GRILLED SPICY SHRIMP WITH HERBED PASTA

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 Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Herbed Pasta  Serves 4-6

2 ½ pounds jumbo shrimp
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
Cooking spray
¼ cup Newman’s Own Lite Honey Mustard Salad Dressing
¼ cup lemon juice1 lemon, cut in wedges
 
1. Peel and devein shrimp, leaving the tail intact.  Butterfly the shrimp carefully.   Starting at the tail, cut to the underside of the shrimp.
2. Prepare the marinade:  Mix Newman’s Own Lite Honey Mustard Dressing with the lemon juice and crushed red pepper if desired.  Put half the marinade in a large zip-top plastic bag, seal and marinate in refrigerator for 15 – 30 minutes, turning occasionally.
3. Heat grill to medium-high heat.
4. Remove shrimp from marinade; discard marinade.  Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper.
5. Coat the grill with cooking spray.  Place shrimp on grill, cut sides down.  Grill 2 minutes on each side, basting frequently with the remaining half of marinade.
6. Serve with lemon wedges.

4 servings – per serving:  330 calories, 7.7g fat, 9.6g carbs, 734mg sodium
6 servings – per serving: 220 calories, 5.1g fat, 6.5g carbs, 489mg sodium

Herbed Pasta
1 pound penne pasta
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
½ teaspoon each: chopped fresh oregano, chopped fresh thyme, chopped chives
½ teaspoon each: salt, black pepper
2 pints cherry tomatoes
1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup College Inn fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
½ cup (about 3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

  1. 1. Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting the salt and fat.  Drain.  Place in a large bowl and toss well with 2 teaspoons olive oil, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper.
    2. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with 2 teaspoons olive oil.  Add tomatoes and garlic, saute 2 minutes.  Add chives and thyme, saute 1 more minute or until tomatoes are slightly charred and skins are beginning to burst.

 Add broth to skillet and bring to a boil.  Cook over high heat for 1 minute.  Add broth mixture and parsley to pasta; toss gently.  Sprinkle with feta cheese and serve.
4 servings – per serving:  503 calories, 8g fat, 18.5g carbs, 314mg sodium
6 servings – per serving:  335 calories, 5.3g fat, 12.3g carbs, 209.5mg sodium

Put a Fish on the Barby

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Nothing says summer like a barbecue!

Summer barbecues don’t have to be just hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken – there are so many great recipes that only take a few minutes on the grill. So, get the grill ready for the catch of the day. A great bed for the fish would be this Lemon Rice Recipe from Taste of Home. (Lemon Rice is 192 calories per ¾ cup) This tasty dish can be paired with a glass of your favorite white wine. (White wine is 23 calories per ounce)

Not only does this sound, smell, and taste mouth-watering, but you can sit and enjoy this for less than 500 calories. Put the kids to bed and have an adult evening without the guilt.

Grilled Sole (or Flounder)  Serves 4

4 pieces heavy duty aluminum foil – 12″x18″
Fish
4 (4 ounce) fillets, 1/2 ” thick
1 ½ cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 ¼ cup fresh snow peas
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
Butter
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons lemon peel, finely shredded
1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
¼ teaspoon black pepper

1. Preheat grill to medium.
2. Prepare butter – mix all ingredients together, form into a log and refrigerate in plastic wrap. Rinse fish and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Place 1 fillet in each piece of aluminum foil, tucking under thin edges of fillet to prevent it from drying out. Top each fillet with one fourth of the mushrooms, snow peas and chives. Fold aluminum foil into a tent over fillet, leaving room to expand.
4. Grill foil packets 4 to 6 minutes or until fish flakes when tested with a fork.
5. Open foil packets carefully and transfer to plates. Top each fillet with one fourth of the butter mixture.

Per serving: 172 calories, 7.3 g fat, 1.2 g fiber, 135 mg sodium.

For more information about losing weight or maintaining your weight loss, please Contact Us here or Call 912-289-8085

If you are in the Savannah, Georgia area – stop in to see us! Regency Executive Plaza, 315 Commercial Drive, Suite A7, Savannah, GA 31406. If you are anywhere in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Columbia, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Netherlands, and Ireland – just give us a call! 912-380-3199

Does a Low Fat, Low Carb Diet Work?

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Does a Low Fat, Low Carb Diet Work?

Macronutrient Pie Chart 

 

Maybe.   It depends.   Not really.
In theory, it works. In reality, not usually.
Why?
Many of us don’t know how many calories we burn each day during our normal routine. To find out approximately how many calories you burn, please visit Map My Walk. This information will give you an estimate of how many calories you should be eating to gain, maintain or lose weight.
Very often we underestimate the calories in our food and drinks.
Yes, drinks have calories.
We don’t count the calories in salad dressings, snacks, oils used for cooking, butter on the bread, and so on.

For this exercise, let’s assume that you consume 2,000 calories a day and burn 2,000 calories a day. You should maintain weight. If you burn more than 2,000 calories but eat 2,000 calories, you should lose weight. How many calories in a pound of fat? The best answer is 3,500. So, in theory, you must burn an extra 3,500 calories for each pound you want to lose.

The fact is, when you change one thing, other things change too. How we absorb nutrients from our food and how we use them or store them depends on so many things like quality of sleep, amount and type of exercise, hormones, stress, etc.

Life just doesn’t follow a strict plan.

The kinds of calories you eat really matters.

An average of 30% of our calories should come from fats, 30% from proteins and 40% from carbohydrates to maintain weight. An average of 20% of our calories should come from fats, 40% from proteins, and 40% from carbohydrates to lose weight.  Less than 10% of our fats should be from unsaturated fats except for omega-3 fish oils. Keep in mind, each gram of fat is 9 calories, each gram of protein is 4 calories and each gram of carbohydrates is 4 calories.

Fats, carbohydrates, and proteins are all necessary for the body to function properly. Cutting out or severely limiting one group is not healthy. The best way to lose weight is to make sure that all the calories you eat are nutritionally dense. The best way to see what percentage of protein, carbohydrates, and fats you’re eating (and drinking) is to use a Food Journal. Get an overview of a whole week to see what is right and what needs improvement. 

Good Luck! And let me know how you’re doing. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are You Still Hoping For Your Beach Body?

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Summer is right around the corner!

We’re looking forward to warm weather, summer gardens, barbecues, and beaches! Will you be ready?

  • Can you possibly have a beach body by the 4th of July?

  • How committed are you? Do you know the fastest and safest way to lose weight?

  • Are you willing to change your habits for 60 days?

  • How much weight do you need to lose?

Don’t make wishes! I wish I could lose 20 lbs. – when you need to lose 50 lbs.

Check your BMI (Body Mass Index) to find out your healthy weight range – even if the amount of weight you need to lose seems impossible, or you think it’s too much, or you haven’t weighed so little since you were 6 years old.

It’s OK.      It’s do-able.      It’s your goal weight.

How Committed Are You?

Are you wishing and dreaming? Are you ready to take on the challenge? Every marathon runner sees themselves crossing the finish line even before they start the race. They plan, they train, and they see it through. Set your goal and make your plan. We all know that sometimes life gets in the way of the best plan. Success happens sooner with a written plan. If you fall off the plan for a day, you’ll know where to pick up again. Don’t give up!

Do You Know the Fastest and Safest Way to Lose Weight?

You can cut calories if you feed your body with nutritionally-balanced, high-quality foods. Get rid of temptations. Throw the unhealthy, high-fat foods away. Empty your pantry and refrigerator. Avoid the routines that entice you to eat or drink the calories that you know are unhealthy and fattening. Plan your meals and snacks so that you always have foods that will feed your body. Check ingredients on any “diet” foods – Are they filled with artificial ingredients? Do they have fillers and preservatives? Will these foods give your body the nutrition it needs to be healthy even if you eat them for the rest of your life? Is the plan you choose going to fit into your lifestyle? So many questions! Our 30-Day Cleansing & Fat Burning System is a fast, easy, and safe way to help you lose weight in a healthy way with high-quality, all-natural ingredients that will make you feel fantastic while you’re achieving your goal.

Are You Willing to Change Your Habits for 60 Days? 

Most experts agree that it takes about 30 days to change a habit and then another 30 days to “set”. As you slim down, get more energy, and feel great in the first 30 days, the second 30 days is so easy. You’ll want to keep going until you reach your goal and maintain it forever!

We have so many success stories to share with you and more people share their successes with us every day.

This is YOUR TIME TO SHINE. Let’s get started!

Take your measurements. Take your “before” picture. Post your goal and your plan on the refrigerator. Get a “buddy” or a supportive person if you can. (You can always call us, we coach and support everyone on our program 24/7). 

Banish the excuses! You are not too old, too fat, too busy – it’s not too hard and doesn’t take too long.

You are worth it, you deserve it, and YOU CAN DO IT!

If you are in the Savannah, Georgia area – stop in to see us! Regency Executive Plaza, 315 Commercial Drive, Suite A7, Savannah, GA 31406. If you are anywhere in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Columbia, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Netherlands, and Ireland – just give us a call! 912-380-3199

 

 

Self-Care & Spiritual Wellness are Keys for Battling Cancer by Scott Sanders

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While this article is a little off-topic for a weight loss blog – it’s an important message. I was approached by Scott Sanders of Cancerwell.org to help get his message out. When I asked him what his motivation was for this very altruistic career, he said, “Seeing loved ones suffer during cancer treatment is heartbreaking. I have lost close friends to cancer, and that is why I have made it my mission to gather inform and share what I know, so that people will be educat ed.” 

Receiving a cancer diagnosis changes your world.  Your perspective alters radically, and now everything is viewed through a lens tinted by the illness.  With some thoughtful self-care and wellness strategies, you can keep a positive outlook and improve your quality of life.

A heavy toll

Cancer and cancer treatments can be a significant burden on a patient’s body.  You may experience vomiting, pain, exhaustion, and chills from radiation, along with the more aesthetic concerns of scars and hair loss.  However, the effects of cancer are more than physical.  Angie’s List explains there can also be tremendous mental side effects from cancer.   You may suffer with depression, anxiety, insomnia, and feelings of abandonment.  In fact, one in three cancer patients develops a mental health concern.  Sometimes relationships become damaged, and sometimes patients feel such despair they either actively commit suicide or passively do so by discontinuing treatment.  Without appropriate care and intervention, your outlook on life can decline and your overall well-being suffers.  It’s vital to engage in a self-care plan and pursue spiritual wellness.

What is spiritual wellness? 

Your spiritual wellness relates to your personal values, beliefs, and how you view your purpose in life.  Many cancer patients seek spiritual wellness as a part of their journey to help navigate the uncertainties and difficulties they face.  For some, spiritual wellness is pursued through their home church, and some look to a new faith organization.  Some people find help in meditation and nature.  It’s important to find a healthy manner to engage your spiritual side, whatever direction that may be.

Treating your soul

Participating in a spiritual wellness program is vital to your quality of life.  According to some studies, many of those who survive cancer receive important benefits from relying on their spiritual and religious beliefs.  They gain insights regarding purpose and the meaning of their experiences, cope better with the journey, and struggle less with life and death matters.  Those engaged in spiritual wellness can feel more hopeful and at peace with their circumstances. 

What is self-care?

As explained by Psych Central, self-care activities are tasks you choose to participate in that encourage your mental, emotional and physical health.  Self-care works in conjunction with your spiritual wellness, helping you to keep a positive outlook on life and helping you to feel better and improve your quality of life.  Your self-care should include things like proper nutrition, sufficient sleep, recreation, physical exercise, and relaxation.

Self-care and daily choices

It’s important to tend to your physical and mental needs, engaging in a self-care program that promotes a full and balanced life.  Self-care is highly personal, and the components for self-care when battling illness aren’t really different from other self-care programs.  It’s a matter of living a lifestyle that encourages your wellness, and everyone must find healthy ways to take care of themselves and gauge activities in accordance with circumstances.  Right now your self-care plan may look a little different from how it will look in a year, or how it looked a couple of years ago.  Tailor it to your current situation and make adjustments as needed.  

Evaluate 

Consider the following points when evaluating your lifestyle and look for ways to improve your self-care on a daily basis:

Rest.  Your treatment and illness can be draining.  It’s important to ensure you are getting sufficient rest and sleep.

Drink water.  Keep a bottle with you if you find you aren’t consuming enough of this basic element.

Say “no.”  Don’t overcommit yourself.  If there was ever a time you should feel okay bowing out of obligations and requests, it’s now.

Find space.  When you do need to attend obligations and events, find a quiet place for retreat as soon as you get there.  That way, if things become too much or you need a moment, you know where you can find it. 

Cancer and quality of life

Even with a cancer diagnosis, you can pursue a good quality of life.  It’s important to recognize your need for spiritual wellness and engage in a self-care program.  You’ll feel healthier and more balanced with those strategies in place.

If you’ve found value in this article, please look for Put Yourself First: A Guide to Self-Care and Spiritual Wellness During and After Cancer Treatment by Scott Sanders coming out Summer 2018.