Day 1 on the Fast Metabolism Diet 4 29 13

Yesterday was our first day on The Fast Metabolism Diet.  Although I wasnt feeling the best all day (my stomach hurt from the moment I woke up and I got a headache around 4pm), I still ate all of the food on the meal plan and did my cardio for the day. 

Menu:
Breakfast @ 6:30am:
Strawberry French Toast

Snack @ 9:30am:
Pineapples and Strawberries

Lunch @ 12:45pm:
Open-faced Turkey Sandwich
Strawberries

Snack @ 3:45pm:
Apple

Dinner @ 7:15pm:
Chicken and Broccoli Rice Bowl

Workout:
Insanity Max Cardio Conditioning DVD

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 163.2 lbs
Tone: 261 lbs

Overall, I felt like I ate a LOT on Monday.  Eating every 3-4 hours is an adjustment for me - Im used to eating 2-3 times a day and I definitely do not eat this much fruit in a day.  So far, yesterday was a good start to the diet.  I cant wait to see how the rest of the week turns out.

Quick note on the foods:
Strawberry French Toast was made with Sprouted Grain bread - a very nutty/wholesome taste.  It was different and not my favorite dish, but I ate it!
Open-faced Turkey Sandwich - again, sprouted grain bread, so not my favorite and I was glad there was only one slice of the bread!
Chicken and Broccoli Rice Bowl - this turned out pretty good and the kids had some too.  They kept asking "what smells so good?!" while it was cooking.  I made a double batch for lunch leftovers and since Tuesday night is dance night and Im busy with running my daughter back and forth from the studio, we decided well have it for dinner Tuesday night as well.

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Week 1 Weigh in Results

This morning I had my first follow up appointment at the clinic to find out how much weight I lost in my first week and the results are in!  I am officially down 10.7 lbs!!

Im really excited that I lost so much my first week.  Im just wondering how much Ill end up losing next week.  Ive added in a lot of food to my 600-700 calories of protein/day.  Ill now be allowed to have 1 healthy fat 1x/day or 3x/week (depending on what foods I choose).  For example, I could have 2 tsp of olive oil once per day OR I could have 10g of Almonds three times a week.  I also get 2 servings of non-starchy vegetables each day OR 1 serving of veggies and 1 serving of FRUIT!  Thats right, FRUIT!  I had 3 oz of grapes today and I honestly thought I had died and gone to heaven!  Grapes have never tasted so good.

I can also begin exercising.  Today I spent moving around a lot doing groceries at two different stores and then doing some light cleaning around the house so I figured I might start a routine tomorrow.  Im dying to try the Wii Zumba 2 game I bought last week on Amazon and Id love to get back on my Wii Fit Plus to do some yoga.  I might start out slow by doing just a little bit (15 mins or so) every day and just try to get in the habit of doing it daily so that working out feels like a normal part of my routine.  No different than flossing my teeth or feeding the dog.

Today I didnt end up eating until early afternoon because I was so busy this morning but heres an example of what Im going to be eating in the coming weeks based on todays choices:

• 1 Boca Burger w/ 1/2 tsp dijon mustard & 3 oz of red seedless grapes (130 Kcal)
• 2 oz of Boars Head Maple Glaze Honey Coat Ham w/1 tsp Boards Head Honey Mustard and 1 round of Babybel Light cheese (120 Kcal)
• 150g Nonfat Greek Vanilla Yogurt (120 Kcal)
• 4 oz Sirloin Filet Steak, 4 oz Jumbo Shrimp w/Hot & Sour Dipping Sauce and 1/2 cup steamed green beans (345 Kcal)
• 10g dry roasted salted almonds (63 Kcal)
• 1/2 cup sugar-free lime jello w/2 Tbsp Cool Whip Free (20 Kcal)

So all in all today I consumed 798 calories and honestly?  I feel great tonight with just that little bit extra.  I suppose thats good considering this will be my diet for the foreseeable future.  Its crunch time, lets see how fast I can lose all this weight!  Only 116 lbs to go!

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Good Morning Roarke

One of my absolute favorite things is watching Roarke wake up from a long nights sleep or nap time. The faces he makes, the exaggerated movements he does, his little squeaks and coos... they all make my heart smile. There is just nothing better. I have found myself really trying to concentrate on taking in all these little moments that I enjoy with him because I know I will blink and they will be gone before I know it.

Boys are so fun!

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Low Calories Breakfast

#1 Mixed grain bread with a little almond butter, sliced banana, raisins on top, and a sprinkling of cinnamon; serve with a glass of low fat milk.

#2 High fiber cereal, topped with mixed nuts, dried fruit, and a small glass of calcium fortified soy milk.

#3 Natural yoghurt mixed with a chopped apple, berries, and whole grain cereal; served with 100% whole orange juice.

#4 Healthy granola bar, one orange, and a glass of low fat milk.

#5 Whole wheat English muffin, toasted and thinly spread with reduced fat cottage cheese, topped with sliced pineapple; serve with a glass of 100% whole fruit juice.

#6 Natural yoghurt, topped with mixed berries, a teaspoon of ground flaxseeds, a slice of whole grain toast; and a cup of green tea.

#7 Swiss muesli - combine 2 cups of rolled oats, and 1 cup low fat milk or fruit juice, cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning add 2 grated apples, 1/4 chopped hazelnuts, and 200g of low fat honey yoghurt, mix well (serves 4).

#8 Whole wheat English muffin topped with melted reduced fat cheese, a sliced tomato, and a sliced hard-boiled egg; served with a small glass of 100% pure fruit juice.

#9 Scrambled egg, sprinkled with a teaspoon of ground flaxseeds; served with mixed grain bread, fresh fruit salad, and a small glass of low fat milk.

#10 Cooked oats topped with raisins, dried cranberries, sliced bananas, and calcium fortified soy milk.

#11 Brown rice or barley - cook the night before, then in the morning top with some raisins, sliced apple, a sprinkling of cinnamon, and a little reduced fat milk.

#12 Whole wheat pita half topped with grilled Canadian bacon, a little reduced fat cottage cheese, tomatoes, and mushrooms; serve with 100% pure fruit juice.

#13 Fruit smoothie – add strawberries, kiwi, and a banana to the blender, a cup of natural yoghurt, one teaspoon of ground flaxseeds, and a cup of crushed ice.

#14 Mini wheat cereal, dried fruit, mixed nuts, place in a plastic bag and eat on the way to work with a thermos cup of low fat milk.

#15 Breakfast burrito – scrambled eggs, chopped tomatoes, and a little grated reduced fat cheese, wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla, served with green tea and a slice of fresh ginger.

#16 Whole grain bread topped with kippers, or smoked salmon, and sliced tomatoes; serve with two small apricots, and a cup of low fat milk.

#17 Homemade granola – mix 2 cups rolled oats, 1 cup of wheat cereal, 1 cup dried fruits and seeds, 1/4 cup of flaked coconut.

#18 Multi grain English muffin, toasted and spread with peanut butter, topped with sliced apples, and served with a small glass of calcium fortified soy milk.

#19 Multi grain cereal, topped with raisins, a sliced banana, and low fat milk.

#20 Healthy “blobs” – mix 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk, 3 cups crushed flake cereal, and 2 tablespoons honey. Form into “blobs” (should make 10). Wrap each blob in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Grab a couple with a travel cup of skim milk and go! (From Nutritionist Alana Unger)

#21 Whole wheat bagel topped with reduced fat cottage cheese, sprinkled with flaxseed; serve with a small bowl of mixed berries, and a cup of herbal tea.

#22 Scrambled tofu, with onions, and peppers, a dash of light soy sauce, and stir-fry with a little olive oil. Serve with whole grain toast, and a glass of calcium fortified soy milk.

#23 Sandwich made with lean ham or turkey, in whole grain bread, topped with sliced tomatoes, and a small glass of reduced fat milk.

#24 Mini whole grain bagel, topped with almond butter, sliced apples, and a glass of 100% whole orange juice.

#25 Sliced melon tossed in a bowl with the pulp of one passion fruit, topped with natural yoghurt, and a handful of muesli.

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Starting Stats on Day 1 of 7

Okay, so "attempting" a 1 week test period of making my diet mainly just protein shakes.  Ive decided to use Muscle Pharms Combat Powder (Orange Creamsicle flavor...delicious!).... so right now, its a shake for breakfast around 8am, then another around 10am.... a high protein, low carb lunch (like maybe a sandwich or Subway)...then another shake after my workout (maybe around 3:30pm)...then a protein only dinner (such as half pound of grilled chicken tenderloin, pork tenderloin or a extra lean 96/4 grilled hamburger patty w/ a piece of fat-free cheese)...and then another protein shake right before bed (but Casein protein for the last one right before bed).

Day one started on 02/06/13 and my body stats (Im a 6 1" male) that morning at 8:37AM was: 
Weight: 193.5
Fat Weight: 46.2 
Fat Percentage: 23.9

(I dont really care about my overall weight, just my body fat weight/fat%....the only way you should measure in the "fit world")

Of course Im trying to exercise every day for one hour as usual. (mainly weight training with some cardio as well)

Also, took a sample diet pill that came in the mail called STIM 10 (made me feel a little crazy though since Im very sensitive to stimulants)

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Day 3 Results 02 08 13

The start of day 3 (which is still only being on the diet for about 48 hours) still showed pretty good results...3 pounds of straight fat in 48 hours!?..heck yes!!....here are todays stats at 7:32am:

Weight: 188.5 lbs
Body Fat Weight: 43.2 lbs
Body Fat Percentage: 23.0%

Given this digital scale can not always be accurate...and my water level fluctuate, Im still okay with todays results.  Only bad thing is that the weekend is about here and I have 2 dinners to go out to on 02/10/13....so hopefully I can choose wisely from the menus...and I guess once those meals have processed (usually takes my body about 48 hours), the scale will tell me around 02/12/13!  Looks like I may just have to double up on workouts this weekend to compensate!

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Week 1 Recap of the Fast Metabolism Diet 5 6 13

Week 1 on the Fast Metabolism Diet was obviously challenging.  We went through many cravings and temptations yet kept our minds focused on the plan.  I think the hardest part of doing something different is starting.  But we started it and we are seeing results, so we are definitely continuing and going to make it to the 28 day finish line.  It takes 28 days to repair the metabolism - we have 7 days down, only 21 days to go!

My suggestion for those of you who want to start this plan is to avoid temptation as much as possible in the first week until you get into a rhythm with the diet.  Move those dinner plans that you have with friends - it just makes it easier to stay focused.  If you do go out, check out the restaurants menu online beforehand, create a plan for what you are going to eat and stick with it.  Youll feel better that you were able to stay on plan and youll gain an abundance of self-confidence and self-control because you can do this.  It just takes focus and determination!

I also found that its easier to buy foods that my family likes or that we were willing to try. I bought some of the fruits and veggies in frozen form, because that works for our busy schedule.  Do what works best for you - if you dont have time to wash and cut up fresh veggies, buy the frozen version.

Our favorite recipes from the book so far are the Broccoli and Chicken rice bowl and the Vegetable and Chicken soup.  Im hoping to try a new recipe every few days so that I dont get bored.  I plan to check out Whole Foods this upcoming week for some food items they didnt carry at Kowalskis or Trader Joes, such as sprouted grain tortillas and safflower mayo.  Otherwise, Ill be searching online for these items!

Week 1 Weight Loss:
Kiana: 8.4 lbs
Anthony: 10.8 lbs

Im really surprised by the weight loss considering all of the food we ate. Its like a Biggest Loser weight loss, without the extreme workouts!  This type of weight loss is not typical for me at all - it would normally take at least 2 months to lose this much weight and I did it only a week.  It just shows how clean eating is the way to go, along with the rotation of foods in the specific order. Dont get me wrong, Im not saying that I wont ever eat at my favorite restaurants once in awhile, but thats just it - once in awhile, not all weekend long!  And with my metabolism back up to par, Ill be able to have that nice dinner out or dessert without stressing about weight gain.

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Quick Healthy Recipes Part 3

Dahi Kadi/ Majige Huli

Ingredients:

·         3 cups yogurt (slightly sour)

·         2 green chilies (optional)

·         2 tsps. cumin seeds(jeera)

·        1 tsp. Olive/ canola/ sunflower/Veg cooking oil

·         1 tsp. mustard seeds

·         2 dry red chilies broken into smaller pieces

·         10 curry leaves

·         Salt to taste

·         Fresh chopped coriander to garnish

·         ½ Tsp Turmeric

·         1 Tbsps. Gram Flour(Besan)

·         Pinch of Asafoetida(Heeng)

Preparation:

·         Mix the green chilies, cumin seeds & Salt and grind in a food processor. Add little water to make smooth paste.

·         Add Gram Flour to ½ Cup water and make smooth paste

·         Whisk the yogurt separately till smooth and add a cup of water to it. Blend well.  Then add Gram Flour smooth paste and Mix it well.

·         Heat the oil in a heavy base vessel on a medium flame.

·         Add Mustard and let it splutter, and then add the dry red chilies, curry leaves, turmeric and Asafoetida to it.

·         Add 2 Cup water and Add Green Chilie & Cumin seed mix to it. Let it boil for 1 min.

·         At this point you can even add some already boiled vegetables like white pumpkin

·         Put the Yogurt mixture in pan, mix slowly and heat slowly on a medium flame. Stir occasionally.

·         Just before the mixture comes to a boil turn off the fire.

·         Garnish with fresh chopped coriander and serve with plain boiled rice.

Tips:
Make it more delicious and nutritious by adding Boiled vegetable. You can add ladies finger (Okra/Bhendi)/ white pumpkin / cucumber to the kadi. Boil vegetable separately with lots of water and little salt for 7 min on high heat and add it to Kadi after the seasoning.
Please note this recipe is without Pakodis (gram flour fritters north Indian style) and Coconut(South Indian Style) to make it more healthy food.

Pan Grilled Eggplant/ Baigan Bhaja

Ingredients:

1 medium sized eggplant OR 4 Small Egg Plant
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp Cumin(Jeera) Powder
1tsp Turmeric(Haldi) Powder
3/4 tsp salt
Cooking spray oil (PAM 100% Olive oil spray).
Note: Eggplant will soak up as much oil as you put in the pan. So I use cooking spray.

Preparation:

Wash and pat dry the eggplant. Cut into 1" thick discs. Fill a large bowl with cold water and soak the eggplant discs in it for about 15 minutes. (This will remove the bitter juices). Drain water and place eggplant pieces in a flat Plate.

Sprinkle the salt, red chili powder, Turmeric powder and Cumin powder over eggplant cut pieces.
Spread properly with your pam over eggplant pieces so it’s kind of dry marinated/covered with masala.

 Heat a nonstick Tawa (Griddle) or a flat bottomed pan on medium heat. Spray some cooking oil all over Tawa. Place each piece flat on Tawa. Spray a little cooking oil and  Cook till eggplant is slightly brown from the side touching tawa.  Use fork or spoon to lift and monitor the color of eggplant piece.
Spray a little cooking spray Change sides and cook till the side is brown.

Serve hot with boiled Rice or Roti and enjoy !

Tips:
Sometimes we’ve to sprinkle extra salt while grilling on pan.

By: Reena Sharma

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Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Stuffed Shells

When I ran across this recipe I really didnt think it would turn out that great. It was just something that didnt look too hard and didnt take a lot of ingredients. However, it turned out so much better than I ever expected and Dan even said it was one of the best meals I have ever made! WHAT!

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Stuffed Shells (www.sweetdashofsass.com)

Ingredients

• 1 jar (16 oz) alfredo sauce
• 2 cups canned chicken 
• 2 cups cooked broccoli, chopped
• 1 cup shredded cheddar (or mozzarella) cheese
• 1/4 cup shredding parmesan
• 21 jumbo pasta shells, cooked
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups spaghetti sauce (optional, but I love the combination of alfredo with tomato sauce)
• salt/pepper to season (if needed)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix alfredo, chicken, broccoli, and cheeses.

Spoon mixture into pasta shells.

Grease 13x9 baking dish with butter or cooking spray.

Evenly spread spaghetti sauce on bottom of baking dish.

Arrange shells in baking pan.

Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes until heated thru.

Remember that the noodles need to be cooked prior to stuffing. I cooked them 1-2 minutes under what the package says... that way they will fully cook when baking in the oven!

Dan rated this meal a 4.75 out of 5 stars! He raved about it for weeks!

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Quick Healthy Recipes Part 1

Mango Salsa Recipe
1 ripe/raw mango, peeled, pitted(without skin and seed)), and diced (about 1 1/2 cup)
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 Green Chilies/ Jalapeño, minced (include ribs and seeds for a hotter taste if desired)
1 small cucumber, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
3 Tbsp. fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
 

Salt as per taste
(I even add little Carrot/Beetroot/Tomatoes. More the merrier)
Mix all and serve with lunch or dinner. You eat as salad or topping for Papad or topping for any chat items.

Stuffed Pita:Get Whole Wheat Pita Bread 1 Packet
Pressure Cook 1 & 1/2 cup Black beans with 4 Cup water, 2tsp salt and 2 Garlic cloves.
Drain water and keep Boiled Black beans aside. Add little salt again.
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
Raisin Grapes finely chopped
1 Tomatoes finely chopped
3 Tbsp. fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Cut Pita into Half, pan grill till it turns golden throughout.
Open half cut pita like a pocket Fill it with Boiled Black beans, little cut onions, Grapes, tomatoes and Cilantro. Its ready to eat.
Vegetarian Lettuce wraps recipe is quick and easy to make. Serve the filling on a platter with whole lettuce leaves on the side, and let your friends and family wrap their own. Theyll love the combination of crisp, cold lettuce with the warm, flavorful filling.
head fresh iceberg lettuce (this type works best for this recipe)
1. Cooking oil: 3tsp
2. Finely chopped onions: 1½ Cup
3. Minced Garlic: 2 Tablespoons Cup
4. Finely chopped ginger: 1"x1"
5. Soy Chunks: 1½ Cup (Put Soy Chunks in Boiled water for 4min and drain the hot water by putting in colander and squeezing out all the water)
6. Mutton Masala/Garam Masala 1 teaspoon
7. Cumin Powder: 1 teaspoon
8. Coriander powder: 1 teaspoon
9. Red Chili powder/Lal Mirch powder (Cayenne): ½ teaspoon or to taste
10. Salt: ½ teaspoon or to taste
11. Tomato Paste/Mango powder(amchur): 2 tsp.
12. Defrosted green peas: 1 Cup (Optional)
13. Chopped fresh Cilantro: 2 Tablespoons

Method1. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan/nonstick pan. Add onions and sauté onions till clear about 5 minutes. Add Garlic, Ginger. Continue Sautéing about 90 seconds.
2. Add Boiled & Drained Soy Chunks. On medium heat continue cooking and till all water is dried and the Soy has turned light brown.
3. Add ingredients Mutton Masala, Cumin Powder, Coriander powder, Red chili powder, Salt. Sauté about one minute.
4. Add Tomato Paste Continue sautéing till it forms a mixture (shiny).
5.  Turn down heat to medium. Cover. Simmer covered for 7 minutes or till done.
7. Add Green peas. Shut off heat. Do NOT cook peas for long time, they lose color and become mushy.
Garnish with fresh chopped Cilantro.
Now take 1 leaf of iceberg lettuce and put 1tbs of Soy Stuffing in the center, wrap it up and eat.
You can use some tamarind chutney or any ketchup to make it more interesting.

By: Reena Sharma

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Day 3 on the Fast Metabolism Diet 5 1 13

Day 3 starts a new phase in foods - protein and veggies only.  My first thought this morning was, this may be a challenging day.  As I looked at the meals for today and go, what have I gotten myself into?!  I still have cravings here and there, but I just need to keep thinking - food is fuel!  And, I need to stay focused on the end result - faster metabolism, healthier body and hopefully a love for some of these foods so that I can continue to eat clean most of the time after the 28 days are over.

The scale was AWESOME this morning!  Im down 4 lbs in two days and the hubby is down 6.2 lbs!  I do anticipate slow down at some point, either later this week or in week 2, but as of today, I think it may actually be possible to lose 20lbs in a month by eating clean.


Energy: Again, no big increase in energy.  I actually feel a bit tired since I had to get up last night and de-bone the chicken for the soup.

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 159.2 lbs
Tone: 254.8 lbs

Menu:
Breakfast @ 7am:
Egg whites with garlic, onions and spinach, scrambled.

Snack @ 10:30am:
Beef jerky

Lunch @ 1:30pm:
Chicken and vegetable soup

Snack @ 3:45pm:
3 hard boiled egg whites and celery

Dinner @ 7:15pm:
Sirloin steak and asparagus


Notes on Food:
It was hard to cook breakfast - although I have great pans, the garlic and egg whites were sticking to the pan because I couldnt use olive oil - boo!  So, Ill have to re-read the food list and see what I can use so that I dont have half the eggs stuck to the pan tomorrow.
The soup was good - I could go for an extra kick or something to give a tad more flavor.  The hubby loved it so thats a plus!
Hard boiled egg whites - well, I dont like hard boiled eggs to begin with, so I was attempting something outside my comfort zone here and it was a FAIL!  I will stick to nitrate-free deli turkey or beef jerky as my protein source tomorrow.
Sirloin steak and asparagus - well, I live in MN and we had snow last night, so we decided to use the broiler instead of grilling the steak.  We put sea-salt and pepper on the steak and it was delicious.  I put lime juice, sea-salt and garlic on the asparagus and threw that in the other oven.  It was a great dinner - if steak wasnt so expensive, Id eat that way every night! 

Preparation:
Preparation of food for the next day is going OK.  Some things were put together in the morning while breakfast was cooking - so not too bad.
As far as foods, I have been to Trader Joes a total of 3 times in 4 days.  Partially because they didnt have what I wanted on the first trip and partially because I just dont know how big 4 cups of broccoli is.  Im going to cut myself some slack and hope for a better shopping trip for week 2.

Workout:
P90X Chest and Back DVD

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Week 1

#52weeksofRoarke

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Week 1 Meal Plan

Below is my own personal meal plan I wrote up in excel based on the sample meal plans and recipes in the book. There are lists of food I can eat in each phase if I cannot cook every meal which is also helpful, but I will do my best to try and cook every meal and photograph and review it here.

I will go grocery shopping later today. This is my approximate shopping list for meals MON to THURS

FRUIT

STRAWBERRY

WATERMELON

MANGOS

APPLE

LEMON

PINEAPPLE

VEGGIES

3 CUPS MUSHROOMS

3 GARLIC

3 ONION

14.5 OZ DICED TOMATO

BAY LEAF

2 CUPS ZUCCHINI

1 CUP BROCCOLI FLORETS

2 SHALLOT

4 CUPS SPINACH

4 PORTABELLO MUSHROOMS

ROMAINE LETTUCE

MISC

STEVIA

MINT

1 CUP WILD RICE

14 CUPS CHICKEN BROTH

4 CUPS VEGETABLE BROTH

1 CUP BARLEY

ROSEMARY

CILANTRO

BASIL

OREGANO

THYME

BAY LEAF

MEAT

CHICKEN 5lbs bonesless skinless breast

3 EGG WHITES

TURKEY 2lbs breast steaks

BEEF 3bs lean ground

SALMON smoked 6oz

TURKEY deli slices nitrate free

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