HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Sure, we can do it...together!!!

Welcome to the begining of the best years of your life!

 

We shall ROCK 2014!

Project Jumpstart 2014

One habit I want entrenched in my life in 2014 is the habit of fasting – both for its spiritual and health benefits. Reading the famous story of Daniel in the Bible, I note that he fasted off Nebuchadnezzar’s rich foods and ended up being the buffest, fittest, smartest of the trainees (cutting a long story short). I call this the "Daniel Dynamite" (dynamite because it blows all of your competition out of the water). I think that a fast is akin to a detox of sorts; although I have become aware that current medical researchers say that the detox fad has no basis in human biology (http://www.webmd.com/diet/detox-diets). Nevertheless, I still believe that there are some short term physical and mental benefits to be gained. Hence my desire and determination to fast ...detox...regularly in 2014! It is my opinion that the benefits of regular short term detox includes:

• Feel lighter and brighter
• Boost energy
• Improved sleep quality (This I really need)
• Better bowl movement
• Boost immunity
• Improved skin clarity (which lady would turn her nose on this?)
• Jumpstart metabolism (by jumpstart I mean, give it a well-deserved rest before you kick it up again – even cars benefit from this rest & rev action)

I’m sure you were expecting me to mention that one benefit of a detox is ridding the body of harmful toxins? Well, from what I gather it does not work like that. In actual sense the ‘detox’ is really not a ‘detoxification’ if you are splitting hairs and checking definitions– it’s rather a ‘jumpstart’ - your body, mind and spirit will be cleansed and re-booted resulting in a whole & healthy person. By person I mean me.

Anyway, the long and short of what I am trying to say is that I have chosen to start 2014 with a 7 day Jumpstart Detox – simply because I want to first get all of the benefits I have listed above and also clear & calibrate my mind for the new year. If I can get into the habit of doing this every quarter – I am sure I will be the better for it. And as I approach my 40^th birthday (go ahead and do the math...lol) in a couple of years this habit will stand me in good stead and make my 40 really be my new 20!

So as I engage Project Jumpstart 2014 I will be posting my daily diet and exercise regime in case anyone wants to work me. It will mostly fruits and veggies though – so be prepared! J I'm thinking kiwi, carrots, grapes, sour sop, pineapples, beets,  bananas, apples....yum!

Before I get ahead of myself I also need to admonish myself to be prepared because I know it will NOT be easy, I am counting on my accountability partners (and you) to keep me honest… hope I make it thorough to day 7. I will announce the start date on this blog - so keep following!

For those who want to Jumpstart with me, please contact me and let’s see how we can encourage and support one another.

 

Feel free to comment on the recipies and meal plans I recommend and on how easy or difficult it is/will be/has been (not sure which tenses work here – but you get what I mean, right?) to make the smoothies and juices I/we will be making/drinking.

Having said that I will be sharing recipes, I have to give credit to whom credit is due – most of the juice recipes I will use are from the Juice Masters’ recipe book (when you buy a Juice Master, it usually comes with a book on the history and benefits juicing and also full of fab recipes created by the juice master himself – Jason Vale) – some of the other juices and smoothies are my efforts at creating something unique that works for my health, for my palette, for me ...and from the fruits and veggies readily available in my local market.

With so many options to detox and jumpstart why did I opt for the fruits & veggies route? (for other options see http://life.gaiam.com/article/how-detox-your-body-outside) My reasons are quite simple –

1. I believe fruits & veg (natural foods) contain nature’s remedies for human ailments
2. I heard someone say fruits & veggies alone for one week could help me blast my tummy and reduce my muffin tops significantly (so I'm thinking...go for it girl!!)
3. I may, will, could indulge myself this Christmas (I am being HONEST!!!)– so I will need something real to knock any extra Christmas weight (fingers crossed)
4. Reduce any accumulated sugar in my system from my Christmas pudding (smiling) – I don’t know if sugar accumulates like this, but I’m going to keep this on my list of reasons just to make me feel better, and just in case it does.
5. Rebalance the good/bad bacteria in my tummy (a few years back one of my doctors said I had a helicobacter pylori infection – so I have become quite manic about supporting the good bacteria in my tummy)
6. To access my personal version of the Daniel Dynamite

Caveat Emptor/Buyer Beware!!!

If you are going to do this with me, please, please, please make sure you have your doctors (or a qualified medical practitioner’s nod to do so). If you have diabetes, ulcer and such I don’t think this is for you …sorry! Like I said earlier, there are other ways to get your jumpstart on, so explore them.

Also if you are doing this please keep the following tips in mind:

• Drink LOTS…LOTS and LOTS of water all through the day
• Avoid carbonated drinks like the plague (the caffeine will do you in …seriously)
• Stay away from packed juices and pastries
• Have fun with herbal teas
• Morning walks are very important – fresh air,vitamin D…need I say more?
• If you have to in the course of the day, nibble on nuts – almonds, cashews etc
• When you get lightheaded (note I said, when -not if – because you WILL get lightheaded at the start) reach for a banana or small apple, or some small piece of fruit.

You will need to get a blender or juicer (if you only have a blender - don't sweat it - simply blend your fruits and veggies in that and to get a smoother texture pass the pulp through a fine seive - PRESTO your juice!). If you like the pulp (it fills you up faster) that's ace, right?

 

You will also need some covered mugs or bottles to cart your juices and smoothies around in - again don't sweat it - if you don't have those cute plastic bottles use your regular empty bottled water bottles. All you have to do is keep the juices and smoothies in the fridge and they will stay fresh for that day.

 

I think that fresh juice and smoothies should be made fresh each day (serious time committment, I know) - so we are NOT going to make juices today and drink them tomorrow! That way you get all the vitamins and what not... 

 

To be frank, I am kind of dreading and anticipating Project Jumpstart 2014, it will not be easy – but I am determined. Good health don’t come easy right?

Do you have any plans, habits or resolutions for 2014 that you believe will result in a healthier, slimmer you come the end of the year? Can you share it with us? If you are shy, and want to communicate with me along use the ‘Contact Form’ on the right.

See you in January when we engage Project Jumpstart 2014!

In the meantime, make sure you don’t miss any posts go now and FOLLOW "DROP IT" via email by inputting your email address on the field to the right side of the blog post, then click submit. Don’t forget to recommend DROP IT to a friend!

Take A Beeting

 I wanted to…

• Reduce blood pressure
• Boost your stamina
• Exercise longer
• Improve blood flow

In trying to find a means achieve these, I found out that there is one veg… you heard me…ONE VEGETABLE that can help me do all of these and more. A bona fide SUPER FOOD endorsed even by my ‘go to’ for medical advice – WebMD! Are you ready for it…

…still waiting?

It’s BEET ROOT JUICE! Literally, the juice from the raw beet vegetable (I’m not sure if beets are veggies or fruits, so forgive me if I just stick to veggie).

Beet -that red veg with dubious shape that we often overlook, boil/steam within an inch of its life if we do use it at all and almost disdain because of its strong color and the high probability of staining your hands when handling it. Yes, the humble beet has found a place in my blog!

Apparently Beet Juice has one of the highest sources of dietary antioxidants and nitrates that could improve both your blood pressure and blood flow throughout the body including brain & heart? Researchers say it could help prevent the start of heart disease – something to do with the nitrate oxide in the beets.

Beets are not just good for adults, they are excellent for babies too (so pregnant and lactating mum's can imbibe). I think the picture says very simply some of the benefits not contained in this blog--- just to encourage kids to take a beeting (pun intended).

The number of people I have met living with or know someone living under the scourge of high blood pressure is really alarming. Just the other day I heard of a woman whose 13 year old son was diagnosed with high blood pressure – and he is NOT overweight, so I wondered what the cause could be. Bringing it home, until I lost a ton of weight, I suffered from high blood pressure too -alas I did not know about this beet remedy, so I cannot attribute my current 120/80 BP to beets.

I am NOT advocating ditching blood pressure medication, [but think about it] if natural sources and remedies like BEET JUICE can be of help, should we not give it a shot?

Anyway, I read about this a couple of weeks ago so I’m now trying to build in a new habit – drinking a cup of BEET JUICE each morning in place of my habitual cup of tea. I don’t think I have taken it long enough to see any major change – but I do feel as though I have more stamina, seriously! I was at my team end of year picnic last Saturday, and unlike me I was on my feet for close to 3 hours dancing…! It may not sound like much to some of you, but for me it was amazing. Then exercise-wise, I don’t know if it’s because of practice or consistency but I am doing more and for longer too.

I won’t go on and on about the science of Beet Juice, but I will share my Beet Juice recipe with you. If you want to see the science you can visit http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/truth-about-beetroot-juice This article is really really easy to read and understand, and I will urge you to please read it.

 

LIZ’S BEET ROOT JUICE

This is full of Vitamin C, Beta-carotene, and Antioxidants; a perfect & refreshing start to any day.

It also beats any carbonated or packed juice any day!

You will need:

• 1 medium sized beet root (raw)
• 2 medium sized carrots
• 1 big apple
• Juice from one lemon

What to do:

1. Put everything in your juicer and process

*If you do not have a juicer, use a blender then pass the thick pulp through a fine sieve to get your juice.

2. Pour out into a highball glass and refrigerate

3. Drink cold

(You can actually make your own version using your favorite veg or fruit – I’m thinking cucumbers, soursop, ginger, pears, kiwi etc.)

To close, let me itemize the benefits of beets you us…

• Reduce blood pressure
• Prevent heart attacks
• Prevent strokes
• Treat anemia
• Regulate your digestive system
• Improves metabolism
• Increase the amount of oxygen carried in red blood cells
• Improving stamina

So what’s to lose? It’s time to take a beeting and take to beet-ing!

PS: Please do not be alarmed because drinking beet juice consistently will turn your pee pink! [wink]

Let me know what you think of this inspired recipe and if you personalize your BEET JUICE to suite your palette. Post your comment or if you are shy, use the ‘Contact Form’ on the right.

In the meantime, make sure you don’t miss any posts go now and FOLLOW "DROP IT" via email by inputting your email address on the field to the right side of the blog post, then click submit. Don’t forget to recommend DROP IT to a friend!

Santa I Am NOT

I had a eureka moment recently, Santa is the ONLY person in the world who is genetically predisposed to be BOTH jolly and fat. For the rest of us lesser mortals both (jolly & fat) are mutually exclusive!… at least in my experience.

One of the most heart breaking effects of obesity is the toll it takes on your mental health. I read somewhere that more than 75% of obese people are predisposed to depression. For me it is a dangerous vicious cycle …I eat because I am depressed and I gain weight because I eat too much, then I eat some more because I fat; then I get even more depressed and eat even more… you know how it goes. A life of consistent sub-conscious overeating, all the while feeling bad about it.

I have come to realize that eating is no less a compulsion than other famous compulsions people suffer from. And if like me you suffer from a compulsion to eat, and eat and then eat some more you need to acknowledge that you have to do something about it. What I call common sense methods to deal with everyday life issues. People who have not experienced this constant mental dialog may not appreciate it, some have even told me to simply STOP EATING! It’s not that simple. But neither are we helpless.

Some of the things I do to help me curb eating uncontrollably include:

Exchanging my fad foods for healthier options; for examples rather than eat that slice of cake, why not change and have some pawpaw slices instead – they are just as filling and loads more nutritious. I’ve cultivated the habit of going fruit/veg shopping every Saturday; so I have these fruits on hand every day of the week (night or day). If you check my bag now you will always find an apple or a plum – just something – an alternative to my go to packet of biscuits! I find that it helps – especially as I am conscious of not over eating and binging on the wrong things.

Ever sat down at your desk to do some real work and reach for a single biscuit and a sip of tea… then two hours later your work is all done but you have noshed away an entire packet of Rich Tea biscuits and guzzled two cups of sweetened tea? That is the story of my life – I tended to fall into this trap DAILY! Not ideal when you want to ‘Drop It’, right? I call this unconscious binging…and it leaves me feeling sooooo baaaadddd. My remedy? I try focus on my food when I am eating – yes, focus on the food going into my mouth – not food and TV, not food and my computer – just FOOD. This way when my brain is yelling ‘you are full’ I hear and can stop. Give this a try and let me know how it goes.

Eat less but more often – sounds wack right? I thought so when my sister shared this with me as one of her top weight loss tips. Basically you reduce your portion size to like a third or half your normal size, but instead of limiting yourself to three meals a day try eating five meals –breakfast, brunch, lunch, mid-day and dinner. The trick is reducing the portion sizes, if not you’ll end up eating too much.

Eat slowly – yes seriously. My dietician says each mouthful should be chewed for no less than 20 seconds, and to be sure to liquefy your food as much as possible before you swallow. I think I have this down to a science now – but rather than count 1, 2, 3… when eating (that’s just weird), I sing the birthday song. Yes! In my mind I sing ‘♪happy birthday to you….♪♪’. The song lasts about 15seconds at normal tempo but it’s better than counting. If what I am eating is not sufficiently pulverized, I sing the song twice. Hey! Give me a break…the doctor did say liquefy your food before you swallow after all! [shrug]

Drink your cup of water before you eat rather than while eating. I am not sure how it works but somehow it fills you up so you don’t over eat when you eat. Another tip is to drink a lot of water throughout the day – just sip…sip…sip. If you can add a slice of lemon to the water you are sipping all day all the better; it should help curb your appetite and keep you from over eating. I hear that the late Princess Diana made this a habit to help blast belly fat – and she drank a glass of lemon water first thing in the morning every day to control hunger pangs.

Shrink Your Portion sizes – if you are serious about committing to stopping overeating you will explore shrinking your portion sizes. What I did was shrink my portion size by a third. I did this in conjunction with eating less more often.

Veg Out! I mean nibble on veggies – carrots, cucumbers, apples (yes a fruit I know, but you know what I mean), cherry tomatoes etc. Get into the habit of having some pre-cut veggies [and fruit] in your fridge (a bowl of veggies taken to work every other day will not go amiss either).

Sweets make you crave more. By sweets I mean your sweet biscuits, snacks, sugared tea, candies etc. It’s just like your fizzy drinks – you have one and you will invariably want another…and another. Sweet makes you crave more sweets – that’s the vicious cycle you want to get off of. So if you can forgo the sweets entirely do that. If you have not [yet] schooled your taste buds and weaned yourself off sweets then I would advise looking for alternatives to your sweet of choice. Think honey, dried fruits and such. (I am thinking I will do a blog post soon on sweets and sweet additives, and sweetener alternatives).

The feeling after you have overeaten is BAD, and I would do much to forego such a sense of defeat, helplessness almost like I am trapped. That’s why I try to practice the tips I’ve shared above. They have helped me – not to say that I don’t still have moments of weakness when I have a binge-fest…but it’s no longer a daily occurrence.

Do you have any tips to help you not over eat? What do you do? What has helped you? I am eager to learn from you – please drop me a comment.

In the meantime, please FOLLOW "DROP IT" via email by inputting your email address on the field to the right side of the blog post, then click submit. Don’t forget to recommend DROP IT to a friend!