We Scream For Ice Cream!

Okay, I admit I have a weakness for ICE CREAM!   Dark Chocolate too apparently but hey, why not mix them together since they are found in my lifestyle book, The Belly Fat Cure!  I don't miss sugar in my coffee, or soda's during my lunch break that I was so fond of before.  Lucky me I wasn't born with a silver spoon of Aspartame in my mouth,  and  I find Stevia,  to my own taste buds be true, telling me it taste awful!   So I am ending my 16th week of following the BFC plan, with a sweet tooth that is only craving  Dark Chocolate, and now longing for a little adventure: ICE CREAM!   I am becoming a bit more smart  on The Belly Fat Cure, and I am making this Ice Cream following the Belly Good guidelines of course!

My shopping places have changed and include Down to Earth, Alive and Well,  Wholefoods, and Costco  for most of my ingredients. On the weekends I make  a trip to buy my fresh produce from the Upcountry Farms, and also from the farmers who sell fresh produce at our local Swap  Meet  (see my former blogs).  Why  Clemmy's Ice Cream  isn't found  in any of our stores is beyond reason!  You see, Clemmy's Ice Cream gets the official Belly Fat Cure seal of approval. 

So last weekend my goal was to buy a Cuisinart Ice Cream maker, and follow the ingredients in the Belly Fat Cure book to the letter.  No cheating whatsoever... My 1.5 qt. Ice Cream maker was on sale at Macy's for twenty dollars off, such a deal, and  the total came to 50.00 dollars.  Next I went to a place called Mana Foods in Paia.  It was a Hippy town in the 60's,  a  Windsurfing town in the late 70, 80, and 90's, and now it's just a mix of young, old,  and  tourist who like to Hang Loose and  shop, eat, and stroll up and down the two main streets that make Paia a town.  Can you guess where I found the Clemmy's Ice Cream with the  little BFC blue seal on it's front?  Yep, in  Mana Foods for 2.99 cent.  Here's the really good part,  the total for making my first Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream came to 69.00 dollars!  Now Clemmy's was looking even better, but I had my "maker"  at home all washed,  and ready to use.  My ingredients were paid for and already in the shopping bag!  

Remember when I said, Stevia, and I could never be friends, or something like this?  I found my sugar replacement in  Emerald Forest Brand called XYLITOL.  Jorge Cruise says Xylitol is a sugar alcohol derived from the fiber of various fruits and vegetables, and it could come from Birch trees.  The Emerald Forest brand gets Xylitol from U.S. grown Birch Trees.  He goes onto say, Finland found in it's research, that  it may prevent the advancement of osteoporosis.   I couldn't find  Maltitol Sweetener Syrup,  a sugar alcohol, so I did substitute this one item.

If you can't find  Clemmy's  Ice Cream in your store's, then go ahead and splurge!  My Vanilla Ice Cream came out  delicious, and it's super easy to make!  I will add a bit of coffee next time and  I did add a little  Green and Black's Organic Cocoa Powder.  One serving size of ice cream  is 1/2 cup.  So don't go all nuts!   S/C Value = 0/0.

Morning Spent Hunting for the Best Produce

On a clear day in Minnesota my nephew's wife is shaking hands with the President!  I don't know any other details involved in this, other than she's written this on her F.B page this morning.   That's a once in a lifetime opportunity!

I, on the other hand, woke up early this morning, picked my good friend up from her house, and headed to our local swap meet in town.   Every Saturday  the Vendor's set up their wares before sunrise so they can be  ready to sell anything,  and everything they have dreamed up!   They'll make some spare change,  and give the customer's  a choice, so "we"  don't have to pay high prices in the markets here!   I think some seller's just like to sit around and  "talk story" as the day goes by.

It was a  warm day walking around in the hot sun  as the afternoon approached,   and I did work up a little appetite by the time I drove home.  After lugging my  goods to the kitchen counter, I whipped up a Salsa made from  fresh tomatoes, green chili's,  green onions,  onion,  cilantro,   garlic cloves, chili powder, and added a pinch of sea salt (no recipe required).   I heated up the  refried beans (brand Rosarita Vegetarian), sprinkled one tortilla with cheese, and topped it off with lettuce, and of course,  plenty of Salsa.    Lunch was served and husband is kind of happy I am finally learning how to cook (wink). He gets to partake in the bounty!  Thinking you are all being victorious this week, and winning the battle of the bulge to some degree will really make my week.  I am coming off my 16th week on the BFC with zero change, and  now I'm going to expect good change over  my 17th week!  My reasoning for staying at ZERO loss and ZERO gain:  I think the body needs to adjust itself for the lost pounds for the past few weeks!  See:  Not a bad excuse, just some rational reasoning...

So here's the  skinny on the S/C Value  1 Mission Tortilla = S/C of 1/2.    1/2 Cup  Refried  Beans  S/C= 1/1     Everything else; cheddar cheese 1 oz.= zero,  tomato  medium 1/0,  onion  1/0    LUNCH  VALUE 4/3
My friends following the BFC lifestyle have informed me to try the Smart & Delicious Tortillas.  Their VALUE is 1/1.  The Mission Flour Tortillas I ate have a VALUE: 1/2. 
THE REAL KICKER IS: Flour Tortillas only have 1 gram of Fiber.  The Smart Tortillas I just bought at Costco have a whooping 12 grams of FIBER!  This will help you get to the recommended 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day!
THANKS GIRLS! 

The Road to Hana

This past Saturday I decided to meet my friends in Hana for an overnight camping trip.  They left on Friday and set up camp before I drove over to meet them the next day.  Boy, what a drive it takes to get to one of the most beautiful places on earth!  I think the tourist shops still sell a t-shirt that says, "I Survived The Road To Hana".

It takes a few hours from my house to travel over the  54 bridges, and approximately  600 sharp curves that become one lane in many situations.  I was praying I didn't meet the usual crazy local who thunders by in his or her  Monster truck at a high speed causing everyone to hold their breath, then exhale slowly, with a huge sigh of relief to come out unscathed.

My friend and I hiked 4 miles (total) to a bamboo forest, and then up to Waimoku Falls.  I have been walking my dogs so my heart wasn't pounding too bad,  and it didn't take much of a beating. (no pun intended).   I was conscience of the fact  I had a little pain in my ankle, and my knees had a tinge of pain from the descent.  I had rolled my ankle once in camp on a protruding rock, and lucky it rolled right back but it's still somewhat sore.  The climb was worth every minute and a little tinge of pain was okay!

Back in camp I brought out my cooler filled with little cups of Tofu, sweet potato, more tofu & vegetables, and made an almond sandwich with Ezekiel 100% sprouted grain.  I drank a lot of water on this trip, because Hana gets so humid, and hot!   Dinner was a barbecue burger (no bun), broccoli salad,  and after swimming and hiking all day,  it tasted really good!  There is something magical about camping, sunrise,  new mornings, great coffee, and  eating eggs and bacon over the Coleman stove, don't you think?


As my 16th week begins I started it off with a bang!   I thought I would wake up feeling  stiff and sore today, but I actually woke up feeling great!  I ate right, and  refused the soda, chips, and whatever else my friends brought along in their cooler.  I'm ready to hit another trail, and having more adventures ahead!

It's Not As Simple As Pushing A Button For Weight Loss...

I'm entering my 15 week of the BFC lifestyle,  and I've discovered a new machine for my kitchen.  Yep, it's a Food Processor of the utmost easiest fashion.  It has a simple On and Off button, with a Pulse!  It chops, grates, mushes, and whips up a pretty good Hummus in minutes!  I didn't want to spend a lot of money on something I might not use very often, ( I'm basically still allergic to the kitchen), so spending a mere 33.00 dollars in WalMart on this Black and Decker 8 cup food processor was a bargain. 
Since getting it home this morning I've made two different items, and now my husband is in the kitchen whipping up a chicken kabob thing-a-ma-doddle on a stick  for dinner no less!  I'm glad someone else enjoys using it besides me.  Ladies take note, you might get your man in the kitchen to cook a meal  if he has a new toy to play with.  I'm much smarter than I thought...  Here's the Hummus recipe to try... 

Hummus Recipe - makes 8 servings

1 can chick peas (garbanzo beans) drained                           1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 cup sour cream                                                                      2 garlic cloves (peeled/crushed)    

1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)                                        Sea Salt  1/4 tsp. (just a pinch)

1 whole lemon peeled (for juice)                                        Add: 1/2 Red Bell Pepper or 3 mint leaves if you like.

 Mix  it all together  Process until creamy.                                                                                                                         Last but not least:  drizzle with olive oil, paprika, and  if you like it hot use a little pinch of Cayenne!  I serve it  with Pan fried Zucchini cut lengthwise, and two small slices of 100% whole wheat Pita bread. ENJOY!                                                                         
Total 6/5 Value   Based on eating a  1/4 cup Hummus, 1 Whole Pita 2oz. and 1/2 cup cooked Zucchini.                                     

Going To The Dogs and Feeling Great on the BFC

Just made it a day past my 14th week on The Belly Fat Cure and I  want to give a  shout out to Jorge Cruise for being my Coach on losing weight and making me healthy again!  It's working, and I'm finally getting a grip on cutting out the sugars, and craving the wrong kind of Carbs!     I also want to give a shout out to my faithful companions for making me walk up our hill every evening (after a hard days work).  If you didn't look at me with those expectant eyes and wag those enthusiastic tails, I'd probably go straight to the computer and write blogs or watch T.V.  So in your own small way you are contributing to the cause,  and pushing me all the way you little brats! 

Weekly Weight Loss on a Slippery Slope!

•  BFC   7/01/2010   185                waist 42.5      

• Week 1     7/08      181.4      -3
• Week 2     7/15      179.6      -2
• Week 3     7/22      178.4      -1
• Week4      7/29      179.6     +1
• Week5      8/05      179.4       0
• Week6      8/12      176.6     - 3
• Week7      8/19      177.2    +.5
• Week8      8/26      178.2     +1    waist  36"
• Week9      9/02      176.4     -2
• Week10    9/09      176.6       0
• Week11    9/16      176.2       0
• Week12    9/23      174.0     -2
• Week13    9/30      175.8     +1    waist  35"
• Week14    10/07    175.2     -.5
• Week15    10/14    172.4     -3
• Week16 10/21 172.8 +4                                            
• Week17    10/28    172.0    -.2
• Week18    11/04    172.8    +.6 Vacation week
• Week19   11/11    172        -.8
• Week20   11/18    168.8     -3
• Week21   11/25    169.5    +1    waist 35"   Flu

•  A year ago my weight was 184lb. when I had a check up in the doctor's office.   He didn't seem too overly concerned about my "obesity" his words,  and apparently I took it as a omen and continued to visit Starbucks for my morning break all year long. I discovered lattes with whipped cream, and I got hooked on warm chocolate croissants.  When lunch rolled around,  my co-workers and "I"  would go eat from the usual fast food places around town, and sometimes we'd go to IHOP's  or Denny's for fine dinning.  We couldn't do too much damage on a one hour lunch break after all...Wrong!  It was a hot day in June when  I jumped on our scale because I wasn't feeling all that red hot, and it said I weighed 188lb.  Throughout June  I began to eat better, and was laying off the fries a month before I picked up Jorge Cruise's book,  The Belly Fat Cure.  I was thinking I was a good candidate for diabetes or something worse and I already knew in my heart that I needed this type of guidance when I started to browse through his book.    I've never been a rigid person, and if things have too much structure it won't be long before I'll be doing something else.   I like this Belly Fat lifestyle challenge because I've had a  "jelly belly"  for far too long!  I began my BFC weight loss journey on July 1, 2010.

To Eat or Not To Eat, That Is The Question

1. Stop Starving Yourself.
2. Eat Every 3 Hours.
3. Know Your Sugar 
4. Know Your Carbs
5. Be Exact
6. Drink Water
7. Start Losing Belly Fat First.

Sounds simple, right?  Basic really, right?   Then why is it so darn hard to stay thin?  Bottom line: to lose belly fat,   you must keep your insulin levels low.  Since sugar and carbs have the biggest impact on insulin, we only track sugar and carbs on the Belly Fat Cure- it's that simple, and it's the only way you'll lose weight.   Jorge Cruise The Belly Fat Cure Page 14                                                                             

A Day On The Farm... Can't Get More Fresh Than This!

I'm the first to admit I have allergies to kitchens!  I try to stay in one as little as possible, but ironically I do love food.  That is when someone else prepares it, and then I revel in it because the food they "love" to prepare  always taste so good.  I was raised in a small town, within a large city in Southern Cali.  My Mom didn't, and still doesn't like to cook,  she finds it as tedious as I do.  Mom could open cans,  pour whatever was in them into a sauce pan, heat and serve. She'd then cook up a hamburger patty or bake a meatloaf,  and serve those   on a plate with some corn, beets, carrot sticks, and wallah dinner was served. Her specialty was tacos, spaghetti, and lasagna.  We would always end dinner with  a "huge" bowl of ice cream!  To my Mom's credit she was given a little taste of ice cream when she was an infant,  and thereafter ice cream became her drug of choice. I don't remember a time our freezer was ice cream less... 

My food time line goes something like this: 1st salad ever- college.   1st brown rice and zucchini dish- college.  1st bagel and cream cheese - college.  It could be that my brother and I were terribly finicky eaters when we were growing up.  He always had to have his chocolate milk!  I drank mine white, but then I would come home from school and make my own concoction of butter and brown sugar  whip it up to a yellow creamy sweet treat!  My Mom and Dad were working but my brother always let them know this.

My high school/college years  were so active;  lived to swim, hang from bars in gymnastics, skied, played the best boys in  racquetball and tennis, and I never had a problem with weight, being heavy or the opposite having anorexia or bulimia, though I knew girls who did.  I always liked feeling strong, fit, and I just loved to be outdoors.

Fresh produce was out of the picture for most of my childhood because I was a finicky eater.  After discovering just how great  food can taste  I began to put on weight, and become less active after I was in my forty's.  So here I am a late bloomer when it comes to cooking, combining ingredients so they taste good, and all this at age 55 no less.  I'm following the Belly Fat Cure lifestyle by Jorge Cruise.  

I spent the day on the farm searching for fresh ingredients and I hope you like these pictures.