How Much Should I Eat?

You should plan out your meals with emphasis on what you will be doing in the next 3 hrs before each meal. You should be eating 5 meals a day. If you are going to be less active only eat 400-500 calories in each meal. More active you need to bump up the calories to 600-700 calories. If the next meal comes before a workout then you need to consume 800 to 1200 calories to ensure enough energy for the training session. So the plan is to consume the most calories when the demand is the highest. From MoveItOrLoseIt.blogspot.com

The Holidays are Coming! Prepare Yourself...

Your healthy weight is well worth the effort. It reduces your risk of serious health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. To maintain a healthy weight:

1. Embrace healthy eating by choosing a variety of nutrient-rich foods, including fruits, vegetables and whole grains and small amounts of energy-dense foods like olive oil, nuts and dried fruits.

2. Exercise. Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of moderately intense activity daily.

3. Set action goals focused on specific healthy activities such as improving muscle tone through strength training or starting a daily food and activity diary. from Mayo Clinic.com

25 Ways To Think Thin: #25

Take a walk or do some kind of exercise instead of eating.  Exercise has the added advantage of burning calories and decreasing insulin dosage.  It also makes you feel good about yourself; overeating never does.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #24

Make a list of the reasons why you want to lose weight before you begin your diet.  While you're dieting, you can read your reasons to help you maintain your willpower.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #23

Never go to the supermarket when you're hungry.  You just may be tempted to buy a lot of food you will regret having bought when you get home.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #22

Trim recipes.  Make only the amount you need for one meal or place leftovers in the refrigerator before you start to eat.  This cuts out second helpings.

Happy Halloween from The Titanium Chef

One of my favorite things about Halloween is eating chili for dinner!  I don't know when this tradition started for me but its something I always look forward to.  I have wanted to try something other than the traditional chili and started digging around and found a healthy White Chicken Chili.  Give it a shot, its super easy to come together and is delicious.  Throw it in the crock pot before you go to work and you will come home to the most amazing smelling delicious and healthy meal  to serve to your family before you head out trick or treating!

White Chicken Chili
Makes 6 servings: 1 1/3 cups each

1 lb ground chicken
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tsp chopped garlic
3 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
2 medium zucchini chopped
2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed
1 can green chiles
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Cook ground chicken, onion and garlic in pan until chicken is no longer pink.  Stir in all remaining ingredients except cheese.  Heat to boiling.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until zucchini is tender.  Remove from heat, stir in cheese until melted. 

1 serving:  330 calories, 5g fat

25 Ways To Think Thin: #21

Avoid social functions that revolve around food if you feel you can't yet resist all the temptation.

Oven "Fried" Pickles from The Titanium Chef

A couple of years ago I went to Memphis to visit a friend and he took me out for some Southern bbq and deep fried pickles.  Now I love pickles but the last thing that I thought would taste good was pickles that were deep fried.  They brought them out with ranch to dip them in, I decided to be brave and took a bite, and I was in love!  They were amazing!  The warm but still crunchy pickle, battered and deep fried and then dipped in ranch was the perfect combination.  Sadly though, they aren't the best thing you could be eating, not even remotely close.  So when I saw this recipe for oven "fried" pickles I had to give them a try and surprisingly they were just as good as the fried ones.  But with the ones cooked in the oven I could eat a lot more, they are way lower in calories, and best of all you don't have to mess with hot oil.  Pair them with a low fat ranch dressing and they are delicious.  Give them a shot, even if you think they sound a little scary...I promise you won't regret it!

Oven "Fried" Pickles
Yield 6 servings
Serving size: 4-6 slices

Photo from penniesonaplatter.com

1 jar whole pickles sliced into thick round slices

2 eggs

1/3 cup flour

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp hot sauce

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp Cajun seasoning (I didn't have this, they still were great)

1 tsp black pepper

1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs (regular bread crumbs work too, Panko just make them crispier)

Ranch dressing, for serving

Preheat the broiler to high.  Set a wire rack on top of a baking sheet and spray with non stick spray. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and flour. Add Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, garlic powder, Cajun seasoning and pepper.  Stir until fully incorporated.

Place the Panko bread crumbs in a shallow bowl. Dip the pickle first in the egg mixture, then in the bread crumbs.  Set on the greased wire rack and repeat with remaining slices.

Broil for about 3 minutes on each side.  Be sure to watch them closely, they can burn quickly. Serve with ranch dressing. 

25 Ways To Think Thin: #20

Write out a shopping list before you go to the supermarket.  Stick to the list and don't buy extra items.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #19

Eat before attending a social function that features food.  That way, you won't be tempted to eat something you shouldn't once you're there.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #18

Buy yourself a present to reward yourself instead of eating.  The present should have nothing to do with food but should be clothing or some sort of entertainment.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #17

Brush your teeth right after you finish eating.  Once you get rid of the taste of food you won't think about it so much.

Healthy Pumpkin Bread from The Titanium Chef

My favorite part about fall, other than the leaves changing, is that it means I can start baking with pumpkin!  To me that means it is really fall.  I love the smell of the pumpking and spices as they are baking, it makes my house smell amazing.  Pumpkin bread is one of my favorite things to eat, but I have a hard time enjoying it when I know that it is loaded with sugar and fat.  So I did some research to find a healthier recipe, tweaked it a little bit and came up with a great recipe.  If you like your pumpkin bread a little sweeter you can increase the sugar, I like mine less sweet and love toasting a slice up in the morning and add a little butter to it.  Try it out, its delicious!

Healthy Pumpkin Bread
1 loaf: 16 servings

1/3 cup brown sugar
2 large egg whites
1 1/4 cup pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/3 cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray bread pan with non stick spray.  In a large bowl with whisk combine brown sugar and egg whites.  Add pumpkin, applesauce and vanilla and mix till combined.  In a smaller bowl combine flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.  Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, stir until just combined.  Do not overmix.  Pour batter into pan, bake 45-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 minutes.  Invert on cooling rack; cool completely. 

25 Ways To Think Thin: #16

Bring a mirror to your own table and watch yourself eat.  Do you look like you are racing against time to finish a meal?  Do you like the way you look as you eat?

25 Ways To Think Thin: #15

Restrict your eating to one place.  Don't take food into your bedroom or study.  This will reduce the number of places you associate with food and eating.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #14

Never skip a meal.  This could be dangerous if yo utake insulin.  Besides, most people find that if they skip one meal, they just overeat at the next meal.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #13

Chew each mouthful of food 20 times before swallowing.  It will increase your concentration on what you're eating and stretch the time you spend eating. 

25 Ways To Think Thin: #12

Keep a food diary to help you become more aware of why you overeat.  Record the time and what was happening at the time.  Were you watching another person eat or a TV show?  Also record your feelings at the time.  Were you bored, angry, or sad?  See if any patterns of overeating emerges from the diary.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #11

Always keep food out of sight.  "Out of sight, out of mind" means you may not even think about food if you're not constantly looking at it.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #10

Get more involved in family projects and community activities.  Many people eat simply out of boredom and will find that other activities are much more fulfilling.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #9

Don't watch TV or listen to the radio while you eat.  Without these distractions you will feel you are getting more out of each mouthful.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #8

Don't list too many forbidden foods for yourself.  Almost all foods can be worked into your meal plan, and nothing makes a food more tempting than to prohibit it altogether.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #7

Don't attach your weight loss to a specific date or event.  Your goal should be long-term weight control, not losing 10 pounds to get into a holiday outfit.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #6

If you serve your food "family style" (passing bowls of food around the table), serve from the kitchen stove instead.  This way the food will be out of sight and people can help themselves just the same.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #5

Take up a new hobby instead of eating.  If you get into sewing or wood-crafting, for instance, you'll find your hands will be busy and your mind occupied.  You won't have time to think about eating.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #4

Take a "before" picture.  You will really be able to see the difference the diet makes when you have finished losing the weight you desire.  That is a great reward in itself.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #3

Don't weigh yourself too often.  It is easy to get discouraged if you don't see results on the scale every day.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #2

Go out to a restaurant and watch other people eat.  Compare how a thin person and a heavy person eat.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #1

Set reasonable goals for yourself.  Weight reduction should be slow.  You've had all your life to form those "bad habits" so don't expect to change them all overnight.  If you slip and eat something you shouldn't don't drown yourself in disappointment by beginning an eating binge.

Farmers Market Fave from The Titanium Chef

I absolutely love farmers markets.  I don't have a yard to have a garden and my attempt at a potted garden failed miserably!  So I love going to farmers markets because I can still get that great straight from the garden produce that you can't get from the grocery store.  Here is a great recipe to use with those farmers market finds.

Fresh Tomato Flatbread Pizza
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Start to Finish: 30 minutes
Makes: 2 servings

2 oval whole wheat flatbread wraps or whole wheat tortillas
2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 T balsalmic vinegar
2 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
2 oz goat cheese
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil leaves

Heat oven to 350.  Place wraps on greased cookie sheet, bake for 7 minutes.  Meanwhile in a non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic, cook 2-3 minutes stirring frequently until tender.  Stir in mushrooms and vinegar.  Cook 2-4 minutes stirring frequently until tender and liquid is absorbed.  Top each wrap with mushroom mixture and tomatoes.  Drop small pieces of goat cheese over pizza.  Bake 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted.  Sprinkle with basil and enjoy.

1 serving has 330 calories; 13g fat; 15mg cholesterol; 480mg sodium; 37g carbohydrates

Strawberry Parfaits-from The Titanium Chef

I can't seem to get enough strawberries this year.  I love eating them plain and adding them to my yogurt, cereal, salads and even ice cream!  This is a great dessert that will stop that sweet tooth craving but is healthy for you at the same time.  The added bonus you get from adding in the strawberries is they are high in vitamin C which helps you metabolize energizing iron. Give it a try!

Strawberry Parfaits
Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 6

1 tsp ground ginger
1 T ground cinnamon
24 oz low-fat vanilla yogurt
2 baskets (12 oz each) strawberries, hulled and thickly sliced, reserving 6 whole strawberries for garnish

In a large bowl, combine yogurt with ginger and cinnamon.  In parfait cups, layer yogurt mixture with sliced strawberries, garnishing each cup with a whole strawberry.

Per serving: 135 calories, 6g protein, 25g carbohydrates, 3g fiber, 2g fat, 1g saturated fat, 6mg cholesterol, 76 mg sodium.

Mix It Up! 

• Simmer 2 cups thinly sliced rhubarb in 1 cup water with 2 T honey.  Strain, and toss fresh strawberry slices with the cooked rhubarb.  Refrigerate 4 hours and layer with yogurt.
• Toss all the parfait ingredients into a food processor along with a banana and enough low-fat milk to make a smoothie.
• Top pancakes with a dollop of ginger-cinnamon-vanilla yogurt and plenty of sliced strawberries as a healthy alternative to syrup.

Get Fueled!

You can easily build your own all-day-energy meals with these essential ingredients:

1. Whole Grains are carbohydrates, a source of quick energy.
2. Low-fat dairy has protein for slow-burning, long-lasting energy.
3. Vitamin-rich veggies keep your body running at peak capacity.

Choose at least one item from each category and put them together to make a great healthy and energy filled meal.

Roast Chicken from The Titanium Chef

Here is another great recipe to give you energy all day!  Many people are intimidated by whole chickens but try it out, its very easy and delicious.

Roast Chicken
Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Serves: 6

1 3-lb chicken
3 T extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 lemons
1 large spring onion, sliced thinly

Heat oven to 425.  Rub oil, salt and pepper into chicken skin.  Squeeze 2 lemons over skin and stuff rinds and onions into cavity.  Roast 60 minutes (until internal temp is 180).  Remove skin.

Per serving: 233 calories, 25g protein, 2g carbohydrates, trace fiber, 13g fat, 3g saturated fat, 77mg cholesterol, 316mg sodium

Mix It Up!

• Serve sliced chicken with onions in corn tortillas topped with salsa.
• Whisk 1 T honey into the olive oil before rubbing into chicken.
• Add black olives and capers to the cavity.

Fresh Foods For All-Day Energy

The next few recipes that will post are fresh and will keep you feeling fueled and satisfied--with delicious lean protein, whole-grain carbohydrates, vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables and guilt-free low-fat dairy.

Black-Eyed Peas & Spring Greens
Time: 30 minutes    Serves: 6

1 cup dried black-eyed peas
1 clove garlic
3 T olive oil
2 T lemon juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 cups mixed spring greens
1 cucumber, thinly sliced

In boiling water, cook black-eyed peas and garlic for about 20 minutes.  When tender, strain and set aside.  In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt, cumin and pepper.  Toss black-eyed peas and garlic with mixed spring greens and top with dressing.

Per serving: 170 calories, 7g protein, 20g carbohydrates, 6g fiber, 7g fat

Mix It Up!

• Toss the cooked black-eyed peas with 3 cups cooked brown rice and a splash of chile sauce to taste before serving over greens.
• Add black-eyed peas and spring greens to a pot of hot chicken stock, along with thinly sliced onions, carrots and celery.
• Cook diced smoked turkey with the black-eyed pease for a Southern-style (but bacon-free) flavor.

Health Boost!
Black-eyed peas are high in the minerals magnesium and iron and in folate.

New Excercise Combo Brings Down Blood Sugar

If you have type 2 diabetes, you may be able to significantly lower your blood glucose by alternating an aerobic activity like walking with weight taining, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.  Researcher Timothy Church, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., recommends the following steps, though he's quick to note, "All exercise is good for you--the important thing is to just get off the couch."

Pick your excercises with advice from your doctor about the best aerobic and weight-training exercises for you and your condition.

Get aerobic--that's any activity that elevates heart rate and breathing--at least three days per week, for about 30 minutes.

Lift light weights at least two days per week, initially working with a doctor-approved trainer or physical therapist, for 30 minutes.  A weight machine may be ideal for leg exercises; free weights are effective for your upper body.

Meet Your Daily Fiber Quota

These three easy-to-prepare tasty meals offer a total of three servings of whole grains, the daily recommendation for people with diabetes.

Breakfast
1/2 cup oatmeal made with 8 ounces skim milk
5 unsalted almonds
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
1 hard-boiled egg

Lunch
Whole wheat bread with 3 ounces grilled chicken breast, 1/2 cup chopped romaine lettuce, sliced tomatoes, 1/2 cucumber cliced, 1/4 cup chopped red cabbage
Dress sandwich with 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar and 1 Tbsp olive oil
1 orange

Dinner
3 ounces broiled salmon with juice of one lemon wedge
1/2 cup brown rice pilaf
1 cup steamed green beans
1/2 cup grapes

Whole Grains: The Carb Lover's Diet

Most people think that if you have diabetes you can't eat carbs.  They are wrong.  Fiber-rich whole-grain carbs are an essential part of a health diet, and are much better than white flour and other refined carbs at keeping blood glucose at optimal levels. 

Grains like brown rice, whole wheat or barley are labeled "whole" because they contain all three naturally occuring layers--the germ, endosperm and bran--that are stipped out of the processed grains such as white rice and all-purpose flour.  that means whole grains are packed with soluble and insoluble fiber, important to proper digestion, regulation of blood glucose and controld of LDL (bad) cholesterol.  They're also good sources of trace minerals like magnesium, iron and potassium, which help maintain muscles, bones and nerves.

You can safely enjoy up to three servings of whole grains a day.  A 1/2 cup serving typically contains about 20 grams of carbs and about 80 calories.  Grains can be prepared the way you would rice or rolled oats, in a pot or rice cookier with two parts water to one part whole grain over low heat. 

Current research suggests that eating throughout the day is helpful to blood glucose control.  That means thinking beyond just the three traditional daily meals and incorporating smart snacks into your eating.  Some easy ways to get whole grains intoyour snacks include:  two crisp rye bread crackers with one ounceof string cheese; two brown rice cakes slathered with a tablespoon of peanut butter; one whole wheat wrap with two ounces of turkey breast and a slice of tomato; and 1/4 cup no-sugar-added granola with 1/2 cup skim milk.


Source: Christine Gerbstadt, M.D., R.D., is a certified diabetes educator and spokesperson for the American Diabetic Association.

Prevent Cancer

You can reduce your risk of colorectal cancer by 25 percent just by following these basic healthy lifestyle guidelines, says a recent study published in BMJ:

• Get 30 minutes of cardio exercise per day.
• Limit yourself to no more than one alcoholic beverage per day if you're a woman (two if you're a man).
• Don't smoke.
• Eat about 25 grams of fiber per day, six daily servings of fruits and vegetables and no more than one pound of meat per week--with less than 30 percent of your calories coming from fat. 
• Keep your waist size under 34 inches f you're a woman (40 if your're a man).

Shake The Salt Habit

Lower your risk of diabetic kidney disease, a leading cause of kidney failure, by limiting your daily salt intake to about one teaspoon, says a new review published in the Cochrane Library.  Researchers suggest that you keep an eye on added salt in cold cuts, packaged goods and other processed foods.  Read labels carefully and stay under 1,500mg of sodium per day.