Diet, Cooking, and Exercise

From Weight Loss to Real Fitness: Reflections at the Crossroads

2007-07-26T18:05:00.000-06:00

I’ve been traveling, meeting the new grandson, attending my 40th high school class reunion, and taking care of some things that I can’t attend to during the school year. Now I’m back and my blog will change its focus from weight loss to weight maintenance and bodybuilding. I will still concentrate on, and share, my low fat, and low sodium recipes. Who I am and How I Got Here I am a 57

Hitting Turbulence As I Approach My Weight Loss Goal

2007-06-12T15:01:00.000-06:00

Despite the fact that I haven’t gone over my 1400 calorie daily limit and I have increased my working outs from 3-4 to 4-5 days per week, my weight has been bouncing. On June 1, I weighed 162.75, 3.75 pounds from my 159 pound target. Three days later I was down to 161.5, and two days after that, back to 162.75. I traveled last week to a workshop, but while I was on the road, I ate well (grilled

Two Aromatic Low-sodium, Low-fat Recipes: Garbanzos with Tomato Curry (Garam Masala) Sauce, and Joel’s Warm Honey-Wilted Cole Slaw

2007-06-05T16:52:00.000-06:00

I need to catch up on recipes, so I offer here a duo of warm recipes that both have wonderful fragrances. As all my recipes, these are low in sodium and low in fat. Garbanzos with Tomato Curry (Garam Masala) Sauce Ingredients 2 C cooked, or salt-free canned garbanzo beans (chickpeas)1 medium sweet onion-diced2 cloves garlic-peeled and mashed with side of a heavy

Joel’s Low-Sodium, Low-Fat, Turkey Meatloaf

2007-06-04T17:56:00.000-06:00

Since I’ve been working on my series on dieting and metabolism, I’ve neglected posting some of my new recipes. This turkey meatloaf has good flavor by itself, and is good with salsa, low-sodium catsup, or mustard. I like to put a slice inside a whole wheat pita with some thinly sliced onions and mustard for lunch. Two slices make a good entrée for dinner accompanied by vegetables, a salad, and

Seven More Sample Menus for a 1400 Calorie Diet

2007-06-02T17:11:00.000-06:00

Seven More Sample Menus for a 1400 Calorie Diet About two months, and 14 pounds ago, I published a week’s worth of sample menus for my 1400 calorie, low-sodium, and low-fat diet. I am now 3.35 pounds away from my goal, 159 pounds. When I reach it, I will have lost a total of 51.25 pounds since I started this project January 3, 2007. My blood pressure is consistently low normal without

What Every Dieter Should Know about Metabolism: Thermogenic Foods to Boost Your Metabolism

2007-05-31T17:38:00.000-06:00

This is Part 4 and the last in the series, What Every Dieter Should Know about Metabolism. Part 1, Metabolism Basics, can be found here, Part 2, The Role of Muscle, can be found here, and Part 3, Eating Strategies for Increasing our Metabolism, can be found here. Thermogenic Foods As I mentioned in Part 3, all foods are thermogenic (metabolism enhancing and calorie-burning) so every

What Every Dieter Should Know about Metabolism: Eating Strategies for Increasing our Metabolism

2007-05-30T14:50:00.000-06:00

This is Part 3 in the series, What Every Dieter Should Know about Metabolism. Part 1, Metabolism Basics, can be found here, and Part 2, The Role of Muscle, can be found here. Our metabolism burns the most calories for the automatic body functions of breathing, maintaining our body temperature and circulating blood. Physical activity is the second biggest burner. There is even a special

What Every Dieter Should Know about Metabolism: The Role of Muscle

2007-05-29T16:04:00.000-06:00

This is part 2 in the series, What Every Dieter Should Know about Metabolism. Part 1, Metabolism Basics, can be found here Muscle drives the body’s metabolic engine. It is denser and weights more than fat and it requires about 20 more calories per pound to maintain than fat. Fat requires only 30 calories per day to sustain it. When you exercise you are not only burning calories, you are also

What Every Dieter Should Know about Metabolism: Metabolism Basics

2007-05-28T17:18:00.000-06:00

Metabolism is the rate at which our bodies burn calories in order to maintain our bodies, and perform work. Our metabolic rate affects our Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). Weight loss is a based on a fairly simple formula. If the energy we consume exceeds the energy we expend, we gain weight; if the energy we consume is less than the energy we expend, we lose weight. Therefore as

Metabolism, Weight Loss, and Diet

2007-05-27T18:44:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow I will start a series that I have been researching on the role metabolism plays in determining how many calories we can take in without gaining weight, and how what we choose to eat and drink can increase our resting metabolic rate (RMR). The RMR determines how many calories we burn just maintaining our body functions. It is the baseline above which we try to move when we exercise, build

Dining Out on a Diet: Chinese

2007-05-26T18:37:00.000-06:00

Today is the day before my wife’s birthday and as I am going to grill bison tomorrow night, I decided to take her out for a birthday dinner a day early. As before, I ordered off the menu while she enjoyed the generous buffet. I ordered steamed vegetables, steamed chicken, about 3 oz., and steamed rice, all without salt or sauce. I asked for Szechuan sauce on the side in a cup. I brought my own

As I Close In on My Goal, the Loss Continues Slowly

2007-05-25T20:36:00.000-06:00

When I found out last week that, based on my body composition using skinfold testing, I was only 7 pounds from my goal, I was excited about pushing across the finish line. The first two months of my diet, I was losing at an average rate of .4 pounds per day, and most recently that has slowed to about .2 pounds per day. When I weighed in at the fitness center today I was a little disappointed to

Balsamic Turkey Scaloppini with Eggplant

2007-05-21T18:07:00.000-06:00

Tonight I made a scaloppini casserole with eggplant based on thinly sliced turkey breast. This recipe is a winner with loads of flavor and is very low in calories, sodium, and fat. I used the pre-sliced low fat (99% fat free) Honeysuckle White turkey breast for scaloppini. This recipe makes 6 servings and has only 210.42 calories, 28.61 g protein, 16.53 g carbohydrates, 2.4 g fat (.91% fat), and

Rethinking My Goal: Only 7 Pounds Away

2007-05-18T17:43:00.000-06:00

I am much closer to my goal than I thought. Today was the day that I had my skin-fold body composition testing. I also had my blood work done, but I won’t have the results from it until Monday. I have been basing my goals loosely on the body mass index (BMI) even though I know that with my workout schedule, 3-4 days per week, I’ve been building muscle as well as losing fat. I was thrilled when I

Body Composition Testing: Feeling the Pinch

2007-05-15T19:07:00.000-06:00

Friday I am going to have two different types of health assessment. In the morning, I will go to the Mena Medical Center to have blood drawn for testing. This is the “after” part of the 8 week walking program I have been participating in as a member of one of four teams from the college and numerous other teams from the community. Our campus wellness committee is paying for the blood work and I

Joel’s Healthy Enchiladas

2007-05-13T18:12:00.000-06:00

I am fond of Mexican food but most of it is too high in sodium, and frequently fat, to fit my diet. I had a taste for enchiladas the other day and decided that I would try to see if I could come up with a recipe that was low in sodium, fat, and calories. This recipe fit the bill nicely and made enough for a satisfying dinner and a couple of lunches I took to school. Enchilada Sauce

Food Labeling: Part 4

2007-05-13T17:16:00.000-06:00

This is the last in my series of articles about the food nutrient facts label that is required to be on all food products (with some exceptions for raw products) sold in the United States. Both the bottom section, the Footnote in orange, and the section of the food label on the right side, the % Daily Value in purple, use something called Daily Value (DV). This may be one of the more confusing

Food Labeling: Part 3

2007-05-11T18:57:00.000-06:00

In this blog I will revisit the food label with emphasis on the nutrients. Our understanding of food labels will empower the choices we make with regard to the foods we most commonly eat and the ingredients we use in cooking.The nutrients listed first (in yellow) are the ones we are concerned with for weight loss, heart health, and for many of us, blood pressure reduction/regulation. Nutrients

Food Labeling: Part 2

2007-05-09T17:32:00.000-06:00

Knowing about food labeling is important for any diet that is based on making choices among different foods on the basis of calories, fat content, carbohydrates, and sodium. Tracking our food consumption allows us to make informed decisions about what and even whether to eat. An Overview of the Nutrition Facts Label The nutrition facts label is required on most commercially prepared

Food Labeling: Part 1

2007-05-07T18:49:00.000-06:00

Understanding food labeling is important for maintaining any diet that is based on making choices among different foods on the basis of calories, fat content, and sodium. The strategy I’ve been using successfully is to log my consumption throughout the day using my diet spreadsheet and to let the results inform the choices I make. If I get to the end of the day and I am close to my self-imposed

Joel’s Black Bean Confetti Salad

2007-05-06T18:17:00.000-06:00

This healthy salad goes well with an outdoor barbecue or a formal dinner. It is served cold and has black beans, multicolored bell peppers, red onions, and yellow corn in fat-free lime vinaigrette. A generous one cup serving has 97.63 calories, 5.86 g protein, 20.19 g carbohydrates, 4.75 g fiber, .32 g fat, and 81.82 mg sodium. Ingredients 1 cup dried black beans1

Low Sodium Barbecue Sauce

2007-05-05T19:20:00.000-06:00

In the middle of a diet, there are times when a hunger strikes that is so deep it can only be satisfied by barbecue. Here is the solution. Commercial barbecue sauce is high in sodium (370 mg for a 2 tablespoon serving) so I came up with a low sodium version that is truly satisfying. A two tablespoons serving contains only 52.89 calories and 43.81 mg sodium. It contains no fat, but has 12.14 g

Baked Salmon in Dill Sauce on a Bed of Steamed Spinach

2007-05-03T18:36:00.000-06:00

Tonight's dinner was a nice salmon filet baked in a mild dill sauce. Preparation was quick and easy and the result was impressive as well as being healthy.Ingredients2 filets wild salmon 4 oz. each12 C raw spinachSauce1/4 C non-fat sour cream1/2 t. dill1/2 lemon juicedPreheat the oven to 350 degrees. Make the sauce by combining 1/4 C non-fat sour cream, about 1/2 t. dried dill, and the juice of 1

Hooray! I'm Overweight

2007-05-02T16:47:00.000-06:00

When I looked at the photographs my colleague took today I didn’t recognize the guy in the pictures, and it was me. Today I weighed in at the fitness center and found that I have lost a total of 41.25 pounds since January 3, 2007. My body mass index (BMI) is now 29.9 so, I am no longer obese; I am officially overweight. I reached my previous goal of losing forty pounds last week; my next goal was

Bananas, Dieting, and Blood Pressure

2007-05-01T17:09:00.000-06:00

Bananas are one of my favorite snacks on this low sodium, low fat diet. They are full of flavor, as are most fruits; they are portable, come pre-wrapped, and more importantly are loaded with potassium. As one of my original motivations for going on this diet/exercise regime was to lower my blood pressure without medication, this is an important plus. Bananas are also helpful in preventing leg

Forty Pounds Cumulative Weight Loss since January 3

2007-04-30T18:58:00.000-06:00

When I weighed in at the fitness center Saturday, I found that I have lost a total of forty pounds. I am only 1.25 pounds away from my first goal, to become overweight. I should easily reach that goal this week. After that, my next goal is to reach the pre-1998 normal Body Mass Index (BMI) of 27.4. That means a loss of 15 more pounds. I’ve been working out 3-4 times per week so I can attribute

Results of the Judging-Aussiejourno’s Weekly Blog Awards

2007-04-28T06:46:00.001-06:00

As the first guest judge, and the first judge from the Northern Hemisphere, I completed my judging duties yesterday and am posting the results here. When David McMahon invited me to judge, he said that his criteria were readability, photographs and/or image content, and the x-factor which could be a great headline, witty remark or something else that caught his eye and tickled his brain. I added

Results of the Judging-Aussiejourno’s Weekly Blog Awards

2007-04-28T06:46:00.000-06:00

Lima Bean, Mushroom, and Barley Soup

2007-04-27T19:51:00.000-06:00

Pictured are lima beans fresh from the garden before drying. Where I grew up, Indiana, we called the dried ones butter beans. The weather has turned unseasonably chilly and I had a fire in the woodstove last night and again this morning. It wasn’t too cold, but it did take the chill off from the rain. This cool weather has turned my thoughts to soup, always a challenge for a low sodium diet. My

I’ll be the Judge of That

2007-04-26T06:09:00.000-06:00

Melbourne-based journalist and internationally-published photographer David McMahon, has named yours truly, ProfBush, the first guest judge for his weekly Aussiejourno's Weekly Blog Awards. The stated purpose of these awards is to, “encourage bloggers from all ‘round the world and…give new bloggers the chance to get their work noticed in an increasingly popular forum, alongside the world's

A New Pair of Jeans

2007-04-25T18:50:00.000-06:00

On the way home tonight I stopped to try on blue jeans, my first foray into the haberdashery since January 3, 2007 when I started my diet. I’ve worn a 40 inch waist for years. I was comfortable knowing that I could order Dockers on eBay and count on them fitting. I knew better than to try to wear ones with pleated fronts, my waist and belly were too large and my legs too short. Today at the

Chicken Cacciatore, Low-sodium/fat/calorie, High flavor

2007-04-25T08:29:00.000-06:00

This recipe is a winner. I made it last night and couldn’t get over the flavor. I haven’t tried freezing it yet, but I think it would freeze well. I also want to try it with tofu instead of chicken. As is, a one cup serving of the cacciatore has 154.2 calories, 19.42 g protein, 14.01 g carbohydrates, 2.79 g fat, and 61.9 mg sodium. Chicken Cacciatore (makes 9 cups) 1 ½

Dining Out Healthy, and Tostadas Revisited

2007-04-24T05:05:00.000-06:00

Dining Out Saturday I mentioned to my wife that I missed going to the Chinese buffet and had even looked on the Panda Express web site for their nutritional information and how I wished I could come up with something that wouldn’t wreck my diet. All she heard was “going to the Chinese buffet” and started getting dressed. I was trapped. When we arrived she headed for the buffet and the garlic

Non-fat Refried Beans and Healthy Tostada

2007-04-21T21:04:00.000-06:00

I decided that I could make my own non-fat refried beans that had no added sodium and tasted just as good as the canned beans. I started with pinto beans this time as it is more traditional and soaked the beans, rinsed them and changed the water, then cooked them (two cups dried) with two quarts of water, ½ cup of apple cider vinegar, 1 t. onion powder, and 1 t. garlic powder for about two hours.

Baked Asparagus Frittata with Low-Fat Hollandaise Sauce

2007-04-20T06:56:00.000-06:00

Asparagus, a few volunteer onions, and elephant garlic plants are the only things coming up in my garden since I was gone on sabbatical last year. The asparagus is three years old and is surprisingly tender far down the stalk. Asparagus contains more folic acid than any other vegetable and is low in fat, cholesterol, and sodium. It is rich in fiber, potassium, thiamine, vitamins A, C, and B6, and

Healthy Tortilla Chips

2007-04-18T18:59:00.000-06:00

Last night I had a hankering for corn chips. I made some healthy chips and enjoyed them with some non-fat sour cream for a special treat. I’ve referred to healthy chips before, but this time I made them a little differently. I used Mi Casa tortilla chips (lower in sodium and fat), and put them in the microwave for thirty seconds until they became puffy. I finished them in the oven under the

Weight Loss and Body Image

2007-04-17T18:39:00.000-06:00

I’ve been thinking a great deal about what weight loss means to me in terms of my image of myself. Does loss of weight mean loss of self or power to me? I got used to my pre-diet weight gradually over time and settled in nicely. I am a short man and I wonder whether weight became equated with substance for me. If so, I’d better get busy and work on how I view my new self or I am likely to return

Don't Miss More Than One Day…

2007-04-13T18:29:00.000-06:00

“Don't miss more than one day of exercise.” Yes, that’s what it said, and I was shocked. In a short blurb by Jennifer Gruenemay at Lifescript, in her daily fitness tip, she said that skipping too many days between workouts jeopardizes the health benefits I was after in the first place. Experts say that you are less likely to stay with your routine if you skip more than one day between workouts.

Delicious Peachy Low-Fat, Low-Sodium Salad Dressing

2007-04-13T06:55:00.000-06:00

For years I have been looking to replicate a salad dressing I enjoyed when I lived in Laguna Beach, California. It was the house dressing of a sushi house near the beach, and it had a nice light fresh taste with a little hint of fruit and it made an otherwise pedestrian salad the perfect prelude to what was usually a spectacular dinner.I have also been looking for a salad dressing that I could

Blogger's Choice Awards

2007-04-11T17:49:00.000-06:00

Today I decided to throw my blog’s hat in the ring for the Blogger’s Choice Awards. I am under no illusions about having any chance of winning in the two categories where my blog fits, Best Health Blog and Best Food Blog, but if I get a few votes and move up in the standings, it might influence a few more people to drop by. You will have to register vote, but when you do, you can nominate other

Mail from Readers

2007-04-10T17:38:00.000-06:00

Since I safely posted my email address on this blog, I have been getting letters. I thought I would share a couple of them that I have permission to reprint here. If you send me email, I will answer it as I have time. I am not a trained nutritionist, and my only criteria for selecting foods and recipes for my own diet are those of calorie, sodium, and fat reduction. My personal goals are to

Seven Sample Menus for a 1400 Calorie Diet

2007-04-08T04:31:00.000-06:00

I’ve been asked by a number of people to tell them what do eat and when. I guess they feel that they can follow directions better than coming up with their own menus. I am presenting here, not sample menus exactly, but what I ate on specific days to meet the requirements of my less than 1400 calorie, less than 20 % of calories from fat, less than 1500 mg sodium, diet. As you can see, there is

Body Mass Index Revisited and Body Fat Index

2007-04-06T14:27:00.000-06:00

I had a chance to have my body fat index measured by one of those electronic body fat analyzers today. The extension office loaned us an Omron HBF-306C, a handheld device that uses bioelectrical impedance to measure your body fat. It was easy to use and incredibly fast, about seven seconds to obtain a reading. It also did a crude correction for muscle by having you determine your FIT level using

Baked Sweet Potato, Roasted Squash and Mushrooms

2007-04-05T16:27:00.000-06:00

Tonight I had a real hunger for vegetables and really had a nice assortment. I only had a small portion (3 oz.) of meat, roast pork, so I had plenty of room for veggies. I baked a sweet potato in the microwave and, and roasted 2 large mushrooms cut in half and a nice yellow straightneck summer squash. Preparation of the mushrooms was easy as I chose not to use any seasonings at all. I cut the

Ten Secrets of Weight Loss-Fourth and Final Part

2007-04-04T19:40:00.000-06:00

I will finish up the last four things I have learned during my weight loss today. The Ten Secrets of My Weight Loss1. Knowledge is power-the knowledge to make choices2. Non-fat sour cream is my friend3. Non-fat cream cheese is my friend4. Fiber is filling The Ten Secrets of My Weight Loss 1.

Ten Secrets of Weight Loss-Part 2

2007-04-01T20:30:00.000-06:00

Continuing with my discourse about what I have learned so far on my quest to lose weight and lower my blood pressure, I will review the ten secrets here. The Ten Secrets of My Weight Loss 1. Knowledge is power-the knowledge to make choices2. Non-fat sour cream is my friend3. Non-fat cream cheese is my friend4. Fiber is filling5. My palate took about three days to retrain to a low sodium diet6

Ten Secrets of Weigh Loss

2007-03-31T20:19:00.000-06:00

Now that I’ve lost over thirty pounds, friends, coworkers, and even casual acquaintances are starting to notice and ask questions. Suddenly I am an expert on weight loss and blood pressure reduction without medication because I’ve been there, and I am doing it. Generally they start by saying they would like to lose some weight. I generally say, “OK, so lose it”. They then frequently tell me what

Yard Work is Exercise Too

2007-03-30T19:20:00.000-06:00

Even though the title of this blog is Diet, Cooking, and Exercise, I rarely talk about the exercise part of my health quest. I have been wearing a pedometer on my right shoe for two weeks now courtesy of the college where I work. We have organized into walking teams and report our daily mileage weekly. The whole event goes for four weeks and the winning team gets bragging rights. I go to the

Notable Blogs on Diet, Cooking, and Exercise

2007-03-29T10:26:00.000-06:00

I thought I should acknowledge some of the fabulous blogs I have been reading lately. Some of these are well-established with hundred of recipes and articles while others are brand new. I hope to encourage the newcomers and acknowledge the truly great. Periodically I will share blogs I would like to acknowledge. If you would like for your blog to be considered, please submit the URL as a

Summer Squash: How Sweet It Is

2007-03-28T18:22:00.000-06:00

Tonight I pigged out on yellow straightneck summer squash. We are starting to get some really nice fresh vegetables in and I love squash. I usually cook it with butter, onions, some Italian seasoning, and garlic salt. With the remodeled recipe, two cups carried only 49 calories, 2.44 g protein, 10.52 g carbohydrates, .62 g fat, and 5 mg sodium. Ingredients 1 Yellow Summer Squash (about 2

Top 10 Fish to Eat for Health-The Surprising New List

2007-03-27T18:08:00.000-06:00

Top 10 Fish to Eat for Health Rank Species Mercury (ppm) Omega-2 (g) M-O 1. JACKSMELT 0.108 5.6 5.49 2. PERCH (Freshwater) 0.14 3.5 3.36 3. AMERICAN SHAD 0.065 2.65 2.59 4. ATLANTIC MACKEREL (N. Atlantic)

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

2007-03-26T19:40:00.000-06:00

This recipe is for a remodeled Chicken Cordon Bleu and preserves the taste while reducing the sodium, fat, and calories. It is also simple to prepare as it does not require pounding. Serves 6Ingredients 1 ½ lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts6 slices Canadian bacon sliced in half3 slices thin Swiss cheese (12 slices/8 oz.)2 egg whites or Eggbeaters equivalent½ C bread crumbs or corn

Top Ten Highest and Bottom Ten Lowest Glycemic Index Foods

2007-03-25T20:22:00.000-06:00

I am going to be writing later about the glycemic index of foods and how they may affect the choices we make. But for now, this will just be an introduction to the glycemic index of foods. The glycemic index is based on the impact different foods have on insulin production in our bodies. Stressing the pancreas by constantly prodding it to produce insulin may lead to diseases such as diabetes (

Not-So-Sloppy Joes and Healthy Secret Sauce

2007-03-24T18:46:00.000-06:00

For lunch today I found another use for my current favorite bread-like food, whole wheat pita pockets. I also made a variation of my favorite low-fat, low-sodium secret sauce that is so creamy and rich with flavor that I felt very indulgent using it. Not-So-Sloppy Joes Ingredients½ Kangaroo WW Pita.25 lb. Extra lean ground beef (96/4)1 T

Poaching Salmon

2007-03-23T19:04:00.000-06:00

Friday night is fish night at our house. Lately I have been having salmon while my wife has tilapia. She prefers the milder taste of the tilapia. I usually grill or broil my salmon but tonight I decided to poach it instead. Poaching fish usually is done in a small sauce pan in a liquid frequently consisting of half water and half white wine, or any of a number of other combinations. Poaching

Changing the Way I Think About Food

2007-03-22T19:08:00.000-06:00

A number of years ago when my parents were still alive, I was talking with my brother after his return from a trip home when he said, “You ever notice how funny people back home are about food?” Where was he going with this? “Whatdya mean”, I asked. He said, “Well, when they are eating breakfast, they are talking about what they are going to have for lunch, at lunch they talk about what’s for

Diet Recipes-Sweet Sour Baked Tofu and Crispy Cheese Cauliflower

2007-03-21T19:11:00.000-06:00

This is a good day for recipes. I tried two new ones and they were both winners. I tried the tofu warm last night and put it cold inside a half a whole wheat pita with onions and tomato for lunch. Yum. I also weighed in at the fitness center today and my total cumulative weight loss is 29.5 pounds. I’ve lost almost thirty pounds since January 3. Sweet Sour Baked Tofu Ingredients I

Body Mass Index (BMI) Lunacy

2007-03-20T04:32:00.000-06:00

There is a chart in the faculty/staff lounge above the medical office-style scale that says Body Mass Index (BMI) Chart. This chart claims to know how much you should weigh based on how tall you are, and claims the right to call you names if your body disagrees. I’ve always known that the chart was lunacy and those who promote it lunatics. When I started my weight loss program, I joked that I

Pork Chop Flop or Challenges at Home on the Range

2007-03-19T12:19:00.000-06:00

It was a tough weekend on the range. To paraphrase Thomas Edison, I learned a number of things that didn’t work. I had some pork loin that I cut into boneless chops and a couple of roasts, so I thought I would try to make a low fat, low sodium barbecue sauce. I used the following ingredients and simmered it for about 30 minutes. It was a flop. The tomato paste still tasted raw. I may try adding a

Broiled Mushrooms

2007-03-15T19:51:00.000-06:00

I’ve always loved the complex flavors and subtle bouquet of mushrooms. I enjoy the way dried mushrooms of all types (shiitake, wood, oyster, and others) can lend their essence as the primary flavor of mushroom soups with the addition of little more than water, a little salt and white pepper, and a handful of onions. On my diet, with my palate cleansed of salt, I have an even greater appreciation

Low Fat and Low Salt Condiments

2007-03-14T05:41:00.000-06:00

When I first started my low-fat, low-salt diet, I bought a number of extra seasonings thinking that I would be using them regularly. The first three days I did use them. After that, my salt-jaded palate cleared and I began to enjoy what food really tastes like for the first time. I still occasionally use Mrs. Dash Table Blend but for the most part, I use the spices I like in the proportions I

Hidden Sodium in Supermarket Meats

2007-03-13T06:50:00.001-06:00

Naively walking into the supermarket to purchase food for my first days of dieting, I assumed that lean meats such as boneless skinless chicken breasts, lean ground beef, turkey, and perhaps a lean steak in small portions, would become staple meat protein sources for my diet. I bought Tyson chicken breasts, Honeysuckle White ground turkey patties, and extra lean ground beef (96/4) thinking they

Diet Recipes-Balsamic Chicken and Poinsettia Fruit Salad

2007-03-12T06:59:00.000-06:00

Vinegar is a great way to punch up low-fat and low-sodium recipes and no vinegar has more flavor than balsamic vinegar. This vinegar originated in Modeno Italy and is dark and thick with complex flavors. It has a sweet taste and combines well with chicken and vegetables, as well as, providing the dominant flavor in many salad dressings and as a crusty bread dip with extra virgin olive oil. It

We Learned to Eat from the Depression

2007-03-11T10:05:00.000-06:00

Those of us who are baby boomers were raised by parents who were children of the great depression, or who were influenced by the forced frugality of their parents during this period of extreme deprivation. There are few of us who don’t remember the admonitions of our parents to eat everything set in front of us because, “there are children starving in India”, as though our eating habits could

Diet Recipes-Tofu Meatballs and Whole Grain Tortillas

2007-03-10T09:36:00.000-06:00

I thought today would be a good day to share a couple of my diet recipes. In my attempt to reduce salt, fat, and calories I’ve tried a few experimental recipes. Here are a couple that worked particularly well. Tofu Meatballs Tofu meatballs are a vegetarian alternative to high fat meatballs with the added benefits of low salt, fat, calories, and they contain soy protein. This recipe makes

Assessing the Diet Damage-New Orleans

2007-03-09T16:24:00.000-06:00

This afternoon I went to the fitness center after nine days off and my trip to New Orleans for the Innovation conference sponsored by the League for Innovation in the Community College. I was most concerned about the sodium levels of my food as I ate most of my meals out and wondered about its effect on my blood pressure. My last night there, I ate a traditional New Orleans meal of fried seafood,

The Morning Omelet

2007-03-09T08:19:00.000-06:00

I enjoy a morning omelet as a break from my usual cold cereal and oatmeal so today I tried one with a difference. I added one tablespoon of non-fat sour cream to my half cup (two egg equivalent) of EggBeaters, sautéed some onion and mushrooms, and topped it with a tablespoon of non-fat cream cheese. I must have a taste for dairy today. This time of the year, white onions tend to be

New Orleans Can Be Unkind to Diets

2007-03-08T20:41:00.000-06:00

We left in a caravan Saturday morning about 10 AM and returned from the conference in New Orleans about 10 PM last night (Wednesday). My diet intentions started out well, but degraded as we went along. Tomorrow at the fitness center, I will find out whether/how much damage I did. On the plus side, I did a lot of walking in the hotel from the room to the various forums and workshops, on the

Off to New Orleans

2007-03-03T05:51:00.000-06:00

We are leaving for a conference in New Orleans in a few minutes. I am going to try to stick with my diet, but it will be hard to know what my caloric and nutrient intake is. I will try to stick with small (4 oz.) portions and make low fat and low sodium choices. I suspect the biggest challenge will be with the sodium, although I may be pleasantly surprised. The best part is that the Hilton has

Diet Spreadsheets and Food Logging

2007-03-02T08:01:00.000-06:00

Logging what I eat each day has helped me to keep track of where I am in the day and to make informed decisions about dietary choices. I can also see what effect a prospective choice will have on my daily goals, It lets me know whether that treat I am considering will throw me off track or not. I use a spreadsheet that I created using Microsoft Excel. When I started, I just kept track of

Low Fat Mushroom Omelet

2007-03-01T16:34:00.000-06:00

This morning I diverted from my normal breakfast of cold cereal, Kashi GoLean Crunch with plain yoghurt, wild blueberries, and non-fat milk, or oatmeal with flax meal and raisins, in favor of a mushroom omelet. I had some nice mushrooms and some EggBeaters, so I chopped two large mushrooms and sautéed them in a skillet sprayed with olive oil spray, then added a half cup scrambled eggbeaters and

Chili-A Perfect Diet Food

2007-02-28T07:57:00.000-06:00

My chili recipe (Joel’s Chili 3) is a nearly perfect food for those seeking a low calorie, low fat, low sodium diet goal. Some of the people I know who are on special diets are of the opinion that low sodium dieting isn’t too hard, and low fat isn’t either, but putting the two together is nearly impossible. My chili is a great combination and it is high in beneficial fiber as well. It contains

Yesterday's Diet-2/26/2007

2007-02-27T08:37:00.000-06:00

Joel dietary- 2/26/2007 Calories Protein Fat Sodium GoLean Crunch 1 C 190 9 3 95 Dannon all natural Plain Yogurt .25 C 27.5 2.75 0 37.5 Non-fat milk .33 C 26.67 2.67 0 41.67 Wild Blueberries .25 C 17.5 0 0.25 0 Chili 3 1 C 114.36 7.61 1.04 110.81

Three Minutes From a Heart Attack

2007-02-27T07:55:00.000-06:00

Until January 3rd 2007, I was fat, happy, and seriously out if shape. My wife, Sandy had been recovering from a serious horse wreck that limited her ability to walk and left her in a great deal of pain. From the middle of August, 2006, she had been receiving physical therapy three days a week from the wonderful people at the Ouachita Rehabilitation and Fitness Center in Mena, Arkansas where we