Health for life

Hi,

I am finally seeing some weight loss progress. I actually made two changes. The first being the 16-hour fast per day and the second, about a week and a half later, was to begin to eat a couple of lighter meals during the 8-hour feed time. That Sumo Wrestlers Diet really stuck in my mind. I realized if my weight loss has stalled, then, Im eating too much. Plain. Simple.

For a long time a thought has been sitting at the back of my mind that I did not want to really investigate. Ive been wondering if all the beef and pork that I have been eating is the reason I stalled. I went back and looked at my journal over the time period in January that I was losing weight and I noticed that at that time I ate eggs and tuna for the majority of my protein. It does appear that when I started including more beef, my weight loss stalled. I had not wanted to admit that to myself because I thought beef was a good protein source that I did not have to worry about. Perhaps it is because I did not feel I could afford the grass fed variety, and was using standard beef.

So in this last week I, again, went to eggs and tuna for my protein, with a little pork, and left off the beef and in about three days I noticed a lot of water coming off of me. Dont get ahead of me... the water was coming off but my weight had not changed on the scale. I know. I was baffled, too. Then after that the scale made a five pound drop in one day. Then a three pound drop the next day. Ive now gone up a pound, but I give that over to normal every day fluctuations. I am planning on doing more of the eggs and tuna again to see if I make progress on the scale, again. Ill have beef no more than once a day and since Ill be consuming less of it, maybe I can get the grass fed beef to improve that area, too. The pork does not seem to be a problem, but Im a little tired of pork for now.

It has occurred to me that I probably could do more chicken, but, ya know, Im just not a real fan of chicken. I dont hate it, but if I buy it, it sits in my freezer for months before I eat it. I choose everything and anything else before choosing that. I should probably make some chicken soup. That is my favorite way to have chicken.

The daily 16-hour fasting has been going well. There are times when I have to remind myself that the feeling of hunger means my body is actually using the fat stores for energy. This seemed to happen a little more after I cut down on the beef, which may be the reason I did not want to stop eating it. It is very satisfying and for a very long time.

If youve been reading my blog at all you must know that I adjust things on the fly.  I have a plan, but if things happen in life, I adjust to make it work as I go. This has a good side and a bad side. The good side, is that if I notice something is not working, I can quickly adjust to make it work. The bad side, is that if I happen to let things get over into craving ville, life can get pretty wacky and my weight loss will probably stall.

I know what foods to avoid ninety percent of the time. That means that for about ten percent I can allow in a few starchy carbs. Now that I am doing the fasting Ive discovered that I can have an occasional higher carb meal without as much worry.

There is still the option of doing one or two 24-hour fasts during a week instead of doing a 16-hour fast every day. Ive not tried that, yet. I did not want to have way too many variables to factor in. If I make too many changes then I cant tell which one worked or didnt work.

The fasting really does not seem to be that hard to do. I have the time periods written down in my journal and I look forward to breaking the fast, but it is not like starvation when you dont know when you will be eating again. Thank God, I know when my next meal is. That alone, makes it much less stressful than those who are in situations where they dont know where their next mouthful is coming from.

If youve read "Eat Stop Eat" ( http://eatstopeat.com/ ) you know that there are some myths out there about dieting, metabolism, starvation mode, fasting, and other things that are just not proven by the science. ESE is a must read for anyone who struggles with their weight and wants to know the science behind fasting.

There is also very good information about the actual experience of fasting at "Intermittent Fasting, Ch. 6" ( http://www.precisionnutrition.com/intermittent-fasting/chapter-6 ). This one introduces other forms of fasting that ESE does not cover. This one is a free downloadable PDF, too.

Im still on the journey and happy about the recent weight losses. Hope all is well with you.

Be back soon,

Marcia

I never wanted to be one of those people whose conversations focus mainly on the weather. I also never wanted to be one of those people whose Facebook status updates are 90% about her cat. But it’s been an awful winter, and Tim has miraculously learned to fetch, confirming suspicions that he’s actually a really ugly dog, so here we are.

Those of you in Minnesota or Buffalo, feel free to punch me in the neck (er, mental image only), but I am officially through with this season. Snow can bite me. My greatest longing - besides going back in time, becoming Katharine Hepburn, and playing the lead role in The Lion in Winter – is that New York quickly and totally becomes spring-like in its capacities, meteorological and otherwise.

Blossoming buds? Yes, please.

Gentle April showers? Sure thing.

Easter Bunny? Yay!

Mets baseball? Not actually mentally prepared for that trauma yet, but you get the picture.

Mostly, I’d like some fresh produce. While tubers and root vegetables are delightfully welcome in October and November, by March, I’d just as soon never cook another squash again. A bite of ripe bell pepper or snap of fresh string bean - man, nothing could be more welcome right now. (Excepting mimosas, natch.)

So, let’s cheat: Tuna and White Bean Wraps are not just crisp, protein-packed flavor bombs, but sleek culinary vehicles for some ludicrously out-of-season produce (which, normally, I wouldn’t advocate, but c’mon). Tomatoes and cucumbers mix with scallions and a little parsley to brighten canned pantry staples, and give partakers a much longed-for taste of warm weather foods. Simple to prepare, easy to pack, and excellent for lunch or dinner, they’re a gentle, yet delicious reminder of the sunshine to come.

As for Camp CHG, we’ll be all right. Winter’s almost over. The temperatures have already crept into the mid-40s, and the only snow that’s left is that weird black tar slushy ice that doesn’t disappear until July, anyway. If only I can teach the cat to play Frisbee, we’re all set.

~~~

If this floats your boat, these will do wonders for your whole fleet:

• Ask the Internet: Canned Tuna Ideas?
• Herbed Tuna in Tomatoes
• Sardine Avocado Open-Faced Sandwiches

~~~

Tuna and White Bean Wraps
Makes 5 wraps


1 (5-ounce) can tuna packed in water, drained
1 (15-ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
1/2 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
2 to 3 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1 or 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh lemon juice, if desired

For serving:
1 ounce baby spinach or mixed greens (optional)
5 fajita-sized tortillas (whole wheat if possible)

1) In a large bowl, combine tuna, white beans, tomato, cucumber, scallions, and parsley. Stir to combine. Add olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir again. Adjust seasonings if necessary. If you wish, squeeze a little lemon juice over it to freshen up the works.

2) Line a tortilla with greens. Scoop tuna mix on to tortilla. Fold and eat.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
278 calories, 7.4 g fat, 7.4 g fiber, 14.8 g protein, $1.18

NOTE: All calculations for ingredient ranges fall within the middle of the range. In other words, 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil is calculated for 1.5 tablespoons olive oil. I used MexAmerica tortilla wraps.

Calculations
1 (5-ounce) can tuna packed in water, drained: 145 calories, 3.4 g fat, 0 g fiber, 26.7 g protein, $1.00
1 (15-ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed: 385 calories, 0 g fat, 21 g fiber, 28 g protein, $0.75
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced: 22 calories, 0.2 g fat, 1.5 g fiber, 1.1 g protein, $0.83
1/2 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced: 17 calories, 0.3 g fat, 1 g fiber, 0.8 g protein, $0.50
2 to 3 scallions, chopped: 20 calories, 0/1 g fat, 1.6 g fiber, 1.1 g protein, $0.22
1/4 cup parsley, chopped: 5 calories, 0.1 g fat, 0.5 g fiber, 0.5 g protein, $0.50
1 or 2 tablespoons olive oil: 179 calories, 20.2 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.15
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein, $0.08
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein, $0.02
Fresh lemon juice, if desired (1/2 lemon): 6 calories, 0 g fat, 0.1 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.25
1 ounce baby spinach or mixed greens (optional): 12 calories, 0 g fat, 1.3 g fiber, 0.7 g protein, $0.60
5 fajita-sized whole wheat tortillas: 600 calories, 12.5 g fat, 10 g fiber, 15 g protein, $1.00
TOTAL: 1391 calories, 36.8 g fat, 37 g fiber, 73.9 g protein, $5.90
PER SERVING (TOTAL/5): 278 calories, 7.4 g fat, 7.4 g fiber, 14.8 g protein, $1.18

Todays question comes from reader Jessie:

Flickrs aMichiganMom

Q: I was wondering what to do with my cupboard full of canned tuna besides tuna salad or casserole. Thoughts?

A: Jessie, that is a most excellent question. The Kitchn had an excellent post about canned tuna options back in 2009, though my personal favorite is Herbed Tuna in Tomatoes, an easy, no-cook alternative to those omnipresent sandwiches.

Readers, what do you do with canned tuna?

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