Summer is now over, and this picture was from a couple of months ago (time goes by so quickly!). I didn't have such a love for yellow squash, until I started eating it organically grown. They are easy to grow, and tremendous when sauteed. I really like the picture I took (above) from our garden, the color of the plant is so crisp and green and complements nicely with the yellow vegetable. Yellow squash when fresh is sweet and filled with nutrients.
Summer squash is high in heart-healthy potassium. One cup of cooked squash gives you more than 3x the amount of potassium in a usual supplement. There is also Vitamin A, beta-carotene, lots of carotenoids that are good for the eyes (yea! I want to be rid of these glasses! haha).
Squash has a high water content and low calories, which is really good for weight loss. Hence, some people call it a "high volume" food.
Source: 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth by Jonny Bowden
There are so many diets out there - Detox, Paleo, GI, Dukan, Weight Watchers, and the list goes on and on. But, here's a diet that seems really interesting, and in this post, I will take some liberty to surmise on the possibilities of why it could work, as it did for this woman in Japan.
It's the Sleep Diet. You change none of your eating habits, none of your exercise regimens (or lack thereof), and really nothing in your life except for the number of hours you sleep (and I assume this means getting non-stressful, non-wakeful sleep). The rule is to sleep a full eight hours a night (and a little more if your body needs it), EVERY night. That's it. You can still eat your ramen, pudding, desserts, bacon grease, but you must consistently sleep, and sleep around the same hour every night (the goal is consistency).
A woman in Japan tried this. At the start of the study, she was around 265 pounds. She always ate a HUGE breakfast, drank tons of pop (soda, for all you non-Midwesterners), ate lots of ramen and the spread was comprehensive! I have attached at the bottom the video, and even if you don't understand Japanese or Chinese subtitles, you will still get the gist of what is going on from the footage.
One thing to note is that before the study, she typically did not sleep 8 hours. She spent so many hours eating and her body digesting that she probably slept on average 4-6 hours, which is what happened in the first few days of the study. After 4-5 days, she started to adjust and sleep her eight hours. After the first week/week and a half, no progress, change or weight loss...(keep reading...)
But, one phenomenon that started was that she gradually had trouble finishing all the food she used to consume (she used to polish off the plate). She couldn't even get to the two packs of Ramen that she used to top off at lunch time. Another development, towards the end of the second week, her skin started to clear up. She is a regular patron at a certain restaurant, and the restaurant owner told her, your skin! It looks so good, it has gotten so clear! Wow.
By the end of the second week, she stepped on the scale and couldn't believe her eyes, with no change except for sleep, she shed a few pounds! Any less consumption of food she started this week was not forced on her, it was purely her body reacting with less cravings.
After a little more time in the study, she lost 11 pounds! Lost 11 pounds from just sleeping more!! When sleeping enough, it seems that the hormonal balance is more in check and our body (or brain) ends up craving less, therefore consuming less rather than thinking that the body is starved and needs to eat. I think this would explain my situation when I used to work around the clock, perhaps at first losing some weight, but over a long period of time, my body was going through major cravings for all food, especially unhealthy. The result of satiating those cravings was putting on weight.
The doctor on the show said that many of his patients lose somewhere from 5.5-6.5 pounds from just sleeping more (i.e. eight hours). Granted this woman's weight loss results are more than average, it is still amazing just how sleep can change our bodies!
Pressures from work, family, activities, etc. may be causing us to sleep less or get lower quality sleep, resulting in the hormonal imbalance as mentioned, producing more cravings, and putting on more weight. I think a very interesting theory, and seems to make some sense.
It's been awhile since my last post! I have been traveling a bunch and am now suffering from major jetlag, as I have started to compose this post at 4:41am. I just returned from a trip to China and Taiwan. Some amazing sights and sounds on that other side of the world. The food, as with my other Asia trips, was an amazing experience.
A few food findings on my voyage through China and Taiwan:
1) Asian portions are much smaller than American portions. In Hong Kong, we went to a restaurant called Dan Ryan (named and served after my beloved Chicago). On the menu, there was a citing that said, "Warning! We serve American portions here!" Hilarious! Lo and behold, when that hamburger came out, it was rightfully portioned for the typical American. It looked like a pound and a half of meat. However, even with the restaurant's conscious decision of serving American sizes, the fries and slaw were only half of typical portions seen at American burger joints. Conclusion? If you are a picky American eater, that is mainly stick to the familiar like meat and potatoes ("new" is not in your gastronomical vocabulary), and want to lose some weight, try taking a trip to China. Few familiar choices will be just what you need to melt off a few pounds! And, for those who eat for adventure or love Chinese food, welcome to yummy galore!
2) Not a whole lot of meat. Meat is somewhat sparse, except in all the amazing dumplings I consumed, which in that case was complemented by the pan-fried or steamed dough, oh, I am drooling right now. Perhaps meat is still a delicacy given all the mouths to feed in China and Taiwan, leaving hunger to be curbed by noodles, dough and rice. I find that particularly in Shanghai, rice must be asked for and is even sometimes forgotten by servers even though we ordered it. One huge added benefit to eating in Asia is that people actually order vegetables (not lettuce), like a whole plate of stir-fried vegetables. However, I have been to Asia with vegetarians and it is not easy to find them food. Although vegetables are available and more abundant than in the US, most dishes of substance contain meat or fish/seafood (tofu is not seen as a meat substitute, and was never intended to in Chinese cooking!).
3) Self-control is absolutely necessary in Taiwan bakeries. We were hungry when we first arrived, and started to walk through one of the suburbs in Taiwan foraging for food. We came across a bakery called How Sweet. We nearly bought every item in that place. Certainly, I cannot vouch for the oil and dairy that they use in their baked goods there (I am a bit skeptical on their ingredients, actually), but boy, baked doughy, buttery bread with pork shreds on top took the cake home for me. I am still a solid believer in healthy eating, but boy, God has given some people talent in making bakery deliciousness that melts in your mouth. Not for the everyday, or even weekly consumption, but every once in awhile, especially if Taiwan is on your itinerary, save your calories for those Taiwan bakeries!
Don't have access to my travel photos on this computer, when I do get access, I will post a few pictures.
As much as this blog is about food and healthy eating, a byproduct of eating healthy is our waist size. If a person learns how to eat to satisfy his/her body needs, the “food cravings” are significantly reduced. Sure, sometimes we do desire a dessert or something fattening, but those cravings will come less often and with less viciousness.
One friend inquired about how to have a flatter stomach. His last name rhymes with “erdle.” A few tips to a flatter belly:
Cut refined flours. If you read this blog, you already know where I stand on this. If you are reading this blog for the first time, check out my previous posts, and it will become apparent.
Going poop three times a day. Kind of crazy, but if you eat a diet high in nutrients, vegetables with the right mix of grains, fiber, seeds/nuts, you will probably go poop after every meal. Throw in a smoothie with real fruit and vegetables, and it’s pretty sure to come. Keeping your “pipes” clean will decrease toxicity buildup, take up less space, and it is indication that your bodily digestive and related systems are working together and well. I use this as an indicator for the kind of diet I am eating and how healthy it is.
Drink enough water. Water is essential to life. Every body requires different amounts of water, but 2 liters a day is pretty average.
Limit dairy intake. Cheese and milk cause bloating. I used to eat TONS of cereal and milk. It was easy, fast and had long shelf life. I have learned that cereal is not that healthy – think about it, it is processed with added sugar. Cereal manufacturers fortify it, but these are not natural nutrients. Perhaps OK as a supplement, but not OK as a mainstay. Cheese adds to the waistline – I suggest eating cheese sparingly.
Limit sodium. High sodium diets cause water retention. Water retention in your legs, arms, body is not healthy (it usually feels tight and stiff).
Don’t skip meals. For the meal you skip, sure, your stomach seems to be smaller. But, right after you eat (and make up for the hunger), your stomach will probably seem and be bigger. Eating every meal will keep your body on a consistent clock, avoiding your body to be famished or stuffed. I believe it will help control how much you eat. Breakfast in the morning gives you your base energy for the day – so don’t skip it!
Exercises. No doubt, for a sculpted abdomen, one needs to exercise. Here is one exercise that is simple and has some amazing results. Lay down on your back. Bring up your legs to table top position, so you create a 90 degree angle. Put your hands on your stomach for stabilization. Hold this position for 15 minutes. Try doing it multiple times a week.
That’s it. It’s that simple. Definitely doable in a hotel room. I can only hold for about four minutes right now…so if you can do it for 15, you are pretty amazing.
More info: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/10-flat-belly-tips
Healthy or fatty? What do you think of when you hear of Jason's Deli? Panera Bread? Corner Bakery? In-and-Out? Yummy....I bet. Maybe healthy restaurant? Or healthy fatty restaurant? Their marketing department probably answers to healthy. But, how does anything on the menu with uber cheese or buttery delight constitute as healthy? Does healthy in this context mean fatty too?
My opinion on these restaurants is that they are great alternatives to fast food or greasy spoons because these restaurants care about their ingredients. But, don't be fooled that the Club Royale at Jason's Deli or the blueberry muffin at Panera is going to help you stay slim. Culprits to weight gain are still the same: sugar, cheese, butter, etc. However, if you are going to splurge, restaurants who offer better ingredients will likely taste better and be better for you in the long run than processed junk.
I found an interesting article off Yahoo! Health that helps you understand menu jargon. Go to a place that serves quality ingredients, and know what will be fatty and what is not so much. For instance, picking scampi means lots of butter. Picking parmigiana means breaded and fried. Picking au gratin means cream, cheese, and some other buttery goodness. And, one of my own learnings, picking crispy means deep-fried!
Did the title reel you in? As you know my stance from my previous post: bread, refined flour are culprits to a burgeoning waist. If you don't believe me, try it, and you'll see. But, I recently stumbled upon (I love that they named a site after that very action) an intriguing site that does a cool visualization of caffeine versus calories. I will paste the link below so you can first finish reading my blog snippet :)
The designer of informationisbeautiful created some attractive aesthetics. However, the key learning is, if you are watching your waist line - STAY AWAY FROM MUFFINS AND HOT CHOCOLATE. GO FOR THE CROISSANT. The croissant is a lower calorie choice than either muffins or hot chocolate. Croissants have less density than muffins (therefore reduced calories), are made from real butter (although, I don't think the Costco ones are), and have less added sugar than the muffin or the hot chocolate.
I put into practice today what I just wrote. Unfortunately, the Caribou Coffee shop I was at didn't carry croissants. :( I guess I will save the croissant for the next time. :)
Think bread, baked goods, noodles, bagels, pretzels, flavored yogurt, non-fresh juices...These used to be my staples. Foods that I LOVED to eat. And, I thought they were "low fat," which in my mind was "healthy" (I have learned totally not true). I remember in college, I would eat 3 bagels a day. Morning would be with cream cheese, lunch with peanut butter, and dinner with some other concocted condiment. After so many years and always wondering why working out 4-5 times a week would not get rid of my belly fat, I have found two major culprits: refined flour and sugar. These caused me to retain belly fat and made me tired (but I just didn't know it). In recent years, I have been cutting them out. In fact, I have found that the more I eat sugar and refined/processed flour, the more hungry I am. I believe by eating refined flour and sugar, I am starving my body of nutrients it actually needs; therefore, I eat more and I just don't feel satisfied until I have a stomach ache from over-eating! I now eat primarily whole grains and check labels for sugar content. Belly, thighs and butt have all slimmed down, energy level is much higher, and my appetite is in more control. There are a couple days when I can tell I have eaten too much, but the former struggle is less, making my days more blessed.
