To Healthy Portions For Healthy Weight Management

I recently noticed when serving a particularly tasty meal I tend to reach for the larger dinner plates in my cabinet.  When my children were growing up I had to purchase a second set of dishes to accommodate the sometimes large number of people at my dinner table.  This second set are made of a beautiful purple glass so I thought they were perfect.  Because of their beauty I didn’t notice they were smaller than my other set.  Since I have become acutely aware of the relationship of meal portion size and healthy body weight I realized my preference for the larger plates when I prepare a favorite meal. Studies have shown that the size of our plate effects how much we choose to eat.  So, I thought I would share with you three easy steps to downsize the servings, then the plate. Credit on this particular meal comes from Cooking Light Magazine. 

Step 1 –Big Plate, Big Portions

Using a 13-inch charger you can place the following:

9-ounces grilled chicken breast

1 cup brown rice

6 tablespoons mushroom sauce

½ cup mixed greens salad with 1 tablespoon oil and vinegar dressing

¼ cup butter-roasted carrots

Wheat Roll with ½ teaspoon butter

A large 9-ounce cooked chicken breast looks suitable on this large plate, leaving space to double up on starch but you end up with 830 calories.

Step 2 – Big Plate, Healthy Portions

4 ½ -ounces grilled chicken breast

½ cup brown rice

3 tablespoons mushroom sauce

1 ½ cup mixed greens salad 2 tablespoons oil and vinegar dressing

½ cup butter roasted carrots

no roll with butter

The chicken is a more reasonable portion and requires less sauce.  Half the rice and no roll cuts out on unnecessary starch but still getting good fiber and nutrients from the rice.  This leaves more room on the plate to increase the salad and the carrots which increase your antioxidants for good health for a total of 443 calories.  However, right sizing the portions make the plate look a little stingy.

Step 3 – Smaller Plate, Healthy Portions

Using an 8-inch plate shrinks the surface area by 62%, leaving less room for food.  The advantage to the smaller plate is that it guides you to smaller portions – in this case by almost 50% less than the big 13-inch plate, for a total of 443 calories.  The bonus is that even if you go for seconds, they will be smaller.

Now, wasn’t that easy?  I thought it was a brilliant way to trim excess calories out of a meal without sacrificing flavor and satisfaction with a meal. So give it a try. Choose your smaller plates next time you set the table. Let us know if this trick worked for you!

Health Tip:  DIY Tricks To Sag-Proof Your Skin

1.      Slather on SPF 30 everyday

2.      Don’t smoke

3.      Limit alcohol consumption to one or two drinks once or twice a week

4.      Use peptides at night

5.      Exfoliate

Sunscreen is a necessity 365 days a year.  The damaging UV rays are actually stronger in the winter.  Smoking cuts off oxygen to the skin, wrecking collagen and elastin and lowers levels of estrogen, which are essential for keeping skin firm.  Alcohol increases insulin levels, which creates low-grade inflammation and can hasten sagging.  Peptides are proven to boost collagen and accelerate cell renewal.  Exfoliation is critical to remove dead skin cells in order for skin to absorb repair treatments.  Look for mild scrubs with ultra fine beads or use a gentle-yet-thorough electric cleansing brush.

It’s Spring Time! Weight Loss Challenger Update

Happy April to all!  I, for one, am glad Spring has arrived.  My weight loss challengers are doing well and feeling great.  Here’s how Renee is doing:

Total weight lost in 2 months:  12 pounds!

Total inches lost:  5 ¼ inches

Renee feels great, more energized.  Her clothes fit better.  Renee feels so encouraged at her results.  Renee has been able to increase her daily exercise which will help Renee to continue to reshape and revitalize.  Way to go Renee!!!! Click here to see her before pictures and learn more about the weight loss challenge.

We have a NEW Weight Loss Challenger:  Brendan

Brendan is a 6’ 3”, 28 year old with a starting weight of 378.  Brendan’s goal is to lose 100 lbs.  Brendan is super excited and is enjoying the weight loss program so far.  Brendan has tried many other weight loss programs only to regain the weight.  Stay tuned for Brendan’s results and pictures. 

We will update you on Wendy and Joey at a later time, please stay tuned!

Health Tip: Vegetables, Raw or Cooked, That Is the Question

I love raw vegetables for their antioxidants, fiber, and their ability to help maintain weight.  However, there are some excellent reasons for eating them cooked…in butter.  If you love butter, you’ll love what cooking veggies in butter does for your body.

Dr. Weston A. Price’s Take On Vegetables

A good rule of thumb when considering the best way to consume your veggies is to remember the letter that Dr. Weston A. Price wrote to his nieces and nephews in 1934.   In this letter, he strongly urged them to eat their vegetables cooked in butter. (Who knew, right?)  His research found that the bulkiness (fiber) of raw vegetables interfered with the human body’s ability to extract minerals from them via the digestive process.

So, should you drink your veggies raw?   Of course.   Fresh juice from veggies that are safe to consume raw is a wonderful way to get a fast infusion of easy to digest, colloidal minerals.    It is also highly alkalizing to the body and a proven way to gently detox the gut.

The great thing about veggie juice is that the fiber is removed, which is the “bulkiness” that Dr. Price found interfered with the mineral absorption.

However, if you are going to eat the fibrous portion of the vegetable, it is best to cook them in butter as advised by Dr. Price to enhance the availability of the minerals.    The fat in the butter permits greater absorption of the minerals, and besides, buttered veggies taste fantastic!

Sources:  Nourishing Traditions

Think Raw Veggies are Best? Think Again

Visit this website on how best to maximize the benefits of vegetables.  Remember that the antioxidants in vegetables are what helps us fight disease and aging. 

Joey’s Weight Loss Week 3 & Fergie Loves Apple Cider Vinegar So You Can Too! And Good Day Sacramento on Monday, 2/27!

Joey’s Progress Week 3:
After a weekend at Tahoe with his buddies and several stressful workdays upon his return, Joey’s weight remained the same! Joey also commented that after a night of drinking beer he was the only one to wake up WITHOUT a hangover! Joey credits this to his supplements that go along with his weight management program. He awoke fresh and ready to snowboard while his buddies were rubbing their eyes and grumbling about their hangovers. Good for you Joey!

I have something I would like to share with you…my love for apple cider vinegar and how incorporating it into my diet and hair washing has helped me so much. Several months ago I read an article about how adding 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to your diet can result in body fat loss without changing diet or exercise. After a few months I noticed a change in my overall size and weight without changing either my diet or exercise. I recently read an article authored by a woman impressed that Fergie, (Black Eyed Peas) is an apple cider vinegar advocate and we all want to look like her so I want to share it with you, “7 Reasons to Love Apple Cider Vinegar”. I tried it in my hair as a final rinse according to the directions in the article and it worked great! My hair was soft, shiny and there were no “fly-aways” as I have fine hair. Enjoy the article!
The American Lung Association Fight For Air Climb 2012 is getting noticed! This Monday, February 27th you might see me on Good Day Sacramento as Julissa Ortiz does her own climb of the Wells Fargo Center stairs, live at 6 am. As the Chair for the Executive Committee organizing this event with the ALA, I will be there! I hope you can watch the segment. Once Julissa arrives to the top she will be greeted by a masseuse and Il Fornaio’s snacks. Good Day Sacramento heard about our event after our hugely successful “Kick Off” party generously hosted by Morton’s of Chicago, January 24th.

My Weight Mangement Program!

As I have mentioned before, at the NS LA kick off event earlier this year, NS has introduced its Challenges for 2012. There are 4 total challenges where you can improve your health/skin needs. I am holding my own Weight Loss and Antioxidant Challenge with my own modifications to the plan you will hear about below. But here is an idea of what our weight loss challengers are doing on a daily basis. By the way, I am so inspired by Wendy’s commitment to her health, one of the Weight Loss Challengers, that I am joining her this morning for her run/jog/walk of the Serrano Hills! Hope I make it alright.

Here is the link to the webinar. Again if you only have time to listen to a few minutes here are my recommendations:
- 5:00 – The one healthy meal –detailed of what and why things are included
- 30:00 – how the supplements help to improve your ability to burn fat
- 33:00 – The overall instructions for the Weight Management System

Weight Management by Glen Cheney
• 3 components: Eat one Healthy meal, 2 meals replaced with AC Shakes and supplements
• 8 glasses of water a day is important because most of the time people grab snacks when really they are just thirsty
• Strive to increase physical exercise

The Healthy Meal (without counting calories)
• 1 fist full of both veggies and fruit (so that could be one small apple for a smaller person, a large apple for a larger person)
• A palm sized portion of protein – for satiety and muscle tone
• 1 fist full of Complex Carbs (that would be whole grains not white bread, brown rice instead of white rice) that helps affect rates of energy
• Little good fat (EVOO)
• 1 cup of Diary, correlation between dairy consumption and body composition (also protects against calcium loss)

Replace two meals with AC Shakes
• Equivalent to 20 nutritional capsules
• Uses clinically affective does of ingredients
• Its active ingredients help to lower cravings
• Helps to balance blood sugar – shakes contain special fibers to slow the absorption of glucose and diminish blood sugar highs and lows.
• Contain high quality protein and protect against muscle loss (fat loss is the better form of weight loss)

Supplements to take throughout the day
• Green tea has long been used for many remedies  The Green tea supplement is the more you take the increased amount of calories burned (with no increased activity)
• Green tea helps to lower stress (which helps control weight by not stress eating)
• The 2nd Supplement Cortisol also helps control stress
•  Vitality improves physical endurance people on a diet can feel so sluggish without the same amount of calories coming in
•  Vitality promotes far metabolism during prolonged exercise (improved their ability to burn fat)
• They lastly gave total instructions for the Weight Management System with suggested ways to split up the supplements throughout the day.

Bonus! For every pound you lose, you will be giving one meal to a hungry child though the Vita Meal program. If you are interested please remember, contact me for a 30 percent discount on the products and for complimentary guidance.

Health Tip: Preventing Disease With Coffee
Enjoy your coffee! Frank Hu, MD, MPH, PhD, Nutrition and Epidemiology Professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, explains that habitual coffee intake is beneficial in reducing the risk for Type 2 Diabetes as the magnesium and chromium levels aid the body in using insulin to control the blood sugar level. Also, the antioxidants packed in coffee can prevent heart disease by reducing the risk by 13% in women and 28% in men. Of course, it probably isn’t a good idea to pack your coffee with lots of sugar, chocolate and whole milk because those added in large amounts can have their own risks. I raise my coffee cup to toast the benefits of coffee every morning!!!!

Weight Loss Challenge Update: Week 2 - The Story Continues

I am so proud of the progress my Wendy and Renee are making! WOW! Wendy and Renee are losing weight at a very healthy rate to ensure they only lose fat not muscle. Renee is currently losing an average of 1 pound per week and Wendy is losing 1.5 pounds per week. In review of Wendy’s intake for last week, she needs to add some protein to her diet to maintain her muscle mass, important for her metabolism and overall health. Remember, it takes a deficit of 3,500 calories to lose 1 pound and you want those calories to come from fat not muscle. The best part is both of them FEEL so much better – both of the ladies find exorcising so much easier. Renee even ran in a 10K this past Saturday!
Wendy had some advice for those trying to drink 8 glasses of water each day: Add some flavor! She suggests having sparkling water, or adding lemon, lime, mint, cucumber, or MILO to help switch up your water routine. Thanks for the great suggestions Wendy!

Joining the Weight Loss Challenge last week was Joey. Joey is also in our antioxidant challenge and is excited to get a health routine into his daily schedule. How exciting to be following and supporting these 3 people!



Health Tip: Calorie Counting To Go
Last week I found the www.calorieking.com website while helping Wendy make a good choice at Papa Murphy’s. This website lists the calories for the items on the menus of most Fast Food Chains and Restaurants. I was impressed with the complete listing and just how many items listed at various places were actually healthy choices. Wendy’s choice at Papa Murphy’s was the Thincrust deLITE Chicken, Bacon, & Artichoke at 180 calories per slice and the bonus of artichokes for antioxidants and fiber. It also tells you what you have to do to burn those 180 calories: walk for 50 minutes, jog for 21 minutes, swim for 15 minutes, cycle for 27 minutes. Of course, the exercise continues to burn calories after you finish but how much is dependent on the type of exercise. Anyway, check it out! What is your favorite?