Okay, I've got two days under my belt ... yippeee for me. Today, I also made a delicious recipe for dinner from the book, Sexy Forever. Here's what I ate:
Breakfast: It's Sunday, so I chose the meal plan with protein/healthy fat/veggies because I have more time; scrambled eggs with sauteed veggies.
First, I heated some extra virgin olive oil in a pan and sauteed a cup of sliced mushrooms (this makes 2 servings). Then, after 5 minutes, I added a cup of fresh spinach. Put the lid on to steam for a couple minutes. When wilted, I stirred it all together to coat everything with the olive oil. While that was cooking, I beat 4 eggs (2 eggs per serving) with a little 2% milk (use non-fat dairy with carbs). Then, pour the eggs in the pan, along with 1 ounce of shredded cheese until the eggs are scrambled and done.
Remember, one cup of raw veggies is one serving. I'm not used to putting anything in my scrambled eggs, except cheese, but I have to say I liked it. Probably because I like mushrooms and spinach. It was very filling and satisfying. And the best part was, it was done in one pan!
AM Snack - I love, love, love cherries. and this week they were on sale for $2.69 a pound. Taking Suzanne's advice regarding toxins, while making breakfast I put the cherries in a bowl, Then I squeezed fresh lemon juice over them and covered them in water. Then, you let them sit for 60 minutes as it washes away the toxins. I have to say, the water was a little dirty looking and little white stuff floated to the top. Then, I rinsed them and popped the cherries in a large zip lock baggie. I felt good eating my 14 cherries knowing they were clean. (I also had 1 ounce of Maqui Juice.)
Lunch - leftover cheeseburger and salad from yesterday. All I did was reheat the hamburger, melted a little cheese on top, and it was just as delicious as yesterday.
PM Snack - You can have 3 servings of fruit per day, so I had two clementines because I love fruit.
Dinner - Butterflied Rosemary Chicken with Pan Juices (pg. 254 in Sexy Forever)
First, I have to say that this was absolutely delicious. My husband and I kept saying, 'this can't be diet food'!
Suzanne recommended calling the meat department ahead of time to order the 5-pound roasting chicken because you need it deboned and butterflied. However, my butcher was not willing to debone the wings or the drumstick part; just the breast and the thighs. But, it was beautiful to see it, as I've never done this before. It layed nice and flat in my roasting pan, making it easy to brush on the coating.
I've never used tumeric before, so I took a leaf of faith and bought it. Following the directions, you mix 4 tablespoons olive oil with 1 tablespoon tumeric to make a paste. Mine was a little more runny, and in hindsight, I'd use 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Then, you brush all of it over the chicken. Be careful, because I found out later that tumeric stains your fingers. Next, season with sea salt and pepper, then lay a bunch of fresh rosemary on top.
I'm not normally a big herb user, so this is new. But, Suzanne claims that herbs enhance meals so much that you don't feel like you're on a diet. Then, best of all, you slice 2 tablespoons of butter ... yes, butter, and dot the chicken with it. Place it in the over for 1 hour (350 degrees).
While that was cooking, I sauteed 1 cup of broccoli in some EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and sprinkled some onion powder on top. After a few minutes, I used a vegetable new to me ... kale. I cut off the stems, and loosely chopped it, then added 2 cups to the pan. I added a little more onion powder and sauteed for 5 minutes. Then, you add a tablespoon of butter, melt and stir.
Again, in hindsight I would have sauteed the veggies for another 2-3 minutes as kale is thicker than lettuce and wasn't as tender as I hoped. However, the broccoli was browned and crispy, which made the dish quite good.
To finish the chicken, you drain off all but one tablespoon of the drippings, then add 1 cup chicken stock. Boil until it reduces by half ... and then, more butter! Add 2 tablespoons and swirl til melted. Then, drizzle a little bit on your plate and place a serving size (6 oz.) of chicken on top. Remember, the pan juices serves 4, so only use enough for 1 serving per person.
OMG ! ! ! My hubby and I were in heaven. The tumeric paste and rosemary gave the chicken the most yummy flavor, ever. It was smooth and rich tasting, but not overly rich. Usually with chicken, once you get past the skin, the chicken is pretty bland. But, this chicken had flavor thru-and-thru. And, I think because it tasted full-bodied in flavor, I didn't feel the need to eat more than my 6 ounces. I was full. Tumeric is my new best friend!
The best part ... we have enough for two more meals (and probably a little extra for a salad later in the week, too). Plus, the rosemary was so crispy that I removed it from the stems and put it in the fridge to use for a meal next week. Now, that's being frugal!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Detox - Day 1
Maqui Juice Update:
The Maqui Juice arrived and I was very excited to get started. However, there was a hitch in plans. In the book, Sexy Forever, on page 199, Suzanne directs you to read the back of the bottle for directions on how to use it as a cleanse for days 1 and 2 of the Detox phase. However, there were no such directions on the bottle, so I called the company.
After talking to the customer service rep, I decided NOT to do the cleanse for two reasons. One, you're not suppose to eat anything for the first two days. All you can consume is the juice (diluted with equal parts water) and extra water if needed. After hearing this information I decided that it was too extreme for me. And, reason two; when I asked why the directions weren't on the bottle I was told that the legal department decided not to include them because the cleanse might not be safe for people with certain health conditions. And, that some people may not even know they have health concerns.
So, with this information I decided to use the product as directed on the bottle. You drink one ounce of the juice each day to help move some of the toxins out of your body. Just make sure you drink it with your fruit meal or snack, as you can't eat anything with fruit. As a side note, I found the juice to be even tastier when chilled.
Here's What I Ate
I decided to make it easy on myself and planned a full week of meals on the easier side. That way I know exactly what to eat at each meal in order to get more familiar with the plan. There are easy meal suggestions for the Detox Phase on pgs. 168 -172 in the book and I chose some of them. Then, I went to the grocery store and got everything I needed.
Breakfast
What's nice about breakfast is that you have four options, so you have flexibility based on your morning activities. Here they are:
Option 1 - Fruit meal (great for days when you're in a rush)
Option 2 - Carbohydrate meal (who doesn't like carbs!)
Option 3 - Fruit, wait 20 minutes, then Carb meal (great for exercise days)
Option 4 - Protein/Healthy Fat/Vegetable meal (great for weekends)
I exercise every-other-day, and today was an exercise day. So, I started with an ounce of Maqui Juice and a cup of cantaloupe, did my exercise routine, and then ate a BLT without the B (remember you can't have protein with a carb). I toasted a piece of whole grain bread and topped it with some lettuce. Then, to mimic the warm bacon, I sliced a medium tomato, sprinkled it with basil, and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds. The juice softened the bread and the basil gave it a little zip. While, I did miss the bacon, this was satisfying because, for me, it's all about the bread.
Morning Snack - I skipped this because I wasn't hungry. Mainly, because I didn't finish breakfast until 9:45.
Breakfast and Dinner options are always the same; you start with Protein, then add healthy fats and veggies.
Lunch - I made a Taco Salad by browning ground chuck; 12 ounces for me and 16 ounces for my hubby. That's enough for two meals (one for later). Then I added taco seasonings and 3/4 cup of water to make a sauce. Next, I put a cup of shredded lettuce in a bowl, added some fresh tomato salsa I purchased in the dairy case, an ounce of shredded cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream, and topped it with 6 ounces of the meat mixture. It was yummy and very satisfying. In fact, it felt like I was cheating.
PM Snack - 2 brown rice cakes topped with the fresh tomato salsa. I loved the combination as it made me feel like I had chips and salsa ... only better for me.
Dinner - Here's another meal that almost made me feel like I was cheating. I made cheeseburgers without the bun accompanied by a side salad with tomatoes and cucumbers and dairy-style salad dressing. I chopped some onion in the ground chuck before frying, then topped it with a little cheddar cheese at the end. Then, per the book, I placed a lettuce cup on the plate to use as the bun, and topped the hamburger with sugar-free catchup and mustard. It was wonderful. NOTE: I made 6 hamburgers (three 6-ounce ones for me and three 8-ounce ones for my hubby) to be used for leftovers later.
Beverages: I drank seven 8-ounce glasses of water thru-out the day, and then had a cup of Sleepy Time tea before bedtime.
After my first day on the Detox Plan, I felt full and satisfied all day. But, I will admit that I missed having a couple cookies with my tea. All-in-all, I didn't work too hard in the kitchen, which was good. Plus, I'd recommend starting on the weekend so you can double or triple meals to use as leftovers during the week, as I did.
Below is the weekly meal plan for
Detox Level - Days 1 through 7 (meals are for 2 adults)
The Maqui Juice arrived and I was very excited to get started. However, there was a hitch in plans. In the book, Sexy Forever, on page 199, Suzanne directs you to read the back of the bottle for directions on how to use it as a cleanse for days 1 and 2 of the Detox phase. However, there were no such directions on the bottle, so I called the company.
After talking to the customer service rep, I decided NOT to do the cleanse for two reasons. One, you're not suppose to eat anything for the first two days. All you can consume is the juice (diluted with equal parts water) and extra water if needed. After hearing this information I decided that it was too extreme for me. And, reason two; when I asked why the directions weren't on the bottle I was told that the legal department decided not to include them because the cleanse might not be safe for people with certain health conditions. And, that some people may not even know they have health concerns.
So, with this information I decided to use the product as directed on the bottle. You drink one ounce of the juice each day to help move some of the toxins out of your body. Just make sure you drink it with your fruit meal or snack, as you can't eat anything with fruit. As a side note, I found the juice to be even tastier when chilled.
Here's What I Ate
I decided to make it easy on myself and planned a full week of meals on the easier side. That way I know exactly what to eat at each meal in order to get more familiar with the plan. There are easy meal suggestions for the Detox Phase on pgs. 168 -172 in the book and I chose some of them. Then, I went to the grocery store and got everything I needed.
Breakfast
What's nice about breakfast is that you have four options, so you have flexibility based on your morning activities. Here they are:
Option 1 - Fruit meal (great for days when you're in a rush)
Option 2 - Carbohydrate meal (who doesn't like carbs!)
Option 3 - Fruit, wait 20 minutes, then Carb meal (great for exercise days)
Option 4 - Protein/Healthy Fat/Vegetable meal (great for weekends)
I exercise every-other-day, and today was an exercise day. So, I started with an ounce of Maqui Juice and a cup of cantaloupe, did my exercise routine, and then ate a BLT without the B (remember you can't have protein with a carb). I toasted a piece of whole grain bread and topped it with some lettuce. Then, to mimic the warm bacon, I sliced a medium tomato, sprinkled it with basil, and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds. The juice softened the bread and the basil gave it a little zip. While, I did miss the bacon, this was satisfying because, for me, it's all about the bread.
Morning Snack - I skipped this because I wasn't hungry. Mainly, because I didn't finish breakfast until 9:45.
Breakfast and Dinner options are always the same; you start with Protein, then add healthy fats and veggies.
Lunch - I made a Taco Salad by browning ground chuck; 12 ounces for me and 16 ounces for my hubby. That's enough for two meals (one for later). Then I added taco seasonings and 3/4 cup of water to make a sauce. Next, I put a cup of shredded lettuce in a bowl, added some fresh tomato salsa I purchased in the dairy case, an ounce of shredded cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream, and topped it with 6 ounces of the meat mixture. It was yummy and very satisfying. In fact, it felt like I was cheating.
PM Snack - 2 brown rice cakes topped with the fresh tomato salsa. I loved the combination as it made me feel like I had chips and salsa ... only better for me.
Dinner - Here's another meal that almost made me feel like I was cheating. I made cheeseburgers without the bun accompanied by a side salad with tomatoes and cucumbers and dairy-style salad dressing. I chopped some onion in the ground chuck before frying, then topped it with a little cheddar cheese at the end. Then, per the book, I placed a lettuce cup on the plate to use as the bun, and topped the hamburger with sugar-free catchup and mustard. It was wonderful. NOTE: I made 6 hamburgers (three 6-ounce ones for me and three 8-ounce ones for my hubby) to be used for leftovers later.
Beverages: I drank seven 8-ounce glasses of water thru-out the day, and then had a cup of Sleepy Time tea before bedtime.
After my first day on the Detox Plan, I felt full and satisfied all day. But, I will admit that I missed having a couple cookies with my tea. All-in-all, I didn't work too hard in the kitchen, which was good. Plus, I'd recommend starting on the weekend so you can double or triple meals to use as leftovers during the week, as I did.
Below is the weekly meal plan for
Detox Level - Days 1 through 7 (meals are for 2 adults)
| Day | Meals | Prep | |
| Saturday Day 1 | B - Cup of cantaloupe; exercise. Then, 1 slice whole wheat toast, lettuce, warm tomato & basil L - Taco salad (chopped lettuce, seasoned ground beef, cheddar cheese, sour cream, & salsa) D - Cheeseburger served in lettuce cup and side salad (Sexy Forever book pg. 172) AM snack - skipped PM snack-2 brown rice cakes topped w/fresh salsa | Make enough taco salad for 2 days. Make enough cheeseburgers for 3 days. I made 6 oz. patties for me; 8 oz. patties for hubby. | |
| Sunday Day 2 | B - Scrambled eggs with sautéed mushrooms, fresh spinach, and grated cheese (pg. 171 in Sexy Forever book) L- Leftover cheeseburger and side salad D- Butterflied Rosemary Chicken with Pan Juices (pg. 254) and sautéed kale & brocolli AM snack - one serving cherries PM snack - clementine | Make enough sautéed kale & brocolli for 2 days. Chicken will yield 4 dinners and 4 cobb salads for 2 people. | |
| Monday Day 3 | B - Fruit; wait 20 minutes. Then whole wheat toast with lettuce, warm tomato, & basil L - Leftover taco salad D - Leftover cheeseburger & spinach salad AM snack - skipped PM snack - 2 brown rice cakes and fresh salsa | ||
| Tuesday Day 4 | B - Fruit smoothie L - Egg salad wrap (pg. 172) D - Leftover Rosemary Chicken and leftover sauteed kale and brocolli AM snack - slice of cheddar cheese PM snack - brown rice cakes and fresh salsa | Make enough egg salad for 3 days; or in my case this was 6 lunches. | |
| Wednesday Day 5 | B - Cup fruit; wait 20 minutes. Then, whole wheat toast w/lettuce, warm tomato & basil L - Leftover egg salad wrap D - Cobb salad using leftover chicken (recipe page 171 in Sexy Forever book) AM snack - skipped PM snack - 2 brown rice cakes and fresh salsa | Make enough cobb salad for 2 days. For me, this was 4 lunches. | |
| Thursday Day 6 | B - Fruit smoothie using 2 servings of fruit L - leftover egg salad wrap D - Pork chops (pg. 172) and oven-roasted cauliflower AM snack - skipped PM snack - one Clementine; waited 20 minutes, then had slice of cheese | I made 4 pork chops to use for 2 meals. | |
| Friday Day 7 | B - bacon, fried eggs, & sautéed zuchini ribbons in EVOO L - leftover cobb salad D - leftover pork chops and sautéed kale in EVOO AM snack - skipped PM snack - last of brown rice cakes and salsa | Re: breakast use 2 eggs per person. There was leftover kale in the bag so I used it up today. |
Monday, January 24, 2011
Prep - Day 4
A word about fruit
While I'm waiting for the Maqui Juice to arrive in the mail, I thought I'd talk about Suzanne's guidelines regarding fruit. This information is new to me, as I've never seen it in any other diet plan before. But, it does make sense to me.
Suzanne recommends that you eat fruit on an empty stomach, and that you eat it alone. Fruit is full of sugar, and it is classified as a carb. If you eat fruit alone, you're giving your body time to absorb it, or work it off, so it doesn't get stored as fat. If you eat something with fruit, her research claims that the body cannot absorb that much at one time, so it will store some of it as fat. In other words, you won't lose weight. So, here are her guidelines:
While I'm waiting for the Maqui Juice to arrive in the mail, I thought I'd talk about Suzanne's guidelines regarding fruit. This information is new to me, as I've never seen it in any other diet plan before. But, it does make sense to me.
Suzanne recommends that you eat fruit on an empty stomach, and that you eat it alone. Fruit is full of sugar, and it is classified as a carb. If you eat fruit alone, you're giving your body time to absorb it, or work it off, so it doesn't get stored as fat. If you eat something with fruit, her research claims that the body cannot absorb that much at one time, so it will store some of it as fat. In other words, you won't lose weight. So, here are her guidelines:
- Eat fruit alone. That means, no foods. Even yogurt, ice cream, sherbet, or milk. So, if you're going to make a smoothie, she recommends fruit with a little splash of fruit juice, and ice if you want it slushy.
- When you eat fruit, wait 20 minutes before eating a carb meal. And one hour before eating a protein/healthy fat/veggie meal.
- If you don't have fruit for breakfast, eat fruit at your morning or afternoon snack. It is not recommended to eat fruit during lunch or supper.
- Fruit is not recommended after dinner as a dessert. However, if you are in Level 1 or Level 2 of her plan, Suzanne says it's okay to have berries occassionally for a dessert snack. But be sure to wait two hours after eating dinner. This gives your body time to burn off what you ate for dinner.
- When eating fruit as a snack or an occassional dessert, wait 2 hours after a meal.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Prep - Day 3
Change of Plans
After carefully reading and considering the information in Sexy Forever, I have decided to delay the start of this program to try the Sexy Forever Maqui Juice Blend. Suzanne believes this tool will jump-start the cleansing and weight loss process by helping the body to target the built-up toxins in your cells and release the stored fat. She claims that it's especially helpful for people over 40 because their system is starting to slow down so more toxins get trapped. It's also good for the immune system and healthy liver function.
About 3 years ago I was diagnosed with colitis, and while my symptoms are improved I still don't have regular bowel movements. Some of my flare-ups are due to certain foods and medications, so mostly I put up with applesauce for poop! After doing a little research, I found out that maqui juice cleanses are actually good for people with my condition. So, I'm hopeful and am willing to give it a try.
You have to order it from Suzanne's Sexy Forever website. She recommends that you follow the instructions and use it on Days 1 and 2 of the Detox Phase. While I haven't received it yet, it sounds like you fast by eating soft foods and liquids while you experience the thrill of 'elimination'. Suzanne claims it's not that extreme, so you don't have to commit to staying home for two days. Yeah!
So, goodbye toxins and hello to a potentially good start. In the meantime, my husband and I have been eating up supplies in our pantry so we won't be tempted down the road. And, what we can't eat by this weekend we'll donate to a food pantry.
I'm very lucky to have a husband who is willing to go on this plan with me. As he has with every other diet plan I have tried, with little success. Meal preparation is much easier when you've got a supportive partner. Did I mention how lucky I am to have him?
So, with that I'm saying goodbye to white pasta and rice, raisin brand cereal, popcorn, tortilla chips, and Italian and sour dough bread. My favorite things to eat, but oh so bad for me. But, I'm going to enjoy them while they last over the next couple days.
After carefully reading and considering the information in Sexy Forever, I have decided to delay the start of this program to try the Sexy Forever Maqui Juice Blend. Suzanne believes this tool will jump-start the cleansing and weight loss process by helping the body to target the built-up toxins in your cells and release the stored fat. She claims that it's especially helpful for people over 40 because their system is starting to slow down so more toxins get trapped. It's also good for the immune system and healthy liver function.
About 3 years ago I was diagnosed with colitis, and while my symptoms are improved I still don't have regular bowel movements. Some of my flare-ups are due to certain foods and medications, so mostly I put up with applesauce for poop! After doing a little research, I found out that maqui juice cleanses are actually good for people with my condition. So, I'm hopeful and am willing to give it a try.
You have to order it from Suzanne's Sexy Forever website. She recommends that you follow the instructions and use it on Days 1 and 2 of the Detox Phase. While I haven't received it yet, it sounds like you fast by eating soft foods and liquids while you experience the thrill of 'elimination'. Suzanne claims it's not that extreme, so you don't have to commit to staying home for two days. Yeah!
So, goodbye toxins and hello to a potentially good start. In the meantime, my husband and I have been eating up supplies in our pantry so we won't be tempted down the road. And, what we can't eat by this weekend we'll donate to a food pantry.
I'm very lucky to have a husband who is willing to go on this plan with me. As he has with every other diet plan I have tried, with little success. Meal preparation is much easier when you've got a supportive partner. Did I mention how lucky I am to have him?
So, with that I'm saying goodbye to white pasta and rice, raisin brand cereal, popcorn, tortilla chips, and Italian and sour dough bread. My favorite things to eat, but oh so bad for me. But, I'm going to enjoy them while they last over the next couple days.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Prep - Day 2
As promised, below are the basics for getting started on the Sexy Forever plan by Suzanne Somers. Keep in mind that there are many guidelines involved with this lifestyle plan, and I will talk about some of them as I go along. But, if you're serious about doing the Sexy Forever plan, I'd recommend that you buy the book.
The Basics
The Basics
- Eliminate Insulin Triggers which are foods that raise insulin levels. Things like sugar, refined grains, starchy veggies, bad fats (such as trans fats), and alcohol.
- Try to eliminate chemicals, toxins, fillers, and preservatives. Eat organic whenever possible or as your budget allows. This is a big one for Suzanne Somers as she believes these types of things strongly hinder our weight loss efforts and our health, in general.
- When eating a meal with protein you will combine it with healthy fats and vegetables (these are listed in the book). You should never eat carbs with protein, as it's too much for your system to absorb and burn off. If you break this rule, your weight loss will suffer the consequences.
- You can eat carbs, but they must approved, nutrient-rich, in specific portion sizes, at select meals. These are also listed in the book.
- Here's a big one, and new to me. Eat fruit on an empty stomach to maximize digestion and nutrient absorption. Plus, you're not supposed to eat anything with fruit, and wait at least 20 minutes before eating anything else.
- Eat 3 meals per day. To increase metabolism it's important not to skip meals.
- Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day.
- Wait two hours between meals or snacks if switching from a carbohydrate to a protein/healthy fats meal, or vice versa.
- Detox Phase - First 30 days
- Level 1 - Weight Loss Phase: Basically, once you finish detox, you stay in this stage until you reach your goal weight.
- Level 2 - Lifestyle Phase: This phase helps you maintain your weight and health, and if you don't want the pounds to come back, you're basically on it for the rest of your life.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Prep - Day 1
Normally, I'm the kind of person who jumps in and gets going, fast. But, there I times when you need to take it slow. And this is one of those times. There is a lot of information to absorb and consider in the book, Sexy Forever: How To Fight Fat Over 40!
In fact, even Suzanne Somers mentions many times that some of the information is overwhelming, but encourages the reader to stay with her. Then, decide for yourself. So that's what I did when I read her book. A lot of what she says makes sense, some of it is very new to me, and some information I will just let sit on a shelf for a while because I don't know what to think about it.
Suzanne conveys in her book that she understands that the reader may not agree with everything, or have the financial means to put what she says into motion. And, that's okay with her ... which was refreshing to read. She's just giving you the information she has learned over the past 10+ years consulting with many doctors and experts along the way. She stresses that it's up to us to decide how much we want to do, but encourages the reader to start with the basics. And then, add things when we're ready or able. The "able" part primarily being financial.
So, here's a tip for those of you who plan on reading her book. As I mentioned, there's a lot of information to absorb, so, as I was reading I used a highlighter pen to help me remember the information that just pertained to her plan. This way I could keep an open mind to everything else in the book, but I left a trail of breadcrumbs for myself with my highlighter.
Then, it was easy to go back and just pick out the information that I needed to help me get started on the plan. And, here's another tip that helped me. I purchased a little spiral notebook and wrote down all the things that I highlighted and organized them by topic. That way, I can easily refer to my little book rather than trying to find the information in the 327 pages in her book. Sometimes, if it was easier than writing it all out, I just wrote down the page in her book for myself.
I'm sure once I start eating on the plan for a while, I won't need my little book very often, but it sure is helping me to get started. As, with anything new, it's confusing at first.
Tomorrow, I'll go over some of the basics of the plan with you, and then I'm going to get started. But first, I have to prepare my first week's meal plan and then go to the grocery store. Yipppeee!
In fact, even Suzanne Somers mentions many times that some of the information is overwhelming, but encourages the reader to stay with her. Then, decide for yourself. So that's what I did when I read her book. A lot of what she says makes sense, some of it is very new to me, and some information I will just let sit on a shelf for a while because I don't know what to think about it.
Suzanne conveys in her book that she understands that the reader may not agree with everything, or have the financial means to put what she says into motion. And, that's okay with her ... which was refreshing to read. She's just giving you the information she has learned over the past 10+ years consulting with many doctors and experts along the way. She stresses that it's up to us to decide how much we want to do, but encourages the reader to start with the basics. And then, add things when we're ready or able. The "able" part primarily being financial.
So, here's a tip for those of you who plan on reading her book. As I mentioned, there's a lot of information to absorb, so, as I was reading I used a highlighter pen to help me remember the information that just pertained to her plan. This way I could keep an open mind to everything else in the book, but I left a trail of breadcrumbs for myself with my highlighter.
Then, it was easy to go back and just pick out the information that I needed to help me get started on the plan. And, here's another tip that helped me. I purchased a little spiral notebook and wrote down all the things that I highlighted and organized them by topic. That way, I can easily refer to my little book rather than trying to find the information in the 327 pages in her book. Sometimes, if it was easier than writing it all out, I just wrote down the page in her book for myself.
I'm sure once I start eating on the plan for a while, I won't need my little book very often, but it sure is helping me to get started. As, with anything new, it's confusing at first.
Tomorrow, I'll go over some of the basics of the plan with you, and then I'm going to get started. But first, I have to prepare my first week's meal plan and then go to the grocery store. Yipppeee!
Monday, January 17, 2011
About This Blog
I am over 40 and have reached the menopause stage of my life. With that came lots of changes in my health and lifestyle. Mainly, I'm getting fat, can't sleep as well as I used to, I have days where I feel a little off for no reason, and my memory is loosing it's edge.
During the past five menopausal years I have tried many diet plans, which resulted in minimal success. I worked my butt off exercising, followed the diet plans very closely ... only to have slight weight loss. It was hard for me to keep motivated when, month after month the scale indicated I lost one or two pounds.
Recently, I discovered Susanne Somer's weight loss plan titled "Sexy Forever" and was drawn to the fact that it's geared toward women over 40. I have never seen a plan geared toward the problems and challenges us women over 40 face when trying to diet and exercise. I was tired and frustated by diet plans that showed young, thin women praising their success stories. They made me feel like a loser because I wasn't stacking up the weight loss pounds or losing those inches they brag about. I was doing exactly what the plan said I should do, but I wasn't going from a size 14 to a 4 in a few short months.
The little bit I knew about Suzanne's plan hooked me so I decided to investigate it further and purchased the book. What I found inspired me to try this plan.
While I probably won't be as committed to following everything she states in her book, a lot of it did make sense to me. As Suzanne readily admits she is an extremist. Many of the things she believes in I will not do, and some of them I'd like to do but I can't afford to do them. However, I will do my best to follow her food plan and exercise within my limits and beliefs. And, I wouldn't be a woman if I didn't exercise my option to change my mind about some things down the road.
The whole organic thing Suzanne refers to in her book is a bit overwhelming at this time. But, she recommends that you take these things in baby steps by adding what you can, and what you can afford. So, with that advice, I'm going to start this journey and see what happens.
I would like to mention that I am not an expert, as I'm learning the plan as I go. There are many options along the way, and I will modify or follow them in a way that is comfortable for me, while staying as true to Suzanne's plan as I possibly can.
If any of you would like to follow me on my journey, please read my blog. I plan on trying most of her recipes and will give a full review of the preparation and taste of each one. That way you can decide if it's something you want to try, as this appears to be an expensive diet/lifestyle plan. But, if it works, and I feel better, isn't your health worth a little financial sacrifice? At least, that's how I feel about it.
So, here I go. You can join me or just read on the sidelines. The choice is yours.
During the past five menopausal years I have tried many diet plans, which resulted in minimal success. I worked my butt off exercising, followed the diet plans very closely ... only to have slight weight loss. It was hard for me to keep motivated when, month after month the scale indicated I lost one or two pounds.
Recently, I discovered Susanne Somer's weight loss plan titled "Sexy Forever" and was drawn to the fact that it's geared toward women over 40. I have never seen a plan geared toward the problems and challenges us women over 40 face when trying to diet and exercise. I was tired and frustated by diet plans that showed young, thin women praising their success stories. They made me feel like a loser because I wasn't stacking up the weight loss pounds or losing those inches they brag about. I was doing exactly what the plan said I should do, but I wasn't going from a size 14 to a 4 in a few short months.
The little bit I knew about Suzanne's plan hooked me so I decided to investigate it further and purchased the book. What I found inspired me to try this plan.
While I probably won't be as committed to following everything she states in her book, a lot of it did make sense to me. As Suzanne readily admits she is an extremist. Many of the things she believes in I will not do, and some of them I'd like to do but I can't afford to do them. However, I will do my best to follow her food plan and exercise within my limits and beliefs. And, I wouldn't be a woman if I didn't exercise my option to change my mind about some things down the road.
The whole organic thing Suzanne refers to in her book is a bit overwhelming at this time. But, she recommends that you take these things in baby steps by adding what you can, and what you can afford. So, with that advice, I'm going to start this journey and see what happens.
I would like to mention that I am not an expert, as I'm learning the plan as I go. There are many options along the way, and I will modify or follow them in a way that is comfortable for me, while staying as true to Suzanne's plan as I possibly can.
If any of you would like to follow me on my journey, please read my blog. I plan on trying most of her recipes and will give a full review of the preparation and taste of each one. That way you can decide if it's something you want to try, as this appears to be an expensive diet/lifestyle plan. But, if it works, and I feel better, isn't your health worth a little financial sacrifice? At least, that's how I feel about it.
So, here I go. You can join me or just read on the sidelines. The choice is yours.
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