Because I’m a total wimp, that’s why! ha!

Not really. See, I had a bad year. Not really that bad, all things considered in the grand scheme of things - - but very stressful and somewhat trying - and I let my diet/fitness slip completely! From the end of 2006 until now - - I’ve written a book, dealt with a VERY challenging teenaged son (the details I will not go into - but I damn near lost my mind!) and a business that was booming faster than I could keep up with (it still is, but I’m in a better place now).

Writing the book was one of my greatest stressors. Major deadlines piled on top of deadlines and…you guessed it! More deadlines! My habit from December until the end of August was to sit in my office, in front of my computer for anywhere from 12 - 18 hours per day… consume as much coffee as possible and eat whatever my hand could reach. Oh, and excercise? Forget it! My greatest exercise was adjusting my chair so I could take the pressure off one butt cheek and put it on the other. This I did about once an hour - - I did make sure to breath, however - - at least I had that going for me!

Once the book was done, I vowed that I would do whatever it takes to get myself back into shape again. A year ago, I weighed in at 170 (that’s after successfully dieting and losing 30lbs .. down from a high 200!). I completely sabatoged myself and let myself go and gain almost all that weight back. I started dieting two weeks ago and am happy to report that I’ve lost 7lbs so far - - wtih a 6 inch loss overall, as well.

What am I doing? No real program to speak of at all. After trying Nutrisystem, Herbalife and Jenny Craig in the past - I decided that I’m smart enough to develop my own program of dieting and watching what I eat. I didn’t need to throw my money away at these programs that give you food that just isn’t so palatable - - at least not to my sensisitve palate, that is.

I have grabbed some nice low fat, high protein, low carb recipes from various books and I cook every day. I make my own breakfast, lunch and dinner — and snacks! It does require a lot of food prep time most often… but it’s worth it. I also am making sure that I’m using only fresh ingredients..and have gotten into the habit of shopping for organic foods, and definitley NOTHING pre-processed. Zero fast food… lots of water and a daily multivitamin.

One thing that I did add to my daily regime is the Alli Weight-Loss Aid. It was actually a recommendation of a close friend of mine, who also happens to be a physician. Alli contains 60mg of Orlistat, which is the only over the counter, FDA approved weight loss aid. It works by blocking about 25% of your fat intake from absorbing into your system. Combined with an already low fat diet and exercise program - - it helps you lose about 15% of the weight than you normally would on a regular diet. The idea is this: if Alli helps by removing 25% of the fat intake from your diet (it just doesn’t get absorbed).. then when you excercise, instead of burning the easy fat from your diet - your body burns it’s own body fat reserves..helping you lose a little more weight.

It’s not a supplement that curbs the appetite.. and it doesn’t increase metabolism - as it doesn’t contain any appetite suppresants or any metabolism boosting supplements like Hoodia. Orlistat is actually a prescription med that doctors have been prescribing to very overweight patients for years. Alli is a lower dose than the prescription strength, and as such, has been approved by the FDA to sell over the counter.

I’ve been taking it three times a day with meals (just one small capsule) for almost three weeks now. I have lost 7lbs total, so far - and just recently started combining my low fat diet and Alli capsules with a moderate exercise program this past week.

Which brings me to the title of this post: Why did I hire a personal trainer?

Continue Reading » »

Saturdays are usually the days I try to find some rest, relaxation and otherwise get away from all things work related. I used to be really good about reading the sites I subscribe to in my Bloglines (via RSS feed) on a daily basis - - but, alas.. work gets in the way and I’m down to about one day a week..and those days are usually Saturdays. So, I thought I’d use that day to update this blog with some great posts and resources I find in and around the web related to dieting, fitness, personal care and weight loss. This post is done weekly - if you want your posts included in my weekly Saturday Syndication - simply enter your email address below and be sure to leave your URL in the comments of this post and I’ll add you to my RSS feedreader for perusal on my Saturday browsing!

Enter your email address:

Without any further hesitation - here’s my Saturday Syndication list for today - I hope you enjoy!

• Would you lose weight for money? That’s Fit says that studies show people will! Even if its just a little bit of money.
• The Biggest Loser (a TV show, in case you’ve never watched it) contestant, Jerry Lisenby, shares his weight loss secrets on BuddyTV.com. Along with working out, He’s sticking to a high fiber diet, with complex carbohydrates and healthy protein like salmon. He eats a lot of fruit as well. He’s given up diet cola, caffeine and alcohol as well.
• Janet Jackson is adding ‘writer’ to the list of things she’s accomplished in her lifetime. She’s writing a book about her journey in weight loss and weight gain.
• Everyone diets for summer - - but what about dieting for winter? The Daily Yummy has some tips
• All Women’s Talk has a nice 3 Step approach to the best weight loss workouts
• Eating salad on your diet? Exactly when is salad unhealthy? The Diet Blog has some answers
• I’m reading all this noise on the internet about Britney Spears’s performance on the MTV Video Music Awards - - how not only was her performance a disaster… but that she was really FAT. I seriously have to wonder about the media. One on hand, the media is applauding a movement in the fashion industry to ban size zero models on the runway - - but on the other hand, you have them calling Britney Spears fat. check out this image of her from the MTV VMA awards show - - I wish I were that fat! Sure she doesn’t look like she did when she was 17 - - after two kids.. who would? Pfft. At least Renee agrees

That does it for me this Saturday evening!

Susan Mitchel of the Orlando Sentinal reports that the dieting Yo-Yo effect is common when you follow a lo-carb diet. Why?

…it’s not unusual for someone to experience a yo-yo effect following a low-carb diet. The body loses water, muscle and fat during weight loss, especially on a low-carb diet. A very low-carb diet is not recommended for the long haul. A modest low-carb diet, such as the diet followed by many diabetics, is more healthful, cuts carbs to a reasonable level and focuses on carbs that are high in fiber.

Some low-glycemic (low sugar), high-fiber carbs include:

• Oatmeal
• Whole Wheat Bread
• Whole Wheat Pasta
• Beans and Barley
• Sweet Potatoes
• Vegetables

Eating more vegetables and fruit means you can eat more food and lose weight. Because vegetables and fruit have a high water content, the calorie level is lower. You can eat more, yet take in fewer calories, and feel more full.

Kalyn, at Kalyn’s Kitchen, has a great recipe for sweet potato fries - a lo-carb and tasty alternative to regular fries.

A Veggie Adventure provides an easy and yummy Microwave “Baked” Sweet Potato (Per Serving: 86 Cal (1% from Fat, 8% from Protein, 91% from Carb); 2 g Protein; 0 g Tot Fat; 0 g Sat Fat; 20 g Carb; 3 g Fiber; 34 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 15 mg Sodium; 0 mg Cholesterol, Weight Watchers 1 point)

Saturdays are usually the days I try to find some rest, relaxation and otherwise get away from all things work related. I used to be really good about reading the sites I subscribe to in my Bloglines (via RSS feed) on a daily basis - - but, alas.. work gets in the way and I’m down to about one day a week..and those days are usually Saturdays. So, I thought I’d use that day to update this blog with some great posts and resources I find in and around the web related to dieting, fitness, personal care and weight loss. This post is done weekly - if you want your posts included in my weekly Saturday Syndication - simply enter your email address below and be sure to leave your URL in the comments of this post and I’ll add you to my RSS feedreader for perusal on my Saturday browsing!

Enter your email address:

Without any further hesitation - here’s my Saturday Syndication list for today - I hope you enjoy!

• Every Friday is Health Tip day at Zen Habits. This week, Zen Habits puts a spotlight on Hassle Free Weight Loss - The Zen Habits Meal Plan. …”Notice that it’s not the “Zen Habits Diet”. That’s because to me, diets are intended to be restrictive and temporary. I’ve created an easy way to plan my meals so that I don’t overeat, so that I’m eating fairly healthy, and so that it’s got some leeway for pleasurable eating. And for me, this has to be something I can do for life…. - click the link to read Zen Habits Tips.
• At 101 Reasons I Hate Being Fat - KaraokeKitty discusses Why she loves to hate celebrity weight loss television shows. …”I love them! I hate them! You know the shows, like VH1’s Celebrity Fit Club or NBC’s Biggest Loser, and a host of others. Honestly I do love to watch these shows….
• Find some Daily Health, Nuturition, Weight Loss and Exercise Tips at the Daily Exercise and Fitness Blog.
• Former Fat Guy discusses Alcohol and Weight Loss - Can you drink alcohol on your weight loss program and still lose the weight?
• At Corey’s Fitness and Weight Loss Journal - Corey is All Slimmed Down With Nothing to Wear!

See ya next week!

You: On a Diet: The Owner’s Manual for Waist Management - From Amazon.com: For the first time in our history, scientists are uncovering astounding medical evidence about dieting–and why so many of us struggle with our weight and the size of our waists. Now researchers are unraveling biological secrets about such things as why you crave chocolate or gorge at buffets or store so much fat. Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz, America’s most trusted doctor team and authors of the bestselling YOU series, are now translating this cutting-edge information to help you shave inches off your waist. They’re going to do it by giving you the best weapon against fat: knowledge. By understanding how your body’s fat-storing and fat-burning systems work, you’re going to learn how to crack the code on true and lifelong waist management.

Roizen and Oz will invigorate you with equal parts information, motivation, and change-your-life action to show you how your brain, stomach, hormones, muscles, heart, genetics, and stress levels all interact biologically to determine if your body is the size of a baseball bat or of a baseball stadium. In YOU: On a Diet, Roizen and Oz will redefine what a healthy figure is, then take you through an under-the skin tour of the organs that influence your body’s size and its health. You’ll even be convinced that the key number to fixate on is not your weight, but your waist size, which best indicates the medical risks of storing too much fat.

Because the world has almost as many diet plans as it has e-mail spammers, you’d think that just about all of us would know everything there is to know about dieting, about fat, and about the reasons why our bellies have grown so large. YOU: On a Diet is much more than a diet plan or a series of instructions and guidelines or a faddish berries-only eating plan. It’s a complete manual for waist management. It will show you how to achieve and maintain an ideal and healthy body size by providing a lexicon according to which any weight-loss system can be explained. YOU: On a Diet will serve as the operating system that facilitates future evolution in our dieting software. After you learn about the biology of your body and the biology and psychology of fat, you’ll be given the YOU Diet and YOU Workout. Both are easy to learn, follow, and maintain. Following a two-week rebooting program will help you lose up to two inches from your waist right from the start.

With Roizen and Oz’s signature accessibility, wit, and humor, YOU: On a Diet–The Owner’s Manual for Waist Management will revolutionize the way you think about yourself and the food you consume, so that you’ll diet smart, not hard. Welcome to your body on a diet.

EatingWell Magazine (one that I subscribe to because it’s always full of a wealth of info, recipes and great ideas!) gives us recipes for pizza that will allow us to put pizza BACK on the weekly menu because it won’t bust your diet!

It is possible to have a healthy pizza dinner that is both low in saturated fat and loaded with veggies—and even fruit! Boost the fiber content of your meal by 50% simply by using whole-wheat pizza dough, which is widely available in supermarkets (check the label and avoid those that contain trans fats). Or make our Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough, which comes together in a snap. Substituting low-fat mozzarella for regular cheese lowers saturated fat and cholesterol. Then pile on the veggies for extra fiber and nutrients. And don’t forget the fruit—pears, apples and pineapple make great toppings too!

Healthy Pizza Dough Recipes
Pizza Dough Prestissimo
Quick Pizza Dough
Quick-Rising Pizza Dough
Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough

Healthy Pizza Recipes
Caramelized Onion & Artichoke Pizza
Caramelized Onion & Olive Pizza
Dessert Pizza
EatingWell’s Pepperoni Pizza
Greens & Gorgonzola Pizza
Grilled Pizza with Eggplant, Tomatoes & Feta
Grilled Pizza with Garden Tomatoes
Grilled Pizza with Pesto, Tomatoes & Feta
Peperonata & Sausage Pizza
Pear, Walnut & Gorgonzola Pizza
Pesto Pizza
Pizza with Broccoli & Black Olives
Pizza with Potato & Artichoke Topping
Pizza with White Beans, Prosciutto & Rosemary
Smoky Corn & Black Bean Pizza
Tex-Mex Pizza
Thai Chicken Pizza
Turkish-Style Pizza
Wild Mushroom & Sage Pizza

EatingWell Magazine also provides us with these tips about pizza:

Grilling Pizza
The first time you slide a circle of dough onto a grill rack, you realize this technique really is going to work. We found that a covered grill with a large surface area is best because it allows you to crisp one side of the crust over hot coals, then flip the crust over onto indirect heat to warm the toppings and melt any cheese.

Using a Pizza Stone
One way to ensure a really great pizza crust is to use a wood-burning oven that reaches a temperature of at least 600°F, a feature most home kitchens lack. Fortunately, you can transform your regular oven into a pizza oven by baking directly on a hot pizza stone. The unglazed clay surface absorbs and distributes heat evenly, producing a crisp crust.

Using a Pizza Peel
The best way to transfer a pizza to a stone is to use a wooden paddle called a peel—and it is much easier to slide a small pizza from a peel than to slide a large one. To use a peel for recipes that call for 12 ounces of dough, divide the dough in half and roll each piece into a 10-inch circle. Transfer one crust to a cornmeal-dusted pizza peel. Turn edges under to make a slight rim. Assemble the pizza, using half of the toppings. Make sure the dough slides easily on the peel; add more cornmeal if necessary. Open the oven door and set the tip of the pizza peel near the back of the stone. Pull the pizza peel toward you, letting the pizza slide onto the stone. Quickly close the door. Baking time for a pizza baked directly on a stone is shorter than for pan pizza: allow 8 to 10 minutes. Assemble the second pizza on the peel with the remaining dough and toppings while the first one bakes. Remove the pizza from the oven with a wide metal spatula to slide the pizza onto a pizza peel or pizza pan.

Buying Pre-Made Pizza Dough
Look for whole-wheat pizza-dough balls at your supermarket. Check the ingredient list to make sure the dough doesn’t contain any hydrogenated oils.

Thanks EatingWell!

Kashi GoLean products are not new to me - - however, this particular on is. I found it this evening while I was shopping. One of the biggest problems I always have with my meal planning is the breakfast meal. I’m not a breakfast person and I have troubles finding easy, quick and yummy things to eat that fit within my diet plan.. providing me with things I need, and eliminating those things I don’t (i.e. fat and sugar!)

I happen to be a lover of hot cereal. Growing up - there was nothing that fell into that category of ‘comfort food’ than a nice hot bowl of oatmeal with milk and brown sugar (whole milk back then.) As I grew up, I gave up on the oatmeal thing - - it just took too long and the instant varieties never really floated my boat.

Kashi has an instant hot cereal solution for me and I tried it tonight and it was delicious!

Another problem with my diet planning is that I cannot stand skim milk. I have to at least have 1%, or I won’t have any. Skim milk just isn’t creamy and rich enough for my tastes. I have found a solution to that, however - - using Fat Free Half and Half instead of skim milk. No fat - more taste. Perfect!

So, Kashi GOLean Creamy Truly Vanilla hot cereal with a splash of Fat Free Half and Half does the trick! OH OH! I also recently found a sugar substitute that is completely 100% organic and really does the job for me more than Splenda ever will! It’s called Stevia - and you can read all about Stevia right here. It’s a natural herb that is extremely sweet. In fact, this remarkable noncaloric herb, native to Paraguay, has been used as a sweetener and flavor enhancer for centuries.

The Kashi GoLean cereal has 7 whole grains plus protein and fiber - including Flax Seeds to provide you with just the right kind of fat you need in your diet (abundance of omega-3 fatty acids). (read about Flax Seeds here) - - Here’s the breakdown of the rest of the nutritional information in the Kashi hot cereal:

Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size:	1 packet (40g)
Calories	150
Calories from Fat	20
Total Fat	2g
Saturated Fat	0g
Trans Fat	0g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	100mg
Potassium	250mg
Total Carb	25g
Fiber	7g
Soluble Fiber	5g
Insoluble Fiber	2g
Sugars	6g
Protein	9g
Vitamin A	0%
Vitamin C	0%
Calcium	0%
Iron	6%

Reassess your goals; renew your commitment

Experts say a healthy weight loss plan should average 1 to 3 pounds a week. If you’ve lost 5-8 pounds after 8 weeks.. don’t be dissapointed! Within 8 weeks, you can expect to have lost anywhere from 8-24 pounds. Losing weight more quickly than that means losing muscle tissue along with fat, which could slow your metabolism adn make it harder to maintain your weight loss further on down the road.

If you haven’t started seeing the progress that you thought you’d like to see, there may be a few reasons. If you’ve significantly increased the amount of exercise you’re doing, you may be losing fat but gaining muscle (muscle does weigh more than fat - that is NOT a myth). There’s nothing wrong with that. Because you’re sure-fire way ot look firmer adn svelter is to tone and gain a bit more muscle, you’re doing good.. because you’re trading fat for muscle. Because of this, you may not see the results on the scale that you’d like - - one sure sign of this is that you may be going down in INCHES. Check your waist size!

The most important thing now is not to get discouraged! Make a pact with yourself to use a little extra time and effort in the coming month to reach your goal and make sure the number is realistic!

Have a snack and GET MOVING!

People ususally feel much better when losing weight, it’s true! Some experience periods of fatigue, as well, however. When you take in fewer calories than you burn, you force your body to turn to the energy it has stored as fat. This is a good thing! However, falling short on calories can make you feel tired and rundown.. and yes, even grumpy (ask me, I know!). As a result - some people get tired of dieting, but you don’t have to let an energy drain get in the way of your weight loss goals.

If you’re feeling fatigue every day, talk to your doctor. But if you simply have occasional slumps and less energy than yo uused to, try eating smaller meals adn then snack more frequentyly during the day. Save the piece of fruit from breakfast to eat in the middle of the morning, or hold off on the sliced veggies you brought for lunch and have them later in the afternoon. Eating more frequently can steady your blood sugar levels so you won’t feel a slump when your energy supplies run low.

Another good way to combat fatigue is to fit extra physical activity into your day. It seems irnoic to be more active when you’re feeling an energy low, but research shows that physical activity can actually make people feel more energetic, rather than less. It provides a psychological boost that can banish the blues. Getting up and moving also increases your self-confidence. AND regular exercise increases stamina, so you’ll build reserves of energy for more activity!

Saturdays are usually the days I try to find some rest, relaxation and otherwise get away from all things work related. I used to be really good about reading the sites I subscribe to in my Bloglines (via RSS feed) on a daily basis - - but, alas.. work gets in the way and I’m down to about one day a week..and those days are usually Saturdays. So, I thought I’d use that day to update this blog with some great posts and resources I find in and around the web related to dieting, fitness, personal care and weight loss. This post is done weekly - if you want your posts included in my weekly Saturday Syndication - simply enter your email address below and be sure to leave your URL in the comments of this post and I’ll add you to my RSS feedreader for perusal on my Saturday browsing!

Enter your email address:

Without any further hesitation - here’s my Saturday Syndication list for today - I hope you enjoy!

• Elaine explores the problems with Food Cravings and Stress
• …While over at LifeTips - they are discussing Dieting, Cheating and Motivation
• Dieting out of a vending machine…. really? Sounds funny…but could it be coming to a cafeteria near you? Kraft Foods is rolling out a vending machine stocked with South Beach Diet branded food.
• So You Think You Can Lose Weight? Forget Weight Loss Diets; They Don’t Work ! Do you agree..disagree? There seems to be a lot of talk about what works and what doesn’t - - I think the key is finding out what works for YOU
• About.Com has a great list of ‘must haves’ for a Weight Loss Friendly Kitchen…”If you’ve just begun a weight loss program, it’s time to take a fresh look at your kitchen. It can be your ally - really. These are the must-haves for making your kitchen diet-friendly…”

And so ends my Saturday Syndication wrap up for today. After reading through so many articles and blog posts about dieting, weight loss and fitness — I’m feeling highly motivated to head to the gym this afternoon.. so off I go. Have a great weekend!

Celebrate Small Victories

At least, for me, its easy to lose confidence if I’m not reaching my weight loss goals the way I’d hoped. There’s always the temptation to blame myself. You know how it goes: you tell yourself that you just don’t have the staying power or will power to lose the weight.

It’s not easy - but banish those negative thoughts from your day. You haven’t failed because the pounds are proving more stubborn than you expected. For the immediate moment - focus on your successes!

Here’s a trick - you’ve managed to lose 5 pounds so far, which may not sound like a lot when you compare it to your overall goal. The next time you’re at the grocery store - grab a 5lb back of flour, sugar or potatoes. Carry it around with you as you shop.

It’s getting heavy, hey??

That’s the amount of excess weight you used to carry all the time. Five pounds on the scale may not seem like much, but when you tote it around in your arms and think of it as the fat you’ve lost - - you realize what a big accomplishment it really is!

Also, remember - pounds aren’t the only measure of success. Make a list of other benefits you’ve gained by following your diet and exercise program:

• Maybe your clothes aren’t as tight anymore?
• Maybe you’re more flexible?
• Maybe your energy and stamina have improved?
• Maybe you’re eating a healthier diet?
• Maybe you’re losing inches and toning muscle?

If you can make one change.. you can make two. If you can make two changes.. you can make three. Get the idea?

My motivator for the week? I’ve lost 10lbs total so far (I’ve been at this roughly a month). With those 10 pounds I have also lost 12 inches! The inch loss is appearing (or I should say dissapearing) from my waist and hip area, mostly (right where I need it!). I was de-railed on my program .. right in the middle of it because I had a gallbladder attack and had to have my gallbladder removed. Using my usual and old habits.. I *almost* let that completely de-motivate me.. because once I step off my diet and workout program, for some reason.. it’s really hard for me to get back on it. Trust me, I will use anything as an excuse! And surgery felt like a pretty damn good excuse! Although, the gallbladder surgery was a pretty minor procedure (done via laproscope) - and my recovery was quick… hardly any pain after two days and the very small incisions are healing very nicely.

Luanne, my personal trainer, kept encouraging me and gave me about a week before she called and said “Come on down to the gym - - don’t be worried.. we’ll keep it light and simple, ok?” - - so I dragged myself in and I am really glad that I did. I felt so much better afterwards…and have kept up my regular visits..and feel really motivated to keep moving!

Good luck!

I mentioned Stevia briefly in my post about my yummy breakfast find, Kashi GoLean hot cereal. Stevia was such a great find for me, I wanted to talk more about it and bring it to the attention of any dieters who might come along and find this post. What has me so excited about it is that I’ve been searching for a decent sugar substitute that would not turn off my taste buds - - the bonus in Stevia is that it is 100% all natural… organic!

The all natural/organic part should thrill organic food lovers everywhere!

The true test for me, however, was this: how does it taste in my morning coffee?

On my diet - there is just one thing I cannot.. .no matter HOW BAD I want to lose the weight, I just cannot, for the life of me, compromise and that is my coffee. I know there are a lot of people out there who feel the same.

Splenda in coffee just is not the same - - neither are any of the other substitutes I’ve found.

I came across Stevia quite by accident one day while searching for organic foods online. I even recommended it to my mother, who is a diabetic and struggles with sugar substitute issues, as well. She is even more picky than I am - - and she’s a faithful Stevia user now!

Here’s the low-down for you on the product (which you can usually find at your local health food store, or in the health/organic section of your grocery):

• Stevia has ZERO calories. Yep - you heard it… ZERO.. as in NONE
• Stevia has a glycemic index of… yea, you guessed it… ZERO
• It is all natural and 100% organic
• Stevia is a naturally sweet plant native to Paraguay
• Stevia is 30 times sweeter than sugar in its unprocessed form
• The pure glycosides that are extracted from the Stevia leaves are 250-400 times sweeter than sugar
• For those of Jewish faith, Stevia is 100% kosher
• You can use Stevia not only for sweetening drinks like tea and coffee and quick meals like on grapefruit or cereal - but you can bake with Stevia, as well. There are hundreds of recipes - - below, I reference a Stevia cookbook with some great recipe ideas
• Be aware of the Stevia/Sugar conversion when using it, though - - remember, it is 30 TIMES SWEETER THAN SUGAR! Dont’ make the mistake of using the same volume of Stevia as you would with regular sugar. Below is a conversion table

What are Stevia’s equivilancies to sugar?

Some Great Stevia Recipe Books:

Stevia Sweet Recipes: Sugar-Free-Naturally
A review from Amazon.com says:Of the 3 Stevia cookbooks I own, this is my favorite. I would think that most people who want to use stevia, are looking for healthy too, and lower carb, not just how to replace sugar with stevia. He uses whole grains in his recipies, which are much lower on the glycemic index than their refined counter parts, making them good for diabetics and some less restrictive low carb diets. I was looking for a recipe for zucchini bread and none of the books had one, so I took his Oatmeal Banana Bread recipe and replaced the fruit with zucchini and it came out fantastic! I could do that because the basic recipe is sound. He gives a lot of info on stevia including the fact that you have to adjust it to your taste. He covers pretty much all the bases in this book, except as one person pointed out, the use of liquid stevia, other than to say that he prefers to use the powders to the liquid.

Sensational Stevia Desserts
A review from Amazon.com says:This is a good book. It gives you the nutritional breakdowns which is nice, and compares them to the same products made with sugar. She uses healthy ingredients, but not much in the way of whole grains. It’s definitely low-carb friendly, as you can easily see how many carbs each recipe will set you back. None of the recipies include other sugar sources which is nice to see in a stevia cookbook.

Stevia: Naturally Sweet Recipes for Desserts, Drinks, and More
A review from Amazon.com says: I have been using stevia as my SOLE sugar replacement for just about a year now with the aid of several cookbooks to keep me going. I find it hard to use many recipes that ask for non-nutritive sweeteners because they usually happen to be low-carb, high-protein/fat, and animal products abound. My first breath of fresh air to this dilema was this book. It uses whole grain flours and provides many purely vegetarian (vegan) alternative recipes.

I know when I dine out and go to my favorite eateries - my favorite selections are HARD to deny!

Zero In On Portion Control

Sure..easier said than done… but possible!

If your parents always praised you for being a member of the ‘clean-plate club’, you still might be havving issues leaving food behind, especially when you’ve paid out hard earned money at a restaurant. Today, the portions on restaurants are HUGE - each site competing with the next on price and portion. Dining out is a major challenge for me.

Don’t let the size of the serving placed in front of you determine how much you eat. Keep in mind portion size - - like a baseball, or a deck of cards, for example - to remind yourself what reasonable servings of food should look like.

Ask the waiter to take away what you don’t want and pack it for later. Pay attention to hunger and fullness cues, and eat s-l-o-w-l-y.

Surf n’ Turf, anyone?