Tummy Suck, Pelvic Tuck, and Shoulder Roll

See this pretty girl from Mireille Dagher's Spring/Summer 2016 Collection?
Her pelvis is tucked properly underneath and in line with her head,
her (okay, non-existent) tummy is sucked in,
and her shoulders are rolled back to make her chest proud.

What I'm pointing out here, girls and guys, is that it is time to
Tuck it Up, Suck it Up, and get that Chest All Proud.
  

And I am not talking about Plastic Surgery here.
You gotta work on this.

See this guy's posture?

This is how you should NOT stand,
but is how I do, because I've done it all my life.
I think they call it Sway Back.

I call it "Leading with my Stomach".
It is my Mom's posture, which I inherited.

The problem with this is,
your tummy perpetually sticks out in front of everything else.

And your butt looks enormous.
Even though it is just pleasingly round.

Somewhere during last Fall, I figured out that the
reason my tummy always looked like a fire hydrant in profile
was because I was literally Poking it Out by standing
like this guy on the left.  Sway Backed.
So last month I made up a new rule.

Suck.  And Tuck.
TUCK my butt back up underneath my shoulders.
SUCK my tummy in, and roll my shoulders back.
   Get really PROUD of my chest.

That way, THIS is what happens:

Well, you are not going to look exactly like this,
but see how her shoulders are rolled back, and how Proud her Chest is??
We won't look at whether or not she is Sucking and Tucking, because with a six pack like that, who the heck needs to think about sucking her tummy in?

But I can tell you that if you follow the above instructions,
your clothes will hang right,
and you will have the hint of a waist
for the first time in years.
Testify.

Every minute of every day, Suck, Tuck, and Roll.

Look in the mirror at your profile;
SMILE.

You Are What You Eat

With Christmas now a big box of fond memories to store away, you are probably right there with me with all your new stored Real Estate.  Talking tummy and hiney, here.  

Every year we spend Christmas at the beach, and tradition demands that I gather these ingredients from our local beach grocery:

You can see the Real Estate

accretion products piled up

here on my counter top 

overlooking the 

Intracoastal Waterway.

As the oven heats up, I am mixing like mad,

doubling up on the chocolate chips

and the walnuts, of course.

Love walnuts.

The best part

about all this work

is

you get to lick the extra dough

off your fingers when it piles up

on the spoon 

and you have to scrape it off.

Heaven.

The wait while they bake is excruciating...

And then, out of the oven

comes this loveliness.

I like to eat them while the

chocolate is still warm

and gooey

and fragrant.

And then I have another.

Because I can.

There are always paybacks for too much of a good thing, and it's now time to start paying...

because my bathroom scale has Nuclear Alerts going off when I just pass by it...

I don't even have to step on it to hear the sirens going off.

So, this is what I'll do to soothe the scales and zip my pants up again:

It's back to Brazil...this time for their Dietary Guidelines, not for Fajas.

1.  Eat Fresh, never processed Veggies and Fruits.

Include some dried beans, in moderation.

2.  Eat Fresh Fish that comes from a reputable source.

Eat roasted, grilled, or boiled chicken, made at home.

3.  Drink lots of clear clean water.

4.  Walk.  A lot.  Climb stairs.  Stretch and pull and twist and shout.

5.  Cook At Home so I can keep my food additives under control.

6.  Don't eat anything out of a box or bag - no processed foods.

7.  Eat Apple Slices, Celery Sticks, Carrot Sticks, Citrus Fruits for snacks.

If you want to take a look (and you should) at Brazil's down-to-earth guidelines,

you can view them HERE.

Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing recipes and tips 

with you to rope in that Extra Real Estate

without using a Faja!

Back to Weight Loss After Vacation

We've been on the road for a week, which really Got My Attention on how hard it is to eat sensibly while traveling...or working.

On the Interstate, Husband insists on "Grab and Go" dining, 

which precludes a salad or anything with a fork.  

That means this:

or this:

and God Help You if you suggest anything different - it simply doesn't fly with a

 goal-oriented driver like my Husband.  You can toss the buns, but after about the third meal of this, you realize you are only saving about 200 calories.  One gets discouraged...

We visited his uncle, (who owns Andy Griffith's boyhood home in Mount Airy!) who loves Thai food, and there was nothing for it but to order up...there are no photos of that meal, but suffice to say that oil was a HUGE ingredient.

Once you get to the Beach, the Sunset Ceremony is a very special tradition that we cherish, whether with a house full of friends and family or just the two of us.

Which requires drinks to toast the sunset with.  Which puts dinner later than usual, and means you go to bed on a full tummy.  Lovely tradition, but honestly, a Diet Disaster!

We're back home in Atlanta now, and I'm getting some ribbing about serving "Roughage", but we are seeing instant results.  The extra pounds are slipping off.

Which means this:

Never give up on your new eating plan...even after a week of really bad food and sitting in a car for days, which will put a couple or three pounds back on you - never give up on your new body.  Just resume your sensible eating plan, and the pounds start melting off again.  

I promise.

Calories in, Calories out.  Don't eat more than you can burn off in a day.

Drink a lot of water.

Get back on your walking or workout plan.

Step on that scale religiously, morning and night, to track your weight.  If you have to, get extreme for a day to dump those regained pounds.

After this trip, I am seriously thinking about developing a line of Yummy, Fresh, and Convenient fast foods that could be stocked in the bigger Gas Station chains.

Like this:

Image from Live In The Now

Image from Neat Pins

  

Now.  Doesn't this look more appetizing than fried potatoes served in a cardboard box??

  Anyone want to go into business with me??

Oh, yes... this means Husband has to drive, so I can properly use my fork....

A Weight Loss Lesson from Guy Fieri

I am secretly in love with Guy Fieri of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.  In the past few days, he's taught me a personal, private, and invaluable lesson on Weight Loss.

It's pretty simple, really, and I don't know why I didn't think of it before...

Stop Eating Out and You Will Loose Weight.

That's it.

Now.  Here is why I know this is absolute fact.

For ten days, I have been immobilized with a severe flare-up of arthritis.  My immune system has been so busy eating up all of my connective tissue that all I've had the energy to do is sleep and eat.  No exercise - unless you can call taking a shower exercise.  I haven't  cut back on eating (you have to have some pleasure in the middle of all that agony) but at the end of ten motionless days, I have lost three pounds.  I was puzzled about this until I sat down last night to watch the Triple D show for the Thousandth Episode.

See, Guy Fieri goes into the kitchens of favorite diners and takes his cameras and film crew with him to record how they make all that delicious food.  And THAT'S where the

mystery is solved.

I know this image from the restaurant Pine State Biscuits via Noble Pig is a little over the top but the point is, there is an amazing amount of fat and salt in restaurant food.  Just watch any episode of Triple D and you will see the ingredients going into the restaurant pot.  Lots of salt, always.  Lots of butter/lard/oil, always.  Doesn't matter what they are cooking,  those two ingredients are always there...Because They Taste Good!

When you eat at home for 10 days, and steam or lightly sautee everything you cook, there are no extra calories, no extra salt.  No restaurant sneaky yummy tricks to fatten you up.  

So there is a new trick on your weight loss plan - simply eat at home more often.  Isn't that easy?  You will save money and loose weight at the same time!

Sigh...that gravy sure does look good....

Loosing Weight and Your Body PH Levels

If you have Arthritis or Gout, we need to have a little chat, Right Now.  One of the things I love most about the Calories In, Calories Out way of eating is that you can load up on fresh fruits and vegetables.   And drop those extra pounds.  

However.   For certain people, too much of this:

And these:

And ESPECIALLY too much of this:

(Remember my recipe for Salsa Verde?)

is going to raise the acidity levels in your body sky high.  And if you have Arthritis or Gout, you are opening the door to having to spend some days dealing with pain management, fatigue, and loss of your quality of life.

Who knew tomatillos were so high in acid??  Good grief.

I was just about to post my new favorite recipe for Zanahorias Escabeche, a really, really good pickle made with fresh carrots, onion, garlic, jalapeno, vinegar and Mexican Oregano, but I will leave that until I get my PH under control.  And Arthur(itis) gets his dagumm treble hooks out of my aching body.  

Photo from Ozutto.com.  Mine has onions and garlic and jalapenos added and is, well, fabulous!

Now that I understand what I have done, here is how I will fix it.

First, I will take care not to eat any acid for a week.

Second, I will drink lots of water.

Third, I will avoid protein - beans, chicken, eggs, and tofu.

And twice a day, I will put 1/2 teaspoon of Baking Soda in a glass of water and drink it.

The only good part is that I get to lay around and read Trash Novels for a week.

And I'll continue to eat lots of this:

Recipe Link

And stuff like this:

Photo: Eatingwell.com

Remember my post on The Buford Highway Farmer's Market?

I'll be creeping out there tomorrow to pick up a tray of this sashimi, and if I'm not all better by Wednesday, I may have to resort to this:

Image from Culinarygadabout.com.

I'm off to read my Trash Novel now - Back To Business (I hope) Tomorrow!

Loosing Weight With My New Gravy

I have to admit to a particular love for gravy and sauces.  Which helped pack an extra 25 pounds onto my small frame.  But I am here to announce my New Favorite Gravy, that is Good on Everything, and has only 35 calories in a half cup.

Mexican Salsa Verde!  Even Husband likes it, and slathers it on chicken or fish with abandon.

Here's how you make it:

Take 6 Tomatillos

Husk them and rinse in cool water - their skin is a little sticky.  Cut them in half and drop them in a saucepan.  Add 3 Garlic Cloves that you've smashed and peeled, 2 or 3 jalapenos that you have sliced open and removed the seeds and ribs from.

Some recipes call for Serrano Peppers, but I love the zip from jalapenos...

Just crush and peel the garlic

No need to chop anything, you are going to put all this in a blender in a few minutes.

Rough chop and toss in half of a big Vidalia Onion

Add water to cover and put on stove - bring to a boil, then turn it down and simmer for about 12 minutes, or until Tomatillos are tender.  Drain the mixture and set aside to cool down a little.

Chop the stems off a bunch of Cilantro, cut the bunch in half, and get your blender or food processor out.  Put the slightly cooled mixture in the blender along with the Cilantro and a good pinch or two of sea salt.  Blend until chunky-smooth, and pour it out into a bowl.  That's it!  Let it sit for an hour (overnight is even better) to allow flavors to develop, and then go to it.

I promise you, your mouth will be pleasantly surprised - it is a little tart, is piquant from the jalapenos,  and has a subtle garlic back-flavor that complements everything we've put it on. Even on the forbidden (but once a month treat) of grilled red meat!

Enjoy with a vengeance, because even if you ate a whole cup, it is only 70 calories!

I'm going to make another batch while I wait for FedEx to arrive with my new/new/new Spoonflower Color Map.  Third time HAS to be the charm...

Weight Loss Without Diets and Gyms

I have learned so much in the past 8 weeks about weight loss with no stress, no hunger.  What I am carving in stone is this:  As Long As You eat Fresh Veggies, Fresh Fruits, Fish, Chicken, drink Water, and Get Tons of Outdoor Exercise...you will lose weight.  Period.  Simple, so simple.  No diet plans, no gym.  Just common sense.

Walking up Kennesaw Mountain - photo Atlanta Outdoor Club.

After spending a couple of weeks on the road, I realized how hard it is to maintain a sensible eating plan at fast food joints.  But I figured out, early on, to just order the burger or whatever sandwich in the drive through - with NO MAYO -  and before digging in you just ditch the buns.  That means you are left with meat, lettuce, tomato, pickles and cheese.  Washed down with a crisp unsweetened tea or water

 (NO DIET SODA or ARTIFICIALLY FLAVORED DRINKS...ARE YOU CRAZY?)

 and small fries, you are happy to pull away and back onto the Interstate.  You have had french fries, for goodness sakes!

If you get the munchies, have a bag of crisp celery sticks or baby carrots at hand, and gobble them down.  They're crunchy, good for you, and almost calorie-free.

And you know that when you get to your destination, you will be presented with, or cook something like this:

Seared Salmon on a bed of spinach - photo courtesy Whole Foods

and this:

courtesy Honey and Spice

And This:

Photo: Grgich Hills.

With all this yummy goodness to be had, guilt-free, why would you eat any other way?


Here are (again) the Secret Instructions to avoid having to wear a Faja:

Drink a lot of  good clean water.

Avoid highly processed foods.  That means no Lean Cuisine, for instance.  Pack your refrigerator and Counter Top Baskets with Fresh Vegetables and Fruits.

Eat Fish or Chicken, and very little red meat.  A boiled egg three times a week.


Keep dried fruit and pungent cheese on hand to punch up your salads or for a snack. 


Never Drink Sodas or Artificially Flavored Drinks of Any Kind.


Get outside and get active.  Challenge yourself physically. 


Be aware of what you are putting in your mouth - you know what I mean.


Get yourself some digital scales -$10.00 at CVS- and weigh yourself every morning.


You will LOVE how your new body feels, and since you have been so sensible about it all, go buy yourself some new shoes and paint your toenails...

My new favorite shoes...


                               Yellow Box Shoes

got 'em On Sale at Belk's...$21.00!  And yes,     you know I got more than one pair...

Happy Weekend!

Weight Loss, Your New Body, and Fajas

See This?

And This?

And Her?

What all these images have in common, besides hair extensions and gorgeous good looks are Fajas.

In case you don't already know, a Faja is a support garment that was initially manufactured and worn after liposuction or other plastic surgery in South America - potentially the plastic surgery capital of the world.   According to the NY Times this morning, Fajas have started creeping out of South America and are becoming explosively popular in America, especially among Latino women.  And Caucasian women.  And Asian women.  And so on.  One of the major manufacturers out of Columbia said their exports increased 47% last year.

Why am I showing you this?  Because, when you loose weight rather rapidly, and you are over ...ahem... 50, let's say, you are left with loose skin.  Especially in your tummy region.  So while you are doing your sit-ups every morning, and walking Every Day to tighten and tone your New Body, you may be getting impatient with how your previously stretched skin isn't snapping back quickly enough for you.

Enter the Faja.

A Faja is like Spanx on steriods.  Take a look at this one, recommended for after pregnancy:

It includes a derriere enhancer, so you can look like J Lo.  You have to source out the hair extensions yourself...I hear they are very uncomfortable to install.

In case you want to shop around, here is a link to a Faja Boutique in Miami...

Happy Shopping!  They have a sale running right now, and I may run into you there...

All photos, except for Jennifer Lopez, came from their website.

Loosing Weight and Finding...My Ribs!

Good Heavens.  In the single-minded quest for a waist, I forgot about what else would emerge from the excessive Real Estate I was hauling around.  My ribs!  I had forgotten how the bottom of a rib cage felt - you know, those bones that get slowly buried under progressive layers of lard as one eats oneself into oblivion.

  I have my waistline in my sights now, and I'm still not hungry.  This is amazingly easy, and I'm ashamed now when I think of all that fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, pinto beans and cornbread, and especially those fried pork chops (my favorite) that I ate with such abandon...

This morning, I'm having a big bowl of Blueberries, eating them with my fingers two by two (better that way) along with a side of Sesame Melba Toast that I've quickly bronzed in my counter top oven.  It's warm and crunchy, and makes both my nose and my mouth happy.

The above image of Blueberries is courtesy of  Science Daily, which posted this article about how they may reduce Belly Fat.  And balance out your glucose levels, among other things.  Besides that, they are Yummy.

When eaten atop a bowl of steel cut oats, you have pretty much cleared your arteries, lowered your glucose levels, brought your cholesterol under control, and basically saved your own life.  With every warm, delicious bite.  I'm eating these oats at least a couple times a week for breakfast, always topped with fruit.

Since I'm so fascinated by what happened when I quit eating myself to death, I've been looking around for an occasional low-cholesterol substitute for the chicken breast I normally eat every day for lunch.  And discovered that Lentils are a great way to get protein without cholesterol.  Lentils are fast cooking, unlike other dried beans, and simply delicious.

Although fairly high in carbohydrates, they are also high in fiber so you feel full for hours.  A whole cup of lentils has about 225 calories and is packed with folic acid, iron, calcium and magnesium.  That's a chemical way of saying they are Very Good For You.  I'm adding these to the menu at least twice a week, cooked in  chicken broth that has had all the fat skimmed off, and punched up with onions, jalapenos, and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro on top.  Yum, yum!

Now.  These two - oats and beans - are high in carbs, which can add bulk to your belly, but they're good for you.  This is where the rule of Being Aware of What You Eat comes into play.  If you've had oats at breakfast, don't have beans at lunch that day.  Simple.

I'm going to send you over to Tish Jett's Blog for some marvelous advice on how to conquer - getting raw, here - Bloat!  You'll want to roam around her site for awhile; she has great advice on all manner of things that are germane to all of us who are over...40.  Or 50.  Or...