Friday, March 29, 2013

From WebMD







·Weight Loss Facts and Truths No-nonsense tricks for healthy and lasting weight loss.





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Lose Weight Fast: How to Do It Safely

Sick of crash diets and fad diets? Follow these healthy tips.

WebMD Expert Column


Working on weight loss? Then you probably want results -- fast.

Let me save you some time: skip the fad diets. Their results don't last. And you have healthier options you can start on -- today!
You can safely lose 3 or more pounds a week at home with a healthy diet and lots of exercise, says weight loss counselor Katherine Tallmadge, RD.

How to Lose Weight Fast

If you burn 500 more calories than you eat every day for a week, you should lose about 1-2 pounds.

If you want to lose weight faster, you'll need to eat less and exercise more.

For instance, if you take in 1,050 to 1,200 calories a day, and exercise for one hour per day, you could lose 3-5 pounds in the first week, or more if you weigh more than 250 pounds. It's very important not to cut calories any further -- that's dangerous.

Limiting salt and starches may also mean losing more weight at first -- but that's mostly fluids, not fat.

"When you reduce sodium and cut starches, you reduce fluids and fluid retention, which can result in up to 5 pounds of fluid loss when you get started," says Michael Dansinger, MD, of NBC's The Biggest Loser show.

Diets for Fast Weight Loss

Dansinger recommends eating a diet that minimizes starches, added sugars, and animal fat from meat and dairy foods. For rapid weight loss, he recommends focusing on fruits, veggies, egg whites, soy products, skinless poultry breasts, fish, shellfish, nonfat dairy foods, and 95% lean meat.

Here are more tips from Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, author of The Flexitarian Diet:

·         Eat vegetables to help you feel full.

·         Drink plenty of water.

·         Get tempting foods out of your home.

·         Stay busy -- you don't want to eat just because you're bored.

·         Eat only from a plate, while seated at a table. No grazing in front of the 'fridge.

·         Don't skip meals.

Keeping a food journal -- writing down everything you eat -- can also help you stay on track.

"Even if you write it down on a napkin and end up throwing it away, the act of writing it down is about being accountable to yourself and is a very effective tool for weight loss," says Bonnie Taub Dix, MA, RD, author of Read It Before You Eat It.

Besides jotting down what you ate, and when, you might also want to note how you were feeling right before you ate it. Were you angry, sad, or bored? We often focus so much on foods and calories, but our emotions are a huge part of our eating habits.

If you see a persistent pattern in your emotional eating, please consider talking to a counselor about it. They can be a big help in finding other ways to handle your feelings.

Exercising for Fast Weight Loss

It's time to move more! Losing weight requires close to an hour a day of moderate exercise, one study shows.

Plan to do cardio and strength training.

"Cardio burns the most calories, so it is ideal for fast weight loss, but afterward you need to include a few hours a week of strength training," Dansinger says. To burn the most fat, try to break a sweat after your warm-up and keep sweating for the entire hour, Dansinger says.

If you're not exercising now, and you have a chronic condition or a lot of weight to lose, it's wise to check in with your health care provider first. They'll be rooting for you! And they'll make sure that you're ready to work out.

Pace yourself. Don't do too much, too soon -- work your way up to help prevent injury.

One way to step up the intensity is to do interval training -- brief bursts of high-intensity, followed by a more mellow pace, and repeating that pattern throughout your workout.

"Interval training allows people to work harder without having to spend the entire time at the higher level, and over time, the more you do it, the easier it becomes to burn more calories," Blatner says.

Fad Diets and Crash Diets

I know how tempting diet crazes can sound, especially if you have a lot of weight to lose. You hear about stars who did it and look incredible.

But remember, if a diet plan sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Also, please skip any programs that promote detoxification pills, laxatives, fasting, or potions, and any that promise weight loss faster than 2-3 pounds per week.

The truth is that cutting calories below 1,050-1,200 per day is counterproductive, because you need strong muscles to be able to exercise effectively.

"When you eat too few calories, you lose fat but also precious muscle, which is the worst thing you could do because it slows your metabolism and makes it more difficult to increase exercise intensity or duration," Dansinger says.

Fad diets also set you up for failure by depriving you of what you want. You can't eat like that for long, and it's too likely that you'll rebel and end up back where you started. You deserve better than that!

So by all means, attack your weight loss goal. Put it on the fast track. But please, do it right so you set yourself up for lasting success.

 

Tuesday, March 26, 2013



TIPS ON LOSING WEIGHT FOR BUSY PEOPLE

By

Dr. Sarkar MD

We are often too busy to take care of ourselves. Well here are a few tips on losing weight and becoming healthier for busy people:

1.   Mark a 1-mile circle around your home. Make a resolution to only walk or bike and not drive within that area. You will discover new stores, hair salons, coffee shops, etc. which will enrich your life and help the local economy. Later extend the circle to 2 miles. Remember it takes between 15-20 minutes to walk a mile!

2.   Always take the stairs, not the elevator. If you cannot climb stairs, at least take them on the way down.

3.   Walk during your lunch break, even if it is to a restaurant. If you bring your own food, walk to a park nearby to enjoy your lunch.

4.   Window shop at the mall. Save money by taking only a small amount of cash (and no credit or debit cards) to the mall and walk around for hours.

5.   Always park faraway – so you get to walk more.

6.   Drink more water (up to 8 glasses (8 oz.) or more per day). Keep a bottle of water in your car, at work and while watching TV.

7.   Avoid sodas, even diet sodas.

8.   Choose healthy snacks – pretzels, low-fat yogurt, fresh fruit, carrots, etc.

Friday, March 22, 2013

Steamed Fish




STEAMED FISH

Here is a light and quick but delicious recipe that you can make even on a weeknight. Have it with steamed rice or light fried rice.

 

Ingredients:

 

1 lb white fish fillets (each 1 inch thick) – Halibut, Cod, Haddock or Rockfish

1 6 inch piece of fresh ginger

12 green onions

½ cup chopped cilantro

2 green chilies

4 tablespoon Dry Sherry

4 tsp sesame oil

4 tablespoon Light Soy sauce

½ tsp brown sugar

Kosher salt

½ tsp ground white pepper (use black if you don’t have white pepper)

½ tsp red pepper flakes

4 tsp peanut oil

Method:

Cut half the ginger into thin round slices and cut the rest into thin 1-2 inch long strips. Chop the green onions into ½ inch pieces. Chop the green chilies and cilantro.

Heat water in a steamer. Line the steamer basket with aluminum foil. Place the ginger slices, half the cilantro, green chilies and half the green onions at the bottom and place the fish pieces on top. Sprinkle kosher salt and the sherry on top. When the water begins to boil, turn the heat low and place the steamer basket in, cover and steam the fish for about 15 minutes.

While the fish is cooking, heat the sesame oil in a small skillet. Add the remaining cilantro and fry for 30 seconds, and then add the soy sauce, sugar, pepper and red pepper flakes and mix. Transfer to a bowl and keep.

In the same skillet, heat the peanut oil and add the remaining green onions and thin slices of ginger and fry for 30-45 seconds till crisp. Then set aside in a bowl.

When the fish is cooked, transfer to a serving plate (discard the ginger, cilantro, chilies and green onions at the bottom) and top with the cilantro-soy sauce and fried ginger-green onions.

Nutritional Information:

Per 4 oz. piece of fish:

Calories 150

Fat 5 gram

Carbohydrate 2 gram

Protein 21 gram


Tuesday, March 19, 2013

SPICY GRILLED LAMB CHOPS




SPICY GRILLED LAMB CHOPS

This is not something that I would recommend as part of a healthy eating plan, however if you are in the mood to indulge yourself, try out this recipe for an elegant dinner on a special occasion.

We had it with Brown Rice and a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

Ingredients:

6-8 lamb chops

6 oz yogurt (preferably Greek-style)

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp garlic paste

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp cilantro paste or ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tbsp dry fenugreek leaves (optional)

1 tsp ground pepper

1 tsp kosher salt

2 tbsp olive oil

Method:

Mix all the marinade ingredients (except the olive oil) in a non-reactive bowl. Make a few slits in the meaty part of the lamb chops with a sharp knife and lay them flat in a large bowl. Pour the marinade over the meat and turn each piece to coat thoroughly. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or preferably overnight.

When ready to cook, light up the grill to medium high (300-350* F) and heat a large frying pan. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and when hot, sear the lamb chops – about 1 minute per side. Transfer the lamb chops to the oiled grill and cook for 4-5 minutes per side till well done. Transfer to a serving plate and cover with foil. (Keeping the meat covered will seal in the juices and keep the meat moist).

Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the frying pan and cook the remaining marinade for about 5 minutes and pour over the chops.

Serve warm.


All about BODY FAT (well almost!)


All about BODY FAT (well almost!)

By

Dr. Sarkar MD

 

A person’s weight and body fat are not the only predictors of health. For example athletes can have high BMI’s but are not obese (muscle weighs more than fat!). Similarly different people with the same amount of body fat may have differing health risks. The general consensus for normal body fat is < 33% in women and < 25% in men. However recent studies show that the location of the fat may be more important than the amount.

Excessive body fat in the abdomen and viscera is thought to be a fair predictor of poorer health and increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and other diseases; whereas increased fat in the thigh and buttocks is thought to be less related with obesity-related diseases.

 So unlike the old saying: ‘An apple a day, keeps the doctor away!’ – looking like a PEAR is better than looking like an APPLE.

Like they say in Real Estate: Location, location, location!

Friday, March 15, 2013


I grilled fish last weekend and had it along with grilled vegetables and Spanish rice. I used cod, but you can use halibut, tilapia, haddock or any other flaky white fish.
 

 

Grilled Cod in Cilantro Sauce

 

Ingredients:

4 Cod fillets

Marinade:

2 garlic cloves – chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground pepper

Cilantro sauce:

2 garlic cloves

1 inch piece of ginger

1 cup fresh cilantro

1 hot chilli pepper (e.g. Thai chilli)

1 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar

1 teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar

10-15 curry leaves (optional)

2 tablespoon light coconut milk

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Lemon – cut into slices

Method:

Mix the marinade ingredients and pour over the fish in a non-reactive container and shake to mix. Marinade for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator.

For the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a blender and mix till smooth.

Heat the grill to medium high – 400* F. Oil the grate with olive oil. Take the fish out of the marinade, make a couple of slits on top of each piece and then pour the marinade over. Add 2 slices of lemon over each piece and grill for about 5-6 minutes per side. Baste with olive oil and extra sauce – but do not overcook! Serve warm.

(Alternatively you can broil in the oven for 10-12 minutes).

 
 

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Hiking on Weekends

Hiking in the San Gabriel mountains


Those of us living in SoCal are blessed not only with great weather but also with an abundance of fresh food and great natural beauty.
So why not make the most of it!
Those living in the foothill areas of the San Gabriel and San Fernando valleys have a number of wonderful hiking trails to choose from.
Last weekend we went hiking in the 'Big Santa Anita Canyon' area north of Arcadia. It is hard to describe the tranquility and respite from our hectic lives that even a short hike can provide.
There are a number of books and websites on various hiking trails all over SoCal.
Here is a little info if you would like to follow in our footsteps:
Drive north on Santa Anita Avenue from the I-210 freeway and after 2-3 miles, after passing the last few houses in North Arcadia, you enter the Angeles National Forest. The road winds up the mountain and ends at a parking lot and ranger station.
You need a pass ($5) to park and you can buy it at the general store there, or from the National Park office on Santa Anita Ave just south of the 210 freeway or from a number of local stores (including REI).
Make sure to carry water. Head down the paved road from the parking lot - a steep 0.6 mile drop into the valley floor. Head down the well marked trail which runs next to a gushing creek surrounded by old growth oaks and other trees. There are a number of old cabins that line the trail and provide a window into the past. A 1.2  mile hike brings you to the base of the 55 feet high Sturtevant Falls (picture above). Spend sometime sitting on a rock and relaxing by the pool of water before starting back. The water is especially good at this time of the year.
The whole hike should take about 90 to 120 minutes, but you could extend it by following other trails to other nearby waterfalls and other sites.

Friday, March 8, 2013

Buffalo Chicken Wrap

Buffalo Chicken Wrap
This Recipe Is:
WebMD Recipe from EatingWell.com
Moms and Dads like wraps because they’re neat and compact--so beware: ours is messy and spicy. This fiery combination of buffalo chicken in a modern wrap is guaranteed to drip. Get out the big napkins and have a ball!
Ingredients
Prep: 35 | Total Time: 35
  • 2 tablespoons
    hot pepper sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot
  • 3 tablespoons
    white vinegar, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon
    cayenne pepper
  • 2 teaspoons
    extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound
    chicken tenders
  • 2 tablespoons
    reduced-fat mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons
    non-fat plain yogurt
  • to taste
    freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 cup
    crumbled blue cheese
  • 4 8-inch
    whole-wheat tortillas
  • 1 cup
    romaine lettuce, shredded
  • 1 cup
    celery, sliced
  • 1 large
    tomato, diced
Instructions
  1. Whisk hot pepper sauce, 2 tablespoons vinegar and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl.
  2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken tenders; cook until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add to the bowl with the hot sauce; toss to coat well.
  3. Whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, pepper and the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar in a small bowl. Stir in blue cheese.
  4. To assemble wraps: Lay a tortilla on a work surface or plate. Spread with 1 tablespoon blue cheese sauce and top with one-fourth of the chicken, lettuce, celery and tomato. Drizzle with some of the hot sauce remaining in the bowl and roll into a wrap sandwich. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Chicken Sate' for dinner


Chicken Sate - Thai style

This is quick and easy as well as super-tasty and healthy.Here is my very own recipe:

Ingredients:
Ground chicken (breast or thigh) 1 lb
Thai Red Curry paste (available at most Asian groceries) 2 tablespoons
Shallot 1 - finely chopped
Green onions - finely chopped - 1/4 cup
Cilantro - chopped - 1/2 cup
Thai chile 1-2 - finely chopped (optional)
Egg - 1 beaten
Bamboo skewers

Method:
Soak the skewers in water.
Mix all the ingredients in a non-reactive bowl and let sit for 30-60 minutes for the flavors to blend.
Wrap a fistful of the mixture around a skewer and flatten. Continue till all the mixture is used up (should make 5-6 skewers).
Heat a grill to medium high (375-400*F). Spray olive oil or other non-stick spray and grill for 3-5 minutes per side till well done.
(Note: If the meat tends to fall off the skewer, bake in a shallow dish at 375*F for 6-7 minutes till firm and then grill for 2 minutes per side).
Enjoy with fried rice.






Friday, March 1, 2013

What I made last weekend


Gamba’s Mozambique

(Shrimp Mozambique-style)

(Adapted from a recipe published in the LA Times)

Ingredients:

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp chopped garlic

¼ cup diced onion

20 large shrimp (shell and head removed and deveined)

¼ cup beer

1 tsp Mexican spice mix

2 tbsp butter (optional)

Tabasco sauce (to taste)

Juice of 1 lemon

½ cup light coconut milk

Sea salt (to taste)

2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Method:

Heat a medium skillet with the olive oil over medium heat, until hot. Add the onions and garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and sit for 30 seconds, then add the beer, the Mexican spice, the Tabasco (as much as you can handle), lemon juice, coconut milk and butter (if using - I used a butter substitute). Cook the shrimp in the sauce until cooked through – about 3-4 minutes. Taste and add salt (if needed). Pour into shallow bowls and top with chopped cilantro and serve hot with whole grain bread.