Superfood Kiwi!

Kiwi

Kiwi fruit is loaded with vitamin C, folate, Vitamin E, potassium, fiber. They only have 93 calories for two kiwi fruits. They are an antioxidant all star. They have more of the equivalent amount of vitamin C than an orange does.
They promote heart health by lowering triglyceride levels and reduce platele and hyperactivity. It also the limits of blood to form clots. You can eat the whole kiwi as long as you rub the fuzz off of the skin! They are great to toss into salads, fruit salads and smoothies.

Portion Control

Portion Control is a huge issue for a lot of us. There are lots of ways to watch what you eat and the size of what you eat. Instead of limiting what you eat, focus on making superfoods the largest part of your daily food intake. Instead of limiting food types, limit portion sizes, it's the non diet that last a life time. Often people ask me what diet I'm on. I'm not on any diet, I just watch my portions and caloric intake. Diet's don't work. Watching what you put into your mouth does. At lot of us don't make the connection between the amount of food we consume and weight gain. A lot of us think that it's better to cut fat then eat a reduce amount of foods with fat. An example of portion distortion is this- you may eat a whole wheat bagel with cream cheese, that's 700 calories, for that amount you could eat 3 medium bananas(280 calories), 2 slights of light bread(80 calories), 1 cup of oatmeal(100 calories), 1 cup of cheerios(100 calories), 1 English muffin(140 calories), all of that equals 700 calories. The bagel is equal to 3 and half breakfasts. So how do you get portion control to work for you:

1. Practice measuring your food before plating it.
2. Eat with eyes as well as fork, use smaller plates/cups and bowls.
3. Adjust balance of food on your plate, more green, less starch, less meat.
4. Don't serve meals family style, plate them before hitting the table.
5. Store leftover in separate containers and not all leftovers in one.
   
6. Don't eat out of a bag or carton.
7. When you go out to eat, share plate, or box half of meal up before you eat.
8. Consider ordering a children's meal if allowed.
9. Don't eat the crackers!!
10. Consider replacing food into servings sizes at home, meaning you get a bag of something, separate it into portion sizes as labeled on package.
    
11. Fat free and sugar free foods still have calories, sometimes as many as their regular versions.

*All information has been adapted from SuperFoods HealthStyle By Dr. Steven Pratt.*

Week 7 20/20 Plan

I'm going to try running again next week, I wasn't able to this week yet.

Friday-Out to Dinner
Saturday-Stuffed Chicken Breast
Sunday-Leftover Spaghetti Pie
Monday-Cajun Kielbasa and Rice
Tuesday-Pork Goulash
Wednesday-Smothered Chicken
Thursday-Ginger Tilapia

A Few More Superfoods

Oranges:


Oranges are great for you because they have vitamin C, folate, limonene, pectin, fiber, potassium, and polyphenols. You should eat 1 serving daily of oranges. The vitamin C in them helps fight away current and future health problems you may have, prevents cancers, common colds, cardio/stroke problems. Our bodies are unable to produce vitamin C on their own so you need to replace the vitamin C from dietary sources. Your daily intake should be 350 mg. Did you know that the concentration of vitamin C in orange pulp is double that found in the peel and 10 times of that found in juice without pulp, so buy the juice with the pulp!

Beans:
Beans are great because they are low in fat, have a lot of protein, fiber, vitamin B, iron, folate, potassium, magnesium, phytonutrients. There are so many different types of beans that you have such a vast choice. You should have about 4 1/2 cups a week of beans. They help to lower cholesterol, stabilize blood sugar and reduce obesity. Beans are great hot or cold. They are very inexpensive and loaded with fiber. They provide you with fulfillment with minimal calories. They also prevent gall bladder surgery.

Cinnamon:


Cinnamon has an effect on blood glucose levels, triglycerides and cholesterol. Cinnamon is still being researched as to why it's a superfood, but scientist can say that it is a superfood.


Oats:

Oats are loaded with fiber, beat glucen, they are low calorie, full of proteins, magnesium, potassium, zinc, copper, selenium and thiamin. You should have 10 grams of whole grains a day. Oats help to reduce cholesterol, diabetes, cancers, stokes and obesity. Oats have two super side kicks. One is flax seeds, flax seeds are the best plant source of omega 3 fatty acids. Flax seeds are great to sprinkle on oatmeal, yogurt, pancakes, and muffins. You should only consume 1 to 2 tablespoons of flax seeds a day. The second super side kick is wheat germ, the same things you can put flax seeds on are also great to put wheat germ on. You should consume no more then 2 tablespoons of wheat germ a day. Other sources of oats are quinoa, millet and buckwheat. I've been cooking with all of these instead of pasta lately because of the benefits.

Tomatoes:

Tomatoes main ingredient is lycopene which is a powerful antioxidant. They are very low in calories, full of vitamin C and lots of alpha/beta carotene. You should have 1 serving processed daily. Tomatoes reduce cancers, coronary artery disease and sun related skin damages.

*All information has been adapted from SuperFoods HealthStyle By Dr. Steven Pratt.*

Time To Look At 1001 List

Re-Visiting 101 Things

It's time to revisit my 101 things in 1001 days! Remember items with strike through are completed!

1. Have 15 date nights with hubby(5/15).
2. Play guitar hero/rock band to find out why everyone is addicted to it.
3. Splurge on dinner at Capital Grille and a movie.
4. Have 4 girls’ night outs.(1/4)
5. Call my friends at least every two weeks for 4 months.
6. Have friends over for a cocktail party.
7. Visit my grandmother at least 2 times a month for 6 months.
8. Create & send out birthday cards every month (0/12)
9. Go through old toys/dolls and donate unwanted ones to Children’s hospital or other charity.
10. Visit an animal shelter and help out .
11. Visit CHOP and read to children that are there.
12. Volunteer - anywhere.
13. Donate to a food shelter once a month for 6 months.
14. Collect items throughout year for Toys for Tots.
15. Complete a 5k .
16. Complete a 10k.
17. Forgive someone.
18. Write a letter to a loved one at least once a month for six months.
19. Volunteer for Habitat for Humanity.
20. Give someone a sincere compliment at least once a week for a month..
21. Bake something for a bake good sale at least four times.
22. Complete the Ben Franklin Bridge Run.
23. No sweets for two weeks.
24. Make sure all products in shower are organic/natural.
25. Try a yoga/Pilate's class.
26. Go vegan for a week.
27. Take the pug for long walks over a mile at least twice a week for a month.(8/10)
28. Switch to all-natural cleaning products.
29. Splurge on 6 hour day at a spa.
30. Splurge on a 6 hour day at the spa with the hubby.
31. Have healthy children.
32. Take my pre-natal vitamins everyday for one month.
33. Make at least 4 unity candles/memorial candles a month for 4 months
34. Try 3 new recipes for 3 months.
35. Plant an herb garden.
36. Take a Wilton's Cake Class.
37. Take Pug to the dog park at least once a month for 6 months.(3/6)
38. Buy a house with the hubby.
39. Put 10 bucks away every two weeks for 6 months.
40. Close all credit cards.
41. Clean out our closet and get rid of things we no longer need or want.
42. Keep the refrigerator and spice cabinet stocked with staple food/seasonings
43. Cook a meal with all complete organic items.
44. Clean and organize the garage.
45. Stain back deck.
46. .Plant new flowerbeds in backyard.
47. Complete spring clean the house from head to toe.
48. Only eat out once a month for six months.
49. Update my passport.
50. Travel to another country.
51. Visit Chicago.
52 Go back to Boston.
53. Visit the Napa Valley.
54. Take a weekend trip on the motorcycle with Chris.
55. Go on a day trip to somewhere we've never been.
56. Visit the Philly Art Museum with hubby.
57. Go to at least 3 Philadelphia Sport Team Games(1/3).
58. Visit the Baltimore Aquarium.
59. Go see a show on Broadway.
60. Go on a weekend trip to NYC.
61. Eat at the Rainbow Room.
62. Read at least one of the books from the Twilight Series
63. Finish "The Other Boleyn Girl"
64. Watch at least 25 movies in 8 months.(8/25)
65. Try 10 new restaurants(5/10).
66. See at least 5 shows at the Walnut Street Theatre
67. Have friends over at least once a month for six months(2/6).
68. Read, What to Expect When your Expecting, by the time kiddies are ready.
69. Read at least two books from Oprah's Book Club.
70. Be a guest on The View/Rachel Ray/Conan.
71. Go to a pumpkin patch/hayride/scary thing.
72. Re-learn Spanish.
73. Attend an event the hubby really wants to go to.
74. Attend a dance show.
75. Send a letter to hubby at his work.
76. Write a letter for no reason to 3 friends.
77. Start a mini-cookbook.
78. Give blood.
79. Right thank you cards for all things people do for us.
80. Participate in Big Sister club.
81. Take more photographs.
82. Bake a batch of cookies for a shelter for Christmas.
83. Complete this list.
84. Get up early to watch the sun rise over the lake at the cottage.
85. Catch a fish at the cottage this year while fishing!
86. Get a new cell phone that I really love and not just like.
87. Have three totally different hairstyle's.(1/3)
88. Get married.
89. Go to Peddler's Village with the girls.
90. Make Chris breakfast in bed at least once a month for 3 months.
91. Try to eat at least 4 hot wings.(1/4)
92. Donate books I have read to schools/charities.
93. Go camping.
94. Write a poem.
95. Stay in touch with my knot girls and see them at least once every 6 months.(2/6)
96. See all of the Best Picture nominees for the 2008 Oscars.
97. Complete the 100 push up challenge.
98. Run at least 3 times a week for 3 months.(3/44)
99. Donate 5 bucks to any charity for any incomplete items after 1001 days.
100. Go horseback riding.
101. Cook a 5 course meal for friends/family.

Week 5 Results

-1 pound this week! I'm sure it be a bit more if Easter candy didn't take over on Monday. That's great news to me, since I only started working out very lightly on Tuesday. I also started using weights and when I use weights I typically gain some weight at first but I stayed light(ten pounds) and didn't gain any weight!

This weeks calorie count:
Friday-1145
Saturday-1580
Sunday-1253
Monday-1735-Easter Candy got the best of me today
Tuesday-1236
Wednesday-1596
Thursday-1212

Super Foods

What are superfoods? A superfood is a food with high phytonutrient content that comes with health benefits. Ashlee over at Ash Is Fit has dedicated the month of April to superfoods and has been listing superfoods all month. The book I am currently reading also list super foods and I wanted to share them with you. If you are avid reader of Ashlee's blog some of these probably will be repetitive to you. I'm simply posting these foods for a reminder for me when I am done the book and it is returned to the library and also for my readers who may not read Ash's blog.

The first superfood the book introduces is dark chocolate:



Dark chocolate has polyphenols. This doesn't mean eat all the dark chocolate you want by any means. Try to stick to eating about 100 calories per day of dark chocolate and eat only dark chocolate. Eating a huge amount of dark chocolate will result in a weight gain. Dark chocolate should be saved as a small treat. Dark chocolate helps in lowering blood pressure, increases blood flow and a healthy heart. It takes about four hundred cocoa beans to make one pound of chocolate. Chocolate has 510 milligrams of flavonol. The polyphenols in dark chocolate act to calm the smooth muscles of blood vessels. When you buy dark chocolate look for one with a high level of cocoa solids. The higher amount of cocoa solids the higher amount of polyphenols. Look for dark chocolate that has about 70 percent of cocoa solids. So just a square or two daily of dark chocolate to enjoy this superfood!

*All information has been adapted from SuperFoods HealthStyle By Dr. Steven Pratt.*