This Fat Black Chick

So you wanna be a prize fighter against the battle of the bulge! You only have a prayer to win if you put a little knowledge under your belt. BMI (Body Mass Index) and BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) are two things you should know that will give you the upper hand.

BMI (Body Mass Index)

Is a number calculated from a person’s weight and height that is “a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people and is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems”, according to the CDC.

Normal 18.5 – 24.9

Overweight 25 – 29.9

Obese 30 & above

Ingredients
1 lb ground chicken
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp italian seasoning
3 cups spinach
1 tbsp sun dried tomatoe italian pesto
1 egg
1/4 cup shredded 3 cheese blend (fontina, asiago, parmesan) or parmesan
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees & spray large baking pan with PAM
Shred spinach with knife, rinse, place in microwave safe bowl, and microwave 1 1/2 minutes , drain liquid, place in mixing bowl
Use a fork to mix all ingredients minus the olive oil.
Spoon tablespoons of the mixture onto the baking pan yielding 18 meatballs. Lightly brush with olive oil and then roast for 20 minutes.
Add to your favorite sauce and serve with zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash, or dreamfields pasta

About 2 Net Carbs & 383 Calories

Another day under 20 net carbs!

Breakfast- Scrambled Cheese & Chive Eggs Beaters

Snack- Turkey Pepperoni w/Swiss Cheese, Cucumber slices

Lunch- Cajun Tilapia & Shrimp with Spinach Wine Sauce (mmm… leftovers)

Snack- 1 Slice Swiss Cheese (I wasn’t hungry & in a rush but it was snack time)

Dinner- Steak, Cucumber Slices, & Roasted Garlic Cauliflower

Snack- Jello

Another day under 20 net carbs!

Breakfast- Scrambled Cheese & Chive Eggs Beaters

Snack- Turkey Pepperoni w/Swiss Cheese

Lunch- Cajun Tilapia & Shrimp with Spinach Wine Sauce (mmm… leftovers)

Snack- 1 Slice Swiss Cheese (I wasn’t hungry & in a rush but it was snack time)

Dinner- Steak, Cucumber Slices, & Roasted Garlic Cauliflower

Snack- Jello

Warm, yummy, & filling on a cold winter day!

Ingredients:

Ok so here I am back on My Version of Induction since I’ve been neglecting myself. It was actually hard to remember to eat my 6 times a day so I had to put a timer in my phone. So funny if you think about it. This Fat Black Chick being reminded to eat. ROTFL

Breakfast- 1/2 c Cheese and Chive Egg Beater Scrambled with 3 turkey sausage links

Snack- Deli Wrap (Pastrami, Swiss Cheese, Mustard, Romaine Lettuce Leaf Rolled together)

Cajun Tilapia & Shrimp in Spinach Wine Sauce

Lunch- I forgot

Snack- 2 Deli Wraps

Dinner- Cajun Tilapia & Shrimp in Spinach Wine Sauce

Snack- Sugar Free Jello (made me feel like a kid)

Total of about 12 net carbs with the cream & Splenda in my coffee

Swine Flu has people worried but there is a syndrome running rampant that we all come in contact with everyday. It’s called Dunlap Syndrome! Some of you may know of it, a lot of us have it.

It’s when your stomach “dun lapped” over your belt!

Otherwise known as Belly Fat.

Little do people know this is one of the most dangerous things a person can have. This shows you have a dangerous fat around your internal organs named Visceral Fat which is linked to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, breast cancer, dementia, and high cholesterol. “It is thought that the danger of visceral fat is related to the release of proteins and hormones that can cause inflammation, which in turn can damage arteries and enter the liver, and affect how the body breaks down sugars and fats.” BBC News

Ideally your waist line needs to be under 35 inches and your Waist Hip Ratio (WHR) should be .8 or under.

WHR = smallest part of waist under the rib cage / hip measurement

Dunlap Attack Tips

1. A Low Carb Diet can help since belly fat is often a physical sign of insulin resistance
2. Fill your belly with more fiber and less processed foods which will slow your glycemic response.
3. Fight Fat with fat… healthy monounsaturated fats, omega 3 fatty acids, & polyunsaturated fat have been shown to lower cholesterol, reduce risk for heart disease among other things (canola oil, olive oil, mayo, salmon, sardines, bluefin tuna, nuts, avocado, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, flaxseed
4. Get Fit… Research shows 2 1/2 hrs. a week of brisk walking can shrink your belly 1 inch in 4 weeks
5. Fluids are Fab… 64 oz – 80 oz of water daily increases calories burned, decreases bloat, & overall helps the body run more smoothly

- info from US News, Prevention Magazine, & Dr. Marie Savard

Ok, how many times do we make the same goals year after year only not to keep up with them. The entire practice seems a little insane to me. We have life to beat us up enough why on earth add to it. So this year I have decided no resolution for me… just sane attainable goals I might be able to reach. They are completely short term and subject to change after my time frame is up.

Weight loss is a constant in my life. Yet there is no resolution for it in 2010. My short term goals will be geared to being a happier, healthier me. Starting Monday, January 4, 2009 I will be living by menu for 4 weeks and sharing it with you. What will the results be? Can I keep up? Will it break my bank account to eat low carb? Will the food be redundant? I am putting my journey out there for all to read completely honestly, I hope you take an interest and we’ll see where it goes.

Wish me luck!!!

Cauliflower is a filling low carb veggie at 1.3 net carbs per half a cup raw according to the Atkins Carb Counter.  So sometimes I’ll make a batch of Roasted Garlic Cauliflower as a yummy side dish.

Ingredients

• Large Head of Cauliflower cut into similar size florets
• 6 cloves minced garlic about 2 Tbsp
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano Cheese (or favorite grated italian cheese)
• 1 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
• Fresh cracked black pepper and kosher salt to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and lightly grease or apply PAM to large casserole dish
2. Toss cauliflower in oil and minced garlic coating well placing in dish
3. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 25 mins stirring halfway through
4. Uncover, stir,  and top with parsley & pecorino romano then broil 3-5 mins until golden
5. Salt & Pepper to taste and serve

At 6 servings its around 125 cal and 5 carbs

Quick Fact According to Progessive Grocer: New 6 yr study shows Pecorino Romano cheese has a large amount of CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) which can reduce fat, suppress diabetes, preserve muscle tissue, inhibit tumor growth on skin, mammary glands, & stomach.

For further information see… http://www.progressivegrocer.com/progressivegrocer/content_display/features/health-wellness/e3ib1afe41c9daa76443db0f3d4d005a64a for more information.

I’m an Atkin’s Fan and big believer in the need for Induction so we can jump start our bodies into diet induced ketosis, the burning of our bodies stored fat for energy. Atkins Induction calls for a maximum of 20 carbs a day for 2 weeks. They have a suggested food list which you can find on their website. It consists of Lean Meats, Low Carb Veggies, and No Fruit. The good part is you ween yourself off any addictions to sugars or carbs.

This Fat Black Chick’s Induction

I’ve tweaked induction for me.  The bottom line is 20 Carbs (I do stay within the Atkins acceptable list of veggies for 2 weeks, then progress up, I like the structure), a fiber supplement, vitamin, Four 16.9 oz bottles of water, any thing diet or sugar free to drink, plus 3 meals and 3 snacks a day.

Here’s a sample day… hint raw cauliflower is really filling & beware of serving sizes

Breakfast 3 carbs

Fiber Supplement

Coffee w/ Heavy Cream and Splenda

Egg Beaters

Turkey Sausage links

Snack 3 carbs

Turkey Pepperoni

Cheese Cubes

Raw Cauliflower w/Ranch

Lunch 3 carbs

Tuna fish over 1 1/2 cups bag salad & cucumbers

Snack 3 carbs

3 Deli Meat, Cheese, & Lettuce leaf roll ups

Dinner 5 carbs

Turkey Chop Smothered in Low Carb Gravy

Garlic Roasted String Beans

Riced Cauliflower

Snack 2 carbs

Low Carb Hot Chocolate

Macadamia Nuts (great for hunger & cravings)