This recipe comes just in time for the holiday. Thanks Chris for sharing it!

Prep time: 1 hour Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 9-12

Featuring fresh green beans and caramelized onions, this homemade green bean casserole is just about as clean as it gets. Rather than relying on a cream-based soup, it’s held together by a creamy puree of parsnips and mushrooms! The caramelized onion topping still delivers the buttery onion flavor that we all love, without the deep-fried grease and flour to go along with it. All of our favorite flavors covered, without the heavy food-coma to follow!

Ingredients

• 1 yellow onion, sliced thinly
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, or butter
• 2 cups parsnips, chopped
• 10 oz. mushrooms, chopped * 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1½ cups water (or broth)
• 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1 lb. fresh green beans

Instructions

1. Heat oil/butter, in a large skillet and add the sliced onions. Saute gently over medium-low heat for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until caramelized. Use a splash of water, as needed, to prevent sticking. Once the onions are tender and golden in color, remove from heat and set aside in a bowl for later.
2. While the onions are cooking, you’ll have plenty of time to steam the parsnips. Fit a steamer basket into a saucepan, and fill with one inch of water. Add the 2 cups of chopped parsnips, and bring the water to boil over high heat. Cover and reduce the heat to low, steaming for about 8 minutes, or until the parsnips are easily pierced with a fork. Transfer the steamed parsnips to your blender container, and set it aside.
3. Using the same steamer basket and saucepan, break the pound of fresh green beans into one-inch pieces, and toss them into the steamer basket. Bring to a boil, then cover and steam for 6-8 minutes, until the green beans are bright green with a bit of crunch. Transfer the cooked green beans to an 8″ x 8″ glass baking dish.
4. At this point, cook the green beans to be as tender as you like– if you prefer them softer, steam them longer. The baking process later will not make them any more tender, so this is your chance to achieve the texture you like.
5. Once the onions have finished caramelizing, you can use the same pan to saute the mushrooms and garlic. Heat more oi/butter, and saute the garlic for about 3 minutes, then add the mushrooms. Cook for about 6 minutes, until liquid is released from the mushrooms.
6. Spread half of the mushroom mixture into the baking dish of green beans, and pour the other half of the mixture, along with any liquid, into the blender container with the steamed parsnips.
7. Into that blender container, add 1½ cups water/broth and 1½ teaspoons sea salt to the cooked parsnips and mushrooms. Blend until smooth and creamy. (This mixture may be a bit salty to taste at this point, but keep in mind that it will be diluted when it’s poured over a pound of green beans!)
8. Pour the creamy sauce over the green beans and mushrooms in the glass baking dish, and stir to coat well. (You may very well have more sauce than you need for this recipe– I only used about 1½ cups to coat the vegetables well. Save the rest for a future dish!)
9. Smooth the creamy vegetable mixture with a spatula, and top with the caramelized onions to finish.
10. At this point, you could cover the dish and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to heat and serve.
11. When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350F and bake uncovered for about 30 minutes, until bubbly. 
12. Serve warm and enjoy!

November 25, 2013

This pumpkin sausage soup recipe comes from one of my key friends. She served this at a family gathering and her grand-niece really enjoyed it. I made it last night and it was yummy. This may be just what you need in the cold winter nights ahead.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces) of Jimmy Dean plain sausage
• 1/2 cup onion, minced 
• 1 garlic clove, minced 
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasonings (packaged salad dressing)
• 1 -2 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped 
• 1 can pumpkin (15 ounce)
• 4 cups chicken broth (I used 2 cups - I like my soup thick)
• 1/2 cup whole milk 

Directions
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6

1. Brown sausage, drain, then add the onion, garlic, Italian seasonings and mushrooms and sauté until done. 
2. Add pumpkin to this mixture and mix well. 
3. Stir in broth and mix well. Use less broth for a thicker soup; I used 2 cups.
4. Simmer 20-30 minutes. 
5. Stir in the milk and simmer on low another 10-15 minute. If soup is too thick, add more broth.
6. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed (optional). 

12/15/13: I'm making this recipe as I type and it is perfect for cold, snowy, winter days like today. It's ready in less than an hour and the whole house smells wonderful the whole time! If you haven't made this yet, add it to your short list of new recipes to try!

In Jennifer's kitchen

Jennifer, one of our contributors, also made this soup and shared a few words:

I just tasted it and all's I can say is OMG! Do I HAVE To share with my husband? I highly recommend it! easy TOO! -- Jennifer

November 19, 2013

I'm on a quest to kick things up a little in my weight loss journey. I'm committed to make as many new recipes as I can during the remainder of 2013. I've been collecting recipes and in the weeks ahead I plan to make as many of them as I can. What better way to start kicking things up than with a new kind of chili?

Chili made with Green Salsa

Why do I want to kick things up? One of the key concepts Julie teaches us is to mix it up - don't let your body get used to having the same foods. It was time for me to get back to this basic concept again.

Last week I was feeling bored with food. Nothing seemed interesting or tasty to me. That's when I started thinking it was time to switch out my menus for some new ones.

One night after work I looked in my pantry for something to cook with grass-fed beef, but I didn't see many options. Hmmm, now what?" 

I wasn't game for running to the store, so I looked in the pantry again. That's when I found a jar of chipolte corn salsa. I often make beef chili with a jar of red salsa, so why wouldn't corn salsa be just as good? it turns out corn salsa makes a delicious chili. I created a whole new version of chili that I liked so much I made it again for a potluck I went to yesterday. This time I made my chili with green salsa.

I discovered something else last week after eating that chili: I had lost interest in the meals I was making because I wasn't adding any herbs or spices. It's time to add some spice back into my foods.

What about you? Are you eating the same foods? Are you bored with your meals? Kick things up in you menu and see if that helps. If you have any nice spicy recipes, please share them with us!

Chili

1. Place 1 pound of ground beef in a pan
2. When the beef is done, drain out the oil.
3. Add 1 small chopped onion and 1 small sliced pepper (any color or type) to the pan and allow them to soften.
4. Add the beef to the pan with the onion and peppers and mix in a 16 oz jar of Mrs. Renfro's Green Salsa or Chipolte Corn Salsa. I loved the spiciness of these salsas, but you can add any brand of salsa.

Last week I topped my chili off with sour cream. I've heard mixed reviews if sour cream is on program or not. One person said she called the office and was told "it can be used as a condiment (i.e., in small amounts), but you should think about what your goal is when adding sour cream." That sounds like good advice to me. It's also a concept we can apply to other food choices.

Chili made with Chipolte Corn Salsa

November 17, 2013

Some mornings I grab an egg sandwich at Dunkin Donuts, but I make it a special order so I can have eggs my way: I ask them to hold the bagel. I've been doing this at my local DnD for so long that when the cook sees me coming, she knows to hold the bagel. She also knows to put the cheese between the meat and the egg.

Eggs my way - made at home (recipe below)

If you order eggs my way at DnD or anywhere else, know that you will pay the same price in most cases. They should give you a discount, and at DnD on Main in Northampton they often do, but if it gets in the way of having this my way or not, I keep it simple. If they look confused at how to ring it up, tell them: 1) ring it up as they do a sandwich, 2) let the cook know to hold the bagel (or other bread), and 3) ask the cook to put the cheese between the meat and egg (or skip the cheese entirely). You don't want to order a sandwich with the bread. Pulling the bagel from the sandwich is too tempting. You don't want to do this. No bagel, no temptation. Keep it simple.

Most mornings I don't eat breakfast. This was a big change for me that happened after I started this weight loss program. I don't know exactly when I stopped being hungry in the morning. Prior to seeing Julie, I always ate first thing in the morning, otherwise I felt dizzy. I was not a diabetic, and I was tested many times over the years, so I never knew why I had those spells. I recall when I first started feeling dizzy vividly. I was 19 years old. I woke up, jumped up out of bed like I always did, but that morning I quickly sat back down because I felt dizzy, and ever since that morning, I was dizzy every morning and I found eating stilled the dizzy spells - up until some time after I started Julie's program when I no longer had morning dizzy spells and I lost my appetite for breakfast.

Julie talks about stabilizing our metabolism for us in her sessions. Perhaps she stabilized my metabolism and that made the dizzy spells stop. I don't have another explanation. What I do know is I don't miss those dizzy spells and I'm good with this change.

That said, there are mornings when I am hungry and I have breakfast. Yesterday I saw an article about making a week’s worth of egg sandwiches in 15 minutes, and since I didn't have anything planned for dinner, and I had 2 dozen eggs in the house, I decided to adapt the recipe and made it for dinner last night.

Julie teaches us to vary our menus, so don't make this recipe with a dozen eggs unless you have family to help you eat them or you plan to freeze some. Trying this recipe last night is my first step in changing up what I eat. I'm re-evaluating what I'm eating and I'm cooking new recipes to move away from eating the same foods all the time. I'm making spicier foods and using my crockpot again. There's nothing like coming home to a cooked meal!

Eggs My Way
I think you'll find this recipe easy to adapt to make eggs your way. 

1. Drop a small amount of olive oil into each well of your muffin pan. Smear the oil around the well with your fingertip or a paper towel to coat the bottom and edges of each well. 

2. Place a piece of sliced ham in each well and add a small amount of spinach. I added spinach that was still frozen. You can use any vegetable or none at all.

3. Crack one egg into each well.

4. Sprinkle the eggs with a little salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Season to suit your tastes.

5. Bake in the oven at 350 for about 15 minutes. Adjust the cooling time depending on how you like your yolks. Cook them less if you want runny yolks or longer for harder yolks.

I got a phone call while my eggs were cooking, so they were perfectly hard boiled when I ate them. I prefer them runny, but hard boiled means I can eat the leftovers cold from the refrigerator instead of needing to heat them up.

Recipe adapted from Make A Week’s Worth Of Healthy Egg Breakfast Sandwiches in 15 Minutes.

November 14, 2013

This question was posted a few minutes ago on an August 2013 post (Quick Recipes) and in order to help Rose, I'm posting her question so that some of you may be able to answer her questions:

I am new to blogging and not sure if I'm doing it right. I have been on the diet for two months and doing well. I do still have some food questions and how the food combinations effect the body, as well as dynamics of Julie's philosophy. I really enjoyed the sessions and am in awe of her. However, after driving for two hours from Gloucester and attending the night sessions, I tended to space out and not necessarily absorb a lot if the information. I emailed Theresa, but got back some long form letter of encouragement. Is there anyone out there who can help me?  -- Rose

11/13/13 update:
I just read an excerpt from the book Grain Brain: The Surprising Truth About Wheat, Carbs, and Sugar - Your Brain's Silent Killers, by Dr. David Perlmutter, which supports a lot of what Julie teaches us. I highly recommend this article. It's available on Amazon and the Kindle price is only $6.62. I devoured the article, so I may have to buy the Kindle version! -- Theresa

November 12, 2013

This weight loss journey isn't a contest. We are all winners, even though this is not a contest. This journey is about our commitment to drop our excess weight, to reach our desired size, and maintain that size for the rest of lives. How's your commitment working for you?

We made a commitment to ourselves, and with Julie's help (hypnosis) we can stay committed to drop our weight.

My commitment has stayed strong, but sometimes I get in my own way. The mean girl inside me sometimes whines "how come she lost weight faster than me?" Or I discover something I'm doing that isn't according to the program.

I know people who started this program and dropped straight down to their goal size. For others, including me, reaching our goal size is a longer journey. People in both groups indicate they have always been 100% in the river (on program) the whole time. Others indicate they jump in and out of the river all the time and they still reached their goals. I can't speak for the later group and I don't judge them. This is a solo journey and I can only speak of my own truth.

Why it is that some lose weight so much faster than others? Perhaps it's because we don't all hear or remember the same details and because we interpret what Julie teaches us in different ways. Again, I can only speak of my own journey.

As time passes, I refine my program, as I discover things I was doing wrong. These discoveries happen at refreshers or when I talk with others, but sometimes I have my own "ah ha" moments.

My recent "ah ha" was about the meat-veggie-ratio. I recall meals where I had more veggies than meat. I removed coleslaw from my food options a few months ago, because I realized it's a food I eat too much of, especially when I make it at home. I start off with the correct ratio, but then I go back for more coleslaw than meat and throw off the balance.

Yes, coleslaw is a food we're allowed. Yes, I stayed in the river. However, if we eat more veggies than meat we are going to either stop losing or gain weight. I speak of coleslaw, but I overate other veggies as well. I'll bring coleslaw back again, but for now, it's off my plate.

This concept is not complicated: eat equal to or less veggies than meat.

I'm not sure why I didn't take this meat-veggie-ratio more serious every day or when the line became blurry and I ignored this key concept over and over. I'm not even sure when it started or why I allowed myself to tip the balance. Why didn't I catch this and stop sooner? I'm not sure.

What I do know is that now that I've put the meat-veggie-ratio balance back in balance, my weight is coming off again.

I've followed this program for nearly 3 years and along the way I've identified areas where I make mistakes. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why my weight loss is slower than others. I learn from these imperfections and then I move on.

A big part of this program is learning to reprogram our minds. I don't beat myself up when I discover something I'm doing wrong. This program is a lifestyle change and I keep this in mind as I journey forward. Imperfections are part of the human experience. I expand my knowledge of how this program works by listening to my own body. When I feel I'm in a plateau, I look around to see if it's something I'm doing wrong and if it is, I stop it immediately.

As much as my old way of thinking (my inner mean girl) asks "why is she losing weight so much faster than me?" I have to remind myself: this is NOT a competition. There is no finish line. There is no "end" of this journey. Life doesn't work this way. I am on a journey to lose weight and I'm doing my best to stay the course. My best is good enough.

After I reach my goal size I'll learn how to maintain that and then move on once again. Move on to what? Living my life just as I always have. My whole life doesn't change just because my size does. My life is the same, but I'm a whole lot healthier. I'm the same person, just a smaller size. I think the same, except the mean girl is melting away. The mean girl who held me back no longer has a place in my life.

I speak of the mean girl because a lot of us are so critical of ourselves. It's important on this journey to quiet the inner mean voice. If we want to transform our lives, we have to stop listening to the mean girl who tells us we're still fat. The mean girl who looks in the mirror and only sees our flaws. The mean girl has no place in your life either; let her go.

If we are truly committed to losing this weight and maintaining it for the rest of our lives, we cannot afford such negativity in our lives, especially from ourselves. If we cannot look in the mirror and see ourselves as we really are, we're never going to maintain our goal size.

Let go of your mean girl. Let go of anything that is keeping you from reaching your goal size and embrace your commitment to reach your goal.

November 11, 2013

Happy November,

Yes, it's Fall and the weather is getting chilly.  I wanted to check in to see how you were all doing. Well, how are you doing? Challenges, successes, laughs? Update us.....

I'll start first.  These past 4 months have been fantastic.  I feel great and in fact, I think I am going to start to run again.  OK... Jog.  :). I was out with my dog last week and started to jog around the neighborhood and felt pretty good.  The places that used to bounce around and not feel comfortable, didn't feel too bad.  So, I'm going to sign up with Planet Fitness and start to use the treadmill 3/wk.  I will keep you posted on how this goes.

I have gone off program 2 times.  Both times when I went away for a few days.  I limited my "off" times to beverage selection and on one vacation food choices.  Both times, I have been able to get back "into the river" successful.

My 4 month anniversary is coming up Nov 15.  I just signed up for a refresher for the end of November.  I have a goal that I would like to hit by Jan 1.  To complete it, I want to be as prepared as I can be.  This will assure that nothing will stand in my way.

Here are a few things that I have learned over the past 4 months:

1. Food doesn't have a tight grip over me anymore.  With Julie's help with cravings, I don't feel the pull of food anymore.
2. My beverage of choice (when out with friends) used to be beer.  All different kinds of seasonal ones.  I've realized that, Vodka is a great replacement.
3. I now drink coffee. Maybe it's because my taste buds have changed and it gives me something different to drink along with water and seltzer.
4. I'm not hungry anymore.  In fact, I need to remind myself to eat.  I think this is because I don't crave or think about food anymore.
5. I have the support of family and friends.  I do find that after you have been on the program for a bit, it's easy to stay on it and not have sugar or carbs.  You get used to leaving them off your plate.

Do you agree?

How are you doing?

Jane

"Preparedness Equals Peace of Mind" - is a quote from a dear friend that coached college athletes for over 30 yrs.  She recently lost her battle with cancer this past August.  This quote is right on the money as we are all prepared once our 3 sessions are completed with Julie.  To believe in ourselves and the program brings success and POM.

November 04, 2013

The month of October has been packed full of conferences and other travels and I'm happy to report that, like our friend Linda who traveled to Italy - I stayed on program everywhere I went! I'll post about my travels in a day or so, but this morning I want to talk about leg cramps, because last night I woke up in the middle of the night with a wicked bad leg cramp.

"The best theory is the “squatting hypothesis,” which speculates that leg cramping is associated with the modern habit of sitting on chairs and on the toilet instead of squatting as our forebears would have done." -- Lisa Shives, M.D., founder of Northshore Sleep Medicine.

I haven't had leg cramps for a while, but last night's was an exceptionally bad cramp. This morning I was determined to find out why I get these cramps. Since I'm no medical expert, and putting soap at the foot of my bed or rubbing it on the sheets didn't work for me, I turned to Google for help.

There's a ton of information online about causes and treatment of leg cramps. After reading a good number of articles, and this isn't the first time I've done this research, I'm taking the route of stretching and taking magnesium to stop leg cramps from happening again. In fact, I just pulled out my bottle of Nature's Bounty 500 mg Magnesium and took one just now!

I divided my summary (below) into two categories: 1) what's the best treatment for leg cramps? and 2) what causes leg cramps?  I hope this information is helpful to those of you who have these leg cramps. If you have a solution for leg cramps, please share what worked for you!

What's the best treatment for leg cramps? 

This is what I wanted to know most:  how to prevent leg cramps. Last night's episode was painful and I want to stop this from happening as soon as possible. After reading a good number of articles, I found this simple statement to be the most helpful:

Simple stretches before you turn in may be all it takes to rein in charley horses. In one Dutch study, 40 sufferers who tried a three-minute workout were able to reduce their agonizing sleep-killers by more than half — and when they did get a cramp, it was much less painful. Source: Bye-bye, Leg Cramps.

That article includes stretching exercises, as does this one:

What Causes Leg Cramps at Night

What causes leg cramps?   

The cause of leg cramps is written about on a million websites, many of which include ads for products. After reading a good number of them, I found a common thread about magnesium deficiency and dehydration. These three article excerpts align with information I found on medical websites:

Medicine.net

Muscle cramps can often be prevented by measures such as adequate nutrition and hydration, attention to safety when exercising, and attention to ergonomic factors. Muscle cramps are extremely common. Almost everyone (one estimate is about 95%) experiences a cramp at some time in their life. Causes for cramps include: vigorous activity, sitting or lying for an extended period, dehydration, low blood levels of either calcium or magnesium, and some medicines. 

WiseGeek

Many people have had the experience of waking up in the middle of the night with excruciating calf pain, and when such a charley horse strikes, the first tendency is usually to try to straighten out the leg and massage the muscle that is causing the pain. This instinctive reaction is actually the best way to ease a leg cramp, and applying a warm heating pad to the painful area also is effective for immediate relief. If the pain persists, the person can take a pain reliever such as aspirin or ibuprofen to help ease the pain.

If common treatments don't help alleviate the cramps, or if they occur with great frequency, the sufferer should consult with a medical professional who can determine if there is a more a serious underlying medical condition.

MgBRIGHT Magnesium Supplement

The cause of leg cramps is a deficiency of magnesium. According to Dr. Oz, Dr. Weil, the Mayo Clinic, and other leading authorities, magnesium deficiency is the hidden cause of leg cramps, and no prescription medication can treat it. In fact, 78% of leg cramp sufferers have a severe magnesium deficiency. Without magnesium, your body is missing its most important natural defense against pain, swelling, tension and inflammation. Studies show that aggressively replenishing magnesium eliminates leg cramps and prevents them in the future.

October 29, 2013

It was 2 years ago today that I went to Julie for the first time!! Thus the term Julieversary!! Our friend Jill came up with this term and I love it!!!

I will say, I am pleased, thankful, happy, and in disbelief!!!

I have gone from this, my absolute largest size was 26/28.

To this in 2 years, I am getting into 12's!!!

What have I learned in these past 2 years:

I have learned to start trusting in myself. I am learning to like myself (which is a MAJOR step for me)! I have learned I can follow this program anywhere, even in Italy!!!

I have learned patience (I am a slow looser) I am finding myself liking clothes shopping. I don't try to blend into the wall as often anymore when in crowds. I enjoy getting dressed now in the morning as my clothes fit!!!

I have learned there is always tomorrow to eat, I don't have to eat it all today. I have learned to ignore the naysayers and the ones who have to say negative things about how I am eating.

I have learned to love meat and I thoroughly enjoy it!! It is a treat for me to eat so much meat after denying myself meat while on other plans.

It is wonderful to go to bed knowing it was a good eating day and I won't be up half the night with heartburn. It is wonderful to enter into the holiday season, or New Years Day or celebrations and not panic because I have to loose weight to get into something decent to wear!

I can get on the floor with my grand kids!! I sit with my legs crossed with no problem at all!!

I am gaining confidence daily.

I trust the program, I don't mess with the program, it works when you do what she tells you to do!!!

I do not miss the scale! I feel so free from getting weighed in and weighing and measuring my food!! I LOVE I DON'T HAVE TO JOURNAL!!!

I am learning to accept compliments graciously, even though it is hard for me to believe them, the word skinny and Linda just never were in the same sentence in my life ever before!!

I am happy for the first time in my life I am happy with me!!!

Julie if you are reading this, THANK YOU!!!!! THANK YOU for giving me back my life!!!! THANK YOU for giving my husband and my children and my grandchildren - a wife, mother and grandmother!!!

October 24, 2013

What an amazing trip! Italy is a beautiful country with so much history. I saw artifacts and ruins dating back to single digit years!!! Unbelievable to me!!!

Shroud of Turin museum

I got to meet family I had never met before!!

and the best part: I STAYED ON PLAN AND WAS NOT DEPRIVED ONE BIT!!!

I proved you can go anywhere and do anything and still have a really good time and not go off plan!!! I am thrilled!!! My trip was about sight seeing, family, spending time with my dad, and the culture. Plus I did a lot of shopping!

I always wanted to go to Italy, but I didn't want to be the fat American they make fun of over there. They are shocked at our eating habits and serving sizes. They use hardly any sugar, and everything there is fresh. You don't find store wrapped bread anywhere, it is all bought daily or every couple days. Amazing to not see very few, and I mean VERY FEW overweight Italians.

I am one that won't take the chance of straying at all! I worked to hard to get where I am now, and my goal size is in sight. I am doing the program according to Julie and won't take any chances at all! I have heard to many sob stories of those who strayed and got totally messed up. No way do I want that to happen. It isn't worth it.

I felt great on my trip! We did a lot of walking and it felt great!

Bridge of Sighs in Venice Italy

I actually lost weight while gone!! How great is that!!!

October 22, 2013

Hi All,

I had my yearly physical last week and received great news. After the nurse weighed me she said,   Wow, you've lost over 30lbs since July.  I stopped her from telling me more.  In fact I was.... "No I can't know."  She then asked me if I did KH.  I said yes.  She said that she had seen a few patients that had done KH and look great.  I started to tell her about it and ... Like all of us, she will make the decision to call or not.

I'm healthy and my doctor said that I'm in great shape.  I wasn't on any meds and don't need any.  I will be 52 in a few weeks and like I have said, I feel wonderful.

So, 2 days later I was heading to Cape Cod for a 4 day long weekend.  I had all the intentions of sticking to the program, but after some quiet thoughts, I allowed myself to enjoy my time away.  What did this look like?

I ate clean each day, but twice I had pizza late at night.  I  had a few beers, and realized that.... I really didn't miss them.  The other treat I allowed myself was candy corn.  Why, I don't  know.   I just did.  On my drive back home, I knew that Sunday was back on my plan.

Now it's Monday and I am so happy to report that, I ate great yesterday and today.  I don't have ANY pull toward sugar or carbs.  I allowed myself to explore and am back and on track for the duration, which is until I'm a loose pants size 8.  Currently, I am a size 10.

Would I recommend this for you? No.  But, I did it for me, while on vacation.  I'm telling you all this, not to say, go crazy, but for me, I feel as strong as I did in July.   That is how good Julie is and was for me.

Jane

October 21, 2013

How's your exercise plan working for you these days? Have you started moving? Is it time to kick up your level of exercise - or to get started? I bought a Fitbit an electronic gizmo, called to help me kick things up a notch - and it's working!

Walking the Whiting Reservoir, Oct. 2013

My walking friend has been encouraging me to buy a Fitbit for about six months and I finally bought last month. She kept telling me how it helps motivate her to get in a specific amount of walking steps per day and how you can encourage and support your friends who have this gadget (inside the app). At the end of the day, if she is short on the amount of steps she wants to get in, she goes around her block a few more times.

I've found my Zip Fitbit to be a great investment - in me. It's not cheap, but it's worth every penny. I bought it at Best Buy and I opened an account to get an instant $20 off, dropping the price to $39.99. I didn't get the fancier one, that tracks your sleep. When my Zip dies or I lose it, I can assess if I need the higher end one. Right now, tracking my steps is all I need it to do.

I bought a pink Zip Fitbit

A few days ago my Fitbit nudged me (via email) to "walk just 360 more steps" to reach my daily goal. I'm not there yet. I didn't go out and walk around my neighborhood to get in those 360 more steps. Plus, I was already in my nightgown. I can imagine I will be there soon - the day will come when I look at my daily progress (before putting on my nightie) and I go outside to achieve my daily steps.

I know, I should be more motivating and report how great it feels that I did this, but that day isn't here yet, but I will start doing this in time. I haven't yet committed to a specific number of daily steps. I aim for 15,000, but am happy to see over 10,000. The later is how many steps you need to get in to maintain your weight. The former number is the range where you can take weight off from your walking.

How it works: 1) track activity, 2) sync, 3) check progress, 4) make fitness fun.

I am happy with my Fitbit and I'm surprised (and happy) at how it does motivate me. I immediately started to park across the opposite site of campus to get in extra steps and I find myself using any excuse to take a walk. Even though I felt like crap all weekend, I met up with a friend on Saturday and another one on Sunday and both days walked the Whiting Reservoir, which is just over 4 miles.

That is because of the Fitbit - it really motivates me. It motivates me because I set it to automatically upload my stats to Facebook at the end of the day (my MapMyRun app is also set to post my walks/runs when I'm done). It also motivates me because I have three friends who share their Fitbit stats with me. I'm usually in third or fourth place, but sometimes I come in second. I also "cheer" them on within the app, sending them a cheer of support. It's fun when I get such a cheer as well.

BTW, I have an iPhone 4, which predates Fitbit, so it doesn't sync with my phone. This is not a deal breaker for me, since I use MapMyRun to track my walking and running.

Oh, and on Saturday, I forgot to turn off the MapMyRun app, so when it posted to Facebook, it said I'd walked several hours and many miles. Ha! My walking friends asked where did I go! That makes up for the times I walked and it didn't register my walk, usually due to extreme fog or human error.

I saw an article which motivated me to share my own Fitbit story: Fitness Motivator: Why I'm Obsessed with My Activity Tracker by Connie Schultz (Parade, Entertainment, October 12, 2013).

What do you do to motivate yourself to stay active? Get moving and keep losing!

October 18, 2013

Cold season is upon us. If you don't know this already - Fisherman's Friend cough drops are key friendly. Some people find them too strong, and I did at first, but I got used to them. Sometimes I don't finish them, the flavor kind of burns, but they're our only option and when you need a cough drop, this is better than nothing. Sometimes they're hard to find, but Stop and Shop and Walmart always have them. 

Fisherman's Friend Cough Lozenges - key friendly

I also found this great tin at Walmart, which I love!

October 13, 2013

On my way home from a conference in upper state NY, and at every rest stop along the way, every single bathroom had a giant sized scale like this one. Tap, tap, tap.

Oh no - another scale!

I did not step on this scale or any of the scales that I encountered at every single stop.

I never would have in the past either--imagine if someone else saw my weight! OH NO!

These scales go up to 500 pounds, so I have to wonder how accurate are they?

Doesn't matter, we don't have to worry about the scale.

Such freedom we have in not having to worry what the scale says. It's one less voice out there shouting at us.

Silence is golden.

Having problems with the scale - want to know how much you weight? Tap, tap, tap. Push those thoughts away as you would any food temptation.

Tap, tap, tap.

Move along. Nothing for you here.

October 11, 2013

The Key Hypnosis website looks great! Check it out: Key Hypnosis

October 10, 2013

It's good to be able to see the many ways our lives have changed from losing weight. Aside from the obvious visual changes, there are many situations that we can look back at and see the pain we were in, pain we were not even aware of until it's gone and we bump into again.

Oh happy me at a great conference

I've been out of town at a conference this week and it is at this conference that I bumped into an old pain and a new non-scale victory. Perhaps some of you can relate.

I was running late to one of the workshops, and when I entered the room the speaker was already well into his intro speech. I quickly scanned the room looking for a place to sit, the room was pretty full and there weren't a lot of empty seats. I like the front row and so I wormed my way to the front of the room and slipped quietly into one of the empty seats in the first row to the right of the speaker.

I then settled in, pulled out my laptop and focused on the topic of the hour. A few moments later, I became aware that the guy next to me was spilling over to my chair. I realized that that was me 2 years ago. I sensed he was uncomfortable in his chair, as he fidgeted most of the 45 minutes we were at that workshop.

Two years ago, I too spilled over to the chair next to me in these kinds of crowded rooms. I would also be wiggling around in my seat and so aware and embarrassed that my body was covering part of the seats on both sides of me.

I also realized that two years ago I would never have chosen a front row seat, not after the speaker had begun. I would have found a seat in the back, or if there were no seats that I could get to without having to push my obese body through a row of seated people and “bothering” someone, I would have left the workshop. I may even have gone to my hotel room and had a good cry.

Not spilling over to the seat next to me - non-scale victory – indeed!

October 10, 2013

Just had this for dinner. 10 mins. prep time, then throw it in the crock pot. Leave for work and it's ready when you get back.

2 large cans Hunts whole peeled tomatoes
1 small can of Hunts tomato paste
1 lb ground pork, browned and drained
1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1 medium polska kielbasa, cooked and cubed
2 green bell peppers
1 medium yellow onion
1 C cubed turnip (about 1 small turnip root)
1 T chili power
1 T garlic powder
2 t ground cumin
1/4 C chopped parsley
1/2 t kosher salt
1/4 t ground black pepper

1. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste to the crock pot. Mash with a potato masher (it's good to know it can still be used for SOMETHING) just until they're flat, not until they're crushed. It's a texture thing.

2. Add the meat and veggies along with all the seasonings.

3. Give it a good stir and let the magic happen.

Set the crock pot to low if you have more than 6 hours to wait for it. I start mine on high and turn it down to low after 3 hours. The end result is savory, soupy and has just the right amount of heat. Every bite has a nice balance of meat and veggies, just like we like it. If you are so inclined you can use a packet of chili seasoning from McCormick or Old El Paso and add extra cumin and chili powder to taste instead of fussing with individual ingredients.

I use Hunts tomatoes because they taste the best and they aren't stewed or peeled using chemicals. Probably not organic but better than any other commercial brand.

Enjoy!

October 02, 2013

This past Saturday I found myself in a unique spot.

I had two meetups: one in Salem with a meetup group then one in southern Maine, about two hours further away, at night with another.

The one at night began with a potluck.

Do you see where this is going?

My standing rule is that when attending these gatherings, I bring something I can eat and I bring a lot to make sure I get some.

Well, that's hard to do when you have to leave food sitting in your car all day, especially meat.

I know *I* wouldn't eat meat I knew had been sitting in a car for 10 hours.

So I bought salad and dressing and threw it in a cooler bag with some cold packs.

It worked. It was nice and cold and crisp and I could say I contributed something.

Here's the problem: there was no return on investment.

There was literally NOTHING on that table I could eat.

Nada.

Niente.

Usually *somebody* brings some wings or meatballs... SOMETHING.

But there was nothing.

It was about 8:00 PM.

I had last eaten at 2:00 PM.

I would not get to eat again until after 7:00 AM the next day due to where we were and what we were doing there.

No one would have blamed me for taking a hall pass.

The pasta looked good.

So did the pizza.

The pies, donuts and cakes looked divine.

It was the birthday of the group leader. Was I really going to insult her by not sharing a piece of cake?

Well, I'll end the suspense. No, I did not eat that night.

Truth be told, I wasn't all that hungry. I had water. I had coffee.

When I got up in the morning I wasn't particularly hungry either.

I felt like I could eat, but it wasn't crucial.

In fact, it was another two hours before I would find something to eat and by the time I did I was contemplating continuing on home because I wasn't *that* hungry.

The only reason I stopped was because I had only slept about four hours and I had three hours to drive home. I wanted to make sure I had enough energy to make it.

So I ate.

The best part was being told, "You look incredible. You even move lighter. I see no pain in your face anymore. You don't wince when you stand up. Your eyes are wide open and there are no dark circles, and even your voice and demeanor are lighter. You are losing emotional weight along with physical weight."

Being told that made that little forced fast worth it.

I used to do a lot of justifying.

I would pull through the drive-thru and assure myself that "one more of these meals is not going to, by definition, make things worse."

I would make excuses like, "It would be rude not to try ______ after someone worked so hard to make it."

I also justified it by telling myself that I could be dealing wit my issues with alcohol or drugs but I choose to deal with them with "less harmful" things like toll house cookies and sour patch kids.

The cookies and junk food were killing me, just like alcohol or drugs would.

And, let's just face it. I was told that I no longer looked like a junkie. Seriously, just read it again. I was told that I looked sick and now I look well.

I was told that I once acted sick now I act well.

People who had seen me attack things like cake and pie were astounded when I didn't grab a dozen munchkins to eat with my coffee.

And those munchkins were in every. single. room. during that meetup. It was insane.

So, yeah. I missed a meal.

I survived.

And I have still never cheated on the diet.

It's not time to turn the "Days Without Incident" tracker back to zero just yet.

And I'm still losing weight.

Days without incident: 134

September 30, 2013

Here's one of the easiest meatball recipes ever. Remove bag from freezer. Open bag. Pour into sauce pan and top with a jar of your favorite tomato sauce. Heat for 30 minutes. Enjoy. Oh, for those of you with microwaves, it's even quicker!

Angus Beef Meatballs

I had these meatballs at a "friend of Julie's" house one sunny afternoon this past summer. She baked them in the oven and then served barbecue sauce on the side. They were yummy this way too - with and without the barbecue sauce.

For those of you with a spirooli, serve these meatballs on top of your zucchini "noodles."

Of course, I'm not saying these are better than my own homemade meatballs. No way. But they are delicious and it's great to have something you can pull from the freezer when you just don't fee like grocery shopping.

September 29, 2013

I talked about vanilla in my last post, Plateaus and Condiments, but I have a little more to say about vanilla. After reading the comment "Julie told my group no vanilla," posted after one of my recent recipes (a pumpkin drink with vanilla), I paused. What? Is this true - no vanilla? Yes, it's true: no vanilla.

Vanilla is not on program.

A week later at my refresher, Julie told us "no vanilla." I hadn't been to my refresher when I read the comment, so I turned to my key friends and asked them questions about vanilla. An interesting thread followed. Based on their feedback, I no longer post dessert-like recipes to this blog. I  also pulled the recipe for the pumpkin drink.

Why can't we have vanilla? We are heading for trouble when we have "dessert" type foods. After a summer of treats last year that I thought were "on program," I pulled a recipe that pushed the envelope: it contained half and half. I was so sure that was on program; half and half is not on program. I heard this directly from Julie too. I'm sure these kinds of treats put me into a plateau last summer. The key word here is treats -- we are not allowed treats. We're either hungry or we're not hungry. There is no snacking or treats.

Vanilla seems controversial among us, but since I heard "no vanilla" from Julie last week, I'm tossing my bottle right now. I did not toss it out with my condiments a few days ago, because it wasn't in the refrigerator. But I saw it on the counter while making coffee this morning and said to myself, take a photo for the blog and then toss it!

BTW, I reviewed my recipes, but if you find one with vanilla or any ingredients that you question we can have, please post a comment to draw my attention to review it.

Here are some of the responses from my key friends about vanilla and a few more things for you to think about:  

• Julie told our group not to use it; something about the mind thinking it was a sweetener. 
• Julie's assistant told me no vanilla. She said I was searching for a way to get my drink sweetness back.  
• It goes back to "do what you heard directly from Julie." I remember her talking about the whisper game, where someone whispers a sentence into the first person’s ear, and that person tells the next person, etc. until it comes full circle. In the end, it's never the same sentence! 
• Think about it: if we didn't have these groups or refreshers and were on our own, we would only be following what we heard in our first three sessions. Some of us go to refreshers and find that changes have been made. I believe that it's at that point when you need to do it differently. If you hear Julie say it's been changed, then it has to change. 
• I have been to many refreshers where she changed things up a bit. I think the reason is because so many people push the limits and get into trouble. 
• I believe that there has to be some level of self- honesty involved. If you are abusing ANY “allowed” foods, you are only hurting yourself and need to change that behavior, or it will lead you on a path of destruction.

So, I ask you: vanilla or no vanilla? Do you go with what you're hearing about vanilla now or what you heard at your session? Have things changed or has Julie just clarified things she's heard we are eating that we shouldn't be eating? We each have to decide for ourselves.

For me, I'm not letting a little thing like vanilla get between me and my goal size. Not anymore! It's the little things like this that may have slowed me down on my journey and I'm not willing to be slowed down any longer.

September 29, 2013

How fresh are the bottles of condiments sitting in your refrigerator right now? Do you know if they're less than a month old? If your condiments are more than 30 days old - this may be the reason you're experiencing a plateau.

Condiments that I tossed out this morning.

One of the agreements we made in following this program was to toss our condiments 30 days after we open them. The preservatives that are on the inside of the cap causes them to break down after 30 days and that breakdown is NOT healthy for our bodies. I can't quote this in the full scientific way Julie does, but knowing old condiments can cause a plateau is reason enough for me to get back to making sure I follow this rule.

I was pretty sure I used condiments within a month, but yesterday morning, I was not so sure. So, I tossed all the condiments in my refrigerator, except the mustard I bought last weekend.

Starting today, I'm going back to a habit I dropped some time ago - putting dates on my condiments when I open them. Somewhere along the way I have forgotten to be firm with this rule. I'm firm from today forward.

Buying smaller bottles is also a good idea too. Having a plan to use those condiments is another good idea. Just like we have a plan to use the fresh meat  and veggies we buy, so we don't end up throwing it out, we also need to have a plan to use up our condiments.

And if you aren't sure about vanilla, let me help you with this - vanilla is an extract, not a condiment, and it is not on program.

At the refresh I went to this week, someone asked if they could add vanilla bean to vodka to give as a gifts for the holidays. Yes, we're allowed to give it as a gift. No, we are not allowed to drink it. Vanilla bean is not on program.

If something looks like a desert or tastes like a dessert - we are to avoid it, as it's a slippery slope when sometime tastes like a desert we may be triggered to go for something sweet. I deleted the pumpkin drink from my recipe collection. Long ago I also deleted the recipe using Siggis yogurt and cream, because we are not allowed half and half or cream. Somehow I missed this information, but I heard "no half and half or cream" from Julie, so these items are out of my life too.

Speaking of yogurt, I'm off this for a while too. Yes, it's allowed 2-3 times a week (NOT per day), but if you're experiencing a plateau, stop eating it for a while. I'm off it until Nov. And be sure to eat yogurt with lots of meat; it's not a snack. We don't snack anyhow. You're either hungry enough for a meal or you're not hungry enough to eat.

It's all these things that may delayed my weight loss and I am taking the straight road to reaching my goal size:

• I'm tossing the condiments in my refrigerator after 30 days - I'll know they're 30 days old because they will have the date I opened them on the labels
• I'm tossing the bottle of vanilla that I sometimes added to hot milk
• I'm eating cottage cheese again - with lots of meat
• I'm no longer eating cheese in chunks or slices (only 1-2 times a week as a condiment)
• I'm avoiding anything that resembles a dessert

What about your condiments? How old are they? Not sure? Toss them! Who wants to be on a plateau because of a lousy bottle of ketchup?

September 27, 2013

Cheese is a condiment - use it as a condiment or be in a plateau: the choice is yours. If you're eating cheese rolled up with deli meat or in slices by itself, you're probably experiencing a plateau.

Cheese Warrior Theresa

I'm determined to become a cheese warrior - I will conquer cheese!  

I really get this - CHEESE IS A CONDIMENT - and I am treating it as such. I no longer eat slices of cheese, unless it's on top of a burger, mixed in a salad, or on top of a dish.  It's OK to have cheese a couple times a week, but I'm even pulling back from that for a couple of weeks. Why? I'm glad you asked...

Cheese is probably THE thing that has kept me from reaching my goal size. Cheese isn't allowed in the way I was eating it - by the slice or in big chunks. I was reminded of this rule a few weeks ago and I put this concept back into my life full-force a couple weeks ago.

I swear I can feel the difference after just 2 weeks. Those jeans that I had to lay on my bed to zip up last December, well they fit rather nicely now, thank you very much. I just moved a ton of capris and tops that I wore all summer into to the bag of clothes I'll be giving away because they're too big now.

Cheese is a BIG THING for many of us and we have to put a stop to overeating it NOW!

Cottage cheese is a different story. We can have cottage cheese, but we must have it with lots of meat. I had forgotten the rules on cottage cheese, so I stopped eating it and I'm happy to be eating it once again - with meat of course!

September 26, 2013

Here's an update from Jill, who used these photos as motivation to feel good about her food choices, as others around her shared dessert recipes.

Before June 2012 vs today

It seems like everyone on Facebook is posting dessert recipes and talking about going to DD for their fall treats.

I wanted to make their chatter quiet down, so I found 2 stuffed sausage size 18 pictures of me and put it next to me in my new size 6 skinny pants I wore today.

A pumpkin muffin does not taste as good as thin feels, so shhhhhhhhh....


Read Jill's Hero Story What a Difference a Year Makes, and more Hero stories, or share your weight loss story with us. Send me (Theresa) an email by clicking on my photo in the left column of any page. We love to see photos, but if you don't want to share them, that's OK, but we would love to hear your story.

September 25, 2013

This is update on Meaghan is about her reaction to a photo she found of herself before starting Julie's program. I added this to Meaghan's hero story, but it is buried back a in the July 2013 posts and I want to make sure everyone can see this update.

This "before" photo really hit home and struck a chord with me. I would never take a side view photo. This photo is actually of two of my kids in a sandbox and somehow I got in the camera frame...ha! But now, what a great comparison. And my sister said it would make a great weight loss ad. I got a good chuckle out of that -- you know, the ones you see on TV and say, "that is SO not the same person!" But it is. I swear. And I will now post it on my fridge and pillow...and mirrors...and cabinets...lol!


Read Meaghan's hero story and more Hero stories, or share your weight loss story with us. Send me (Theresa) an email by clicking on my photo in the left column of any page. We love to see photos, but if you don't want to share them, that's OK, but we would love to hear your story.

September 24, 2013

Meet hero Elaine, who says "what a difference a year can make" and what a difference indeed. Elaine has gone from cringing when she saw herself in a mirror to liking what she sees now. Congratulations Elaine and thank you for sharing your story!

April 2012 vs Sept. 2013

I celebrated my one year anniversary of being on Julie's program on Sept.19, 2013.

What a difference a year can make. One year ago, my clothing size was a 2X. Today I wear size medium in tops and size 12 petite in bottoms. I love to shop now!!! My attitude has changed so much. I actually like to look while passing a mirror! I used to cringe!

I'm getting close to goal but seem to be moving quite slowly now. I'm OK with that - I enjoy what I'm eating and have no wishes to add anything back in. Being gluten free, as well as having other food intolerance makes it easier for me to stay on program, but I am looking forward, down the road, to having a baked sweet potato - no rush!

April 2012 at the White Cliffs of Dover in England.

I thank everyone for all their support and answers to my questions that helped bring me to this life-changing anniversary date - I hope I can bring this kind of support to others.

Sept. 2013 at the Big E, Springfield, MA

Read more Hero stories... or share your story - send me an email by clicking on my name (Theresa) on the bottom of the list of contributors in the left column of any page.

September 23, 2013

Just a quick update...

Now that I have a Spirooli I decided to try a few different methods with the zucchini to try and make it more pasta-like and not too watery and, well, I think I've come up with the best possible cooking method if you really want it to taste like linguine. I'll give you what I've tried so far.

1. Nuke it.
I do not like this method. It is too difficult to gauge and it either gets too hot and not soft enough or it turns to mush. Either way it's also VERY watery.

2. Blanche it.
This method is better, but it still comes out VERY watery which leaves you with sauce water if you use tomato sauce with it.

3. Pan-toss it.
WINNAH!  I have found that pan tossing it is the best method. It takes care of a lot of the moisture and you come out with firm, noodle-like strands. There was a little water in the bottom of the bowl but if you let it stand for about 3 minutes before serving you can also drain off the excess liquid and you're left with something that is EXCEPTIONALLY pasta-like. I toss it until the strands start to uncurl. That means it's pliable and al dente.

I'm personally thrilled to have discovered this. Toss it with garlic, butter and salt and it is just plain awesome. I've had it done this way with lemon shrimp and tonight we're doing the traditional meatballs and sausage. Yes, I've decided to try introducing some meatballs and see if I can get away with it once a week. It's my way of giving myself a reward. My wife is now on-program too so we are BOTH thrilled to have discovered this treat.

Final note: Yellow squash works well, too and I've found it cooks the same as zucchini so feel free to use both at once. Good stuff!

September 20, 2013

Hi All,

It's a beautiful day and I thought I would ask everyone:

1.  How are you doing?
2. What month are you in with the program?
3.  Any current success stories?
4.  Any current challenges?
5.  Other topics?

I'll go first:

1.  Overall I feel great.  This is the first time in my life that I don't feel stymied by my "diet" or my way of eating.  I don't think about it anymore.  I eat the way I should and don't have the cravings etc that Idid in the pat.

2.  Success story:  My clothes continue to fit better. I have shorts that couldn't even button in the spring, zip up nicely now.  That makes me smile.

3.  My bathroom challenge has been solved.  I bought some suppositories at CVS.  Within minutes, success.  I'm happy that these worked but I do not want to rely on them n a routine basis.  So, I'm drinking plenty of H2O.

4.  Halloween:  with three children excited about Halloween, I find myself thinking about chocolate.  I don't  have the pull to eat it, just thinking about it.  I guess the scary part is, if I have some, how will that affect my progress?  I don't see myself eating any sugar, but I would be lying if a Hershey with Almonds doesn't cross my mind lately.  ;). I will be strong and continue on my path until I'm at my
goal.  

Have a great day!

September 17, 2013

One Year Anniversary

Just about this time last year I completed my third session with Julie. It seems like a good time to take stock of where I've come.

So, to get the obvious out of the way first: I was 62 when I began. I'm 63 now. I was a size 16-14.

Now I'm a size 10. Okay, that's done

What else have I lost over this past year?

1) TONS of TERROR:
I used to spend some significant part of each day, and especially as I was trying to fall asleep, paralyzed by fear over health issues. I knew that my blood sugar levels were high, that I was "prediabetic," and awaited the moment when my pancreas would give up the ghost and I would have to go on insulin. I was often afraid I was having a heart attack, imagined the plaque building up in my arteries and brain. Every news article, every report, of the inflammatory damage which high blood sugar causes, sent me into a panic. And I knew, if I kept going the way I was going, I would end up on medications which would have side effects, for which I would have to take more medications, which would have side effects.

None of us is immune from aging and illness. I know that I will get sick sometimes, and that there will probably be some serious shit ahead of me, and of all of us as we age. Now though, I feel that I am doing everything I can to care for myself, to pay compassionate and gentle attention to my body and what it really needs. I have not had night terrors in a year. (I have also stopped watching all medical dramas, listening to any ads about illness, taking in any toxic "mind food" of that sort).

2) THE SHADOW OF SHAME:
It is impossible to be addicted without being ashamed. I was addicted. When one is ruled by something like food, it is impossible not to have one's self-confidence utterly undermined. I could not believe what I was doing to myself. Aside from the superficial, but painful, shame of often being the heaviest person in the room (Vermont is the second healthiest state in the U.S.), I was ashamed of my inability to stop hurting myself and those who love me. I felt weak, a junkie, often disgusted with myself.

3) OODLES OF OBSESSION:
I spent much of the day, as I had for most of my life from about age 11 on, in an endless, torturous round of internal isometrics. What should I eat? Will it be bad or good for me? I want...I shouldn't....I want....I shouldn't....I did....How could I have done that?....Now that I've done it I might as well just go whole hog.....I feel sick.....I'll do better tomorrow....Maybe today? I want.....I shouldn't...I won't...I did? I cannot really fathom the amount of precious life energy which went into this endless and sad battle.

About two weeks into the program I was driving down to the store and my mind began it's habitual "I want ice cream...no, I shouldn't have it" chatter. I had a moment of feeling utter despair and grief over the loss of the prohibited foods. How could I possibly live for the rest of my life without cake, chocolate, potatoes, etc? (Of course some of them will come back into my life in small amounts soon, but at that moment it felt like never, and in some ways that feels the best way to think about it for me).

I felt, at that moment, that the loss of those beloved foods would kill me. And then, some merciful, hidden, healthy part of me flashed over all of the thousands of times I had driven down that road, miserable, self-hating, stressed to the gills, caught in the endless web of obsession over whether I would or would not eat something hurtful. I realized, in that flash of insight, that the pain of saying "No", was not worse than that old pain. Saying "No," with no questions, no ands, ifs, or buts, would be hard. There would be many sacrifices, but it was a growthful pain, a pain which would result in being healthier. The pain of obsession went nowhere but illness and self-loathing.

Since then I have had periods of wicked cravings, but miraculously, I have never considered acting on them. I simply know that I will not. That the stakes are too high. That I simply cannot afford to EVER do that again.

What have I gained over this past year?

1) FAITH:
The fact that I have done something I truly believed I could not do. That I have ended this cycle of despair, has spread to many other areas of my life. If I can change something so primal, so deep, then anything is possible. No, I have not become a Pollyanna. I have my dark nights of the soul. I have my neuroses. I screw up. I get stuck. But if this could change, then I know, however slowly, anything can.

2) ENERGY:
The highs and lows of energy have gone. I no longer feel in a coma in the afternoons. I can walk for hours and hours. I am in far less pain. I can accompany my healthy friends in their adventures. I can say "Yes" to so many things I said "no" to.

3) STRENGTH:
Somehow, the ferocity needed to work with the food cravings has given me some badly needed courage in other areas too. I find myself much more likely to tell people how I feel, honestly, to set boundaries where I need them. Sometimes I am surprised by what comes out of my mouth....this may take a little getting used to. (-: But I'm almost 64, so I guess I'm entitled to become a fierce old lady!

4) JOY:
The exit of terror and despair has left room for appreciation: of the beautiful countryside around me as I walk, of being able to go into a store and buy clothing that fits me, of sitting down for a meal with friends and actually taking in their presences, instead of thinking of nothing but whether I will have a second helping of something, of making friends with my body, of so many things.

5) GRATITUDE:
My heart overflows with gratitude. To Julie. To having found my way there. To all of my sisters and brothers everywhere who struggle with addictions of any kind. To my body, for having stuck with me through everything I've put it/us through. To my life-partner who loved me as I was, who suffered through so much with me, and who gets to rejoice with me now. To the internal wisdom, which loved life enough, loved me enough, to make this growth possible.

September 12, 2013

Hi All,

I wanted to address a subject that has been a bit ... Well.... Inconsistent for me since I started with Julie.

Although I used to eat sugar and carbs, I was a regular girl.  No issues at all.  Now, 2 months into my new journey, I find that I don't go to the bathroom for days....

Is anyone else dealing with this issue?  I bought some fiber pills, mistakenly fruit flavored and couldn't chew them because they were so sweet.

Any suggestions to conquer this problem?  I would like to get back to being a regular gal.

Thanks,

Jane

September 11, 2013

Meet Cecilia, whose weight loss journey is about more than dropping from a size 22 to a size 14 - it's about dropping her medication levels drastically. The biggest benefit to losing weight is what it does for our health. Congratulations Cecilia for your great success and thanks for sharing your story with all of us.

March 20, 2013 and today

Hi Theresa, I enjoy reading your Julie blog. I've been on EVERY diet, and had just about given up until a friend of mine had lost a lot of weight with Julie... If she could do it, I could too! It hasn't always been easy, but what in life is if it's really worth it? I have been in the program since March 20, 2013.

I was motivated to make a weight loss journey because of my health. I was taking 70 uxs of insulin every night (my A1C was 7.9), medications for elevated triglycerides (800 level!) and blood pressure meds. Since following the plan, my new lab values are, A1C is now 5.2, my triglycerides are 84! I'm off the triglyceride meds, and my insulin has dropped to 35 uxs! My good cholesterol is up, and my bad cholesterol is down! Even eating eggs every day! Besides the improvement in my lab values/health, I'm now a size 14 from a 22!

I'm going today for a refresher, very excited to finish the last half of my journey.... Can't believe how wonderful it feels slipping into smaller clothes! Just wanted to share, good luck to everyone else on their journey, this program really works!

Cecilia

September 10, 2013

This is Jane, our newest contributor, and here's Jane's story! She doesn't tell you this in her story, but Jane is a patient woman. She sent me her story two weeks ago and she has waited patiently for me to introduce her. Welcome Jane!

Jane

I wanted to share with you my story:

I have been pretty athletic/active my whole life. I started gaining weight in my 30's and had modest success losing and then gaining it back in my 40's. I had a tough year this past 12 months and gained enough weight that I didn't feel like myself. My clothes were tight and I had to go out and buy a pair of pants that was the next size up. Ugh.

Through my work, I met a physician that had been to Julie, she looked great. In passing we talked about Julie and I went out to my car and googled her..... Then called and got on the wait list. This was back in April.

My first session with Julie was July 15. I haven't had a craving since this day. Here is what has happened since then:

1. I'm down a size and maybe a half, feel great.
2. I eat when I'm hungry and not when I'm not.
3. My XL dress shirts are way too big... My L shirts fit loosely.
4. I started out wearing XL champion capri's to walk... I'm now in a Medium. I've never been in a medium, even when I was a size 10. 
5. My belly button is starting to look like a "normal" belly button. Instead of a flat line. :)
6. I'm happier, healthier and want to continue on this journey. 

I'm thankful to have found this blog. I look forward to hearing about everyone's success and struggles. It makes me realize that we are all alike.


Update on my physician friend. I saw her last week and she is now a size 10. I'm guessing she started at a size 22/24. But that's just a guess. She is happy, healthy and completed a Triathlon. Anything is possible if we put our minds to it.

September 09, 2013

After six months of having a sweet taste in my mouth 24/7, the sweet taste is gone and I am finally able to taste food once again. In honor of the return of my taste buds, I have been collecting recipes all week. This soup, which is definitely not your grandmother's chicken soup, is a recipe that I invented as I cooked it today, and it turned out incredibly flavorful.

I made a single serving of this soup, but I will be making it again soon.

Meanwhile, I will tell you what I did, but this recipe is void of any real measurements. As I wrote this recipe, I realized it could easily be made into 3 servings, if you do the math as you go along. I was sorry I didn't use all the chicken for this recipe, but I wasn't sure what it was going to turn out like and I didn't want to end up tossing out a whole package of chicken. Oh ye of little faith!

Instructions

1. Cook chicken in enough water to just cover it. I cooked a whole package of chicken tenders and used about 1/3 of it for this recipe.
2. When the chicken is cooked, pull it from the pot to cool and save the broth.
3. Add about a tablespoon of olive oil to a small pot.
4. Chop 1/2 cup of onion and add it to the olive oil and allow onion to soften.
5. Add about 1/4 cup of frozen corn to the onion. Stir.
6. Add a few sprinkles of Chipotle Chili Spice to the pot. Stir.
7. Add a few shakes of Borsari Seasoned Salt. Stir.
8. As the onion and corn are cooking, add about 1/3 of the chicken broth to the pot. Stir. Put the rest of the broth in the refrigerator or freeze to use later.
9. Add 1/3 of a packet of Herb-Ox bouillon (instant chicken broth) to the soup.
10. Shred the chicken and when the chicken broth is steaming, add the chicken to the broth.
11. Pour a 1/2 cup or so of the hot broth from the pot into a small bowl, add 1 tsp. basil paste, and mix vigorously. Pour the basil and broth mix into the soup pan. If you have fresh basil, add thinly sliced leaves to suit your taste directly to the soup.
12. Dice a small amount of green onion and add to the soup.
13. When the soup is nice and hot and the flavors taste right, serve in a bowl and sprinkle the top with shaved Parmesan cheese.

Borsari spice

September 07, 2013