Major Milestone Hit!!

 I hope everyone had a great 4th! Our family sure did! Read on to see what happened to me!!

Well it took a bit longer than expected, but I finally lost the first half of my weight loss goal – 20 pounds!!  I weighed myself after Christmas (when I was eating platters instead of plates of food) and I was dismayed. I had actually gained 5 pounds over the holiday. I mean who was I kidding, eating handfuls of peppermint cookies and piles of food onto my plate. Christmas is my favorite time of year for food – all the time-tested family favorites were on display and it’s hard for me to resist.

But now that I'm armed with some interesting food knowledge and working out every day, I can eat a small treat and not feel guilty. I’ve managed to increase my metabolism and can take a day off and still lose ½ a pound. It’s been quite motivating to jump on the scale every morning and see it go down a little bit every day. Some days it’s only 5-6 ounces, but it just makes me work out harder for better results the next morning. I’ve never been on a weight-loss program or diet that actually resulted in me losing weight every day!  A few years ago, I joined a gym and worked my ass off to lose 10 pounds and it took me 6 months!  I just lost that in the last 2 months.

I started an interesting program back in mid-April with my neighbor, Amy Butchko. She is a Holistic Health Practitioner.  Her program of teleseminars included some simple weight loss tidbits and some things I had a hard time understanding, but hey, it worked, so why not? I just wish I had started sooner, I would probably be 40 pounds lighter by now!

Her program, coupled with my clean eating lifestyle has resulted in the following:

·         Very few headaches, compared to daily headaches and 2 migraines a month

·         2 fewer prescriptions

·         Tons more energy

·         Clearer, glowing skin

·         20 lbs lost, 20 more to go

·         Just an overall better outlook and I’m happier!

So, if this sounds like something you’d like to get in on, go to Amy’s website, www.losefatwithamy.com, and watch her free modules. Tell her I sent you!!

And if you’re still on the fence about how to go about clearing out your pantry and eating more whole, clean foods, send me and email at divainpinksd at yahoo dot com, and we can chat about my step-by-step program for eliminating processed foods from your diet.

Happy Healthy Eating!

Is Sugar the Devil?

First off, welcome to my new followers! I'm happy to see new faces here.
A little bit of eating history - what I remember most about the food I ate growing up is snacks. I would eat Little Debbie Cream Pies, Ding Dongs, Pop-Tarts, Kool-Aid, pudding cups, Popsicles, pinwheels, oreos, Chips-Ahoy cookies, pixie stix, gum and anything else that had sugar in it. You could say that I was probably addicted to sugar at a young age. Most would say that sugary "food," and I use that term loosely, is all part of growing up. My dad even groans that I should be giving my kids more treats. But I believe that sugar is what made me 30 lbs overweight, makes kids behave like caged animals and is making America a sick, obese, diabetes-filled country. You might as well eat this bowl of sugar!

There's absolutely NO reason why these foods need to be a part of childhood or adulthood for that matter.
All of those items above contain high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils and bunches of other chemicals created in a lab and labeled as food. Now, I'm not blaming my parents. I mean most of the country eats like this - why wouldn't my parents buy me this stuff? It would be fine if these items were an every-once-in-a-blue-moon treat. But my kids, who don't eat any of these things at home, are bombarded with sugary treats at school, birthday parties, playdates and even at Costco (hello free samples!). So I tell my dad not to worry, they are getting plenty of sugar!
There are ways to give your kids a treat without slowly destroying their health. I started making my own popsicles with fresh fruit (strawberries are plentiful right now!) and my new dehydrator comes today and I'll be making my own fruit leather! (More on that later)
But, since it's been 10 months since going "clean," my kids really don't have a major sweet tooth anymore. My oldest has now shunned juice and drinks only water and my youngest gets about 1 cup of juice a day. They snack on apples, organic berries, and plain yogurt with nuts and raw honey. It is possible to get your kids to eat healthy - you just have to take it slow. I just simply don't buy the stuff and tell them that it's bad for you, bad for their teeth, and after they have had diarrhea from eating too much cake, ice cream and juice at a birthday, I use the opportunity to teach them about how food affects your body.

For years now, we've all been fed the line that FAT is bad, it's evil, don't eat fat. So, for 15+ years, I bought fat-free mayo, fat-free dairy, fat-free everything I could get my hands on. Well food manufacturers have to replace that yummy fat with something, so it was sugar - mostly in the form of high fructose corn syrup. I've slowly watched my waistline and hips grow larger and larger over the years. Yet I was eating low-fat everything!  Our bodies don't know how to process HFCS. The liver stores it in our fat cells. It raises our triglycerides. Do you have high cholesterol? I did, and I hardly ate beef, fast food and fried foods. So why so high? It's the chemically-made sugar and partially hydrogenated oils in processed foods.  So is sugar the devil, in my humble opinion, it is very much so!

Take some time to read ingredient labels and not the nutrition label. If it contains words that are a mile long and you can't pronounce, put it back on the shelf. When grocery shopping, take the time to compare labels on similar ingredients. I usually read 3-4 different labels on loaves of bread till I find the one that I can deal with. They're all bad, but I until I master making my own, I have to deal with a few icky ingredients.

This week's challenge: Make 1 totally CLEAN, WHOLE meal a week.  That doesn't mean tacos with seasoning packets or chicken with cans of condensed soup. Don't know where to start? Here's some suggestions:

• Chicken Tacos (grilled chicken cut into strips, top with sauteed red & yellow bell peppers, onions, cilantro, lettuce and fresh pico - tomatoes, jalapeno, onion - on a freshly made corn tortilla)
• Chicken or Shrimp Stir-Fry - stir fry meat, then veggies, season, top over brown rice or rice noodles
• Baked or broiled salmon or tilapia with a fresh mango salsa, side salad with homemade dressing, steamed broccoli or sauteed zucchini

NOTE: I made homemade corn tortillas recently! They weren't pretty, but they tasted great. All you need is a little masa, lime juice, salt and water. Mix and form into balls, press into flat disc and cook over high heat in a skillet. So easy!

                Chicken Tacos with portabello mushrooms, avocado slices, lettuce, and homemade salsa!

I want to hear about your clean meal! So post your comments!

Awareness is the first step to making a change in your eating habits!

If you're ready to get clean, post a comment or message me and I can show you how!



The Magic of Spinach!

I'm very proud to say that my kids have taken to this new "clean eating" lifestyle very well - much better than my grumbling husband. Last night I whipped up something in the kitchen that was clearly a turning point for all of us. Spinach Pesto! Who would have guessed that this little green wonder could have caused so much excitement! On the menu was a roasted pork tenderloin (just tossed in the oven with some herbs, garlic, sea salt, & peppercorns for 30 min, covered with foil to keep it tender & moist), steamed broccoli and pasta shells that were tossed with the magical Spinach Pesto!  For my fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants recipe for this, click on the newly added recipe page.

I asked my oldest to try the pasta to see if she liked it and she did. Then, to my amazement, my youngest tried a bite and asked for more as well. Everyone ate the pesto pasta and clamoured for more! What a great way for kids to eat spinach! Mine also contained heart-healthy walnuts, garlic and Organic EVOO.
I'm proud of my kids for trying something new, something green, and something kind of fancy! It's been 8+ months since they've had a chicken nugget, fish stick or a Fig Newton - this August will be a year! Way to go girls!

Snack & Birthday Party Alternatives

I just wrote this article for my mom's club. Just felt like sharing...

Many of you know that I recently converted from eating processed, non-Organic foods to a diet of clean, Organic fruits & veggies, grass-fed meats & sustainable seafood. Along with losing ten pounds, I feel better, have very few headaches and loads more energy. I’m not here today to try and convert you, but to try to give you some simple snack options for you and your children that can give you more energy and possibly even stop the screamy tantrums that happen after your kid leaves a birthday party after consuming a juice box, cake, ice cream and a goodie bag full of candy!

We’ve all fallen into the trap of putting out the usual suspects when we have playdates or parties at our house, but you don’t have to succumb to the standards – you can make a change and your kids will eat it!

Healthy Snack Options:

Whole Grain Goldfish

Seaport Edamame in Pods

Wholly Guacamole Snack packs (or make your own)

GoGo Squeeze Applesauce

Pineapple wedges

Mini apples

Bowl of fresh blueberries, strawberries or raspberries

Pirate Booty popcorn

Hard-boiled eggs

Plain Greek Yogurt, sweetened with Raw Honey

Raw, unsalted almonds, cashews, hazelnuts

Newman’s Own High-Protein Pretzels

Tribe Origins Hummus w/ Veggie sticks (carrots, jicama, celery, bell peppers)

Pumpkin seeds

Refried beans or homemade salsa with tortilla chips

Almond butter or Natural peanut butter with apple wedges

Simply Gogurt

Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies

Whole-grain waffles with nut butter

Organic Tortilla chips, Boulder Canyon Rice & Bean chips, Food Should Taste Good chips

Party Alternatives

• Juice boxes are convenient but contain way too much sugar, try mini bottled water, Horizon Milk or Honest Kids drink pouches (My kids take their own Honest Kids juice or water to a party)
• Never use frosting from a can – it contains hydrogenated oils which are trans fats, amongst other chemicals
• Try serving turkey &/or veggie subs, instead of pizza, big bowls of natural popcorn, homemade pasta salad (instead of the boxed kind) with nitrate-free pepperoni, large green salad with homemade dressing (6 T EVOO, 2 T Balsamic vinegar, sea salt, pepper, 1 t Dijon mustard, 1 minced garlic clove).
• Goody bags filled with non-food treats, like yo-yo’s, crayons, match box cars, princess jewelry, etc…

Remember, the longer the ingredient list, the more processed the “food” item is. Try to eat more protein and veggies and less carbs and sugar! Everyone will be happy and your pants will get a little looser too!  

Recipe Page Added!!

I'm excited to announce the addition of my recipe page! There's only a few there now, but stay tuned, because I'll be adding more clean, whole food recipes every week - especially quick dinners!!

Vacation Eating...Lessons Learned

In April, we went on vacation to South Padre Island, TX. I stressed about our trip for weeks. What was I going to eat? Where could I find local, Organic food? How was I going to maintain my new healthy eating habits whilst eating carb-laden Mexican food? I mean I really stressed. I thought about shipping a box of food from my pantry to our rented beach house. But then I thought that was just too extreme. I resolved to just "be where I was." Meaning I would just eat as everyone else did in the area. How did that work out, you ask? Not so well.
The first few days were OK, but by the 3rd day, I was feeling the worst I'd felt in years. I had extreme vertigo, congestion, lethargy, stomach issues, and headaches. I was on vacation at the beach, in a beautiful house, steps from the ocean...and felt like crap. Coincidence? Perhaps. But maybe it was the fajitas from god-knows-where, the chicken thighs from not-so-happy chickens, the cheeseburger from What-a-Burger, the fruit and veggies laden with pesticides or the drinking water that had a funny smell to it.  Whatever it was, I didn't feel good. Even with all the prep I had done, I still managed to feel horrible. Funny thing is, two days after I got home, I started back with my organic, grass-fed foods and immediately started to feel better!
Maybe there isn't a connection, maybe there is, but I'm betting on the latter.
The strange thing is we noticed there are hundreds of doctor offices, therapy centers and children's therapy centers in the area. I mean really...one on EVERY block! Why so many? Is everyone sick here?  Why is autism so high here (it's a statistic)? Is it the Mexican diet? The environment? Everyone is my husband's family uses those Knorr Bouillon cubes to cook rice, beans, salsa and soups. Those things are like little cubes of poison! Throw them out NOW!
I've had a few folks ask me what I was going to do while I traveled. So, I'll share. I packed healthy snacks and sandwiches for the plane ride (turkey sammies, almonds, gluten-free pretzels, organic apples, & lots of water). Saved us money too! When we arrived I found a local store with lots of Organic options. I purchased as many healthy things as I could for the week. I bought natural peanut butter and jelly for the girls and a few Organic fruit and veggies. But I couldn't find nitrate-free meats, sausage, lunchmeat or grass-fed options anywhere. I asked the butcher at the natural foods store if he knew how the meat was processed or where it came from and he looked at me and said "I dunno." Briefly I tried to explain what I was looking for and that I wanted meat from grass-fed animals and he said that cows are supposed to eat grain - that's how they get them fat for us to eat! WHAT!!!!!!!?????  The ignorance and stupidity astounded me. But I see a parallel too. If grain fattens cows, then it's fattening us too!

So, I'm on a new lifestyle path. My goal is to walk every day, eat as little sugar as possible, cut out as many carbs as I can and amp up the protein and veggies. I'm going to incorporate more raw food, fermented foods and more water. This is my new way of eating, every day. It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle. I've been doing it for a few weeks now and I've noticed more energy, less sugar cravings, a few pounds lost and regularity. Ok, getting a little personal, but that's a big thing for someone who suffered from IBS years ago.
As a society, we eat WAY TOO MUCH SUGAR! I realized that's what made me overweight these last 10 years. I was eating fat-free everything and cereals, pop-tarts, baked goods and sandwiches. Carbs, sugar and more sugar! If you look at the label on a fat-free item and look at its full-fat counterpart, you'll see added sugar in the fat-free version, mostly in the form of high fructose corn sugar! The evil HFCS!
So, the next time you go shopping, read the ingredient label, not the fat content. Fat is good, keeps you fuller longer. Sugar and high carbs is what's going to make you fat...I'm the poster girl for that campaign!

Another ingredient makes the naughty list! Plus, a new program I developed!!

I subscribe to dozens of health-related email newsletters, blogs, websites, and magazines filling my noggin with so much information that at times, it can be overwhelming. But one of my new faves is from Dr. Mercola. His daily email blast reads like a "Breaking News" alert of dangerous health calamities, but I do find the information trustworthy and timely. So who's on the chopping block now? SOY! For years now we've been led to believe that soy is one of those healthy foods that we need to eat more of - but not so fast. We need to eat more fermented soy!  You can do your own research, but in a nutshell, soy grown in the U.S. is genetically modified (yuck), grown with dozens of pesticides (yuck), contains phytoestrogens which sometimes block the hormone estrogen and have adverse effects on human tissues (double yuck),  contains goitrogens which lead to depressed thyroid function (my health problem), and contains phytates which prevent absorption of life enhancing minerals. Here's what Dr. Mercola says:

Soy Dangers Summarized

• High levels of phytic acid in soy reduce assimilation of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. Phytic acid in soy is not neutralized by ordinary preparation methods such as soaking, sprouting and long, slow cooking, but only with long fermentation. High-phytate diets have caused growth problems in children.
• Trypsin inhibitors in soy interfere with protein digestion and may cause pancreatic disorders. In test animals, soy containing trypsin inhibitors caused stunted growth.
• Soy phytoestrogens disrupt endocrine function and have the potential to cause infertility and to promote breast cancer in adult women.
• Soy phytoestrogens are potent antithyroid agents that cause hypothyroidism and may cause thyroid cancer. In infants, consumption of soy formula has been linked to autoimmune thyroid disease.
• Vitamin B12 analogs in soy are not absorbed and actually increase the body's requirement for B12.
• Soy foods increase the body's requirement for Vitamin D. Toxic synthetic Vitamin D2 is added to soy milk.
• Fragile proteins are over-denatured during high temperature processing to make soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein.
• Processing of soy protein results in the formation of toxic lysinoalanine and highly carcinogenic nitrosamines.
• Free glutamic acid or MSG, a potent neurotoxin, is formed during soy food processing and additional amounts are added to many soy foods to mask soy's unpleasant taste.
• Soy foods contain high levels of aluminum, which is toxic to the nervous system and the kidneys.

Holy crap!  If you read your food labels, you'll find soy lecithin, soy flour, soybean oil, hydrolyzed soy protein, and plain ole soy listed in everything from bread to snack foods. Why is this product literally in almost every food at the grocery store???!!!!  Food manufactures were looking for ways to use the leftover soybean oil and soy extracts and concocted these lovely creations that is sold to us as "health food." So get to reading, open your pantry and see how many products you have with soy in them. Then, throw them out! 


Dr. Mercola goes on to suggest the "good" soy products:

• Tempeh a fermented soybean cake with a firm texture and nutty, mushroom-like flavor.
• Miso, a fermented soybean paste with a salty, buttery texture (commonly used in miso soup).
• Natto, fermented soybeans with a sticky texture and strong, cheese-like flavor.
• Soy sauce, which is traditionally made by fermenting soybeans, salt and enzymes; be wary because many varieties on the market today are made artificially using a chemical process.

Please note that tofu is NOT on this list. Tofu is not fermented.

BIG NEWS:  Do you know how to shop for healthy foods?  Are you unsure of what to buy? Do you want to choose Organic, healthy foods, but think you can't afford them? I've developed a new program for those who are ready to make the change from conventional, processed foods to eating clean, whole foods. I'll take you on a 2-hr tour of the grocery store and show you how to shop for healthy foods, how to save on organic, how to prevent food waste and where to get coupons for healthy foods. If you are interested in learning more, message me or make a comment! First tours start in May!