March Motivational Challenge

Hello lovies!!! How are my hotties doing? It's been way too long since my last blog update. I apologize for this hiatus. The past months have been super busy with so many projects and activities, blogging was almost impossible. But enough excuses. I'm back to let you all know that I have continued my low-carb way of living and healthy life-style in general. My weight-loss has been consistent, albeit slow. Can't complain. I'll be posting progress pictures and some yummy recipes below.

The main purpose of this post however, is to propose a motivational challenge for myself and any one else who needs a boost. Tomorrow is the first day of March, only  21 days till Spring! Yes! You know what that means, right? Warmer weather, fresher air, more outdoor  activities, ditching the winter gear in favor of lighter clothing. Agh. I cannot wait! With the beginning of March, I want to personally challenge myself to really up the ante in terms of my weight-loss and fitness goals. I want to incorporate even more work-outs than I have in the past (rain or shine) and apply a more stream-lined eating regime. (i.e. eliminating certain fruits and grains) at least for a month to see if this helps me lose a total of 5 inches or more (from chest, waist and hips.)  I want to invite you all to join me by a little healthy competition. Here is how it's going to work. Rules as follows:

March Motivational Challenge

1. Contest runs from March 1st through March 31st.
2. Anyone who wants to join in on the fun and get healthier in the process is welcome, I only need you to comment below or in the Facebook Healthy Hotties Forum and indicate your will be participating.
3. The winner will be determined based on Percentage of Inches Lost. This is how it will be calculated:

 At the commence of the Challenge (which is tomorrow - March 1st), you will need take your initial body measurements with a tape measure. The three main indicators will be - Chest, Waist and Hips, write these down. Your welcome to share with others or keep to yourself; however at the end of the contest you'll have to share your results.

To determine the percentage lost:  Re-measure at the end of the month (however, your encouraged to measure and share your progress at weekly intervals) and subtract from your initial measurements. The difference should be divided by the initial measurements.

Example. Let's say your starting waist measurement is 36 inches. and your end waist measurement is 32 inches. The result is 4 inches lost. To determine percentage lost the formula would be as follows:  ( 36-32=4) 4/36 = 11%.

4. The person with the highest percentage of inches lost at the end of the month will receive a prize.  Each participant will have to post a before and after picture at the end of the month.

5. Prize will include goodies such as new water canteen, gift certificate for i-tunes (to add to your work-out playlist) and some other treats.

6. Of course, it goes without saying that everyone is expected to play fair and display the utmost honesty. At the end of the day, the true prize will be how good you feel about yourself and your progress towards a healthier self!

Let the fun begin!!!!

*****************

Here are some recent pictures of my progress as well as some delicious low-carb, high-health recipe ideas:

At the New York Philharmonic Symphony - Dec 2011

In Burlington, Vermont - January 2012

Stanley Theatre - Feb 2012

At a Preppy Themed Party - Feb 2012

Food Pics/Recipes:

Low Carb Shepards Pie made with organic, lean ground beef and cauliflower. Soo good.

Braised Chicken Breast and asparagus Salad

Tilapia lightly breaded in corn starch and broiled. Cabbage salad w/avocado

Mediterranean Tuna Salad

Hope these inspire you. I'll be back with updates very shortly.

xoxo,

The Healthy Hottie

Month Two Updates

Hello everyone. Just a quick update on my weight-loss progress and goals after two-months of my new health and eating regime of pretty much consuming very healthy, yummy-tasting but low-carb meals. I am doing this the right way, slowly but surely. Nothing drastic, nothing I can't stick  to for the long-run.

Weight loss to date: 15lbs..
Inches (from head to toe): 11 (lost 1 full inch off my waist from month one to month two)

I'm feeling good. Lots more energy. Visible results (always a welcome thing, especially when you start getting the "hey, you've been losing weight and it shows!" comments:)

But I still have a ways to go before I can move on to maintenance mode. Let's see what month three brings. I am leaving on a mini vacation soon that hopes to incorporate lots of hiking and walking. However, I am also going to allow myself to taste a little bit of everything. It's Holiday, to deprive myself would be counter-productive. However, the emphasis will be on moderation and portion control, I'm not about to ruin my progess.

A few recipes for you low-carb lovers:

Braised Lemon and Garlic Chicken Breasts with caramelized onions. A cooked salad of tayota (a vegetable with a carrot/cucumber like consistency but a very mild zucchini-like taste), carrot and boiled egg, olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper. And halved cherry tomatoes.

Grilled Chicken Salad, romaine lettuce, red cabbage, onion, tomato, carrot, avocado and a dressing of grated garlic, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper. So yummy!

I'll be back soon with updates.

xoxo,

The Healthy Hottie.

Progress Pictures - Oct 2011

Hello Hotties! Just a quick update, I continue in my low-carb living and weight-loss journey and am proud to say the results are visible.

I measured myself yesterday, I am down 1 more inch in the waist and 2 1/2 more inches around my hips, my total weight-loss in pounds is now 14lbs.

Here are a few before and after progress pictures, I can really tell the difference in the way my clothes fit and am fitting into items I hadn't been able to wear for quite awhile. Also, I purchased a new dress in a size 14 Misses (Slim) previously I was wearing size 14 misses/ 16 misses regular. My goal is to reach a size 12/14 slim across the board, even in skinny jeans. That is the ideal/healthy size for me, still have a ways to go but I'm taking it one day at a time.

Before - August 2011

And In- Progress (14lbs down and about 10 inches less from top to bottom) October 2011:

(excuse the red eyes and bad quality of this pic)

Here is a better quality one:



I'm really happy about my progress thus far and continue to enjoy healthy, delicious meals without feeling deprived. Below are a few more recipe ideas for those of you also on the low-carb bandwagon:

Chicken Stir-Fry:

Turkey Meatloaf with Cauliflower Mash and salad (picture does not do justice to how good this was):

And my Daily Green Juice. This one contains Kale, Cabbage, Cucumber, Celery, Green Pepper and Apple. I've discussed the benefits of juicing in detail here, for anyone interested.

And that is it for now. Will be back with more updates soon. How are you doing with your health goals? Please comment and share:)

xoxo,

The HH



Month One Updates.

Sorry I haven't updated as often as promised. I was attacked witih a sinus infection that seemed to have disappeared but then returned with a vengeance. Needless to say it has not been fun.

However, the good news is that despite being under the weather I managed to stick to new eating regime and modest excercise plan and have lost 12 pounds in one month! I've also lost another 1/2 inch on the waist which gives me a total of 8 inches lost from head to toe! It's very visible in my clothing. Love when everything starts feeling much loser and looking "flatter"! I'm sticking with this plan for the long run. My goal is another 12lbs by the next month (Nov 5th.)

Here are some of the foods I've consumed over the past couple of weeks let me know if you need the recipes, they are delicious, very low-carb,low sugar and low calorie foods but high on flavor and satisfaction!

Lunch

 Greek Salad with home-made yougurt vineagrette. Romaine lettuce, red onions, tomatoes, black olives, and sprinkled feta cheese.

Romaine and Italian Tuna "Tacos". I drained a can of Italian tuna in olive oil, diced celery, red onion and tomatoes, added a tsp of low-fat mayo, dijon and lemon juice. Cleaned and seperated romaine leaves and filled them with the tuna mixture into a handy little "taco" shape. The hubs loved them and no need for silverware;)

Arugula and Blackberry Chicken Salad. (I had left-over baked chicken breasts, decided to chop them up and add them to this yummy salad along with arugula, red onion, diced apple, cherry tomatoes and blackberries dressed in a home-made garlic vineagrette. The sweet and savory combos make it especially delicious!)

Appetizers - Party Food

One evening I had a few girlfriends over for a few appetizers and some vino (red and dry for me:) and I decided I would make delicious healthy dishes that I could enjoy guilt-free Like this hummus and crudite platter with a myriad of delicious veggies. (And for those who enjoy a little bread with their hummus I also added  hot pita slices when everyone arrived.)

These ground turkey kebobs I flavored with a delicious Middle Eastern spices and then cooked in skillet with olive oil spray and aded the skewers.  I then quickly whipped up a Tzatziki sauce with non fat Greek yougurt, grated cucumber, garlic and little salt and pepper to taste. These were a hit with the ladies!

Prosciutto wrapped cauntelope chunks sprikled with feta cheese and a drizzle of honey. I sort of came up with this last minute to add a pop of fresh to the appetizer platters, and it resulted in another huge success. Again the contrast of savory and sweet and the different textures made for a delicious bite of food:)

Dinner

I found flounder on sale at the grocery store so I cooked it up in a red wine sauce with lots of fresh herbs and combined it with Italian veggies. I paired it with poached pumpkin (auyma in Spanish) and a little avocado salad. The crappy picture quality does not give this dish the justice it deserves. Trust me, delicious and filling.

That's all I documented thus far. I hope to have more pictures and updates soon!

xoxo

The HH

Low-Carb eating Plan Updates and recipes!

Hello fellow hotties:)

Quick update for you all.

Today marks two official weeks since starting my new low-carb eating health plan incorporating some concepts from Dukan, some concepts from South Beach and most concepts from my own research on healthy low-carb eating in general. Its a lifestyle, not a diet.  It seems to be the best method for my body, remember what works for one person does not automatically work for somebody else.

I measured myself this morning and happy day! here are my stats:

4 inches down from my hips/lower belly (the largest part of my body)! Woohoo!!
1 1/2 inches down from my waist.
1 inch down from chest/breast area (mostly on the back - the hubs is concerned that I lose weight on one of his favorite curves. lol)
1/2 inch down from each arm
1/2 inch down on each thigh


I am very pleased!!!!  Clothes are reflecting the loss as are the comments from my hubby and others who have noticed.  This has all been accomplished with just changing my eating habits because unfortunately, I've been too sick to work out. I have incorporated walking on a few of those days but other days I just had to rest. I'm still not 100%, I'm very curious to see what happens once I incorporate my cardio regimes. I'm sure my apetite will increase, but I have to say that with this eating plan that limits certain foods but not quantities, I'm never hungry. I become satisfied quickly, what I am is very thirsty which is a good thing because my water consumption has increased dramatically (i.e.  I'm averaging 16 oz of 16 cups of water a day even on cooler weather days.)

I also have allowed myself a 'cheat meal' to keep the sanity. What this does NOTtmean is that I sit down to a smorgasbord of high-carb, high-sugar, uber fatty foods and ruin all of my progress in one meal. What it does mean  is that I allow myself "one" side dish or entree that has a little extra carbs or calories. This week it was a chicken tamale with verde sauce ( a green salsa.) It was a delicious treat and I enjoyed it thoroughly but I was satiated, after that I no longer needed or wanted any other "naughty" treat. I've done a lot of research and allowing yourself a cheat meal every other week or so can actually help increase your metabolism if done the right way.

Here are some of the delicious foods I've had for breakfast, lunch and dinner these past weeks.  My hubby is also enjoying them and has lost a few inches himself (albeit, he admittedly cheats way more than I do:)

Breakfast:  2 organic sunny side eggs prepared in a non-stick skillet with olive oil spray. 2 pieces of canadian bacon. Sauteed mushrooms and tomatoes in olive oil spray (0 cals.) An what's known as a "Dukan" pancake. It's made out of 1 1/2 Tsp of oat-bran, 1/2 tsp of non-fat cottage cheese and 1 egg white. Its not the best tasting thing but its a great way to get the oat-bran into your system. Last but certainly not least, my cup of coffee with non fat milk and no sugar. This breakfast is both filling and delicious!

Lunch: Chicken stir-fry made in non-stick skillet with olive oil spray and organic chicken breasts, red onion, carrot, edadamame, brocoli, red cabbage  lots of garlic and low-sodium soy sauce and a little rice-wine vinegar. Soo good!

Dinner: Marinated turkey cutlets (marinated them in lots of herbs and spices and a little rice wine vinegar, for about 4 hours) then put them under the broiler for that bbq effect. Asparagus salad consists of sauteed
asparagus, roma tomatoes and a little skim-milk mozzarela tossed in a home-made vineagrette of balsamic vinegar and a little olive oil. Soooo good!

This was a Friday Dinner Special: Eggplant parmesan with meat sauce, done the healthy way. I cut the eggplant in small round disks, dipped them in egg-white and then in parmesan cheese (instead of bread crumbs) then browned them in a non-stick skillet with olive oil spray. I then prepared the meat sauce (ground turkey) with diced onions, garlic, oregano and no-sugar ragu sauce. Finally assembled everything with a little shredded skim-milk mozzarella and put it under the broiler for 25 minutes. Served with a side of romaine lettuce in balsamic vineagrette. I promise you wont miss pasta with this dish!

(Pardon the bad quality of these pictures, all taken with my Blackberry cam.)

And there you have it, updates and hopefully some recipes you guys might try and enjoy. Please tell me how your doing? Let's motivate each other!

xoxo

The Healthy Hottie.

Dukan Diet Updates

It’s Day 6 and I have completed the requirements for the "attack phase" which was pretty much pure protein, low-fat dairy and little else. I am happy to report this "shock" to my system was exactly what I needed to jumpstart my weight-loss. I started on Wednesday of last week, well this morning I measured myself and am down 2 1/2 inches from my hips/lower belly and 1 inch down in my waist! For 5 days, of sacrifice - I'll take it!

The wonderful thing is that my body is not craving any starches, or sweets. What was extremely difficult was not having my veggies or an occasional healthy fruit. But I have now graduated to the "Cruise Phase" which allows almost all non-starchy veggies. I have done a lot of research on this "diet", which is more of a health-plan then a diet, because to me the word "diet" implies deprivation and although some foods are now allowed - I have never felt hungry on this plan, not once - but I digress. What I have determined that works best for my body is a modified version of this Dukan Diet. This will render the best results for me in the long-run.

I will continue to limit my food intake to healthy low-fat proteins, all the no-starch veggies I want, and also incorporate a limited but healthy amount of "good fats" (i.e. avocado, olive oil, olives and one serving of low-carb fruit (i.e. strawberries, blueberries and organic apples.)  For a few weeks I will contnue to completely cut out any other carbohydrates in the form of beans, whole grains, pasta, bread and rice.

I "feel" much lighter, and have already seen the difference in my clothes and although I'm sick today and have not been able to incorporate my 30 minutes of walking or cardio that is suggested, I will make it up as soon as I get better with an hour long cardio session the remainder of the days.

This really works! Will continue to update with my progress/feedback as I go...

I leave you with a picture of one of my pure protein meals - Burger with "Fries" made with tofu:

Dukan Diet Day One

Testing, Testing. Is this thing on? Its a bit dusty, I haven't been on in eons...

Hey there. Its me - the Healthy Hottie. I am still working hard on maintaining a healthy life-style. I still exercise regularly, eat healthy and make a concerted effort to make good choices and yet I am currently alternating between sizes 14/16 misses,depending on the item of clothing.  There has been little change, which can be good but it is also bad because I want "progress." My ultimate goal is 20 to 30lbs and a size 12/14 misses across the board. That is the healthiest weight/size for me and my lifestyle.

Tired of being in a plateau, decided to shock my body into trying something new (like how that rhymes?:)
Enter the French Eating Plan Revolution developed by Dr. Dukan. The DukanDiet. I am now a Dukanite. 

My hubby and I are on Day one of the Attack Phase, which is virtually pure protein, non-fat dairy and little else. Here is how we did:

Breakfast - 2 egg omelet, one wedge of laughing cow-light cheese, 2 slices of roast beef, coffee with nonfat milk and no sugar. Yes. No sugar, not even Agave. Not going to lie, that was hard.

Snack: 2 pieces of low-fat cured ham and another laughing cow light wedge.

Lunch: Herb marinated Chicken Breast braised, one dill pickle spear, a cup of limade with stevia and fresh limes.

Dinner: 2 organic chicken sausages, another dill pickle spear.

Dessert: One non-fat cup of organic oikos greek yogurt, mixed with 1 tsp of oat bran, cinnamon and stevia.

Conclusions: Day one has been semi difficult. We are not hungry, the protein really does its job of making us feel full and surprisingly not craving any naughty carbs or sweets. (i.e. starches, desserts) but I am craving FRESH produce. I would kill for a good salad right now. Let's hope I can survive four more days without my veggies.

Will touch base tomorrow with updates.