Normally I don’t watch a lot of television but when I was sick last week I did turn it on. I was watching Oprah last week and she had Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen on the show. They were promoting their new book called Influence. The topic eventually turned to food and what the twins ate and when they ate it. The question came around to Oprah and what she ate. It was so neat to see that in the process of interviewing the Olsen twins about their million dollar empire that the topic ended up coming around to food! And the fact that the Olsen twins also wanted to know what Oprah was eating as well!

Oprah has struggled with her weight and she had just recently opened up that she has topped the scales at 200lbs. The media just went crazy over this news. Celebrities like Kirstie Alley, Janet Jackson, Jessica Simpson, Britney Spears and Supermodel Tyra Banks have all had their fat loss ups and downs. Their weight gain is front page news in the magazines. And the reason that it is front page news is because normal folks like us just eat it all up and buy the magazines.

I guess it is something that we can relate too. Obesity can strike anybody. Even millionaires who have their own private chefs and fitness trainers can get fat. These people who seemingly live the perfect life have flaws after all.

Why are we so obsessed with weight and food? My thinking is that we know how easy it is to put on weight and how hard it is to get that weight off. We are also always searching for that perfect diet that will just melt the fat away.

There is a great diet that melts fat and that is the healthy Low Carb diet. It is insulin that makes the body store fat. Carbs and Sugars raise insulin levels. Regulating insulin is the key for melting that fat away.

What kind of foods would cause a spike in insulin?

• Breads, wraps, rolls, bagels,
• Sugar in all forms – molasses, cane sugar, honey,
• Grains such as wheat, rice and corn,
• Fruits,
• Starchy veggies (potatoes, carrots, beets).

Carbs are not only pasta’s and bread! They are in fruits and veggies as well. We can’t get rid of all carbs because our body needs to use a small amount of it. But excess carbohydrates do get stored as fat.

To your health and wellness,

Tweet This Post

I have had a bit of trouble losing my last ten pounds. It is incredibly frustrating to exercise and eat well and still not see results. I know the reason why…

It is the lack of sleep. Sleeping five-six hours a night creates unnecessary physical and emotional stresses. Cortisol levels are increased and that can have a negative impact on insulin. Drinking caffeinated beverages like coffee and tea throughout the day also have a negative impact on insulin. I have been on a low carb diet to regulate my insulin and yet these bad habits are contributing to elevated insulin.

How To Get Better Sleep

To fix this I am going to establish a regular bedtime routines. That means going to sleep every single day at the same time and waking up every single day at the same time. I will also take valerian root to help fall asleep. Valerian root works really well for me and I can fall asleep very quickly and sleep deeply.

I would love to hear if you have had any experiences with sleep and weight loss/gain.

To your health and wellness,

Tweet This Post

I don’t know if you could tell from reading my blog – but I love the Atkins diet! I find myself feeling so balanced. This past week I have not been eating as much protein (skipped my salad with a protein for lunch) and have had more cravings and a weight gain. I had an overall “off” feeling with the food obsession coming back. But now I am back on track and feeling great. The few pounds that I gained are melting away.

As a former vegetarian/vegan I used to balk at anyone who mentioned the Atkins diet. Eating a diet high in saturated fats and shying away from grains and high carbohydrate foods goes against most “diet” guidelines. We have been bombarded with media and books to eat “low fat” foods and stick with eating only chicken breasts, egg whites, and skim milk. These foods are naturally high in fat and there is a good reason for that. Our bodies need that fat. To take out the fat means that we are altering the foods that we are eating to nourish and feed our bodies. “Low Fat” diets have made people fat – as a vegetarian/vegan I have been there and done that!

Saturated fat satiates us, slows our digestion, and helps us assimilate fat-soluble vitamins.

Saturated fat does not promote heart disease. I was surprised to find out that Dr. Atkins was a cardiologist and has helped many people at his clinic beat diabetes and heart disease. I recommend to anyone wanting to try the Atkins diet to pick up his book (Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution) and read it. He has a great way of explaining how important regulating insulin is to health and why saturated fats are important for optimal health.

So what am I eating to lose weight?

Breakfast
3 whole eggs and 1 orange pepper

After Workout Snack
2 medium sized garden fresh carrots
Kefir Cereal – ¼ cup dried coconut, ¼ cup walnuts,  ½ cup plain kefir, 2 tblsp Chia Seeds, ½ tsp cinnamon, squeeze of lemon and one drop of Stevia. Mix and enjoy! Its yummy.

Lunch
2 servings of organic liver, 2 slices of organic low nitrate bacon (with all the drippings) , 1 tomato, 3 cups of salad

Snack
More plain kefir (1 cup) and a few slices of organic Havarti Cheese

Dinner
Raw green beans – about 2 cups
Roast beef (local, organic) with gravy and extra butter added

The kids had their end of the season soccer party. They had pizza and I brought some home for my husband. The smell of doughy yeasty pizza was very appetizing driving home in the car but I had no physical craving for it. Before Atkins I would have devoured at least half a large pizza. Now I just pass the food by without drooling! This truly is a “diet” someone can be on for a lifetime.

Tweet This Post