Weight loss success!

As of today, I have reached my goal of losing 20 pounds and have even exceeded it by almost an additional pound. I am down by 20.8 pounds since mid-August. I am now going to eat very lightly for the next week and continue to focus on low starch, low fat veggies, fruits and plant based proteins so that I can lose a bit more or at least hold it steady before the Christmas feast and other tempting goodies start to appear.  I have been avoiding doing a lot of baking before Christmas this year so that I can keep the temptations from derailing my progress.  I haven't been doing any rigorous exercise routines lately; as I mentioned in my last post, my main source of exercise right now is walking (mostly while Christmas shopping). After the holidays I plan to get back to some more aerobic forms of exercise and light weight lifting.

For the past two days it has been chilly and damp with some big rainstorms moving through.  This kind of weather draws me toward nice big bowls of soup, stew or chowder.  Recently I made a big pot of veggie soup using things I had on hand.  I started with vegetable broth (a 32 oz. container) and added 1 can of tomato sauce (14 oz.), a can of diced tomatoes (14 oz.), and a can of cooked lentils, same size.  Then I put in one medium diced onion, a few teaspoons of minced garlic, some shredded carrots and cabbage and some frozen turnip greens with diced turnips.  I also had some fresh kale in the fridge so I chopped a few cups of that and threw it in.  For seasonings I added some onion salt, crushed chili peppers, some blackened Cajun seasoning and some Caribbean jerk seasoning.  It sounds a little bit weird to mix all of those spices, but it turned out super delicious, for my taste buds anyway.  I like a lot of spices in my soup, and it's fun to just get creative and see what happens.

Here is a great quote I just saw on Facebook as a reminder of the importance of a lifestyle that is compassionate toward all creatures:

"As the crisis of feeding the world's population grows, breeding of animals for human consumption becomes less acceptable out of compassion for the suffering of animals and the awareness that it is a grossly inefficient use of water and grain. A new relationship with the animal kingdom is part of our changing perception of the Earth.... Animals are part of us, and part of our practice." --Allan Hunt Badiner

The Holidays Are Upon Us - Wishing You a Healthy Season!

Time has been flying by so fast lately that I lost track of how long it has been since I added to this blog.  My weight loss progress has been basically on hold for the last few weeks, although I got within 1 pound of my goal as of November 20th.  Since then there was Thanksgiving week and now we are looking at Christmas travel plans, shopping for gifts, etc.  In two weeks I will be traveling to New York to spend the holidays with my domestic partner's mom and sister and his two kids, and visiting with the relatives who live nearby.

The weather has turned colder which has put a damper on my motivation to exercise, but I am making the most of the opportunities to walk while shopping.  It's pretty easy to spend 2 or 3 hours at a time in the mall admiring all of the beautiful displays while looking for special gifts for special people.  It just amazes me to see all of the new gadgets and fabulous clothing that we get to choose from, especially at this time of year.  The creativity that goes into making them is just so incredible.

In looking at my weight loss goals, I am focusing on meeting and hopefully exceeding my original goal of losing 20 pounds from August 25th, although I missed my first deadline of  mid-October (way too ambitious) and my second deadline of November 20th.  I gained a few pounds during Thanksgiving week, but have been pretty good since then. Right now I am only 1.5 pounds above the 20 pound goal.  I would like to work my way down about 3.5 pounds by December 20th so that I am 2 pounds below my original goal weight.  That way I have room to indulge a bit in the last part of December, and New Year's weekend.

I am writing this blog partly to keep myself accountable and to make sure that I stay on track with my weight and with a healthy diet even after I reach my goal.  I also want to share information I come across that is useful to those who are concerned about our agricultural and food production systems and how they affect our own health and the health of our planet.

Below are a few recipes ideas I have come across lately that are tasty and nutritious.

Chickpea Salad

Mash a can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) or blend in blender until coarsely ground.  Add some reduced fat Vegenaise, chopped celery, spicy mustard, and lemon juice to taste.  Can also add some onion powder and/or curry powder if you feel adventurous.  Serve by itself or on bread as a sandwich.


Caribbean Peas and Rice (from happyherbivore.com)

    1 bunch scallions, white parts sliced thin
    2 whole celery stalks, minced
    4 whole garlic cloves, minced
    2 tbsp fresh ginger root, minced
    4 whole fresh thyme twigs
    1½ tsp Tabasco green pepper sauce
    2 tbsp ketchup
    ¼ tsp turmeric (optional)
    1 bunch kale, chopped
    15 ounces black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
    2 cups brown rice, uncooked
    2½ cups vegetable broth
    2 tsp Jamaican dried jerk seasoning

Combine rice with 2 cups of vegetable broth in a large pot and set aside. Line a skillet with a thin layer of broth and add scallions, celery, garlic, ginger, thyme, jalapeno sauce and 1 tsp jerk seasoning. Cook over high heat, adding additional broth as necessary, until the celery is soft, about 3 minutes. Add remaining jerk seasoning, stirring to coat. Transfer to rice, add 2 squirts of ketchup and turmeric (for color), stirring to combine. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling reduce heat to low and simmer 40-50 minutes, until rice is cooked, but keep and eye on it, as you may need to add more broth or water (some brown rice is very thirsty). Meanwhile, lightly steam greens. Press out any excess water and chop into bite-sized pieces. Once rice is fully cooked, fluff with a spatula then stir in rice and greens. Serve with jalapeno sauce on the table. 


Bean Bread (from Facebook pal Thomas Bergel)

    1 cup boiling water
    1 cup raisins
    1 (15 ounce) can of your favorite beans (do not discard liquid)
    2 cups sugar
    4 1/2 teaspoons Ener G egg replacement mixed with 6 tablespoons
        water (or 3 eggs)
    1 cup canola oil
    1 teaspoon vanilla
    3 cups whole wheat flour
    1 teaspoon cinnamon
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    1/2 teaspoon baking powder
    1 cup finely chopped nuts of your choice (optional)

Mix raisins in water; set aside to cool.  Mash beans with a fork or blend in blender until fairly smooth.

Beat oil, egg replacement or eggs, sugar and vanilla with beans.  Mix flour with baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon and add to batter. Drain water off raisins and fold in to batter, setting water aside. Add nuts if desired. If batter is too stiff, add little of water from raisins. Pour into well-greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Wrap in aluminum foil and serve the next day (for better slicing).

Also very good with dried cranberries in place of raisins.  Can make cupcakes--reduce baking time to approximately 35 minutes.

Bean bread is as old as the hills.  The American Indians enjoyed it.  Each tribe had a variation. It doesn't taste like beans but rather like a nice sweet brown bread.

Enjoy!

Mushroom Sandwich Anyone? A Low Calorie Burger Alternative

I am still on my weight loss plan and have found a few more things to add to my meal options. One of them is a "mushroom burger" without the meat.  Many restaurants serve hamburgers topped with mushrooms and cheese, which are very high in fat and calories.  The version that I created has mushrooms as the main "attraction", flavored with teriyaki sauce and pineapples.  I marinate some sliced portobella mushrooms in teriyaki for 30 minutes or more, then grill them in a saucepan with some crushed pineapple until the mushrooms are tender.  Next drain the excess liquid and load the mushroom mixture onto a toasted whole wheat bun along with low calorie mayo, sliced tomatoes and lettuce.  It's very yummy!

As an update on the weight loss progress, I gained about a pound during my vacation week in Myrtle Beach--not too bad!  I returned on October 23rd, and since then I have lost that pound again and an additional 2 pounds.  I have now lost a total of 17 pounds in about 3 months and I am just 3 pounds away from my original goal. I would like to lose those 3 pounds by November 20th. 

I have been sticking with very light breakfasts of fruit or whole grain toast, and soups and/or salads for either lunch or dinner, plus lots of low starch veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, asparagus, etc.  For added flavor I sometimes add in some corn with the veggies.  I also eat an occasional small potato which I cook until tender and mash up with a bit of vegetable margarine (trans fat free) and some kind of seasoning.  I use a variety of spices and seasonings on the veggies, such as cajun spices, dried garlic with red chili, taco seasoning or caribbean jerk seasoning. 

Protein sources are the veggies, beans that I add to salads or include in soups, and various tofu dishes and whole grains.  I have an occasional serving of seafood such as sardines, shellfish (shrimp, clams or scallops), tuna or salmon.  Other than seafood I have been avoiding all animal products including dairy.  My energy level is staying very high and my appetite has decreased substantially so that I don't feel an urge to overeat as much as I have in the past.

Progress Report

I have been following a plant food based weight loss plan (with the exception of an occasional bit of seafood) since the middle of August--see my post dated August 25th.  I had hoped to lose 20 pounds in 7 or 8 weeks but that turned out to be a little bit over-ambitious.  Since my last post on September 29th I have lost another 4 pounds, for a total of 15 pounds.  I am three-quarters of the way to my goal, with only 5 pounds left!

The next week is going to be challenging because I am going out of town with my significant other to meet his mom and sister in Myrtle Beach for some r&r.  I don't think I will try to lose any more weight while I am there, since that would be the ultimate in wishful thinking, but I am going to do my best to get lots of exercise and eat moderately.  Hopefully I can keep from gaining any back.

After I get back, my plan will be to get down to my original goal weight by November 20th.  Now that I have a pretty good system going, I think that it will be doable.  I would really like to get a little below that weight so that I won't completely blow it over Thanksgiving week!

Going with the lower fat meals and lots of low starch veggies has been the key for me.  I have also found that my overall appetite decreased gradually over time and I have been satisfied with much smaller portions than I used to eat.  I also bumped up my exercise schedule gradually, and I am still not a big exercise freak, so I believe that moderate exercise is sufficient to keep the fat burning up.

In the past few weeks I have come across some good websites with great vegetarian recipes.  Here are a few of them, which I hope you will really enjoy!

www.happyherbivore.com
www.delectableplanet.com
www.vegelicious.org

Weight Loss News--the Saga Continues...

My scale is stuck!

It has now been five weeks since I started on my weight loss program by combining several different plans that I have read about (see post dated August 25th for details).  So far I am down by about 11 pounds, which is a bit less than I had hoped for by now.  I seem to have hit another plateau for almost the last week, after losing three pounds the week before that.

My initial goal was to lose 20 pounds by mid-October.  It looks like it may take a few more weeks to get there, as I don't think it will be realistic to lose 9 pounds in the next two weeks.  I am going to do my best to ramp up my exercise schedule again, and reduce my fat intake a little bit more--bye bye peanut butter and nutty snacks, at least for now.

I am currently working out by walking outdoors a few times a week for about 30 minutes, and using my own elliptical trainer at home for 20-30 minutes 3 to 4 times per week.  I am not as enthusiastic about the latter as I used to be, so I have to encourage myself to do it with thoughts of fitting into some of my clothes that are still too snug.  My plan now will be to work out at least 30 minutes per day, with a combination of walking, cardio and light weight training.

The last time I was at my ideal weight was about five years ago.  Now I want to get back down to that level--and find a way to keep it there!  I will definitely need a solid exercise schedule in place once I begin to eat larger portions again.  The trick will be to stay with healthy whole foods as my basic eating lifestyle and not give in to too many temptations, especially when I am out and about with other people and having more restaurant meals.

Speaking of weight loss news, last week there was some buzz about former President Bill Clinton adopting a vegetarian diet for losing weight and helping to heal damaged arteries and heart muscle tissue.  There have been some promising studies with people who have partially or completely reversed their heart disease by following a healthy (mostly whole) plant food diet.  Here is a link to an article about Bill Clinton:

http://calorielab.com/news/2010/09/25/bill-clintons-vegan-weight-loss-secret-and-his-4-heart-disease-reversal-gurus/.

I have recently read that several weight loss doctors, Dr. John McDougall and Dr.Neal Barnard, are advocates of a low fat plant food diet, both for weight loss and for optimal health benefits.  Dr. Barnard is especially known for helping patients with Type 2 Diabetes, and Dr. McDougall coaches patients with many different health issues, helping them to either reduce or eliminate the need for prescription drugs.  Even though some fats can be healthy, we still need to carefully watch our intake of those fats in order to reach our weight loss goals. 

Here are links to some interesting books from these two doctors:

 













  

Three Quick Veggie Meals

Here are some ideas I have come up with for really easy and fast veggie dishes:

1.  Tempeh with Thai Peanut Sauce and Veggies

I used some multigrain tempeh and satay peanut sauce that I found at Trader Joe's for a tasty dinner.  For veggies I used frozen green beans, cauliflower and broccoli.  First I cooked the veggies in the microwave until they were cooked but still firm.  Then I cut the tempeh into bite sized pieces (about 1/2 cup per serving) and stir fried it in a skillet that was coated with olive oil cooking spray.  When the tempeh was lightly browned, I added the veggies (about 2 cups per serving) and enough peanut sauce to thoroughly coat everything.  Once the ingredients are heated through, the dish is ready to eat!

2.  Green Salad with Mexican Style Beans

I started with a nice green salad, including romaine lettuce, bell peppers, cucumber, onion and tomato.  Then I took a can of low fat refried beans and added taco seasoning (to taste) and some diced green chilis.  Once the beans were well seasoned I heated them in the microwave until they were just warmed, and tossed them into the green salad along with some nice salsa.  Sort of like a taco salad, but without the extra calories of  taco meat or tortillas.  For one serving I used about 1/2 cup of the bean mixture over a large bowl of green salad.  You can adjust the amounts depending on how hungry you are.

3.  Mixed Veggies with Lemon Hummus Dressing

We have a new Fresh and Easy grocery store that recently opened in our neighborhood.  I went there for the grand opening and found a few items that were new to me.  One is a salad dressing under their own brand called "lemon hummus vinaigrette".  For me it is a little bit too strong on the lemony taste for a cold salad, but I decided that it might be good with hot veggies.  So tonight I took some frozen broccoli, cauliflower and spinach and cooked the veggies in the microwave until almost done.  For the last minute I poured in the dressing and finished cooking them.  It was quite delicious!  The dressing contains garbanzo beans (pureed), cider vinegar, cilantro, canola oil, lemon zest, lime juice concentrate, garlic and salt.  It is low in calories at only 35 per serving (2 tbsp).  I had a large bowl of the hot veggies with dressing and was very full.  For a heartier dish it would be good served with brown rice.

If you try any of these dishes, let me know how you liked them.

For those trying to transition to a more plant based diet like me, here is an interesting cookbook:

Making Adjustments In Your Weight Loss Plan

It has now been almost 3 weeks since I started on my plan to lose 20 pounds by mid-October.  I am following a primarily whole food plant based diet and trying to stay away from processed and refined foods.  I don't eat any animal products with the exception of some seafood maybe 2 or 3 times a week.  I have been working on increasing my exercise levels gradually, although exercise is not a major part of my strategy.

Right now I am down 5 pounds from my official starting point but also down around 8 pounds from my highest point in August. So I feel that I am making pretty good progress overall.  I have discovered in the past that when I initially start a new weight loss plan, it takes a few weeks for my body to adjust to the process and get into fat burning mode.  After every pound or two my body seems to try to resist and get stuck at the new level for a few days or more. 

So, I have found that I also need to resolve to not only stick to my plan and not give in to the temptation to overindulge in foods I enjoy (even healthy ones), but also make adjustments to portions, eating more foods that are less calorie dense, until the weight loss kicks in again.  The positive side is that as I stay with smaller portions my appetite eventually decreases as well and I am satisfied with less, along with the satisfaction of seeing the scale move down again.  I bounced around for the first 2 weeks, so the bulk of the 5 pounds I have lost in the last three weeks has come in the last 7 days.

For breakfast I am eating some fresh fruit and/or a light fruit smoothie made with some frozen fruit, rice milk or fruit flavored water and some ground flax seed.  That seems to be enough to hold me until lunch, which is usually a large green salad with a low fat dressing and some veggie or bean soup.  Sometimes I add whole grain crackers (e.g., Wasa or Akmak) with hummus, but if I'm satisfied without the crackers I save them for a mid-afternoon snack. 

For dinner I usually eat a variety of cooked veggies with beans or soy meat (tofu, tempeh or meatless "chicken, etc.) and flavor them with Indian curry sauce or Thai peanut sauce or another such concoction--I tend to like the spicier sauces.  Cajun seasoning is also a good option, and I like any kind of beans with tomatoes/tomato sauce and chili seasoning mix.  I also make bean tostadas using taco seasoning with low fat refried beans over a sprouted whole grain tortilla and topped with lettuce, tomatoes and salsa. 

I like to have some dark chocolate for my evening snack, along with tea or decaffeinated coffee.  If I feel I need a little more I add a few raw nuts or seeds.  I also take daily vitamin/mineral supplements including extra B12 and D3.

I am not using any dairy products, but tostadas and meatless tacos or burritos are actually surprisingly good without the cheese.  I have always been a big cheese lover but haven't found any nondairy cheese that I like that well.  I found that going without cheese and dairy products is not as difficult as I expected.  The Eat to Live Diet book is adamantly against cheese and suggested only small amounts of nonfat dairy products if you feel you want them.  We are taught to believe that we need dairy products to get enough calcium in our diet, but if we eat the right kinds of veggies we will get more than adequate amounts without all the unhealthy fats or the lactose sugars. 

After all, what animals in nature continue to drink their mothers' milk after the first year or so?  And the milk from cows or goats is not the same as milk from human mothers anyway.  So it is more likely that we eat dairy products because we just like the taste and have been brought up with it, not because we really need it.  We have to look at the whole picture and see what the real benefits are, and what happens to the animals who are being used as the source of our indulgences.  That's my view now, after giving it a lot of consideration.

Kale Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing

I have been following the weight loss plan I mentioned in my post of August 25th fairly well.  I'm tracking everything I eat and the approximate number of calories, focusing on high nutrient whole foods and avoiding processed foods almost completely.  So far I have lost about 2 pounds in the last 10 days, so I think I will make some adjustments to try to speed things up a bit.  Exercising for only 15 minutes at a time doesn't seem to be doing too much and I am still not mentally into the high intensity weight workouts, so I will notch that up to 30 minutes of cardio and light weight training at least 4 times per week.  Also, I may have been overdoing the nuts and seeds a bit.

I love green salads, especially at this time of year, and will be increasing that portion of the diet.  I may need to stay a little closer to the Eat to Live diet which is primarily low starch veggies and a little lighter on the fat levels, although we do need healthy fats in order to absorb fat soluable vitamins and to get our good omega fats which have great health benefits.  I am looking for a weight loss plan that burns body fat relatively quickly without leaving that worn-out starvation feeling.  So far I feel very good and have lots of energy.

Speaking of green salads, I came across a recipe for kale salad that was easy to make and very delicious.  I tweeked it a little for my own taste, adding more ginger and substituting sesame oil in place of some of the tahini sauce.  Below is my version of the recipe. Fresh ginger really makes this salad extra yummy!

Fresh Kale Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing

2 bunches of organic kale (no pesticides!)

2 tbsp tahini dressing/dip

2 tbsp sesame oil

2 inch section of fresh ginger root, peeled

2 rounded tsp crushed garlic

4 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

Juice of 1 small lemon

3 tbsp honey or other natural sweetener

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

 

Wash kale and lay flat on paper towels; pat dry with additional towels. Strip the leafy part from the stems with fingers. Chop washed and deveined kale into strips by layering several leaves one on top of the other and thinly slicing. Slice again crosswise to get smaller pieces.

Blend dressing ingredients in blender or food processor to make a smooth puree.  If it tastes a little too tangy for you, add more honey or your favorite natural sweetener. Pour dressing over kale and toss to combine thoroughly. Let the salad sit for ten or twenty minutes to marinate. Toss again just before serving.  Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for several days.

This dressing is also good served with spinach or other dark green leafy veggies. 

Robust Tomato Based Veggie Stew with Eggplant and Sun-dried Tomatoes

A few days ago I decided to concoct a new recipe with some ingredients I had on hand.  It turned out to be very tasty so I am posting it here for anyone who likes these ingredients.

This recipe is so rich and flavorful that you will be satisfied with a small serving. It has lots of powerful plant nutrients too. Be sure to use organic ingredients wherever possible.  Makes a wonderful meal served with a green salad.

½ large yellow onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, diced

½ medium sized eggplant, diced (about 2 cups)

2 tablespoons crushed garlic

1 link Tofurkey Italian sausage, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil (or use olive oil cooking spray)

½ cup sundried tomato, chopped (I used the type that is marinated   
  in olive oil)

26 ounce can of seasoned spaghetti sauce (e.g., garlic and onion)

14 ounce can of diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning

½ cup dry cooking sherry

2 teaspoons dried sweet basil

15 ounce can of black beans, drained

In a large sauce pot, sauté the onion, pepper, eggplant, garlic and Italian sausage in olive oil or olive oil cooking spray for a few minutes to soften.  Add sundried tomato, spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes, cooking sherry, basil and black beans.  Simmer until all ingredients are tender and flavors are blended, about 30 minutes.  Enjoy!!!

Veggie Weight Loss Plan

Yesterday I decided to start a weight loss program based on a combination of several different plans I have read about.  My goal is to lose about 20 pounds in the next 7 weeks.  One of the plans is a vegetarian option focusing on low starch vegetables and high fiber fruits and whole grains.  This is the Eat to Live Diet which was discussed in one of my previous posts. (Eat to Live: The Revolutionary Formula for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss)  The second plan is also vegetarian (although it also includes options for nonvegetarians) and includes more selections of high protein grains and legumes such as quinoa, soy, and nut butters--one small serving with each meal or snack.  This plan also emphasizes 15 minutes of high intensity weight training at least 3 times per week.  I will try to manage the intensity level as best I can even though I am not very big on high stress workouts.  I will probably include more types of interval workouts which alternate cardio and weights.  Here is a link to the Fat Burning Furnace diet plan if you want to check it out: Click Here!  The third plan focuses on belly fat by suggesting foods that help to target that part of the body.  These foods are packed with monunsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) which help to burn fat and reduce inflammation, including olive oil, avocados and certain nuts and seeds.  The best book I have found which centers on this concept is this one: Flat Belly Diet!    All of these plans have options that I really like, so I am going to pick the foods and the suggestions that appeal the most to me and see how it goes, making adjustments as I go along.  I will report here on my progress periodically.

These are the basic foods I will be eating:  green veggies (lettuce, kale, bell peppers, broccoli, green beans, spinach, asparagus, brussel sprouts, cabbage, celery, cucumber, zucchini, artichoke), other low starch veggies (cauliflower, eggplant, onions, garlic, mushrooms, carrots), plant proteins (soybeans, tofu, black/navy/pinto beans, chick peas (garbanzos), lentils, green peas, raw nuts and nut butters, seeds), high fiber fruits (apples, oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, papaya, bananas, berries, grapes, peaches, pineapples, mangos), whole grains (oats, whole wheat pasta or bread, rye, quinoa, millet, barley, sprouted grain bread or tortillas), and other nutrient rich whole foods such as sweet potato, melons and fresh corn (limited quantities).  Fats include olive oil, avocados, nut oils, sesame oil and coconut oil, plus flax seeds.

For beverages I will try to stick to herbal teas and water or mineral water flavored with small amounts of fruit juice such as freshly squeezed lemon, lime or grapefruit, or blended smoothies made with fresh fruit and soy or almond milk.

For two meals a day I will include 2 servings of fruit or veggies (about a cup each), 1 serving of protein (palm of the hand for legumes or tofu), and one serving of carbohydrates (1/2 to one cup depending on how dense the food is).  The third meal will be primarily low starch veggies and a small serving of protein.  Fats should be limited to small portions, just enough to stir fry the veggies or add texture to salad dressings (sticking to low fat dressings on salads).

For snacks I plan to include cut veggies such as carrots, celery, cucumber, zucchini seasoned with herbs and some fat free marinade.  Also apples or applesauce, edamame, or some raw nuts and seeds.  Green salads with low starch veggies and fat-free sugar-free dressing can also be used as snacks, and can be included with meals without adding much to total calories.  For a treat, the Flat Belly Diet also allows some indulgence in dark chocolate, which has natural substances that boost good HDL cholesterol, relax blood vessels and help regulate insulin and seratonin, the "feel good" brain chemical.  The darker the chocolate the higher the cacao content and the least amount of sweetener will be added in processing.  It is possible to find good organic chocolate that is lightly sweetened with organic evaporated cane juice; I look for chocolate that is at least 70% cacao and has less than 7 grams of sugar per 100 calorie serving.

For the next 7 weeks I am going to stay away from added sugar (with the exception of the small amounts in dark chocolate) or excess sodium, and highly processed foods.  Even some of the meatless veggie products such as veggie burgers can contain ingredients that are not natural so I am going to read the ingredients before I buy them.  In sticking with natural whole foods, I believe that my body will get all the nutrients it needs and be relieved of some of the burdens of filtering out toxic chemicals that are found in many of the processed foods we find in grocery stores.

OK, that's the plan.  I will report my progress and any pitfalls I run into as I go along....

Food Agenda 2020

Please consider this important alert from the Organic Consumers Association and learn how you can take action to help change our policies relating to food production. I would also add that when we choose to buy healthy, natural and environmentally friendly products we are placing a vote with our wallets and adding demand for those products while decreasing the demand for those that have detrimental effects on ourselves and our world.

Three Food Policies Essential to Solving the Climate Crisis:

1. Truth in Labeling --Tell Consumers How Food Choices Impact Climate Change

Local, organic & fair trade food and products are the climate-friendly, humane and healthy choice, but consumers should have the same right to know when their purchases have a negative impact on health, justice or sustainability. Food labels should reveal the presence of genetically engineered ingredients and pesticide residues, the use of antibiotics and artificial hormones, the product's carbon footprint and its country of origin.

2. Green Budget Priorities--Subsidize Solutions Not Pollution!

Voters want clean energy, green jobs, and a food system that's local, organic and fair trade, but it's not going to happen as long as our tax dollars are spent on industrial food and farming, fossil fuels, and war.

U.S. taxpayer subsidies to fossil fuels and industrial food and farming amount to $60 billion a year, while resource wars in Iraq and Afghanistan cost us $200 billion annually. This wasted money is enough to fast-track the conversion of the U.S. and global economy to organic agriculture and clean energy and save the world from climate catastrophe.

3. Regulations That Promote Health and Sustainability--Protect Consumers and the Environment from Hazardous Agricultural Practices

Consumers often complain that local, organic and fair trade products are too expensive. Of course, you can economize on your organic food or green product purchases if you can buy directly from the farmer or producer or buy in bulk quantities with others in your community, but there's no denying that Food Inc.'s "business as usual" practices - polluting the earth, destabilizing the climate, using toxic chemicals, cutting corners on ingredients and nutrition, and exploiting workers from the farm to the checkout counter - generate products with lower sticker prices. However if you add in the hidden health and environmental costs and collateral damage of GMOs, pesticides, antibiotics, heavily processed and packaged foods, and the climate and environmental "footprint" of chemical and energy-intensive food and farming, our cheap food system is in fact dangerously expensive.

To level the playing field for healthy, organic climate-friendly foods and products, we need to make the polluters and junk food purveyors pay for the damage they are causing to public health and the environment. We need to demand sensible and equitable regulations from our elected public officials that protect consumers and the environment, and we need these policies now, not in ten years. We can start by phasing out the inhumane confinement of animals in factory farms and eliminating billion dollar subsidies for genetically engineered crops and biofuels. We can phase out toxic pesticides, methane generating chemical fertilizers, artificial hormones, the non-therapeutic use of antibiotics, sewage sludge "fertilizer," and animal feed made from slaughterhouse waste.

Sign the Petition: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/642/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=4442

Organic Solutions to Climate Crisis

Just returned from a very relaxing holiday (vacation) in beautiful Kauai.  If you've never been there I highly recommend going. It has a great variety of scenery from the dry eastern side of the island which boasts a mini grand canyon to the rainforest interior that has the honor of having the wettest spot on earth, receiving an average of over 35 feet of rain annually! Of course there are beautiful beaches galore for swimming, snorkeling and boogie boarding. The island has also been the location for filming of countless movies and television shows, including Jurassic Park, Gilligan's Island, Fantasy Island, Blue Hawaii (Elvis Presley), and more recently Pirates of the Caribbean 4, a new Adam Sandler movie (not yet named), and a new movie with George Clooney titled The Descendants I was told.  There are island tours you can take that are specifically geared for pointing out many movie locations.  And don't miss taking either a helicopter or boat tour of the breathtaking Napali Coastline with its jagged and lush vertical cliffs.  

Hawaiian cuisine can be quite interesting and delicious; I especially enjoyed the fresh caught fish such as Ono and Ahi.  There is also locally raised grass fed beef which is used by many of the high end restaurants.  (I am not a beef eater so I didn't partake in the local beef dishes.)  The local fruits and veggies are absolutely incredible--fresh sweet pineapples, mangoes, papayas and bananas, plus Hawaiian staples such as the traditional taro root and some rice farms that were created by migrant Chinese sugar plantation workers.  Kauai had the first commercial sugar mill that was built in Hawaii, although sugar production has now declined and is no longer a major Hawaiian crop, and the sugar mill is no longer operational.  There is still lots of wild sugar cane growing by the side of the roads. 

One of the newer crops in Kauai is the cacao plant which is grown by small local farms.  There are several companies now producing gourmet chocolate which can be purchased in some of the grocery stores.  We took a tour of one organic farm that practices biodiversity and raises many different kinds of tropical fruits along with the cacao. There is an increasing emphasis in buying locally grown organic produce, and you will find many farmers markets available in different locations on the island. 

Speaking of organic farming, here is the "quote of the week" that I found in an e-mail from the Organic Consumers Association: 

"The future of life on this planet may depend on what we eat. Factory farmed junk food is the #1 cause of climate change, but we can save the planet by going organic.

"The greenhouse gas emissions from factory farms, deforestation, industrial crop production, food processing, and long-distance distribution make the food sector the biggest cause of climate change, responsible for at least a third of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. Factory farmed meat, dairy and eggs alone may contribute as much as 51%!

"But we can change food system pollution into food system solutions. A worldwide shift to local, organic food production would drastically reduce food system emissions and turn the world's farmland into a carbon sink to capture and store 40% of global greenhouse gas pollution."

- Excerpt from Organic Consumers Association's "Food Agenda 2020: The Organic Alternative" http://organicconsumers.org/food-agenda/

The "Eat to Live" Diet

I have recently been focusing my attention on the concepts that are discussed in Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s book, “Eat to Live”. What I am really looking for is a way to get my weight down to my preferred level while maintaining a very high nutrient diet; i.e., to lose excess weight and keep it off without any feelings or symptoms of starvation. I would like to lose about 15 pounds to look and feel my best, but I want to do it in a way that does not feel like self deprivation. According to Dr. Fuhrman it is possible to take off those extra pounds (i.e., fat) while maintaining high energy and promoting better health by eating a diet consisting primarily of veggies and whole fruits, and lowering your starch and fat intake.

For the first 6 weeks of his eating plan, the aim is to eat about 90% unrefined plant foods, especially low starch vegetables such as dark leafy greens (e.g., romaine lettuce, spinach, turnip and mustard greens, etc.), cucumbers, peppers, sprouts, tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, garlic, mushrooms, eggplant, etc. Half of the veggies should be eaten raw as salads or prepared with herbs or spices (no salt though). The other half can be cooked, again with herbs and spices but no added salt. You can also have four servings of fresh fruit per day. You are encouraged to eat legumes instead of grains for your starch quota; you can have one cup or a bit more daily of your favorite beans or tofu. Cooked high starch veggies and grains are limited to no more than 1 cup per day. High fat foods, even healthy ones such as nuts, avocados and olive oil, are to be restricted to about 2-3 ounces. You can also have 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed daily to get your healthy omega-3 fat. I have long been a fan of fruit smoothies and like to incorporate flax seed into them for that purpose.

Dr. Fuhrman includes some great recipes for low fat salad dressings that you can make at home, along with soups and stews, main dishes, shakes and desserts. I personally cannot fathom eating green salads without a nice dressing, and this makes it possible to use a dressing that doesn’t include the unhealthy oils contained in many manufactured dressings.

The goal for the first 6 weeks is also to either completely eliminate or only include a very small amount of animal products (meat and dairy). After that, you can add back some low fat (hopefully healthy organically fed) animal products if you really miss them, but use them more as a side dish rather than the main portion of your meals.

Although some nutritionists are concerned about the level of protein included in an all plant food diet, according to Dr. Fuhrman there are more than adequate levels and varieties of protein (amino acids) contained in green vegetables and other plant foods if they are eaten in sufficient quantities. For example, out of the total calorie content of spinach about 50% is actually protein. And because his diet is very nutrient rich while low in calories overall, you will get enough protein along with the highly beneficial phytonutrients from plants without the body converting excess food into fat for storage. Eating high quality, nutrient dense foods is the key to this diet.

I highly recommend reading this book even if you are not ready to follow his program “all the way”. He shares some valuable information about foods that promote excellent health, and some necessary reinforcement as to the reasons why our typical high fat, highly processed American style diet is definitely not in our best interest. Dr. Fuhrman cites many reasons why he considers green veggies to be the healthiest food on the planet.

The hardest part of the diet for me is limiting whole grain products to one small serving per day during the initial phase. I really enjoy having whole grain toast in the morning and brown rice or whole grain pasta along with lunch or dinner. This is a bit of a sacrifice to me, but if I can lose weight, maintain a good energy level and not feel hungry on a diet of mostly unrefined low starch plant foods I am willing to do it. I must admit I am still working on the resolve to take this 6-week plunge and see what happens.

Right now I am just at the start of a (too-short) 10 day vacation in beautiful Kauai, Hawaii. This is obviously not the best time to go on a strict diet, but I am going to try to ease my way into eliminating starchy foods and high fat dairy while I’m here. More to follow…

The Food Revolution

There are many great books and wonderful resources that give us detailed information about the impact that changing some basic things about our eating habits can have on our own health and the environment as a whole.  I think one of the best of these books is “The Food Revolution” by John Robbins.  The following are some reviews of the book that can be found on Amazon.com.

A life changing book, October 29, 2005

This book is basically a rewritten, enlarged and updated version of "Diet for a New America". It explains the extreme benefits of adopting a whole foods plant based diet. He presents the scientific evidence supporting the multiple health benefits for eating this way, as well as the strong ethical reasons. It is above all a fascinating read, written by the person who was the heir to Baskin-Robbins, the world's largest ice cream company (he rejected it to live according to his own values). One also gets a deep sense of the immense compassion of the man through his writing.

Exceptionally good book, November 11, 2008

Reading this book compels the conclusion that we act in our own self-interest, as well as the planet's, by eating a plant based diet. The book shatters myths regarding the supposed need to eat meat, dairy and eggs. It illuminates the misinformation spread by the cattle, swine and poultry industries. To achieve and keep whatever strength, smarts and health we can, this book cogently asserts that we'd be better off eliminating animal products.
   As a beacon that approaches its subject with zeal while maintaining an objective tone and compassion for us who are ignorant , the thinking set forth in this book could truly change our lives and eventually our planet.
  

Important book for its time with a real message, May 29, 2008

Robbins lays out the facts, using research articles as evidence, to criticize the food industry's claims and present the contradicting findings resulting from good sound science. Using this method he exposes the stark realities of the American diet that for the most part will get you to wonder why you have lived your life without ever wondering about such things as where your food comes from, how it was made, and what impact it has on the environment. Robbins explains to you the enormous impact that the single act of eating has on your body, the human population, and the planet itself. This book is huge in its scope and contains facts from hundreds of sources, and its rather objective delivery makes it a necessary read for anyone interested in studying diet, nutrition, disease, environmental protection, science, and agriculture.

As Above, So Below..., February 14, 2008

It's truly rare to discover a book that literally changes your life, but this book is one of them. Mr. Robbins meticulously researches and presents an argument for how one's diet can change not only one's personal well being but the well being of all sentient beings, including the sum of the parts (our planet Earth). This book makes it clear that through our personal dietary choices we can either save the planet (and ourselves) or ignore the problems until it's too late. And although the book implicitly argues for the adoption of a vegetarian diet, it's my hope that people not willing to go that far will at least start making conscious decisions about the purchase of animal products, and realize that supporting humane agriculture is a form of philanthropy that they realize direct benefit from (e.g., it simply tastes better).
   In an age of information overload and seemingly insurmountable global problems this book gives rise to a feeling of personal power and the ability to literally change our lives and the planet with every bite we eat.

Incredibly thought provoking, May 19, 2005

This book gives you a multitude of reasons to at the very least alter your diet. Be it for your health, the environment or for compassion toward animals you will walk away from this book with an understanding of how our diet affects ourselves and our world. One of the sections I found most interesting was in regard to GM foods. Fascinating! This is a book I would definitely recommend and will be giving as a gift.

Life-changing, June 2, 2009

I read The China Study a few years ago and began to believe that meat and dairy products are harmful to our health. However, I was not fully motivated to make any changes to my diet as a result of reading the book. I read this book last week, and it has changed my entire outlook on my diet and the world. Robbins approaches meat and dairy products from three different angles: 1) the health issues, 2) the treatment of the animals, and 3) the effect of meat production on the environment and other nations and peoples. This book convicted me and convinced me not just in my mind but in my heart. Robbins provides so much scientific data as well as information on the politics and economics. He also includes some personal stories, most prominently that of "the pig farmer," that demonstrate how deep this issue really goes. Robbins treats the subject with a lot of care and thoughtfulness even as he communicates how serious the consequences of our diet choices really are. I am truly grateful for the ways in which this book - this author - has opened my eyes and my heart to the interconnectedness of life.

For more information, click on the cover of the book (above right) or here:   The Food Revolution: How Your Diet Can Help Save Your Life and Our World