As of today, I have lost 20 lbs and feel great. Bob has lost 22 lbs. We have cut out almost all flour, sugar, and dairy products and have learned quite a bit about nutrition and exercise. Did you know that nutrition is way more important than exercise?
Every week, I go to Meditation Monday at the Optimal Health and Wellness Center. We don't just meditate. When we arrive, all of us introduce ourselves, state what our goals are for the week, we listen to a motivational or nutritional tape, do some light stretching, then have our meditation. I have learned so much from the speakers on those tapes and thought I'd share two of them with you (from YouTube):
- 12 Bad Foods, by Peter Glidden, N.D. (Naturopathic Doctor)
- Diabetes by Dr. Wallach
- Drink more water
- Eat 15 servings of vegetables per day, especially greens (serving size = 1/2 cup)
- Breathe deeply
- Get more sleep
- Eat as little processed sugar as possble
- Cut out most flour/bread
- Exercise at least three times per week
- Stretch every day for at least one-half hour
- Drink more water (yes, I meant to repeat that one)
The other benefit is I feel great. (But it took me a couple of weeks to feel that way. Letting go of flour and sugar caused severe grumpiness and physically manifested as cloudy thinking -- best way I can describe it -- and some depression.) I have more energy too.
In place of bread, we have been using Romaine lettuce and making lettuce wraps. Our favorite lettuce wrap recipe is:
Cod Lettuce Wraps
2 cod filets
Ground cumin seed
Garlic salt
Coconut oil spray
Spray pan with coconut oil spray, place over medium heat. Add the two cod filets to the pan, sprinkle lightly with ground cumin and garlic salt. Cover pan. Cook cod on medium/low for four minutes. Flip cod and sprinkle with ground cumin seed and garlic salt. Cook on low another three to four minutes until flaky. Flake cod.
While fish is cooking, wash Romaine lettuce and dry. You can add your favorite foods to the lettuce wrap. We coat the lettuce with guacamole, put in the flaked cod, and top with tomatoes or salsa. Then eat it like a lettuce taco.
We also make tuna lettuce wraps, and egg salad lettuce wraps. Leftover turkey or chicken? Make lettuce wraps with the chopped up meats. Add celery, pickles, onions, red peppers, asparagus...whatever veggies you like.
I eat way less and don't feel hungry. Bob is still having a problem with sugar cravings and feeling hungry. Many days, I will have one main meal, usually lunch, and have a protein smoothie for breakfast and dinner. We are still learning.
Travel Bug out.
I have been eating very little sugar and minimal flour for several years and really have gotten used to how I eat. I find that if I up the protein a bit and reduce "starch" veggies for a day or two, any sugar cravings I am having dissipates. Anything with artificial sweeteners, though, is the kiss of death for me. They not only cause sugar cravings but halt weight loss.(this is for me, I don't know if others are affected like that). I currently don't need to lose any weight but I keep an eye on things so I don't have that 5 up and 5 down scenario that I have had in the past.
ReplyDeleteAs far as exercise...this doesn't pertain to you as you are so active but, overall, I think our age group needs to increase exercise. There are several programs that my friends are on that keep telling them that exercise isn't as important as their diets. I am not a believer in that at all. I have a really good body because I work out hard and eat right. I truly believe that you have to tackle both. I weight train 3 times a week and walk 5 miles a day. I have had the same trainer for over ten years and the trainer before that for about 10 years...what I can say about those two women is that their bodies are amazing. Neither is quite as old as I am but not far behind. They both have told me to "eat close to nature". Nothing out of a bag or box. It has to look like real food or it doesn't make the cut.
Congrats on the lifestyle change. While I don't think I could do those kind of changes we have made some changes in our eating, eat less exercise more and we're both down 12 pounds in a month...still have 40+ to go but we've done it before.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your new healthy life style.
ReplyDeleteWow! What an inspiring post. Good for you two on making important changes to your diet and reaping the rewards.
ReplyDeleteGood for you, we also are trying to cut out sugar, breads, and fats. We have protein shakes in lieu of breakfast, and only vegetables and meat/fish for dinner. It's very difficult. Congratulations on the weight loss. Keep it up.
ReplyDelete