Wednesday, March 17, 2010

The Ultimate Diet

Yesterday when I waited for an hour to see my doctor, I read a health magazine. It was full of helpful information, much of it addressing issues I face in my life. What excited me most was an article listing FOODS that BURN CALORIES! Imagine that! We can eat good food and lose that belly fat at the same time. So I am working on a new menu based on that information.

From now on, my breakfasts will include: one cup of oatmeal with chopped walnuts and blueberries; one egg with hot sauce served on a slice of high fiber toast spread with half an avocado instead of margarine; either an orange or a grapefruit (or maybe both--if one is good, wouldn't two be better?); yogurt with berries (yep, I'm going to get all the berries I can!); and a cup of milk. This should keep me from being hungry until it's time for a fat-burning snack!

Mid-morning snack: one apple, sliced and served with peanut butter.

Lunch: Black bean salsa served with a whole-wheat quesadilla full of calcium-rich cheese; yogurt and--you guessed it--berries!; and sweet potato fries (baked, actually). The sweet potatoes will be coated with olive oil so I can get my good oil for the day. It's good for the brain. I'll eat lots of the sweet potatoes so I can get the fiber, burn belly fat, and reduce my chances of going senile in my old age. And I do have about twenty pounds of belly fat I want to burn, so the more fat-burning foods I can eat the faster I should burn the BF!

Mid-afternoon snack: The article said that dark chocolate is good for you. Since I don't have dark chocolate but I do have milk chocolate, I figure two milks would equal one dark so that's while I'll have for my snack. Of course, I won't eat this every day. On some days I'll eat chocolate chip/oatmeal/walnut cookies. There was a recipe in the magazine that was called "America's Healthiest Cookie." Sounds like a good option to me! Oh, and I should have more berries, so I think I'll add strawberries--dipped in chocolate, of course!

Supper (or dinner, depending on what it's called in your part of the world): Vegetable soup with broccoli, asparagus, carrots, tomatoes, celery, peppers (every color I can find), mushrooms, cabbage and cauliflower. I'll use chicken broth and shake in some cayenne pepper or hot sauce so I get that capsaicin that is in hot peppers and is supposed to burn fat. I'll have whole wheat bread with it (you can't eat soup without bread!). And I must have another yogurt because I have now read three articles telling how yogurt burns fat and that you should have three servings a day. Of course, I've got to toss in some berries and this time I'll add some nuts, too.

After dinner snack: The article said that you shouldn't ignore your cravings. If you have been wanting to eat a donut, then eat it! No one ever died from eating a donut, the article said. But for me it will probably be a cookie that will call me. Or Tom's cinnamon rolls. And if it's supposed to be good to eat one, then what's wrong with two--or three?

Bedtime snack: When I am lying in bed relaxing after my hard day of dieting I'll reward myself with a Skinny Cow Frozen Truffle or a Weight Watcher's Giant Fudge Ice Cream Bar--but not both! I wouldn't want to overdo it! Ahh, that will feel so good. You must treat yourself well when you have been faithful to your diet plan. That way you'll want to keep doing it.

I bet than in a few weeks when you guys see me again you won't even recognize me! I am SOOO glad I had time to read all about these foods while I was waiting in the doctor's office.

p.s. You may be wondering why I was in the doctor's office. No big deal. I had my thyroid checked again last week and needed to see what the doctor thought of the results. It turns out I need another boost in the hormone so he increased my dosage. You know, if your thyroid isn't working right it is harder to burn the fat. With my new diet and the increased medicine, I'm bound to see some changes!