Here I am - a fat woman trying everything possible - short of stomach stapling or, the one my teens would like me to do ..... mouth stapling - to lose weight and not really succeeding. I'm still on the wheat belly lifestyle and love it - much more mental clarity even though little weight lost. So, I started thinking about what I'm not doing right (other than not eating right), and it occurred to me that I'm leaving out a vital component - that would be the spiritual part. 


I am a member of a church community so I'm not without a spiritual component to my life, but I know I never use that aspect of my being to it's fullest potential. Somehow, when push comes to shove, I get all cognitive and just forget about the power of faith altogether. Weird and slightly sad, eh. 


Okay, maybe I need to follow this thought thread to some action. I've re-activated my Spark People account and I've even posted once on the spiritual group board. Stop laughing, I know that's very little, but it's a start for me. And talking about this to you is a second step.  I'll just have to see where I can take this. Spiritual growth is always a good thing, and whether it takes me to health or not, it's time to stop neglecting it. One step at a time, one ounce at a time, one prayer at a time......here I go. 


Here's a tasty recipe - love beet greens yum.

1 pound beet greens

1 tbs coconut oil
pinch and a bit more of salt
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted

1. Chop the stems into 2- to 3-inch lengths and roughly chop the greens.

2. Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beet stems and season with salt. Cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook about 30 seconds. Add the beet greens, sprinkle the salt, and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes more; if you need more liquid add a wee bit of water.

3. Meanwhile, add to a small pan and toast over medium heat until lightly browned and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve the beet greens topped with the toasted pine 


By the way, I have a new ebook out - it's for parents who have raised extremely challenging children and now need some help re-claiming their lives. You can look at it at Smashwords.http://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=brenda+mccreight

Have your best day possible. 

Oh my goodness - I just read an article about how exercise won't help you lose weight unless you diet. Last week I read an article about how dieting won't let you lose weight unless you exercise. I mean, really! Can't they make up their minds?

As a fat woman, I can tell you that I'm well aware that I need both a healthy diet and regular exercise. I don't consistently do either, but I consistently try to do both. From the look of me, neither is working. 

I'm still mostly wheat free and it feels great. My mind is much sharper and my energy is up. It's important to me to feel a clearer mind because I live in terror of Alzheimer's - my mother and my mother-in-law developed it despite not having a single risk factor and leading their lives in the way all the articles say you should if you want to avoid the ugly A. Well, they got it despite healthy diets, healthy lifestyles, and lots of exercise. If I'm going to get it, it will have started by now so the best I can hope for is a medical miracle - anyway, that's a digression.

My point, and I do have one, is that all of the disagreeing articles on how to lose weight make it obvious that there is no real understanding of obesity. Most of us fat people don't really eat all that badly - we just don't eat or exercise right for our bodies. I keep my calorie count low - and I monitor it daily - I guess it's just not low enough to do the job. Whatever - I'll work on it as always. In the meantime, I'll continue to stay as wheat free as possible and enjoy all the new recipes I'm trying.

Here's one you might like.
Butternut Squash Soup... tasty and not too difficult or time consuming to make.

     
2 tbsp olive oil

·         1 onion, diced

·         4 cloves garlic, minced

·         4 carrots, sliced

·         3 stalks celery, diced

·         2 small or one large butternut squash, peeled and chopped

·         5 cups gluten free vegetable broth

·         2 tbsp chopped fresh sage

·         1/2 cup soy milk

·         salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a large pot, saute the onion and the garlic in olive oil or coconut oil until the onions turn soft, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the carrots and the  celery and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the squash and stir just to coat it and then add the vegetable broth and sage. Bring it all to a boil and then reduce the heat to a slow simmer. Allow it to cook for at least 25 minutes or until the squash is soft.

Use a potato masher and mash the squash until smooth or you can puree the soup in a food processor or blender.

I'm amazed at how my local grocery stores have stepped up their wheat free products. In fact, last Saturday when I was shopping I was stunned to see that *gluten free* notes were sticking up all over the shelves. I could buy gluten free just about anything!  What a change in only a few months. I assume this is a trend that will die like all others, but maybe the mainstream stores will keep stocking gluten free items anyway.

I'm still doing fine with wheat free most of the time, but I just can't organize my life to manage 24/7. Too much going on and too many occasions when I don't have control over what is available to eat. I'm improving on that daily, but still have a way to go.

I'm also not losing any more weight - too bad - that was nice incentive - however I didn't go wheatless just to lose weight - I did it because when I read the Wheat Belly book it just hit me as right - and I have noticed a better clarity of thought as well as more energy. And, since it's so easy to be wheatless most of the time, I might as well keep going with it.

Here's a tasty wheat free recipe you might like.



12 Wheat free corn tortillas
2 cups chopped tomato
1 cup chopped green onion
3 cups of ground beef
2 cups of grated cheddar cheese
2 cups of chopped lettuce
1 cup of wheat free commercial tomato sauce
1 cup of wheat free, low fat sour cream

Fry the corn tortillas in the coconut oil. Fry the ground beef and mix the tomato sauce into it. Spoon a layer of  the ground beef mixture on a tortilla, then add a layer of lettuce, a layer of cheese, some sour cream, and some green onions. Very quick and easy to make, and the kids will love it. Add some raw veggies on the side for munching and you've got a full meal.

Okay, it takes more than determination to keep exercising - last night I was unable to go for a walk again because I spent the evening cleaning up the flooded basement that resulted from the gale force rain storm that prevented my walk the night before. I mean really, by the time I finished hauling a sogging mattress out of my son's bedroom, and buying the equipment that I need to dry out the room, it was way too late for this aging mamma to go walkies.

The good part of this is that even though I'm not exercising much this week, there is nothing the storm can do to impact my eating and that is going okay. I'm finding more and more gluten free food items and becoming increasing reliant on vegetables and fruit. Nothing to feel bad about there.

I have an added inducement to remain wheat free - I think I'm going back to New York city at the end of April. Not for sure yet, but likely. I love New York. It's my favorite city in the world - and since I've traveled to 29 countries I feel free to comment. My second favorite is London, England if your at all interested. If I didn't have children to raise I would have moved to New York years ago - oh the sacrifices eh! Anyway, traipsing through airports and feeling oh so bad about having to ask for a lap belt extender is motivation enough to help me get back to exercising despite flooding basements and bad weather etc.

I feel strong and determined, and I'm sure that being wheat free is part of it all.

Hey, have your best day possible.

Wind and rain can stop me...

Well, the rain storms have dampened my determination to walk nightly (pun intended). Actually, I would have gone last night but my dogs, who generally leap to the leash, refused to step foot out of the door so I decided that they were likely smarter than me. We've been having near gale force rain storms that would have blown away the two of my dogs that are under 10 pounds, but even the big dog refused to step into last night's maelstrom.  I can't get to the gym either because of my problem with their schedule - however, I can make sure I take a few extra trips up and down the stairs and that I keep myself active in the house. Anything is better than nothing.

Look at what I found!  I had no idea these even existed. Who would have  thought that Betty Crocker would be putting out gluten free cake mixes? I bought one so that I have an easy cake when I need one. Sounds suspicious, right. I mean who ever needs a cake. Well, with 8 kids still at home  - I do. Sugar has never been my problem. I can eat one cookie or one slim piece of cake. Still, if I'm going to eat even a small piece of cake, it might as well be gluten free.

My problem, among many, is carbs and that noxious/addictive combo of fat, salt, and carbs. I mean really, my brain doesn't signal *time to stop* if I allow even one potato chip to cross my lips. I'm finding it easier and easier to not take that first deadly bite of most carbs since I've been (mostly) wheat free. I can leave out the potato in any form, and even though I finally found a wheat free bread, I'm only using it when I really need a sandwich to eat on the run. So very liberating. Still no further weight loss, but that's the way it's always been with me and I 'm not going to go back on wheat regardless.

Here's a great recipe - easy to make and very tasty.

Parmesan-Squash Cakes

 

4 servings

Active Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

This goes great with a baked chicken or with a broiled or bar- b-qued halibut. It's also nice as a main dish with a salad on the side. 

INGREDIENTS

·         1 large egg

·         2/3 cup finely chopped shallots

·         1 tablespoon chopped parsley

·         1/4 teaspoon salt

·         1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

·         2 cups shredded seeded summer squash

·         1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

·         1 tablespoon coconut oil

P

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Beat the egg in a large bowl and then stir in shallots, parsley, salt and pepper. Place  the shredded squash in the center of a clean kitchen towel and gather up the ends so you can twist to squeeze out any liquid. Add the squash and cheese to the bowl and stir to combine.
3. Heat the coconut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pack a 1/3-cup measuring cup with the squash mixture and unmold it into the pan then gently pat it down to form a 3-inch cake. Repeat the process to  make 4 squash cakes. Cook them until they are browned and a bit crispy on the bottom, about 3 to 4 minutes. Gently turn the cakes over and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake for 10 minutes. Serve them hot.

 

Bread...or no bread... that's the question...and a Curves warning...

I have been struggling with the issue of whether or not to keep all breads out of my diet, or to include wheat free breads. That's a tough one for me because like most wheat allergy people, I'm addicted to bread. I also have a busy life, as do you, and so taking a sandwich to eat when I'm out of the house at meal times is the easiest thing for me to do.

Well, over Christmas and New Year I have eaten wheat - two concurrent of out of town hockey tournaments requring hotels stays, and now another out of town hockey tournament this coming weekend as well as the younger kids regular activities back on track and me back at work - well, I just can't organize my food to the extent that's needed. So, I've had some wheat products and I feel the unpleasantness of it. I hadn't realized how much wheat dragged me down emotionally as well as physically!

Anyhoo - back to the topic - I finally caved and bought some rice based bread and I'm eating that when I need a sandwich on the go. I don't know how it will impact me - likely not a at all - but I'll be monitoring myself to see if I get the bread cravings back.  I have to say - it's been such a liberating feeling to not crave bread - to see it and not feel that *gut wrenching* pull to consume every crumb.

I've also returned to my evening dog walking - 30 minutes in chilly weather - good for the dogs and good for me. In a couple of weeks I'll start going back to Curves - they changed their hours so that it's next to impossible for me to get there - but I'm going to see if extreme dedication can make it possible. I really think it's silly of a gym to have such short hours and when my membership runs out there I'll definitely be looking at other gyms that have better hours. These guys open early, but I do my writing and course work at the pre-dawn times, and they close early - so that I can't go after my office hours. When I joined Curves the hours were longer, but they changed the hours and wouldn't give me my money back - so ladies - be warned about Curves - check out what they intend to do with their open hours and their money return policy before you sign on.

Okay - that's it for me today - have your best day possible. In the meantime, here's a bread/wheat free lunch alternative for those who, like me, eat lunch at an office desk while doing 10 other things.

1	tbsp      coconut oil
1	large	onion, chopped
1	tsp	cumin
1	tsp	turmeric
2x400	g	cans chick peas, rinsed & drained
2x400	g	cans chopped tomatoes
		freshly ground black pepper
1	tbsp	lemon juice throw in some chopped spinach or kale, and maybe a little chopped pesto or garlic to perk this up according to your tastes
1.	Heat the coconut oil in a large saucepan and gently fry the chopped onion until it is softened, but not browned.
3.	Add the chick peas, chopped tomatoes, spinach or kale, pesto or garlic, and freshly ground black pepper and simmer for 10 minutes.
4.	Add the lemon juice and cook for another 2-3 minutes, then serve immediately or refrigerate and serve cold later.