I have enjoyed this week’s discussion on this blog and I’ve been thinking about these threads all week. I remember Julie’s visual images of the military and one word seems the loudest in my memory: incoming! I don’t recall the context at all. I am excited to share my thoughts, which are inspired from your threaded conversations and I hope this is helpful. Writing in this way helps me understand the program better as well.
Photo credit: Daily LOL Pics
Keep in mind this is my opinion and not that of the Key Hypnosis Program; this is probably not how Julie would explain these things.

I remember leaving my first Key Hypnosis Program session overwhelmed with the amount of information that I learned. Julie told us we would not remember everything she said and she told us that remembering all those details was not important. I felt overwhelmed after session two and three as well, but I also was excited with the new direction my life was going: down in size; weight was dropping effortlessly.

Somewhere during the first three group sessions, Julie taught us how our body processes food. I don’t recall which session she teaches this or if she did it in all three sessions, but this detail is not important. To explain how our body process food, Julie uses military characters as an analogy. During refresh sessions, Julie sometimes mentions the army, the navy, or the air force, and when she does it is usually prefaced with “remember when I told you…” Sometimes I do remember and sometimes I do not. It is not important that we actually remember, because she is not speaking to our conscious minds. Remember, this program is called the key hypnosis for a reason.

When Julie talks about these characters, she is speaking to us through imagery and at the same time tapping into the ancient language she told us about. (If you don’t remember the ancient language discussion, don’t worry about that either.) Julie is talking to the part of our mind that recalls that language; the part that understands visually and without words. The part of us that is unconscious, but is receptive to her suggestions in ways our conscious mind is not open to.

We all agreed to let Julie communicate with us in this way to help us lose weight. If you don’t remember that agreement, listen up because this is important: this is the hypnosis (or mentalist) side of Julie working with us.

April posted that in her recent session, Julie mentioned that the Navy was in charge of "water" leaving the body and the Marines are responsible for the liver. Linda replied, “All I remember is "INCOMING!" and I sure don't want my army released!” I don't recall any of these things, but I have small visuals that come into my mind from time to time. I think we recall what is important to each of us, so I don't worry about what I don't remember.

Thanks Karen for noting our increase in followers, we just reached 30! Any of you who would like to become a contributor, click on my name and send me an email and I’ll add you. This will allow you to add photos and create posts rather than only being able to comment. I welcome more contributors who are willing to share, especially those of you who are just starting. It would be nice to hear from you as you begin the program. How about it Karen? No pressure; just a thought!

As far as creating a page that links to posts with information people got from calling into the office, I had this thought too. Then I thought about it some more and that sounds like a job and I already have a job. Sorry, but this would be a lot of work. What we need is for Julie to publish a book about the program and her recipes, but she too already has a job.

There are new posts coming in as I type, so my responses to Bruce, Theresa O, Karen, Anonymous, and twinglesmomma, will have to wait a while longer.

But I cannot sign off before saying something about a free day of cheating or something along these words that I read and have stuck with me all week. I don’t know if I’m replying too late or not, but in any case… we are not on a diet. We don’t cheat - we lose our balance. I do not encourage you to plan a free day of cheating (pardon me if I’m not quoting you exactly), but to plan a day of swinging the balance and then plan another day of swinging the balance back. If we swing to one side too much, we lose our balance, but we can get our balance once again. The grey zone I was in was an imbalance. I’m back in balance now. Learning to lose and then maintain our weight is about balance. It isn’t like we can’t ever have xx food again, but we learn to have xx in such a way as to maintain our balance and this keep our weight maintained. Go for it, but do so in a positive way and keep the balance.

Thanks everyone for your positive feedback on my progress. Your support and encouragement are priceless. I’m into my second week out of the grey zone and I feel fantastic!


Thanks everyone for your support last week. I stayed out of the grey areas I wrote about. I ate lots of meat. I balanced veggies to meat. One meal a day was meat only. I kicked my pace up a few notches on the treadmill. I feel great!
02/27/12 Wilmot, NH
My body is changing again. I can feel it in my clothes and I can see it in the mirror. I bought lingerie a size smaller than the ones I bought in November. I know this didn't happen in just one week; I had to have been on the cusp of dropping another size for a while.

I was away most of the weekend and I wasn't able to write as I had hoped. I see there are a few more questions, I'll do my best to respond to later this week. It's exciting to see more newcomers to this blog. Welcome everyone!

I pulled photos together to show my first year of weight loss and made a video. I've been hesitant to post it, but it shows the progress I made in Year One on this program, so I decided to add it tonight, with the promise that when I make Year Two, it will be better. I had creative ideas I wanted to do to this video, but I don't have the time, so here goes....

06/27/13 update: Sorry - I didn't use royalty free music in the video so it was removed by YouTube.
In answer to Linda's question, how can you tell when there is a new comment on a post: you may want to Follow by Email, which will provide you with updates to this blog via email.
To follow this blog by email, enter an email address in the Follow by Email option and then click the corresponding "Submit" button. My follow by email gadget is displayed under the list of followers on the left side of each page.

You'll receive an email message each day that includes the content of any new posts published on this blog that day, as well as links to the original posts, so that you may add comments or view additional content.
I was wondering if there was any need on this blog to have a link for things we have called Julie's office about, for example, I called to see what we could take for colds and sore throats, or I called to make sure we could have the taco seasoning mix. Is there a way to make a link and let people who have called her office with questions to make posts on that link? I always feel bad calling there, though they are wonderful and encourage me to call, but seems like maybe someone here would have the answer sometimes instead of bothering them.

Just a thought!
linda
I have a quick question: lo and behold I have a sore throat and am beginning to cough. GGRRRR! Don't have the time for this especially we have a brand new grandson born Feb 15th.

My question, what in the world can I take for a sore throat? or a cough drop? I am hoping to call the office tomorrow, but am hoping one of you will read this before and let me know. I would really like to take something NOW!!
This year on Valentine's Day, I was never tempted to indulge in (a box of) chocolates. It is through this program that I feel this way, because on my own, my life was like a box of chocolates.
Home made Valentine from one of my good friends.
Yes, those home-made sweets at the office called my name a few times. This program helps silence those voices. Besides, I had something better coming my way and I waited in anticipation for it to arrive at my house: a home-made Valentine card. During a recent vacation with an old friend, I talked about my new gadget that makes foamy milk for my coffee; hence the made-just-for-me Valentine.

Turning down those sweets at the office wasn't hard. There was no temptation or feelings of deprivation. This is the results of working this program with Julie. I knew if I was struggling, I was off-program; Julie takes the hard away. I wrote about this in yesterday's post.

While I contemplated over the hard time I was having, I discovered a key concept:
hard time = off-program
While it took some time to realize this, I never lost sight of the fact that there is an incredibly long list of foods I no longer have issues with because of this program.

Thanks VP and Karen, for your words of encouragement and suggestions about how to move forward. VP indicated she has had no issues with the foods I cannot have on Julie's program (I just don't have them in the house, and most of the time not have them when I eat out). This is true for me as well. Somehow I created a whole new list of problematic foods that never used to be an issue for me. Who knew I'd ever over-eat yogurt? Or crave dried green beans?

The plan I made last night aligns with Karen's suggestion, and it is exactly what I started today:  "only protein" for one of your meals for 3 days.

With February coming to an end, I want to acknowledge how sweet it is that my life is not driven by a sweet tooth.

Nothing sweet to the lips, Julie tells us, as her finger brushes across her lips to reinforce her message.
I have been going through one of those times when I feel frustrated that I'm not losing more weight. It's so easy to focus on wanting to lose weight faster. I remind myself this feeling comes and goes, and that sooner or later it will pass. "Focus on something else." I told myself." I turned my focus to the inside of my refrigerator.
The Refrigerator.
In our sessions with Julie," she reminds us we didn't gain this weight by going straight up on the scale and it won't come off by going straight down; there will be plateaus. Plateaus are a natural part of the process. Julie often asks us "what are you eating?" and from our answers, she helps us identify foods we are eating that are off program or that we're eating incorrectly. I wanted to know if what I'm eating is causing a plateau, so I pulled out my camera (iPhone) and opened my refrigerator for answers.

Inside my refrigerator, there are a handful of condiments on the top shelf. I don't overindulge in any of these items. I say that, but before I move on, I pause and ask myself: How much mayo do I add to my chicken, egg, or tuna salads? Am I eating too much fat? Too much fat can cause a plateau.
Milk, yogurt, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, tomato juice, broth, maple syrup.
Sometimes feel like I'm living in what I refer to as a "grey zone." I'm in a grey zone when I'm eating things that are on program, but the way I'm eating them is not correct. I suspect these grey zones (or grey areas) cause me to plateau.

That was the last quart of milk I bought. I have moved to the gallon size. I'm drinking hot coffee with frothed my milk at home and saving money (by not going to Dunkin Donuts) and cutting back on the fat from half and half. I recently asked about milk on this blog and Linda remembers Julie saying milk is the only 'free' food. That's good to know; especially since I've had more milk this month than all of last year. Thanks again Linda for your feedback. Half and half is allowed, but I prefer the taste of frothed whole milk.

Someone posted a comment about siggi's yogurt being on sale a few weeks ago and I immediately ran out and bought some. Wow-it's so flavorful! I remember when Julie said she loves siggi's blueberry yogurt - the room full of people nearly exploded at the mention of fruit! Julie smiled and then assured us siggi's yogurt is allowed. My favorite is ginger and peach.

Thanks to the person who responded to my question about yogurt (and cottage cheese) earlier this week:
  • Yogurt must be eaten with protein and it should not be eaten more than twice a week.
  • Cottage cheese must be eaten with protein.
This is what I enjoy about this blog - I hadn't eaten yogurt since last summer and siggi's was a great place to start. I was really on a roll eating yogurt alone (and loving it) a few times a day) without a protein. I'm glad to now have the facts straight on these two items.

A half empty bottle of maple syrup sits in the back of my refrigerator; it doesn't call my name. I need to give it away because it's been there over a year and I won't be eating that stuff for a long time. It's too expensive to throw out.

The top shelf also has a variety of tomato juices. Really-three bottles of tomato juice? I bought them months ago thinking I would make vodka drinks. This morning I threw out the bottle I opened in December; I only made one Bloody Mary. Tomato juice, like any other veggie we're allowed on this program, needs to be eaten with an equal amount meat. Tomato juice is not an issue for me. Neither is cat food.

Wow - I haven't even moved off the top shelf yet and I see lots of items contributing to my plateau!

Opening my cheese drawer, I see another grey area. Cheese is on program, providing we use it like a condiment. See that big package of Brie? That was the main event for my dinner one night. Yes, I ate the entire package by myself. Yes, I had veggies with the brie, but this was way too much cheese for one meal and I didn't have any protein with the cheese. "Danger, Will Robinson!"
Cheese is a definite grey area for me. Use it as a condiment!
I ate that small triangle of Parmesan cheese over a few days with pepperoni, bite-for-bite. The portions were off - cheese should be treated like a condiment--not in equal portions with meat. Before I started this program, I didn't eat much meat, so I asked about pepperoni in my first class. Yes, pepperoni is allowed, but Julie warned me to be careful because of the level of fats in pepperoni. This was one of my favorite combos during this year, but this should be more of a treat that I have from time to time instead of a lunch standard. This pepperoni-Parmesan combo is a definite way to slow down weight loss and cause a plateau.

My initial thought about the items on the door of my refrigerator was that none of them are problematic. Let's take a closer look. I use butter sparingly. Relish gets added as a condiment to my tuna salad. I use Marie's coleslaw dressing when I make my own coleslaw and I don't over dress it, but here's where I get into trouble with coleslaw: my protein-to-veggie portions are often out of balance. I need resolve this or stop eating coleslaw for a while. If our protein-to-veggie ratios are not balanced, we can plateau and over time lead to weight gain.
Left shelves: butter, relish, Marie's Coleslaw dressing, pickles.
Right shelves: salsa, coffee, water, Sky Vodka.
I always have protein with pickles and I finish the jar within a month of opening it, most of the time. Another aspect of this program is that Julie talks about what's in the foods we eat. One part of this discussion includes an analogy about potato chips, which goes something like this (it is a longer discussion than this):
When we were kids, potato chips used to go soft. Ever wonder why they no longer go soft? Preservatives. Products can be sold as "natural" and "without preservatives" if the preservatives are added to the packaging. After about 30 days of opening a jar, the preservatives they put on the lid begin to break down and leak into the food. 
There is one more grey area in my refrigerator, sitting on the bottom shelf of the door: vodka. Vodka is the only alcohol we're allowed and for a long time, I just didn't drink at all. I'm really not much of a drinker, mainly because of my Irish tendencies to sometimes break out in hives. It's no fun turning red in the face and feeling like I have hot flashes. I found I can enjoy one vodka with lemon on the rocks (sometimes with a splash of seltzer) without having an allergic reaction. A second one, not so much. I really like this drink when it's made with ginger infused vodka. This is where the grey area comes into play: Julie warned us to be careful of infused vodkas. I always assumed her warning referred to fruit infused flavors. Could my ginger infused vodka be one of the reasons I'm at a plateau?

Yes, ginger infused vodka may be contributing to my plateau. If I add up all of my grey areas, I see a lot of reasons why I have been at a plateau for so long. It also helps me understand why there are days when I feel like I've gained weight - I probably have!

I've been working on this piece since I took the photos inside my refrigerator, which was about five weeks ago. That was two weeks after my last session with Julie, which is when I started thinking about going back for another refresh. A refresh after just two weeks? I debated every few days about making the call. I thought a refresh was the answer; Julie could give me a reboot and I'd be on track again.

It just didn't seem right to go back in such a short amount of time. I also did not want to spend another three months at a plateau, or, worse, gaining weight. I decided working through this myself is key to my success; it is key to losing my weight off and key to keeping it off.

Last week, when talking with a friend about my refresh dilemma, I noticed my sentences began with "I'm having a hard time with..." and I knew right then and there that I was close to figuring out where I had gone off course. When I'm on program, I don't use phrases that begin with "I'm having a hard time with.." I had been off-program and didn't even know it.

Julie teaches us how get back on course when we've drifted by asking us "what are you eating?" Through my exploration to answer this question, I also discovered I've been getting "away with" eating foods incorrectly and a few foods not on program, because I have so much weight to lose. Julie warns us that we may get away with things off-program for a while, but it will catch up with us. It has caught up with me.

Anonymous posted this recipe and said: I wanted to share this recipe with you. I found it in the Costco cook book. I added the garlic and onions. Everyone loves it. It is legal and I eat it for breakfast too.

Spinach, Celery, and Sausage Soup
  • 16 ounces any kind of sausage links
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 (14 ½ ounce) cans diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano
  • 2 cups thinly sliced celery hearts with leaves
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 cups Metz fresh Cello bagged spinach leaves
  • 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil (optional)
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 2-3 garlic cloves chopped
  1. Heat a large saucepan or soup pot over medium, heat. 
  2. Remove casings from sausage; add sausage to the pan and cook, stirring to crumble, for 10 minutes, or until browned. 
  3. Drain and return sausage to the pan.
  4. Add broth, tomatoes, celery, and salt and pepper to taste to the pan; bring to a boil over high heat. 
  5. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
  6. Remove from heat and stir in spinach until wilted. 
  7. Sprinkle each serving with cheese and basil, if desired. 
Note: this recipe included pasta, but since we don't eat pasta during the weight loss phase, I removed it from the recipe along with the suggestion to serve with bread. 

-- Theresa
Linda posted this recipe and indicated: my friend Jen who is doing Julie's program, with UNBELIEVABLE success, told me about this recipe. It is good! 

Mock Chinese Fried Rice

Fake rice using grated cauliflower that makes a great side when craving rice or just something different.

Ingredients
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 breast, bone and skin removed chicken
  • 3 1/2 cups cauliflower, grated ( I put in food processor)
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 3 small green onions
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce

Directions
  1. In a wok or large flat skillet, heat enough oil to cover the bottom.
  2. Fry minced garlic (or garlic powder) with finely diced white part of onions for approximately 1 minute.
  3. Add grated cauliflower and fry for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly.
  4. Add soy, ginger, diced green onion tops, and pre-cooked cubed meat. Stir to mix well and brown a bit. set aside.
  5. I would scramble the eggs first and set aside. The original instructions say to push the above mixture to one side of pan, then add more oil if needed and then scramble eggs in pan until cooked but still moist. Stir eggs into "rice" mix and remove from heat. I would scramble them before as my mixture got to gooped up. I like my eggs broken up into small pieces in my 'rice'.
  6. Note: instead of chicken can use any combination of shrimp, beef, ham, turkey or vegetables of your choice.
  7. And of course, watch your protein to veggie ratio!!!!
This recipe suggestion was from Anonymous:
 
A simple dish for the slow cooker:
  • Add Chicken pieces to the slow cooker then top with a large jar of chunky salsa. (You can do any heat you like)
  • Cook on low for 3-4 hours. 
This is one of my old time favorites and I haven't made it in ages. Thanks for sharing this.

Anonymous also suggested: Salsa on scramble eggs are a delicious change.
Linda posted this Great 'taco dip' recipe in a comment. I copied it to it's own page to make it easier to find and so I can link to it from the recipe page:
  1. Brown 1 pound of hamburger.
  2. Drain and rinse with hot water.
  3. Put back in frying pan.
  4. Add 1 package of taco seasoning mix* with the amount of water the package suggests and then cook for a few more minute. (Yes, taco seasoning mix is on program)
  5. Put in a 8x8 square pan.
  6. Put a thin layer of sour cream* on top.
  7. Then add a thin layer of salsa.
  8. Then a small amount of taco cheese mix on top.
  9. Bake in oven until hot.
Yummy...this is what I'm having for dinner tomorrow night! I'm going to pick up a few ingredients that I don't have at home and I'll spoon the dip on top of mixed greens, tomatoes, onions, and black olives. I'll add a photo to this page after I make it.

Thanks Linda!

03/04/12 Update
Here's a photo my variation of this recipe, which I topped with chopped olives.
Taco Dip. Photo by Theresa
01/05/14 update
*Always go by what you heard directly from Julie when in doubt about an ingredient, or call the office. Here are two comments about ingredients in this recipe:

Taco seasoning mix - Linda called Julie's office and asked about the taco seasoning mix and was told yes we can have it.

Sour cream - It is my understanding that we can use sour cream.
Sometimes I feel like I'm on a merry-go-round; I'm so bored of eating the same foods again and again. This feeling comes and goes, but when it's here, I feel like I can't get off the carousel.
Photo by Theresa
Anonymous recently posted that they have trouble coming up with what to eat. There are times that I have this problem too. I think it happens, for me, when I'm bored with my food and I'm not having enough variety. This boredom was the case for me before I was on the program, so imagine it will be something I'll encounter many times again.
I'm working on a post about what I eat, by looking at what's inside my refrigerator. I hope to have that piece up by the end of this week. Meanwhile, here's a quick list of some of the things I eat:

Protein
  • meatloaf
  • chicken (hot, cold, with sauce, made into chicken salad)
  • hamburgers with grilled onions
  • Filet Mignon Roast
  • pork chops
  • sausage patties and links
  • ham by the slice
  • ham and pickle salad (from the deli, still working on perfecting my home made version)
  • spare ribs (generally I eat them out, but have Trader Joe's ribs in the freezer)
  • Teriyaki (beef or chicken)
Veggies eaten with protein
  • roasted butternut squash
  • corn
  • cauliflower
  • coleslaw
  • cucumber and dill with onion (from the deli)
  • peas
  • celery
What about the rest of you - what does your list of favorites look like? What do you do when you're bored with your foods?

BTW, do any of you remember if yogurt and cottage cheese are considered protein or if we need to eat them with protein?

Also, see my What's for Breakfast? post from Nov. 14, 2011 and the list of links to a handful of recipes.

Beans

Anonymous also asked if we are allowed beans. No beans while we're in the weight loss phase. I sometimes get three bean salad at the deli and I pick out the kidney beans before I start eating. I never would have thought I'd miss eating kidney beans! When we reach our goal weight, we can eat anything we want by keeping things balanced; i.e., maintaining our weight.

I created this blog as a way to interact with others who are following the Key Hypnosis weight loss program and the contributions have been greatly rewarding. Without the rest of you participating, this would be a lonely blog.

A few months after I started this program, I was visiting my friends in California and they asked me what diet I was on. My reply was this: "If I look different the next time you see me, ask me what I did." Trying to explain to others what I was doing felt too personal and it sounded like hocus-pocus. I couldn't find the words to explain the changes that were happening.

Truthfully, after my first session, I wasn't sure what I'd gotten myself into. Within a week I realized that, for the first time in my life, it was easy for me to follow a weight loss program. I felt incredible. I was energized. A year after later, I dropped from a size 30/32 to a size 22. Today I'm a size 14/16, which this is not my goal size, but I'm determined to reach my goal.

When you start the program, take a lot of photos. Sometimes we can't see the changes ourselves, so those photos will serve as a great reminder of how far you've come on your journey. This is especially true if you hit a plateau, and one day you may want to share your story on this blog and it would be wonderful to see your progress from the start to the end of your journey.


When I began this blog in September 2011, I wrote What's this Blog All About, but that post doesn't answer specific questions about the program. I don't work for Julie and I'm not qualified to explain the program, so if you have questions about this program, please call the office. 

The content on this blog is the opinions of the contributors and followers of this blog and are not official statements from the Key Hypnosis Program, Julie Kibe, or her staff. 
Ok, I have to say this, I am Totally amazed at how this plan works. I mean totally amazed!!

I started on October 24th in a size 24 skirt, as of this weekend, I am fitting into size
18's! I am flabbergasted to be honest. That is just 15 weeks!! This doesn't even make sense. When I lost alot of weight with weigh watchers, it took me a year to go from a 24 to an 18, literally 1 year! and I suffered and was miserable the whole time. plus I was HUNGRY!!! AND it sure didn't take me 1 year to gain it all back!!!!!

I am also a bit overwhelmed. I feel like a celebrity. I have lost weight before and have gotten compliments and people noticing, but not like this. I can not explain, but I have never in my life received SO MANY comments and some from people who would never notice anything. I have not told anyone that I was starting another program as I failed at so many before. But now I have people calling me and emailing me and asking me all about it. This is overwhelming for someone who likes to blend into the woodwork and not be noticed.

To be able to say to someone that I am loosing weight "so effortlessly" is amazing! I have never followed anything so easy in my life!

If you are waiting for an appointment, dont give up!!! It will be so worth the wait!!!

Someone commented that I was literally melting before their eyes, you know something, I almost feel like I am! LOL
In the group sessions with Julie, she asks each of us "what size do you want to be?" The answer to that question helps us to visualize how we want to look when we reach our ideal size. The Key Hypnosis program isn't about numbers on the scale, it's about reaching our ideal size.
In the Garden, Thomas Wilmer Dewing, 1892-94
Photo by Theresa, at the National Portrait Gallery, Washington, DC
In a recent comment, Anonymous wrote that she was not able to visualize the size she wants to be. You are not alone in feeling this way. I've heard this from others and I too had a hard time with a definitive number.

In my first Key Hypnosis session, sitting in my size 32's in the chair next to Julie, she turned to me and said "Tell me how you heard about us, what size you want to be, and how much weight do you want to lose."

Since it was my first session and I was the first in the circle to speak, both questions came as a surprise to me. I took a deep breathe, and replied "I want to be a size 9/10 and I want to lose a 150 pounds".

The first part was easy to answer. I visualized my younger self in a sleeveless summer dress that I loved and it was a size 9/10. That answer came quickly. The second part was not so easy. It was painful to say in a room full of strangers. My first thought was to say "I want to lose 80 or 100 pounds", because I was embarrassed to admit how much weight I had to lose. Hello - have you looked in the mirror lately? My second thought was that if there was a place to be completely honest, this was the place. I wanted to be brutally honest because I wanted to be successful. It's still painful to say how much weight I want to lose, but not knowing how much I've lost comes in  handy when people ask how much weight I've lost. Since we don't weigh ourselves, I tell them how many sizes I've gone down.

I recently discovered 9/10 is a junior size and not a size I'll likely be wearing as an adult. What's important here is that I can visualize myself much smaller. When I realized I needed a new number, I started to say "I want to be a size 8 or 10". Today, a year later, sitting in my size 22's at my home computer, I am clear that I want to be a size 8.

Sometimes I get caught up in the numbers. There are times when I'm frustrated that by now I'm not in size 14's and by the fact that I have a long ways to go to size 8 or to lose 150 pounds. These kind of thoughts are obstacles between what I've done and what I want to achieve. Obstacles I can't afford to carry.

Then there are moments that help keep me on program. Such as the realization I had yesterday. I was in a crowd and I realized I no longer feel like a freak because of my body size; I blend in with the crowd. There are other moments too: like fitting into clothes I haven't worn in 15 years, feeling comfortable in my skin, having energy and flexibility I haven't had in decades, and being a runner once again.  It's great to have my doctor happy with my weight, this hasn't happened ever. Just to name a few.

One thing I know for sure, and Linda wrote about this in her recent  FYI post, the I last time wore size 22, I was not as curvaceous as I am today. Today I have a waist! When I'm a size 8, I may weigh more than the 142 pounds I was in my size 9/10 sleeveless summer dress. Hey, if I'm a size 8, who cares how much I weigh?

As far as visualizing what size we want to be, perhaps we can look for others who physically reflect our ideal size. I haven't done this, but when I read the comment from Anonymous, this was the first thought I had.

What do the rest of you do to help you visualize what size you want to be? What obstacles have you overcome to keep on program or what obstacles haven't you been able to overcome?


 


Just want to tell you something. I know some have struggled with not loosing how much weight they think they should have lost or wanted to loose at this point. Whether you have weighed yourself or your doctor gave you a hint, there is some dissapointment in a few of you.

My friend who is following this just by what I have told her, weighs herself each week. An interesting fact has come up. She has gone from a 20 to a 14. But she weighs more now than when she wore a 14, 10 years ago. She lost that weight on WW 10 years ago and naturally put it all back on plus some. Now to be back at a 14 and weighing more, but not starving, well, she is one happy camper!!

I remember Julie talking about this at one class where she had lost weight and had gotten to a size that just didn't match how little she weighed. Now she weighs more than that time but wears a smaller size. I don't remember all the details, maybe someone else does, but it goes to show you that eating this way, our bodies must do so much better than the low cal, low fat, hunger, diet foods, way to eat. If we weigh more eating this way, but our clothes sizes show something all together different, well, BRING ON MORE MEAT I say!!!!!!!!!!
Rienzi Breadcrumbs; I also user Progresso.

A great question was posted recently in reply to my meatloaf recipe: are breadcrumbs allowed? 

Yes, breadcrumbs are allowed in foods like meatloaf and meatballs on this program. Foods coated with breadcrumbs are not allowed.

I asked about breadcrumbs in one of my first group sessions after hearing Julie mention then during her talk.  I make meatloaf and meatballs on a regular basis, as they are easy to take to work for lunch.

When I made meatloaf a few days ago, I didn't have ketchup, so before I baked it, I put tomato sauce (Newmans sockarooni) under and on top. It was delicious - even cold.

Another question that I asked in one my first groups was if we can have coleslaw. That answer is yes too. A tall container of coleslaw can run almost $8.00 at the deli, so recently I started making coleslaw. I sometimes buy package coleslaw,  instead of chopping cabbage and carrots, and then add in Marie's coleslaw dressing. My next step is to make it completely from scratch, as it will be fresher, healthier, and cheaper. Anyone have a good recipe for coleslaw dressing?

BTW, I'll run the recipes on this blog by Julie.  I've been sick all month with a wicked cold, so I haven't done this yet. I'll add add a notation to the recipes to indicate they are "Julie approved". If you have recipes you want to share, create a new post and I'll add the approval notation and link to them from the recipes page, after Julie signs off on them.



The Curtain, George Segal 1974
Photo by Theresa
A few nights ago I heard something on the news that has stayed with me for a few days:
"It's that time of year, when New Year's resolutions begin to fade away.  Stay tuned to find out how to keep your New Year's resolution to stick to your diet."
I didn't need to stay tuned. I realized right then and there how great it is that I no longer worry about keeping a New Year's resolution to stick to my diet. I no longer worry about about giving up on a diet. I  no longer worry about what diet I'll do if this diet fails or what else I'll I try.

This program is a life-changer for me. There's nothing to give up. There's no resolution to chase after. I have changed the way I eat and how I think about food. One of reasons I didn't journal for the first seven months on this program is that I don't spend time thinking about a diet.

That's one of the great things on this program--seven whole months passed before I realized I hadn't taken a before photo or even measurements. This leaves a whole lot of time to focus on other things in life and also takes away a lot of stress.

I know I'm not the only one following this program who feels this way. In a recent blog entry, Linda wrote:
"I haven't given up. That is a big success for me! Usually I have cheated or given up on a 'diet' by now after being on it this long especially when it feels like I am not losing."
There are times, of course, that I think about the program; mostly when I feel like I'm not losing weight. Karen recently blogged about what she does when she feels like she isn't losing weight:
"I just buy something smaller or tighter clothes and that helps me get motivated to lose more weight and reach the size I want."
When I'm feeling like I'm not losing weight, I too open my closet and try on clothes. It's wonderful to find items that fit me now and didn't fit me last year, or even just a few weeks ago. Or to discover I fit into some of the hand-me-downs I had set aside because they were too small.

Speaking of clothes, I was thinking about the plan I had for my wardrobe as I dropped sizes. My plan was to avoid spending money on smaller clothes along the way, to get by with clothes that I outgrew years ago and the hand-me-downs from my friends.

This is a good plan, but my body has changed. Those clothes that haven't fit me in years may fit now, but not always in the best way. My body is shaped differently than when I was this size before. Sometimes I look in the mirror and I see me in clothes that my friends gave to me and I think "I would never buy this!" I wear them anyhow, because they fit.

I have a better plan that I'm following now. In December, I bought three pairs of pants and they look so much better than the older ones I have in this size. I bought pants that compliment my body by fitting in all the right places. While I'm still losing weight, I don't need an extensive wardrobe, so I don't rush out and buy a ton of clothes. I have to say, I can't wait until I get to go to regular stores, instead of large women's store, to buy smaller sizes and new styles. I'm not there yet, but that day will come.

Meanwhile, I gratefully accept all hand-me-downs. Especially the wonderful winter jacket Aime gave me. I never would have gone for this style jacket if I was looking to buy a new coat, but I love this hand-me-down coat. It's not always a bad thing to I realize I would not have bought an item that was a hand-me-down.

Size 30/32 tops
For sale on eBay
Also part of the plan, is to sell my larger clothes on eBay. I did this with most of my coats in November and those that didn't sell I donated.

Today, I went into my closet and pulled 20 of my size 30/32's, photographed them, and put them for sale on eBay. If they don't sell, they go into a bag for Goodwill. Time to be rid of those sizes. Amazing, the closet is still full of clothes that are too big.

Up next: size 26-28 later this week.

There was mention of a clothing swap, but I haven't heard any ideas about how we can do this. Ideas?


Chicken with Red Pepper & Goat Cheese 

Sticking with my promise to mix my menus up and try new recipes, I'm happy to report I added two new items to my repertoire this week. The first item is arugula, a veggie that's high in vitamins A and C. I haven't had arugula in ages and it is wonderful to have this back on my menu. I placed it under my main courses this week, which included chicken, chicken salad, hamburger, and steak.
Sliced chicken on arugula and topped
with red pepper and goat cheese sauce.

From Whole Foods
The second new item I tried this week was a sauce that Whole Foods markets as a dip: Fire Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Dip. My intent was to dip carrots and celery into it as a compliment to my chicken, but when I opened the container and tasted it, I decided to use it as a sauce instead. This is my new favorite dish.

If you're looking to change up your menus a bit, give this a try and let us know how you used the dip.

Has anyone tired new recipes this week that you'd like to share? 

While we're on the topic of water, I drink tons of seltzer and about six months ago I bought a SodaStream, which makes seltzer from tap water. I drink my seltzer plain on ice, but most of the time I add lemon and lime. It also is good to use when making a vodka drink.

I love that I no longer have to carry heavy bottles from the grocery store or deal with recycling bottles. I like it so much that I bought one for my office. They vary in price, but you shouldn't have to pay more than $99. Also, it's best to buy the smaller size (60-liter), as a sales rep told me it's harder to get refills for the bigger size. They sell them at Amazon, Macey's, Bed Bath and Beyond, and even Sears. The easiest place to exchange the cylinders is at Bed Bath and Beyond because you make the exchange at the customer service counter, which is right near the front door.

I was reading magazines at my doctors office yesterday and I read a brief article about diet soda that supports concepts we hear from Julie:

Dump the diet Soda
It might now have any calories, but that doesn't make diet soda a weight-loss bullet. In fact, in a nearly 10-year study of 474 people, researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio found that folks who drink two or more diet sodas a day experienced a 70% greater increase in waist circumference than soda shunners. Reason? The jury is still out, but a study from the universities of Bristol and Bangor sound that drinking the diet beverages make your taste buds less sensitive to sweets so you actually crave sugary foods.

I took a photo of the article, but failed to note the name of the magazine. I found a similar article from CBS News New study is wake-up call for diet soda drinkers that indicated similar findings; here's an excerpt:

"Artificial sweeteners could have the effect of triggering appetite but unlike regular sugars they don't deliver something that will squelch the appetite," Sharon Fowler, obesity researcher at UT Health Science Center at San Diego and a co-author on both of these studies, told the Daily Mail. She also said sweeteners could inhibit brain cells that make you feel full.

So if sugar soda is no good, and diet soda isn't either - what should we be drinking?
Dr. Hazuda told the Daily Mail, "I think prudence would dictate drinking water."

None of this comes as a surprise.

It's been a year that I've been on Julie's weight loss program and this week I've been thinking about the ways my life has changed since the last week of January 2011....

I am no longer consumed by thoughts of when I'll begin a diet or feeling like a failure because I started a diet and gave up after a few days or a few weeks - or I never started at all. I no longer think about the infamous "tomorrow" when I'll begin to eat right and exercise. Eating right and exercising are now part of my lifestyle. I'm not sure when those all consuming thoughts left me, but I'm happy they are silenced.

I am confident that I will reach my ideal size. I've never felt this way before. I don't know how long it's going to take me, but I don't need to focus on that anymore either. Last January I thought I would have lost a hundred pounds by now. I'm really okay with the fact that I haven't lost a hundred pounds. The weight has come off at a pace that feels natural. Some days I don't feel like I've lost over fifty pounds, because it has come off slowly. I only need to look into my huge closet full of clothes that are too big to realize how much smaller my body is than it used to be. This week I'm wearing a coat my friend Aime gave to wear in Alaska in June. At that time I could zip it up, but I couldn't move for fear it would rip open. It's my new favorite coat and there's room inside for a heavy sweater inside. Time to sell off my favorite red coat that I had altered in October--it's too big.

I used to think "If I lose x amount of weight per week, then by such and such a date, I will weigh XXX." In fact, last night I heard myself trying to work this equation aloud with a friend. "I'm this size now and if I keep going as I have been going, by my vacation in April I'll be a size.... Wait! This formula doesn't work any more!" In April, I'll be whatever size I am and there isn't a formula that's going to project what size I'll be by then.

At my recent refresh class, I was reminded that  plateaus are not only a part of the process, but that we should embrace them. When we're in a plateau, our body locks in our weight  so that it becomes our new high, which helps us in the end to maintain our weight. At the same time, I need to assess if I'm in a rut vs a plateau. A rut is when I'm eating the same foods with no variety. A rut is when I am sliding, eating too much cheese, an imbalance of protein to veggies, or anything else that I "allow" that is a slippery slope and if I keep it up the plateau will turn into a weight gain. Although some weight gain is also part of this process, I need to be aware if I'm doing something to cause that or if it's just part of the ebb and flow.

I've learned that the longer I'm on this program, the stronger my resolve is to stay the course. Exercise helps take the weight off faster, which is the reason I began to exercise, but I didn't start exercising until October. I love how I feel when I exercise, which makes me happy to have this be a part of my lifestyle.

Like many of you, I often struggle staying off the scale. However, I really get how knowing numbers can mess with my head, so I continue to stay away from knowing how much I weigh. In a recent blog post, I commented on my thoughts about the scale:
  • Think about the scale as old technology: outdated an obsolete. 
  • It no longer fits our needs. 
  • It does not measures our success. 
  • It does not define who we are. 
  • Using the scale sets us back. 
  • We are more than the sum on the scale.
I've learned to measure my weight loss success in new ways. I have more energy than I did a year ago. I'm five sizes smaller than I was a year ago. I can run a 5k in under 45 minutes. I bought binoculars so I can take up birding this year.  My creative juices are flowing once again.

When I put together my year of photos, I realized I hadn't taken that many photos of myself over the past year. Most of the photos I found were from previous times I had started a diet and wanted before and after photos. I didn't take a before photo in January 2011. My first photo on this program was in April when I was on vacation. All the photos I took last year were from vacations with the exception of Aug. 2011 and my Jan. 2012 photos. The one in August was when I was in a store and tried on a new outfit and wanted a second opinion, I took a photo and sent it to a friend. I bought the top, but took it back a few days later.  I took the January photo so I could have something to compare to the older photos. In taking that photo and adding it to all the others - I was then able to really see how much weight I've dropped.

It is because I am not consumed by this program/diet that I haven't taken photos along the way. Photos are a good way to measure success, so I'm committed to taking a photo at least once a month until I reach my goal size. This is a good way to measure success.

What about you? How has your life changed since you began Julie's program? How do you measure success? And what about a clothing exchange - how would this work?
I'm happy to say weight is coming off once again. It felt like I was maintaining for a couple of months, although my clothes indicate otherwise. I understand plateaus are a good thing and that they are part of the process, but still it's nice to be dropping weight again. I contribute the weight drop to my refresh class last week. I'm back to working the core of this program: lots of meat, equal portions of meat to veggies, and mixing up my menu plan.
I didn't realize I was stuck on the same foods week after week until I heard Julie ask someone in the group if they were eating the same foods all the time. I realized this was something I was doing; I had a few favorites that I made week after week. This week I broke out of the mold by eating shrimp, chicken, bacon, sausage, beef, and a wider variety of veggies. Variety is a good thing and I encourage each of you to work on varying your menus too. Boredom with food is never a good thing, as it can lead us to places we don't want to go and it can stump our weight loss progress. This is part of our journey too - keeping things from being boring. How are all of you doing with variety in your menus?

For me to mix things up, I started exploring new foods, such as Trader Joe's filet Mignon roast, shrimp stir-fry, and barbecued ribs.  I don't recommend the shrimp stir-fry, as it was bland. It did inspire me to buy frozen uncooked shrimp and ingredients to make my own shrimp recipes. I haven't had the ribs yet, but the roast was full of wonderful flavors and I highly recommend treating yourself. Here's how I cooked the roast:

Cooking the Filet Mignon Roast

If you have a grill, well when it isn't snowing out, that's the best way to cook it, but you may also cook it on top of the stove or in the oven. However you cook it, sear it first and then turn the heat down and let it cook.  See Wikipedia for more details on searing meat.

I cooked my roast on top of the stove. When the meat was almost done, I sliced it into smaller pieces so I could cook it all the way through; I don't like to see any red in my meat. At the same time, I tossed in onion slices.

When the meat was halfway cooked, I cut the meat in half, seared the newly sliced edges, and then pulled one of the pieces from the pan for another meal. This allowed me to warm it up the next day without overcooking the meat. When I cooked it the second time, I sliced all the meat and placed it on a hot (Teflon) pan with more sliced onions.

This roast was well worth the price (about $20). My only regret is that I didn't take a photo when I plated it to add to this blog! I'm sure I'll have this dish again and when I do, I'll add photos.

BTW, I'm sorry I wasn't able to blog recently. I'm in week four of a cold that just won't let go!


I am re-posting this for anonymous. This was posted as a reply to my post of strange compliment. I am re-posting this because I feel this needs addressing and we all know what it is like to need encouragement.

Also, I don't see those replies a lot of times inside the posts. Please don't be afraid to post a main topic. Those are easier to find, than those replies.

Anyway, here is her post:
Anonymous - Jan 24, 2011
Can someone please reassure me that the plateau that I am on is normal. I know it is and everything Julie said is coming back to me about your body loosing and then healing, but enough already! My body is plenty healed! I don't seem to have moved since Christmas and I have been following the program to the T. Just some words of reassurance and comfort would help. I don't feel that I need a refresher because I am doing all the right things. Help!
I received the oddest compliment yesterday! Not like one I have ever received before. But, it was a compliment, so I will take it.

A dear friend of mine, (who by the way lurks around on this blog :-), told me that someone commented to her that I was loosing weight. They asked her if I had had the stomach banding surgery. LOL!! I hope that means I lost a lot of weight fast. If that is what it means, I sure hope this plateau ends soon so I can continue on!!!

So I guess people are noticing. I am still chuckling over this one!!!
Meatloaf is another staple for me. It's quick to make and cooks in 30-40 minutes. I like meatballs more, but meatloaf is a lot less work and cooking time.
If I'm really hungry and I don't feel like waiting 45 minutes for dinner, sometimes I pull enough of the beef to make a hamburger while the meatloaf is cooking and then I have the meatloaf for lunch the next day.

Ingredients
  • one pound of beef
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/4 cup bread crumbs (I use Progresso Italian) 
  • spices you like (garlic, salt, pepper. etc.)
Process
  1. Mix all ingredients with your hands in a bowl until well blended.
  2. Place into a baking pan (I use a standard size bread pan)
  3. Flatten top of meatloaf with the tines of a fork (optional)
  4. Bake in preheated oven for about 40 minutes until cooked as desired.
Optional: Serve with catsup or add your favorite tomato sauce to the top and bottom before cooking the meatloaf.

I also have small loaf pans that I sometimes use to make single servings, this way they are ready to fit into my lunch container.

Meatloaf makes about 4 servings
Meatballs are a good choice when eating lunch at a deli or when friends order take-out pizza, but I love my homemade meatballs. I used to say I never met a meatball I didn't like, but a few years ago that changed when I had a friend's mother's meatballs with a secret ingredient: jelly. Jelly? Why would anyone put jelly in meatballs? They were the worse meatballs I ever had. Here's my version of my mother's meatball recipe, which never had and never will include jelly...
Mom's Meatballs made Key-friendly
10/24/16 Update
The Key Weight Loss Program has evolved since I started my journey in January 2011. So I've adapted recipes like this, which I used to add breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese, but are are no longer allowed. I updated this meatball recipe to make it key-friendly and guess what, I don't even notice the lack of breadcrumbs and Parmesan.

Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 lbs ground beef 
  • 1 pound sausage (sometimes I use Jimmy Dean's Sage Sausage. You can mix the sausage in with the ground beef or put whole sausage links in the sauce.)
  • 3 large eggs, slightly beaten
  • 6 -8 cloves of fresh minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano*
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley*
  • 1/4 cup chopped basil*
  • 1 small onion finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery (optional)
  • 1 whole bell pepper, red, yellow, or both (optional)
  • 1 (24 oz size) jar or can of your favorite tomato sauce
*Herb options: substitute all spices with fresh herbs or a package of Italian Seasoning.

Note: for ready-to-go meals to take to work, make a double batch of this recipe and freeze them in one-serving size containers.

Directions
Cover the bottom of the crock pot with a thin layer of sauce.

Beat the eggs and add all ingredients, except the peppers and tomato sauce, in a large bow, use your hands to mix all ingredients.

Shape mixture into meatballs and drop each ball into the crock pot. Add a small amount of sauce to each layer of meatballs.

Tips for rolling meatballs
  • To help make them consistent in size, use a 1/4 measuring cup to scoop the meat from the bowl.
  • If you prefer bite size meatballs (as I do) take half of the meat mixture from the measuring cup, roll it into a firm ball and the repeat with the other half in the spoon. Bite size meatballs take longer to roll, but they cook quicker, so you may want to be at home when cooking these unless you have a crock pot with a timer.
Add any remaining sauce to the crock pot.

Cut the peppers into large pieces and add to the crock pot.

Once all the meatballs are all in the crock pot, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. If you're home while they're cooking, you can turn the temperature up higher to cook them faster.

Do not stir meatballs until they are almost done or you will risk breaking the meatballs.

Quicker Meatballs

If you don't want to wait all day for meatballs to cook in the crock pot, bake them in the oven instead. I ate these meatballs hot from the oven without sauce. If you make a double batch you can freeze them without sauce and add your favorite sauce when you reheat them. Another option, which a key-friend told me about, is to buy Angus meatballs from the freezer department at the grocery store.
Hungry? Bake your meatballs for quicker a meal.
 
Baked Meatballs

Sauce Recommendations
  • Capa di Roma - the owner of Roma Restaurant in East Hartford, Connecticut, is a one of our key-friends who followed the key program many many years ago and has kept her weight off. Roma sauces can be found in your local grocery store.
  • Newman's Own Sockarooni Sauce
  • Francesco Rinaldi Hearty Tomato & Basil - last year I made a triple batch of meatballs with this inexpensive sauce. I added added tons of garlic and the sauce was delicious.
  • Your homemade sauce - of course!
Related Recipes
Yesterday I made some eggs and sausage for breakfast, a nice weekend treat. I made a video along the way. It's not perfect, but neither were the eggs. I figure I'll start with this video and I'll improve over time. I've a lot to learn, but I have to start somewhere.

I stopped the video a couple of times, only to discover I accidentally switched to camera mode instead of video, so I lost some of what I hoped to include. You might have appreciated seeing the egg drop into the water. I've never done that before, but it still tasted wonderful.

A few months ago when I made the meat crust pizza with my friend Aime, we made a video with the intent of putting it up on this blog. Part I is missing, so that video may not make it onto this blog. We also made a mean vodka tonic video. If these missing videos show up, I will post them.

I hope this will be a fun process for me and I that it's fun for you to watch as well.

In the Kitchen with Theresa: Sausage and Eggs

Ingredients: (adjust to the number of eggs and sausage you want)
  • 3 round sausage patties (I used the Johnsonville brand)
  • 3 eggs - poach or cook them over easy on the stove
  • Coffee
Process:
  1. Get your coffee brewing first, so it's ready when everything else is.
  2. If you froth your milk, you should do this now as well.
  3. Cooks eggs in poacher on top of the stove until desired firmness.
  4. At the same time, cook 3 sausage patties in a separate pan.
  5. Optional: make a Hollandaise sauce from a package mix while the above items are cooking; add fresh squeezed lemon juice to  mix even if recipe does not call for it.
  6. When the eggs are done, plate them and then top with sausage and optional Hollandaise.
  7. Pour coffee and enjoy your breakfast.
  8. Move over DnD, my coffee and sausage with eggs is far better than yours!

Jan. 2011
Later this month it will be a full year since I started working with Julie to lose weight. I still have a long way to go, but I want to pause and acknowledge how far I have come this year.

Last January, I wore a size 32 and now I'm a size 22. I follow the rule of not weighing myself, but last week I asked my doctor if I've lost more than 50 pounds and she said yes.

In July I went to Alaska and hiked trails I could not have imagined just a few months earlier. I continued hiking the rest of the summer. In October, I started jogging and in December I ran a 5k in under 45 minutes. Today, I feel great. I'm full of energy and I'm looking for my next race, a 5k in Carlsbad, CA in April 2012.

Here's a collection of photos of my weight loss journey...



May 2009


Dec. 2009



Aug. 2010
April 2011, Encinitas, CA

July 2011, Sitka, AK

Aug. 2011

Dec. 2011
Dec. 2011,  5k Hot Chocolate Run







Jan. 15, 2012
WOW! all I can say is WOW!!! How motivating, and I am so ready to continue on!!! My mind is so overloaded with good information! It is amazing to hear other people's stories, struggles and successes! Even ended up sitting next to Wendy and I had no idea it was her!

The pizza restaurant is Roma in East Hartford. I am going to talk my husband into going!! hopefully really soon!

So many things she talked about today, I had forgotten or had been confused about. I highly recommend a refresher class.

Plateau's are good! I can't even imagine, but that was said so many times and I am so happy to hear that! I am so used to, from WW or other plans, that a plateau was not good. I am unlearning so much stuff from all the things I have done in the past. I got some fine tuning on my food choices and my journey continues...

Wendy, how did you like it?

Theresa and Aime, how did you make out?

I am happy and ready!!!!
This is one of those recipes that you make according to your taste and what ingredients you have in the house.
It's like a slice of live, this meat crust pizza.
When I made this recipe for five people to have with a salad, I used about two pounds of ground beef.

You can make this a small pizza for just you or a giant pizza to share by adjusting the amount of beef. Anyway you make it has the potential to be your favorite new recipe. 

 Ingredients
  • 6-8  cloves of garlic
  • black pepper
  • 2 pounds of ground beef
  • tomato sauce
  • Mozzarella or Parmesan cheese, shredded, or Feta cheese
Topping Suggestions
  • sliced mushrooms
  • sliced bell peppers (any color)
  • Italian sausage, cooked ahead
  • sliced pepperoni
  • sliced onions 
  • chopped green onion
  • chopped fresh basil 
  • chopped garlic
Preparing the Pizza
  1. Pre-heat oven to 400.
  2. Chop garlic and mix into ground beef; add black pepper at this point too.
  3. Flatten the ground beef as thin as possible into a circle; this will be the pizza crust.
  4. Place the meat on a baking pan.
  5. Bake the crust until the meat is cooked all the way through; do not let it get hard and tasteless by overcooking.
  6. Remove the crust from the oven and use a paper towel to dot off any moisture or oil on top.
  7. Spoon on favorite tomato sauce.
  8. Sprinkle cheese over sauce.
  9. Add veggies.
  10. Add pepperoni and/or sausage.
  11. Top with chopped fresh basil.
  12. Bake until toppings are bubbly hot.
A variation of this recipe is to use ground chicken instead of beef and to use Alfredo sauce (from a jar or fresh) instead of tomato. I haven't made this yet.

Meat Crust Pizza in Restaurants?

I took photo of the pizza slice above and below at a restaurant Julie recommended, Roma, which is in East Hartford. The owner Emilia was a client of Julie's and she will make this pizza for you but you must call and order it a day or two ahead. There are two size options, we chose the largest and had plenty of leftovers to take home. Excellent service.

Meat crust pizza.