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Monday, November 11, 2013

Health Changes Continue; Before and After or On the Way Shots ... Plus Recipes

 This is me a couple of years ago ...

And here I am a couple of months ago ...


 
 
 
My goals-to-date have been reached. We'll call this a SECOND GOAL...to be down
20 pounds
from where I started. Reached today!
And gone from size L to size M.
 
 FIRST GOAL was obtained four months into starting a VEGAN/PLANT BASED way of eating.
 
And the health benefits are:
 
1. No more need of Statin drugs for high cholesterol, because my cholesterol is NORMAL.
2. No more medication for GERD, because I no longer have GERD.
3. I am no longer pre-diabetic.
4. All of 15 blood tests were within the normal range including tests for Calcium, B12, iron,
and Vitamin D.
 
All of this has been accomplished in less than six months.
 
I continue to eat a plant based diet.
 
I continue to exercise almost daily.
(40-60 crunches; 20-40 minutes on the treadmill, plus stationary bicycle; small weights; back stretches)
 
Stay tuned, I am not done yet.
I am sure my weight will stay in one place once I reach the weight I am supposed to be for my height and BMI.
Until then, I will keep working out and working on it.
And I will continue this way of eating and exercising for the rest of my life.
It's enjoyable, easy and delicious!
 
Excuse me, I need to go check on the roasting veggies in the little kitchen counter oven.
One big long orange Butternut squash lightly herbed.
 
MYTH BLASTING
Things I Told Myself to Keep from Making Changes
 
 
1. You gain weight as you age.
        Now that's relative. We are all aging every single day of our lives, however, it depends on what and how much we eat and exercise no matter what age we are!
 
2. Diets don't work.
           That's true if a diet is something you do for a time, lose weight and then return to old
habits. But if its a lifestyle change and you stick to it for a life time you will retain the positive results of that choice that worked for you. Just make sure it's a healthy one.
 
********************************************************************************
My Sunday Dinner:
 
Farro and Roasted Butternut Squash:
 
I had roasted the squash a couple of days ago and used the left overs for this dish. I roasted the walnuts first, then added the herbs to the squash and onion and roasted them in a very small amount of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
           
 
It was my first time cooking and eating FARRO. It can also be used as a breakfast cereal.
I cooked it in my rice cooker on the "white rice" setting.

 
Here is all is mixed together.

 
I used the recipe on the back of the package. However, I left out the goat cheese (not vegan) and used a yellow onion, as I did not have a red onion on hand. I cut the recipe down to enough for only 2-3 servings. I vacuum packed the left overs using my Food Saver I spoke about in an earlier post.

 
For dessert I had half of one of my wonderful Coconut oil/ raw cacao/maple syrup/vanilla extract frozen treats. I got this recipe from my daughter in law, Jackie.

This time I added a mixture of ground coconut, walnuts, cinnamon,  that I mixed using the individual portion cup of my Ninja Blender. I added a slice of fresh organic strawberry on top of each serving. Popped them in the freezer in cupcake papers filled about an 8th of an inch deep; and I could of had the first one in less than 15 minutes, but I waited until after dinner and only had half of one, as they are apt to keep me up all night (caffeine in the cocoa) if I eat too much too late. They are very decadent so a little bit goes a long way. The recipe makes an even dozen. They last me several weeks!


 
 Bon Appetite!
 
Previous Posts with Recipes, HERE, HERE, HERE!
The dessert recipe is in the third HERE! ;-)


13 comments:

  1. Many congratulations, well deserved after your hard work and endeavour. The benefits are amazing. Keep up the good work

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Polly! It is truly amazing, but easy too! So glad I learned about this when there was still time to make these wonderful life changes!

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  2. I am so proud of the new, lighter you! It looks good on you. I agree that a veggie based diet is the answer. I've lost 4 pounds just by changing to a veggie lunch instead of a sandwich and chips. Together, we can!

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    Replies
    1. I'm proud of you too, Marty! Keep up the good work! It's become such an enjoyable path!

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  3. You now look like your daughter. YOUNG. :) Keep up the good work.

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  4. Good for you. Proud of yourself you must be. I was thin most of my life. Never had to diet till in my 60's. Or say eat proper. .

    I could never do what you do. Veggies only.

    I am not a big meat eater . Chicken and fish. I do like veggies though. I eat them..

    I also like Brown bread not white.

    A dessert once in awhile.

    Enough of me.

    You look really good. Now you have to learn to keep it off right?

    Best of luck for that.

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    Replies
    1. Well Sparkle, the learning is in the doing, and my firm intention is to keep on doing what I am doing now, as it is working so well for me. Not for everyone I know. But I like the vegetable/legume/grain way of eating and since I am getting all the nutrients my body needs to be healthy I see no reason that makes sense to ME to go back to old habits. That is what would make me regain lost weight in the past. My goal, as I keep saying, is to stay healthy. So that is my incentive to keep being vegan/plant based. Because it is working for me. Check back a year from now and we'll see if I have stuck to my resolve.
      I wish you all the best doing it your way too.

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  5. A role model, I always say and you look 20 years younger too! It might be time to write a book on this process you sure have the results to prove it.

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  6. Good for you!! Your inspiration may be just the thing I need to jump start my "good intentions" into "actual actions"!!

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  7. Good for you! You should be so proud! You look so young!! Just a big WOW!!

    Hugs Giggles

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  8. Congrats on all your progress! You are looking wonderful - and improving all your numbers is the best part! I bet you have so much more energy now, as well :)

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  9. You look so lovely! :) I just visited your Sunday Sketch. Forgive me for my late response. Hugs

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  10. Congratulations on the weight loss and the healthy new lifestyle!!! You go girl!!! You look much younger now and the recipe looks yummy...I guess because butternut squash is so good.

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Thanks for leaving your comments as I love hearing from you. Your words of encouragement are why I continue to draw!