Monday, July 22, 2013

TOP OF WEEK SEVEN - Down 11 Inches & 13 Pounds

Good Morning:

Another couple weeks have gone by and I am here to report to all of you.  I didn't get up early enough to get Larry's measurements and weight; but, I do know that he is down a pant size.  I feel really good.  I get disappointed with myself because the weekends tend to really mess me up.  I like to have fun with my friends and find myself eating and drinking too many calories.  Larry and I haven't been eating sweets.  But this last Friday was fun.  We skipped dinner and instead, ate a piece of deep dish apple pie with two scoops of vanilla ice cream and I still lost weight.

I did purchase the IC-5 from BioTrust.  I think I told you about that the last time I posted (Don't Eat Another Carb.....etc.).  You take two capsules before you are going to eat a high carbohydrate meal.  I'm reporting that we did eat some bread this week at two of our meals over the weekend and took the pills.  Again, I still lost 2.5 pounds last week.



We have been going out way too much.  I get so tired of cooking and thinking up what to make for dinner.  I'm sure many of you can relate.  Fall and Winter are so much easier, with stews and soups galore.  Well, tonight, I am going to make stuffed squash on the grill.

GRILLED STUFFED SQUASH
(Serves 2 to 4)
1 or 2 Yellow Summer Squash or Zucchini
Cut in half length-wise
Using a spoon, scrape the seeds out to make a boat

Filling (Use whatever you want really) I'm Using:
Mix in a bowl:
Crisp Crumbled Turkey Bacon
Finely Minced Green Onion
1/2 Cup Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese
2 T. Parmesan Cheese

Rub your squash with Olive Oil
Season with Seasoned Salt, a little Granulated Garlic (Pepper optional)
Fill equal amounts of mixture into the squash bowl
Place on hot grill (on low) until squash is soft and the cheese is all melted.

Serve with sour cream or Greek yogurt.

If you are interested in purchasing BioTrust products, please visit my website by going to:  CLICK HERE 

27 Pounds to GO!!!

Have a great day,
Pat

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

ONE MONTH DOWN - FOUR TO GO

Good Morning:
Why did I say I had four months to go?  A couple reasons; but, the most important being that it should take a number of months to lose as much weight as I want to lose and not make it a marathon.  They say that when it takes longer to lose, the longer it stays off.  My goal in the future is to follow one of my ex-boss' plan and that is to weigh in every Monday morning and lose during the week whatever I gain over the weekend.  That man was always thin.  Sound like a good idea to you?

This morning, Larry and I weighed in after four weeks of diets and parties.  We had so many parties in June.  Between Father's day, graduations and birthdays I'm surprised I lost any weight.  So here are the totals:


In particular, see "Inches Lost" and "Weight Loss?"  Larry and I are very happy with our progress. As for me, I still have 30 pounds to go.  For Larry, he wants to be 195 so he has 22 pounds to go.  I feel very confident that BioTRUST is working for us.

I purchased a couple new items this morning.  I purchased their fiber bars (for when I just can get to some food and need to eat) and I purchased a product that breaks down a carbohydrate meal.  You can read all about it in my post called "Don't Eat Another Carbohydrate Until You Read This!"

Well, I hope I am convincing some of you that this works.  I'm not sure how long the Fourth of July sale is, but if you are interested right now, you can purchase products today with a 20% discount using the code upon check out FREEDOM20 - Just click the BUY NOW BUTTON on my website: CLICK HERE

Thanks for following,
Pat

Don't Eat Another Carbohydrate Until You Read This !

DON’T Eat Another Carbohydrate Until You Read Our Short Article Below!

Hey, this is Joel… co-founder of BioTrust Nutrition… and today I’m here to talk to you about how a synergistic blend of 5 unique, hard-to-come-by ingredients can dramatically enhance control of your blood sugar levels while making carbohydrates–yes, carbohydrates–your body transformation’s best friend.
Now, you’ve probably heard that carbohydrates are perhaps the WORST thing you could eat when trying to lose fat or transform your body, and for most people, that’s 100% true.
bottleYou see, due to years of consuming a diet full of processed carbs, most people have grown quite insensitive to one of the most important hormones in our body—a hormone that can either be a huge asset to your body transformation goals, or a total fat loss and health-derailing nightmare.

Its name is insulin.

And insulin’s function is to help your body keep blood sugar at bay, clear it quickly from your bloodstream after a carbohydrate meal, and (hopefully) shuttle that blood sugar to muscle tissue for energy instead of fat.
I say “hopefully” because that’s actually the exact opposite of what occurs when most people eat carbs. Going back to insulin sensitivity and carbohydrate tolerance, due to a diet full of processed, insulin–and blood–sugar-spiking carbohydrates, most folks are suffering from some level of insulin resistance, a condition in which insulin is no longer able to efficiently remove blood sugar from the blood stream.

The result? Dramatically reduced fat burning
and increased fat storage.

Even worse, insulin resistance can and often does lead to type II diabetes and an array of other health problems over time, and it all leads back to insulin sensitivity.
Ideally, when you consume carbohydrates, here is what you want to happen:
1. Minimum insulin release. This occurs when your body is highly sensitive to insulin. When it is, only a small amount of insulin is necessary to effectively and efficiently clear glucose from your blood to its storage sites. This is great news because your body has an incredibly difficult time burning fat in the presence of insulin. The less insulin you have floating around, the better.
2. Quick and efficient blood sugar clearance. Again, this will occur when your body is highly sensitive to insulin.
3. Maximum glycogen uptake. Glycogen is the term used for stored carbohydrate in muscle. When muscle tissue is highly sensitive to insulin, the vast majority of blood glucose will be stored in muscle, not fat.
4. Minimum fat storage. When you increase insulin sensitivity, especially in skeletal muscle, your body will choose to store your carbohydrate intake as energy in muscle tissue instead of body fat.
Again, your body’s ability to process the carbohydrates you eat all comes down to your insulin sensitivity and your body’s ability to quickly and efficiently shuttle carbohydrates to muscle tissue and not fat.

So how can you increase insulin sensitivity?

Well, you could go completely low-carb for an extended period of time in an attempt to repair your insulin receptors and increase insulin sensitivity. But for most, that’s a rather painful option and even then you’d need to very slowly reintroduce carbohydrates back in to your diet to avoid massive fat gain.
Fortunately, you don’t need to go low-carb or no-carb… at all.
In fact, many times you can enjoy even MORE carbohydrates than you currently are while losing even more fat when you utilize this one simple solution:

SUPERCHARGE your insulin sensitivity before each
carbohydrate-containing meal in just a few seconds with
5 unique, research-backed ingredients…

And that’s exactly what the key ingredients in IC-5™ have been scientifically proven to do.
You see, as mentioned, IC-5™ is a synergistic blend of 5 unique, hard-to-come-by ingredients that have been clinically proven to increase insulin sensitivity and blood sugar management.
  1. For instance, the first ingredient in IC-5™ is Cinnamomum Burmannii, a potent extract harvested from Indonesian cinnamon bark that has been shown to effectively assist in managing blood sugar after a carbohydrate-rich meal while increasing glucose metabolism by up to 10 fold.1-3
  2. The second ingredient is a rare plant alkaloid called Berberine that has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine by healers in India. Berberine works slightly differently, by improving the signaling between insulin and its associated receptors while also increasing glucose uptake by skeletal muscle, not fat.4-7
  3. IC-5’s third ingredient, Pterocarpus Marsupium, is actually one of the drugs used in the treatment of diabetes by Ayurvedic physicians in India. In fact, Pterocarpus Marsupium is so effective that it was shown in a recent research study to reduce blood sugar levels 2 hours after a meal by a whopping 21%.8-12
  4. One of the most unique, exotic ingredients in IC-5™ is 4-hydroxyisoleucine, a natural phytochemical extracted from the Fenugreek herb that has been scientifically shown to increase glycogen storage while decreasing fat storage through the sensitizing of insulin receptors in muscle tissue.13

    4-hydroxyisoleucine can also inhibit some of the absorption of sugars and starchy carbohydrates through the intestine into the blood stream.14 This helps decrease the glycemic response to carbohydrate meals, helping keep blood sugar balanced.
  5. Lastly, the ground-breaking IC-5™ formula is completed by R-Alpha-Lipoic-Acid or simply R-ALA. Alpha Lipoic Acid is made up of two isomers, S-ALA and R-ALA, of which the R isomer has been shown to be significantly more effective and bioavailable.15 Naturally, for that reason we’ve included the R isomer in the IC-5™ formula, a compound that has been clinically shown to increase insulin sensitivity by an impressive 25% in just 4 weeks while increasing the presence of glucose transporters in cell membranes to aid in the rapid clearance of glucose from the blood stream.16

    In fact, ALA is so potent that in Germany it’s approved for the treatment of diabetic neuropathies and is available by prescription only.
Simply put, IC-5™ is the most advanced formula of its kind, and it’s only available from BioTrust™ right here on this website.

If you’re eating carbs, and you should be, you should be using IC-5™.

And just like all of our products, with IC-5™ you’re protected by our Unconditional 1 year, 100% Satisfaction Money-Back Guarantee, so there’s nothing to lose, and benefiting from IC-5™ couldn’t be easier. Just take 2 capsules with any carb-containing meal and let science do the rest.
To begin experiencing just how easy insulin sensitivity and blood sugar management can be with the key ingredients in IC-5™, simply choose your money-saving package below the video image on this page and then click Add to Cart. IC-5™: Don’t eat carbs without it.

References

  1. Anderson RA, Broadhurst CL, Polansky MM, Schmidt WF, Khan A, Flanagan VP, Schoene NW, Graves DJ. Isolation and characterization of polyphenol type-A polymers from cinnamon with insulin-like biological activity. J Agric Food Chem. 2004 Jan 14;52(1):65-70.
  2. Jarvill-Taylor KJ, Anderson RA, Graves DJ. A hydroxychalcone derived from cinnamon functions as a mimetic for insulin in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. J Am Coll Nutr. 2001 Aug;20(4):327-36.
  3. Hlebowicz J, Darwiche G, Bjorgell O and Almer LO. Effect of cinnamon on postprandial blood glucose, gastric emptying, and satiety in healthy subjects. Am J Clin Nutr 2007; 85: 1552-1556.
  4. Rayasam GV, et al. Identification of berberine as a novel agonist of fatty acid receptor GPR40. Phytother Res. 2010 Aug;24(8):1260-3.
  5. Zhang H, Wei J, Xue R, Wu JD, Zhao W, Wang ZZ, Wang SK, Zhou ZX, Song DQ, Wang YM, Pan HN, Kong WJ, Jiang JD. Berberine lowers blood glucose in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients through increasing insulin receptor expression. Metabolism. 2010 Feb;59(2):285-92.
  6. Kong WJ, Zhang H, Song DQ, Xue R, Zhao W, Wei J, Wang YM, Shan N, Zhou ZX, Yang P, You XF, Li ZR, Si SY, Zhao LX, Pan HN, Jiang JD. Berberine reduces insulin resistance through protein kinase C-dependent up-regulation of insulin receptor expression. Metabolism. 2009 Jan;58(1):109-19.
  7. Jun Yina,b,*, Huili Xinga, and Jianping Yeb. Efficacy of Berberine in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. Metabolism. 2008 May ; 57(5): 712–717.
  8. Sawhney, P.L. and Seshadri, T.R. 1956. Special chemical components of commercial woods and related plant materials: Part IV - Phenolic components of some Pterocarpus species. Journal of Science in India, Res. 15C, 154.
  9. Dravya Gund Vigyan (Baidyanath Prakashan); Gaon Ki Aushadhi Ratna (Kalida) Part I and II, Bhavprakash Nighantu.
  10. Dharmadhikari, S.D., Patki, V.P. and Dashputra, P.O. 1984. Study of mechanism of hypoglycaemia due to Pterocarpus marsupium. Abstr of paper presenled of XVIth Ann Conf.. Indian Pharmacol Soc., Ajmer, Dec. 28-30, 1983. Indian J Pharmacol 16, 61.
  11. Ahmad F, Khan MM, Rastogi AK, Chaubey M, Kidwai JR. Effect of (-)epicatechin on cAMP content, insulin release and conversion of proinsulin to insulin in immature and mature rat islets in vitro. Indian J Exp Biol. 1991 Jun;29(6):516-20.
  12. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Collaborating Centres, New Delhi. Flexible dose open trial of Vijayasar (Pterocarpus marsupium) in cases of newly-diagnosed non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Indian J Med Res 1998 Nov;108:253
  13. Ruby BC, Gaskill SE, Slivka D, Harger SG. The addition of fenugreek extract (Trigonella foenum-graecum) to glucose feeding increases muscle glycogen resynthesis after exercise. Amino Acids. 2005 Feb;28(1):71-6. Epub 2004 Dec 2.
  14. Hannan JM, Ali L, Rokeya B, Khaleque J, Akhter M, Flatt PR, Abdel-Wahab YH. Soluble dietary fibre fraction of Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) seed improves glucose homeostasis in animal models of type 1 and type 2 diabetes by delaying carbohydrate digestion and absorption, and enhancing insulin action. Br J Nutr. 2007 Mar;97(3):514-21.
  15. Hermann R, Niebch G, Borbe HO, et al. Enantioselective pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of different racemic alpha-lipoic acid formulations in healthy volunteers. Eur J Pharm Sci. 1996;4:167-174.
  16. Jacob S, Rett K, Henriksen EJ, Haring HU. Thioctic acid--effects on insulin sensitivity and glucose-metabolism. Biofactors. 1999;10(2-3):169-174.





Monday, July 1, 2013

Down Ten Pounds & 7.75 Inches

Hello Readers:
This last week was crazy busy.  Graduation parties, etc.  I was actually down 12 pounds last Friday; but the parties kinda set me back.  That's life (as they say) !!!  I'm back on track this morning.  I weighed in and calculated my measurements.  My initial measurements didn't take my chest into account.  So, in actuality, I've lost more like 8.75 inches.  I find it amazing how even though I only lost one official pound last week, I still lost 2.25 inches.

The BioTRUST is definitely working.  The first week seemed to be very strange for me to have lost so much weight and now, the realistic pounds are coming off.  But too, I know that I am NOT eating enough.  For what I am eating, the weight should still be flying off and it isn't.  Why?  Because my body is holding on to the calories.  So this week, I'm going to change it up a bit.  I am going to try to eat many-mini-meals.  Like an egg here and there or even some new hot dogs I just bought from Costco.  They are Gourmet Oscar Meyer Chicken Breast hot dogs.  80 Calories and really, really surprisingly good.  They were taste testing them on Friday; I was sold.  Last night I had two and a 1/2 cup of Quinoa with a sliver of butter.  Satisfied me!

Tonight, I am making stuffed green peppers with turkey burger and quinoa.  Here is my recipe:

Gobble-Up Green Peppers
Serves a family of four

You will need one or two jars or tall cans of your favorite pasta sauce; or, you may make yours from scratch.

Make 2 Cups of Quinoa or 2 Cups Brown Rice - Per the package instructions
If you have a rice cooker (and everyone should have one to make your life easier) make your Quinoa in the rice cooker.  The beauty of a rice cooker is that you throw it in, turn it on and walk away.  45 minutes later, you have the most fluffy - not sticky rice EVER.  Sometimes I add things to it at the very beginning like onions, mushrooms, chicken or beef bouillon, bits of broccoli.  When the rice is finished, you have a wonderful side dish.

4 Large Green Peppers (Cut off tops (lid of pepper) - take out seeds and ribbing - set lid inside pepper)

2 or 4  Qt. Stock Pot - Put 2 inches of water - place cleaned peppers in the water - cover - bring to a boil - turn off heat - let sit 20 minutes - remove from water and cool)

1 Medium Onion - Chopped
2 Pounds of Turkey Burger - Preferably White Meat Turkey Burger
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1 tsp. Granulated Garlic

Saute' until very browned. Use paper towels to gather all of the grease out of the pan.

Add two cups of quinoa or rice and mix well.  If it appears to need more add and mix.

Spray a casserole dish with non-stick spray.

Stuff your peppers by packing and smashing it into the pepper. Before you put the lid on, pour a little of your pasta sauce on top - then put the lids on. Pour the remaining sauce over the top and bake in your oven for 45 minutes on 350 degrees.

Even though the pepper has rice inside, I love making a little angel hair pasta to serve on the side.  BUT NOT ON THIS DIET......Serve with a fresh salad.

I will be back more this week.

Again, if you want information on BioTRUST, please email me at patcancook(at)gmail.com

Thanks,
Pat

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

PREPPING: TODAY IS A NO CARB DAY Tomorrow is a LOW GI DAY

Hello Readers:

This eating plan takes a little bit of planning; but, once you have it down, it is really easy.  When I shop for meats, I look for bargains.  I get all of my chicken from SAM's and I look for bulk meats on sale.  Last week, SAM's had four packages of two, lean pork loins which gave me eight individual pieces of meat.  When I got home, I individually wrapped them in freezer paper.  Today, I took out some boneless skinless chicken breasts (4) like I do almost every day and one pork loin.

For tonight's dinner, I am going to grill the chicken and the pork at the same time.  They will be finished within minutes of one another.

Now remember, cooking extra meat every day will give you what you and your husband (or significant other / child) need for lunches the next day.

Twice a week, I make a HUGE bowl (not plastic - because the lettuce will wilt and not metal because the lettuce will rust) preferably GLASS or CERAMIC, of salad - greens with tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and onions.  This salad should last you about four days eating it for both lunches and dinners as your menus permit.

Grilling vegetables:
Go to Aldi's.  I buy my tomatoes, peppers, onions, mushrooms, broccoli and sometimes, depending on price, the asparagus.  If you don't have a metal bowl with holes for grilling - buy one.  While you are grilling your meats on one side, grill a bunch of vegetables.  Put the onions on first (they take the longest) and put your tomatoes on last - they grill faster - Put the tomatoes in the bowl WHOLE.  Better yet, buy the cherry tomatoes and your life might get easier - the tomatoes can be a little tricky as they start to cook and get mushy.  The grilled tomatoes are as sweet as candy and the blackened part is so good.  If you are a green olive fan, grill some of them too. So very good.  My husband doesn't even like olives; but, he likes them grilled.

Tomorrow, I won't cook at all because I am going to use some of the chicken today for my dish tomorrow.  Since we can have barley tomorrow night or quinoa (whatever you want) mix it up based on your taste buds. Since I have a ton of vegetables in my refrigerator I decided I am going to make a LOW GI (Glycemic Index) recipe:

Asian Salad
2 Grilled Chicken Breasts - chopped (From yesterday's grilling experience)
1 or 2 cups Cooked Barley or Quinoa - Add last and mix - see how much you really want
1/2 Head of Green Cabbage - chopped like slaw
1/2 Red Onion (minced)
1 Carrot - slivered
2 Ribs of Celery (minced)
Any Asian Veges's of your choice like:
Baby corn, pea pods, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, water chestnuts, etc.


Dressing
1/4 cup BRAGGS AMINO LIQUIDS (Click for Information HERE)*
1/2 cup Sesame Oil
Sweeten with Stevia
Mix well and serve immediately

*I use the Braggs because it is WAY better for you than Soy Sauce.  Check out the BRAGGS website HERE


Enjoy !

Pat


WHY I STARTED THIS LITTLE VENTURE

Hello Readers:

In a nutshell, my story is this:

I have ALWAYS battled weight (both my parents are/were over weight people). Since I closed my restaurant, I went through the "the dreaded change" and within six months gained twenty pounds. I went to weight watchers and after two months only lost six pounds - I did the no carb diet for two months - I only lost six pounds - I did the Daniel Fast - lost 14 pounds in 20 days but you can't eat much and all you drink is water. I got on a "Beyond Diet" website to start learning how to eat nothing but what is FRESH. I learned a lot; but struggled with it in every day life. This website though, is connected with a lot of healthy people and for the last eight months, I've received emails from Mike Geary, Isabele Los Rios and also Josh and his associates at BioTrust. I've read and read and read some more. It ALL makes complete sense to me. I'm sure some of you have watched the new infomercials where the artist draws you a picture to get you to understand as his presentation is running? Well, that's what these were UNTIL I LEARNED THAT IF YOU EXIT OUT, THEY GIVE YOU THE SAME INFORMATION IN WRITTEN FORMAT.

Then I started investigating Nutra Systems & Jenny Craig - well, if you have ever looked into these, they are VERY expensive and I would be right back eating "prepared" foods chocked full of preservatives and carbohydrates.

I told Larry that it would be way cheaper to eat right, spend less and put the money towards the protein powder, fat burner for me and the Gut flora PRO X-10. So we did. At the time that I purchased it, they offered buy 3 get 3 and since I didn't know if I would like it, I spent the higher amount to try it out. I'm kicking myself now. Since the last few weeks they changed the offer to buy four get two free. Oh well.

BOTTOM LINE - IT IS FANTASTIC AND IT WORKS. That is why I started the blog - to set out to see if it works and if it does, become an affiliate so I can help pay for my products by talking about it. 

Well, they just approved me as an Affiliate - it was not easy.  So if anyone wants to purchase products, I hope you go through my link so I get some credit for it.

Thanks again and remember, if you want the eating plan or any other information I have gathered to make your journey easier, let me know by emailing me at patcancook(at)gmail.com (at) = @

Pat

GET PRODUCT INFORMATION AND/OR ORDER HERE

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

ONE WEEK CHECK-IN

Good Day Readers !

Larry and I are very excited.  After one week, we are proud to say that we are both losing weight and feel terrific.  Here are this morning's measurements:


So, to sum it up for you, Larry lost 1.25 inches and 10.5 pounds and I lost 5 inches and 8 pounds.  Pretty fantastic.

Let's break it down.  Why are we losing weight so quickly?  Is it because we aren't eating?  Is it because we didn't eat white carbs like bread, pasta, rice, potatoes?  We attribute it, to a multitude of things.  First and foremost, BioTRUST Nutrition.  It is the main ingredient as to why we believe it is working.  The protein shake leaves us completely satisfied and has afforded us no cravings for sweets.  I'm taking the fat burner which keeps my plateaus from occurring and keeps Leptin production at it's greatest (burning fat).  Lastly, we are both taking the Pro X-10 which supports healthy GUT flora by providing the proper ratio of good bacteria to bad.

As I mentioned last week, week one was a primer week.  Eating protein, vegetables, fat and some dairy.  Week two started on Sunday where we incorporated fruit, beans (legumes), lentils, barley, quinoa, oatmeal, basmati rice, Greek yogurt.  On Sunday, I made a simple soup of the roasted pork that I cooked last week.  I put 3 quarts of water into a pot with some of the meat, added onions, carrots, celery and a can of stewed tomatoes with some chicken bouillon to taste.  Boiled for an hour and added 1.5 cups of quick barley. Within one hour we had a very tasty soup chocked full of goodness.

Sunday breakfast was Steel-cut oatmeal mixed with fresh blueberries, pecans, Stevia for sweetening and a little fat free half & half.  The half & half was not on the diet.

Saturday, we cheated just a little bit.  We actually had a roll with dinner since we celebrated father's day.  Also, my no guilt cheesecake? Well, the crust wasn't on the diet either - but guess what, we still lost weight.

Finally, we walked a total of eight miles during the week.  We walk to Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds.  The CD has a one, two, three and four mile segment - high impact walking. 

So, are we deprived? NOPE.

Some might be asking about alcohol consumption.  Well, if we want a cocktail, we have kept it to one light beer a couple days last week; or, a shot of vodka with a zero calorie mixer like ICE sparkling flavored water.  We like the coconut pineapple the best.  Normally, we drink a lot of water.

Again, if you want the eating plan (only a couple people have requested it) email me at patcancook(at)gmail.com the (at) stands for @ (in case you didn't know that).

On to week two....

Week two is EVERY OTHER DAY: One day, meat, veges, fat and some dairy; the next day, the addition of the items I mentioned above:  Fruit, beans (legumes), lentils, barley, quinoa, oatmeal, basmati rice, Greek yogurt. 

Thanks for following my blog.
Healthy eating everyone,
Pat