This is definitely a way I can eat for the rest of my life.  If I am craving carbs (which I no longer do), I can always eat it on my high-carb day.  

Chris Powell's Choose to Lose:  The 7-Day Carb Cycle Solution explains everything from preparing for weight loss and success to trouble shooting social eating situations to what carb cycling is and how to do it.  There is a 12 week plan in the book, including a technique every fourth week to prevent plateaus in weight loss.  That's right!  Preventing plateaus!  It get's better... every fourth week, you get to consume quite a bit of carbs!  The book includes exercises, recipes, portion examples, shopping lists, low-carb and high-carb food lists, and a quick-start guide if you want to get straight to it.  

I would definitely recommend Chris Powell's Choose to Lose.  It is straight forward, honest, and realistically doable way to live a healthy life style, while losing weight and gaining muscle.  Who doesn't want that?

If you are wondering what "low-carb" days look like, the photos below are a pretty good example of what I would eat!

Wishing you a happy, healthy, doable lifestyle!

Favorite Fit Gadget: Paderno Spiralizer

Top Left:  Zoodles sautéed with spinach, onions, olive oil, and herbs.  Top Right:  Spiraled cucumbers for a fun, quick snack.  Bottom Left: Baked curly fries.  Bottom Right:  Zoodles with fresh basil, sweet bell peppers, and onions, served with sausage.

One the the most common questions I get from Instagram followers, friends, and church family is "How do you make Zoodles?"  The answer is simple.  I use my Paderno Spiralizer!  This product, by far, is one of my favorites to use in my kitchen.  

The best thing about Paderno Spiralizer is the price.  On Amazon, it runs on average $35.  For this price, you get a spiralizer that has suction cups to stick to the countertop when in use, three different connections with very sharp blades, and the crank-like base---everything you need to make curly deliciousness!  (Except the fruits or veggies!)  

The spiralizer is so easy, fun, and safe to use, my kids run to the kitchen and fight over  ask very politely to turn the crank.  You can make a spiral out of a variety of fruits and vegetables, from zucchini to yellow squash, to cucumbers, carrots, and apples, and, of course, potatoes!  We use this tool a few times a week, and, I have to admit, it has prompted me to eat more vegetables.  I no longer eat spaghetti noodles because I prefer "Zoodles" over pasta!  

My son made a "vegetable salad" with spiraled carrots!

If you'd like to purchase the Paderno Spiralizer and see for yourself how deliciously wonderful it is, please click on the link below!

Paderno Spiralizer

For a website FULL of swirly, twirly goodness, ideas and recipes, please visit this wonderful resource at Twirly Bites!

Where have I been?

Ha!  It has been some time since I've blogged and I totally pooped out on the Pinterest Fitness posts.  For those of you who were following that, sorry about that!   Perhaps I shouldn't have committed to posting that while on vacation!  Despite that, I did run on my vacation, and did some workouts from Pinterest.

My kiddos had to wake up early for this... ;)

My 10k went well, considering I fell at about mile 2.  I was running down hill and my leg sometimes likes to stop working when going down hill.  I land on my toosh and my hands, got up quickly, and was on my way.  Quite a bit of the race was uphill and at an elevation of 5,000 feet.  So, considering all that, I came in at 59:18.  Not bad.  I definitely want to improve on that, though!

Since the 10K and our return home from vacation, I have run, but haven't enjoyed that so much because it gets hot really early.  So, I'm taking it indoors and doing the workout I won from the before/after photo contest.

With the 10K behind me, I want to set some new goals.  Goals are so important when it comes to staying fit.  I need something to work towards.  I need a challenge.  Here are some of my new goals for the summer:

1.)  Be able to do 20 pull-ups.  Unassisted.  I'm up to 5 right now.
2.)  Build up my core muscles.  Hold a forearm plank for 3 minutes.  I'm up to 1:30.
3.)  Complete the "Busy Mom Gets Fit" workout series and as a result, stay toned!  I'm in the second week of that.
4.)  Keep running twice a week!  (Haven't been too good with this one!)

So, there you have it!  What are some of your goals for the summer?

How to Lose Weight: Eat Your Veggies!

I know, I know.  That probably isn't what you want to hear.  I probably sound like the mother of a five-year-old.  I am.  Never-the-less, my kids eat their veggies, and we all want our kids to eat their veggies, so why not eat them ourselves?

My son's favorite snack is veggies!  They cab be a tasty treat anytime of the day! 

Do you find at times that you feed your kids better than you feed yourself?  Kids really do follow by example, and if they see you eating that nice plate of raw, fresh broccoli, carrots, and snap peas (a favorite combo in our household), they may just want to taste of that goodness.

Learn from the bunnies!  I recently visited a bunch of bunnies who preferred veggies over biscuits!    True story.  Someone had tossed a bunch of biscuits in their cage and they were untouched.  However, there were scraps of eaten vegetables everywhere.  This bunny was munching on some sweet romaine!

"But what if I don't like vegetables?" you may ask.  Start to.  Some vegetables may be an acquired taste, but I encourage you to try to eat your veggies, and even raw if possible.  Buy your veggies from local growers, which are more likely to be pesticide-free.  Our local grower even showed us how he keeps those pesky bugs away without pesticide when we inquired about it.  He showed us rows of onions surrounding each row of produce growing.  Soap-water works great too.  Either way, its a win-win.  You support local growers, and you get pesticide-free produce for cheap.  When you purchase that broccoli that was just picked that morning, bring it home, cut it up, and eat it, you may be surprised to find how sweet it is!  Fresh picked produce is leagues above the early-picked grocery store produce any day!

Our local grower's strawberry fields are surrounded
by onions, garlic, and other veggies and herbs
 to ward off insects naturally.

You can't find these beauties in a typical
grocery store!

Find ways to include more vegetables in your diet, even if that means cooking them.  Include vegetables in stir-fry, make your own lettuce wraps (recipe here), or stuffed bell-peppers (recipe here).  Use a nice big romaine leaf to wrap your burger instead of a bun.  Add spinach, onions, and bell peppers to your eggs.  There are plenty of ways to include veggies in every meal!

Experience salads again.  I'm not talking about the iceberg lettuce sprinkled with red cabbage and shredded carrots kind of salad.  I'm talking about making salads into masterpieces that you eat.  If you like fruit, add a few berries to your salad.  Berries go really well with spinach, broccoli, walnuts, and feta.  Of course, when adding ingredients to your "masterpiece," please do measure!  And do not use salad dressings with preservatives, high-fructose corn syrup, or a lot of fat and calories.  Look in the refrigerated produce section in your grocery store for salad dressing.  You can find the healthy, tasty stuff there!

So, what do you do if you try that freshly-picked pesticide free broccoli yumminess and you still don't like it?  You can drink your veggies.  I recommend doing this via a smoothie because, unlike most juicing, you get all the fiber.  I have a few good recipes for smoothies on my blog.  You can find them HERE.  They all include a serving of vegetables and taste delicious!  My husband and I and two of my children drink a veggie-fruit smoothie every morning.  My son who doesn't care for the smoothies (because he has refused to try them) eats vegetables ALL THE TIME, so I'm not worried about him.

This is the celery-pineapple-spinach smoothie I made this morning.  YUM!  Recipe to come!

Why does eating your vegetables help you loose weight?  

Last year, my oldest son kept asking for his Easter candy.  All day long.  I decided it was a good opportunity to give him an example of calorie dense food. 1 cup of broccoli- 25 calories, 3 g fiber, 2 g protein, 60% dv (daily value) of Vitamin C, 10% Vitamin A, 2% iron and 2% calcium. 1 Trader Joe's Easter gummy- 28 calories, 0g fiber, protein, and everything else.  Wow!  What an amazing difference.  Now, which of those 25-ish calories will fill you up more and provide you with more nutrition?  The answer is pretty obvious.  This is the main reason why vegetables help you loose weight.  Also, when you replace unnecessary carbs with veggies, i.e. romaine lettuce leaf instead of a hamburger bun, you save calories.

One last thing.  When eating a meal, your plate shouldn't be filled mostly with proteins and carbs.  The biggest portion on your plate should be vegetables.  

The diagram above is a great example of how our plates should look.  Notice that the biggest portion on the plate is vegetables.  This a good picture to remember each time we assemble our plates!

Pile the veggies on!!!

How I did it.

As a result of posting my before/after photos on Facebook, I got a slew of wonderfully kind complements (thanks!) and a slew of "How DID you do it?" questions.  So, if you were wondering how I went from 185 lbs to 128 lbs, read on!


"Do what you can and don't think that you can't do it!"




I started this blog in the beginning of 2008.  I had several goals in mind regarding fitness.  Of course, the main goal was to loose weight.  I started at my postpartum weight of 185 lbs, but by January when I decided to start the blog, I got down to about 175.  I stayed there for a while until I started Weight Watchers in May of 2008.  I went on to loose 20 lbs on Weight Watchers that summer, and an additional 10 lbs the following fall.   By December of 2008, I was pregnant, and I had reached the weight of 155 lbs.  That was half the weight lost before my second pregnancy!  I went on to gain only 19 lbs in my second pregnancy (a HUGE contrast to the 60 lbs I gained with my first!).  That 19 lbs came off when I delivered my second.  I lost 10 more pounds before I got pregnant with my third, and  in at about 145 lbs.  I gained 20 lbs when my third pregnancy, and for some reason, that didn't all come off with the baby!  My scale seemed to be stuck at 151 lbs.  I cut out a lot of sugar and, once more, got serious about eating healthy.  I know how to eat healthy.  I've read books.  Taken classes.  The knowledge is there.   I just needed the discipline to apply it!  By the summer of 2011, a few months after having my third, I was able to drop 7 lbs VERY SLOWLY!  I knew I need a kick in the butt.  Physically.   workout DVDs were no longer challenging and I had a hunch that was problem.  I saw a write-up for a 20 buck program called Supreme 90 Day in Fitness Magazine, so I decided to go for it.  I committed and the rest, including that extra 16 lbs, is history.

Breakfast: Oatmeal with blueberries,
flaxseed, 1% milk, and egg w/ egg
white on the side.

There were two common habits I formed over that period of time in order to loose weight.  Number one:  STOP EATING CRUD!  God didn't make our bodies to digest weird concoctions of chemicals like high fructose corn syrup or partially hydrogentated oils.  He also made the grains we grow perfect for our bodies...no need to "enrich" them.  That brings me to need to choose your carbs wisely.  I don't eat enriched flours.  If the product says, "Whole Grain" or "Whole Wheat" on the label it doesn't mean it is actually whole grain or whole wheat.  CHECK THE LABEL!!!  The first ingredient must say "100 % whole wheat flour" or "whole wheat flour" or a list of the grains it includes.  If the ingredients say, "enriched flour" of any kind, that means that food is rubbish!  Essentially, the label is saying that they took all the good stuff out of the flour and added only four to five nutrients back in (iron, folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, and thiamine).  Hmmm...somehow I don't know how they get away with calling it "enriched."  I will tell you that I enjoy carbs.  And, thankfully, there are healthy carbs.  I LOVE oatmeal.  I love it in the morning and I love it as my last meal in the late evening.  I don't add sugar, though!  There is a pleasant nuttiness that I enjoy, especially to the steal cut variety.  I add 1/2 cup of blueberries or apples and 1 Tbsp of flaxseed and it is simply perfect!  (read about the benefits of Flaxseed here!) I also enjoy brown rice. Brown basmati or brown jasmine are very flavorful.   You need no butter.  Just boil, fluff, and enjoy. 

Lunch: Lots of  veggies topped with
chicken breast, cheese and Trader Joe's
Parmesan Ranch Dressing.

In addition to those "good" carbs, I have come to enjoy fruits and vegetables.  I have always devoured the sweeter fruits like grapes, peaches, nectarines, and plums.  I now eat apples, blueberries, and oranges regularly as well.  Fruit is a great food to "seal the meal" and it actually goes really well with cheese.  That pair makes a great snack.  Vegetables were not always my thing.  I ate salad and that's about it.  I have come to enjoy a variety of veggies now, and I would have to say that one of my favorite is broccoli.  I have to thank my kids for that.  They LOVE it and so we eat it a lot.  I can eat a whole cup of broccoli with no problem now!  


Mid weight loss journey, I read "Mastering My Metabolism" (read blog about that here) by Jillian Michaels, and read a whole lot of reasons why not to eat processed food.  To my frustration, 90% of the food in my kitchen at that a time was processed because that is what normal grocery stores sale.  I stopped couponing at this point because most of the foods sold by large companies who put out coupons were processed foods.  It does cost a little more money to eat "clean" as some call it, but it is well worth it!  Now, to top off the weight loss tips in regards to nutrition, I must say that keeping a food diary, and perhaps counting calories, helped me tremendously when it came to loosing weight.  I wasn't eating enough as a nursing mother, and that, to me, is very important.  Your body needs fuel to run.  If it doesn't get that fuel, your metabolism will go on a downward spiral.  


Oh.  One more thing.  Drink water.  Lots of it.  It helps things *ahem* along.


The second habit that helped me loose weight:  KEEP MOVING (challenge yourself)!  It is worth the thirty minutes a day to "sacrifice" for the results you get.  And I'm not only talking about the weight lose.  I am talking about the strength, energy, and endurance you gain.  I love being able to run after my kids, pick up my toddler, and still have energy at the end of the day.  God did not create us to be sedentary creatures.  We have been made to move, whether it be work or play!  I am the type of person who gets very bored very quickly with workouts.  I do it for a week, and then I am done with it.  For those of you who tend to do the same thing, I would recommend something like Supreme 90 Day or Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred.  These workouts play off of "muscle confusion," which basically means mixing up the workouts so your body never gets used to them.  That way, you get the most out of your workout, as do your muscles.  I can tell you first hand that this approach worked for me.  Whatever your perfect workout may be, find something that will keep you motivated to keep on moving---and make sure that the way you are moving is challenging your body.  Huff and puff!  You were made to!


Alright, folks!  That is just a small tidbit of what I have learned through my weight loss journey.  I am still learning, devouring all the facts that come my way.  I enjoy being healthy and fit and I have to say that I am most thankful to God who had given me perseverance to get through this weight loss journey.  I strive to keep that perspective.  It is for Him that I do these things.  It is for His glory.



1 Corinthians 10:31, "So, whether you eat or drink,or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

30 Days of Accountability: Day 1

Coming back from vacationing and constantly being busy this summer, I gained 3 lbs. That doesn't sound like much, and, I know it all reality, it isn't. However, I didn't want to gain anything...I wanted to LOOSE more! I noticed back in May when I did the Mastering My Metabolism posts, it was a good thing for me to be held accountable to posting. It kept me in check. That is what this blog is really for. So, this starts 30 days of posts. Some may be just rambling about my struggles, and some may be informational, and some, I hope, may be sharing my accomplishments.
My current goal is to get to 130 pounds so I can get pregnant again at a healthier weight. It sounds weird, but I'd like to gain more in my pregnancy than last time. I only gained 19 lbs, and I read that the little weight gain could have contributed to the HEELP syndrome I came down with (NOT FUN!). So, here's to another goal! I'm at 146 right now, so, 30 days from now (September 24th) I hope to 136 lbs. I know that will be a lot of work , so I better get moving!

Great Article!

My awesome husband just sent me a wonderful article that breaks down what produce you need to buy organic and what produce is "clean" enough to not worry about. Here is the link:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/06/01/dirty.dozen.produce.pesticide/index.html?hpt=C2

40 lbs LOST!

Before (185-ish) and Right Now (145lbs)
~40 lbs lost~

I remember the first time I weighed myself after Jackson was born. I waited several weeks to weigh myself after giving birth out of the fear of the number on the scale. When I finally got the guts to weigh myself, I discovered I was 185 lbs. I was devastated. The last time I weighed in before giving birth to Jackson---the day before he was born---I weighed in at 206 lbs. I gained 63 lbs during the pregnancy. From that first number on the scale several weeks after the birth of my fist child, and after another pregnancy and the birth of my second child, I have now lost a total of 40 pounds! I suppose I'll keep on going... :)

Mastering My Metabolism: Day 14

Technically Sunday was day 14, the last day of the "trial" eating plan, so I will sum it up today. I weighed in at 145.6, so that is nearly 3 lbs lost in two weeks. I would say that is decent. As I said, I also am getting better sleep each night. Troy has lost 4 lbs as well. So, WHY NOT keep eating this way? I love all the cooking it involves because I love cooking with fresh ingredients. I can't stand the dishes, though. I'll have to work on that! So, at 145 lbs, this leaves me only 2 lbs from the weight I was before I got pregnant with Jackson, and only 10-12 lbs from where I was when I got married, hence when I fit into my wedding dress. I really hope to fit into it by this time next month, but I do realize there is a possibility that I will only loose a pound a week. The dress may be a bit tight. Never the less, I would say I've come a far way! I won't be too dissapointed if the dress is a bit snug or doesn't fit. I know I can still keep loosing weight after our 5th anniversary. Anyways, here's to almost 5 years of marriage! :)

Mastering My Metabolism: Day 13

I'm down to 146.4, which is only 3 lbs from my pre-pre pregnancy weight! :) Troy lost two more pounds, for a total of 4 lost since we started this eating plan last Monday. I'm happy for him. I just keep in mind I probably will loose weight at 1/2 the rate he does, so its somewhat motivating somehow!

Mastering My Metabolism: Day 8-12

Me on our honeymoon...not in the bathing suit/bikini because I figure its not good to post that sort of thing on the internet!

I've had a busy week, so exercise ha been more difficult to fit in. However, I have good news! I fit into the bathing suit that I wore on honeymoon! Of course, it doesn't look as good on me now as it did the, but I would say that this is definitely progress! Woohoo!

Mastering My Metabolism: Day 5

(photo source: http://www.ranchogordo.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/red-quinoa.jpg)

I must admit that I am enjoying the some of the recipes from Jillian's book, as well as some that I have found online. One new food that I tried this week (today, actually) is Quinoa (pronouced KEEN-WA) was pretty good. I think the texture takes a little getting used to, but I enjoyed the barley-like nutty flavor it had. I used the recipe below to make a really tasty lunch. Quinoa is packed with protien, fiber, potassium, and has so many healthy qualities to it. We will be adding this to our regular menu.

Quinoa with Peppers, Onions, and Sausage (Source: http://WAHM.com, but I changed it a bit.)

Quinoa with Peppers, Onions, and Sausage is a protein-packed, healthy, and delicious meal! Very easy to make and full of flavor.

Ingredients

1 medium onion diced

4 cups chicken stock or broth

3 cups quinoa (organic if possible)

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 garlic cloves peeled and minced

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

3 bell peppers, red, green, and yellow, seeded and diced

4 lrg Chicken Sausage Links (or other low-fat sausage, preferably nitrate-free)

Preparation

Step 1- Preheat grill or broiler.

Step 2- Make the quinoa by combining it with chicken stock in a medium sauce pot. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer until no longer crunchy and all liquid has evaporated, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 3- Heat olive oil in a large sauce pot over medium heat. Add onions and peppers and saute 5 to 7 minutes or until begin to peppers soften, stirring often. Add garlic and cook an additional minute or two, stirring, then add paprika and cumin and cook 1 minute. Add salt and pepper as needed.

Step 4- Meanwhile, grill the sausage links about 8 to 10 minutes over a moderately-hot fire or broiler, turning often until cooked through to the center. Slice sausage. Add pepper and onion mixture to quinoa and top with sausage.

Yield: 6 servings

Mastering My Metabolism: Day 4

(photo credit: http://digitallydelicious.files.wordpress.com)

Wow. I really do not like the taste of grass-fed beef. Neither does Troy and Jackson. We had some meatloaf from Henry's last night made from organic grass-fed beef. Yuck. I had to drown it in BBQ sauce for it to taste good. I guess that defeated the purpose of eating a healthy dinner. Hmmm. I guess we will have to re-think that. Also, organic chicken breasts are stinking expensive!!! Who has the $$$ to pay $6.99-8.99 a pound for chicken??? On the plus side, we are probably going to find ourselves eating more of a variety of meat, seeing as I can get organic pork tenderloin for slightly cheaper, and turkey bacon for a decent price as well. We are going to eat more vegetarians meals, too---mainly because it is cheaper. I made slit pea lentil soup, veggies and all, for under $2.50 and that made enough for us to eat two dinners and for Madelyn to have 16 baby-sized meals. Maybe that will make up for the price of the chicken. Maybe.

Mastering My Metabolism: Day 3

Here are some things I've done this week to give my metabolism a jump start (as suggested by Jillian Michaels):

• Eat every four hours.
• Don't eat carbs after 9 (it raises your insulin levels, so your body can't get into a deep sleep when it needs to, thus slowing your metabolism because you aren't getting good sleep).
• Eat more organic foods.
• Drink more water, adding to the 8 glasses a day, 1 glass per caffeinated beverage consumed.
• Get moving daily, starting with 5 hours of strengthening/stretching exercises.
• Eliminate High-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, and BHA or BHT from diet.
  

Most of these things I already knew I should do. It's always good to get a reminder, though!