Copyright. "The Thought Spigot"Everything looks sunnier, in life, when healthy and maintaining a good weight. There are hundreds of fad and real diets in the world today, and everyone knows they are constantly hocked on the Net. I am not doing this, in the least. I am just sharing how thru my life, there have been four diets, which have worked for me, during the course of my 36 years. All four diets worked, for what they needed to do, at the time (or for what I was doing, in my life). Please realize I am no doctor, and this is what I have had the best results with, but I am just hoping this may help one person (as what I will share, is safe). Obese people, those who are more than a few pounds overweight, and also those who just need to drop a few pounds and want to live a healthy lifestyle, eating a diet for a long period of time are all looked at as a monster, lazy, or whatever. Thin people, whether naturally, or thru diet, look at overweight people in a discriminatory manor, wherever you go. I have experienced being thin and an athlete, to the complete opposite extreme of being 160 lbs. overweight. However, I was not lazy, I had an accident, rendering me completely disabled and unable to exercise in any way, to now losing 117 lbs. on one diet and being back within 20 lbs. of my target weight.
I played baseball and basketball thru college, and during that time frame, I used the "Caloric Intake Diet" (http://www.weightlossforall.com/calorie-intake.htm). This diet was excellent, as playing these sports I needed lean muscle and a preferred body weight, while eating what I preferred, but watching my "caloric intake." After college, I began to "power lift weights." During this point in my life, about four years, I used the "Protein Diet," also known as the "Atkins and South Beach Diets," eating predominately lean meats, egg whites, and as much protein and vegetables, as I wished (http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/5414/1/Does-The-Protien-Diet-Work.html). However, there is no long term gain, without supplements and vitamins, as we are not "carnivores" and need a variety of things for our bodies. However, there has been a lot of success, with weight lifters and regular people alike (mostly those who just need to drop a handful of pounds). Then there is the "Carbohydrate Diet" (http://www.dietitian.com/locarb.html), which is a long term solution and a lot of dietitians recommend. Finally, there is the "Fat Free Diet" (http://www.gicare.com/diets/Low-Fat-Diarrhea-Gall-Bladder.aspx). While not totally "fat free," the majority of food intake is completely fat free, roughly around 95% (I also take a multi-vitamin, with my diet).
The "Fat Free Diet" is what I have lost over 100 lbs. with, and it is a wonderful diet, as there is no need to feel punished and there are plenty of excellent tasting foods and meals to eat with the diet. One thing I should say, a diet is never going to work for anyone, if they feel as though they are punished, down on the idea, and it is a full life long commitment. This diet is wonderful, as after the fifth to seventh day, the hunger had subsided, I was able to eat food that was good for me, but it is also very tasty. I am not only getting this information out, but also three recipes, which are easy to make and are not time consuming, as well. A helpful tip, which the majority of doctors and nutritionists agree, every 7-10 days, a person should have a "free day." The "free day" does not mean a whole pizza, gallon of ice cream, or a case of beer, but maybe a trip to Arby's (http://arbys.com/), for a roast beef sandwich, curly fries, and a diet coke/iced tea. A meal, not a "full day/free day," where you enjoy what you have accomplished, over the last 6-9 days. Lastly, this is a diet which can be done over the course of your life, not just until you loose your desired weight (which is the most important thing, living right and a full, healthy life).
===================================================================
This is a regular days food intake and the three recipes (which take 20-25 minutes to cook and serve):
Breakfast (7 AM):
4 egg whites, 4 pieces of turkey bacon, 1/2 a grapefruit, a piece of sugar free bread, glass of skim milk
Snack (9:30-10 AM):
A piece of fruit (apple, orange, the other 1/2 of the grapefruit), or maybe a Fat Free (F. F.) Pudding Cup
Lunch (Noon-1 PM):
4-5 slices deli turkey/chicken, two slices of S. F. bread, banana, F. F. pudding cup, glass of skim milk
Dinner (5-6:30 PM):
One of the recipes below
Snack/Dessert (hour after dinner, but not 3-4 hours before sleep):
1 cup F. F. Pudding (making it w/Skim Milk, or pudding cups), or Jell-O with 2-3 tble. spoon of F. F. cool whip
=======================================================================
These are the 3 recipes (out of 4, I am a single guy, who is picky about food and doesn't like to try new things, but there are loads of other recipes on the Net, or follow a link above), I promised above.
Three Full Dinners, that can be cooked under 20-25 Minutes to make and healthy (Mexican Dish and Italian can be made with Chicken, Ground Turkey, or Ground Beef). I do not eat red meat, when I cook, but if you do sub in the lean ground beef for the ground turkey, or chicken). Also, if you do not have kids, or a need to separate out, to different pots/skillets, in the directions, then you cook it all in the same:
Mexican Dish:
Ingredients: 2 lbs. Ground Turkey/chicken, 1 can 16 oz. fat free spicy/or regular refried beans (I like Old El Paso Spicy because they are not really that spicy, but are not regular either), 1 can 8 oz. enchilada sauce (Old El Paso), 2 cups rice (brown/or regular, I like white), 3 packages of taco spice (1 Taco Bell, 1 Old El, 1 La Tierra, it will say why differences later), 1 bottle of taco sauce/picante sauce (since your kids do not like chunks (like me) Ortega Taco Sauce and then whatever Picante you and your hubby like), 1 package cheddar cheese (your call on sharp/mild), 1 head of lettuce, and 1 purple onion for you:
Directions:
1. Brown the Turkey Meat/Chicken in a LARGE skillet
2. While browning, boil rice in regular pot with lid
3. Also combine Ref. beans and half of the Enchilada Sauce in a bowl and microwave (covered) for 2 min.
4. Also chop lettuce and onion, while tending to rice and meat (so you do not burn)
+++++Do not worry about the Ref. Beans, they will be fine while you are doing the above++++++
5. Stir the Ref. Beans, really good and add the rest of the enchilada sauce.
6. Drain meat/chicken and take rice off of the heat.
7. Put one package (Taco Bell) of taco seasoning/spice into the rice and stir then add Ref. beans and stir.
8. Put the other two packages of spice into the meat/chicken, and thoroughly stir
9. Then combine the rice/Ref. beans with the meat (into the meat skillet)
+++++++YOU ARE DONE, put the onion in a bowl, the cheese in a bowl, lettuce in a bowl+++++++
Then everyone can add the onion, lettuce, taco sauce/picante sauce, as needed. While you are setting the table, make sure the whole skillet is not covered and it will cool relatively fast. Then just spoon out onto plates, and add what is on the table as needed. 25 Min.
============================================================================
ITALIAN DISH:
2 lbs. Turkey meat/or 2 lbs. chicken, one box of Rotini (I like Am. Beauty), 1 jar of Newman's Own Marinara Sauce (for your kids, no chunks), 1 jar 4 cheese Prego, 1 loaf of Italian bread, butter, 1 pg... mozzarella. cheese, 1 thing of garlic spice.
DIRECTIONS:
1. brown meat/chicken
2. while browning, melt 2-3 tablespoons of butter
3. boil Rotini
4. drain the grease and finish browning meat
5. while you are finishing browning, take butter and spread it on each piece of bread and add garlic spice
6. Turn the oven to 350 (NO HIGHER, OR YOU WILL BURN THE BREAD) and put bread in immediately.
7. drain Rotini and put into the skillet with the meat (but put the pot, used to boil the water back on the stove, ON LOW)
8. Put the Rotini/meat, your kids will eat, into the pot on low, and add the Marinara sauce.
9. Put the sauce (you and your husband like, or the 4 cheese sauce, which is what I like) into the skillet.
10. Put about 1/4 of the cheese onto the top of the kids, and the rest sprinkled on the adults
11. Take bread out of the oven.
12. put the pot of the kids stuff, your skillet and bread onto the table and spoon it out. DONE! 25 Min.
===========================================================================
Ingredients:
++There are two ways to make this, 1. with Tyson/Banquet Popcorn chicken, or 2 lbs.. chicken breast++++
1. 2 lbs of boneless skinless chicken breast (always on sale at Price Chopper and/or HyVee), OR 1 package of banquet popcorn chicken ($3.98 at Wal-Mart, per bag).
2. 1 bag 20 Oz.'ish of Broccoli
3. 1 box of Kraft Shells and Cheese ($1.50 at Wal-Mart), with Velveeta
Directions:
1. Brown/cook chicken breast in skillet, (if using Popcorn Chicken) In large bowl micro. for 3 min.
2. Boil water and add shells
3. Drain chicken grease
4. add broccoli to the shells (which steams the broccoli while cooking the shells, to the end)
5. Drain broccoli and shells and add the cheese (BUT DONT STIR YET), in same pot.
6. Cut up chicken breast, as it should be done cooking (if using popcorn, put on another 3 1/2 Min.)
7. Stir up the broccoli and shells and cheese.
8. Add the broccoli and shells & cheese to the chicken in the BIG BOWL.
9. Stir up until all mixed up.
10. Set the whole big bowl on the table and you are done.
20 Minutes
