Healthy Living

Inch By Inch Weight Loss

I have dieted my whole adult life. I’ve tried it all: Eating sensibly (HA!), fasting, giving up desserts, not eating between meals, eating only salads and vegetables, eating only protein, drinking lots of water and lots more that I can’t even remember. I thought one of the best diet plans was “eat less and do more.” Sounds like it should work. But, I think the problem with it was . . . There were no guidelines and no boundaries. How much food is less? How much exercise is more? It wasn’t easy to measure.

Eureka! I’ve finally found the answer. I’ve now lost 40 pounds and I’m keeping it off. It’s been over a year since I hit that goal. I know my eating habits have changed. Now, I’m much more aware of everything I eat.

My starter kit included a software program. I entered my stats and preferences and the program customized my plan. By following the personalized meals that were set up or designing my own menu thru the system, I lost about 2 pounds a week. Slow and steady.

The best part is that I lost fat, not muscle. With most diets, you lose muscle along with the fat. When you stop the diet, you start gaining the weight back, but it’s all fat. Diet after diet, you keep losing muscle until your metabolism is shot.

The secret with the Inch Loss Plan is Leucine. Leucine helps retain muscle as you lose weight. It’s a secret that athletes have known for years. Call me a believer. But, losing pounds isn’t the focus of the Inch Loss Plan. It’s the inches I lost! I lost 29 inches and they’re never coming back.

Marilyn Kvasnok

What’s For Dinner? Salad

Jul 31st, 2008

by Marilyn.

No comments yet

Lettuce, tomato and cucumber. That makes a salad. But, it’s pretty boring. And if it’s topped with a creamy dressing, it could be packed with empty calories.

I love salad and often make one for dinner.

Some of my favorite ingredients are . . .

Romaine hearts (more nutrition than iceberg lettuce)
Round or plum tomatoes
Cucumbers (I prefer the English or “gourmet” type)
Chicken or turkey (white meat has less fat)
Hard boiled eggs
Shredded cheddar cheese
Chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
Broccoli (sauteed in olive oil)
Asparagus (sauteed in olive oil)
Cauliflower (lightly steamed)
Snow peas (sauteed in olive oil)
Baby green peas (frozen and uncooked)
Scallions and sweet onions
Red, yellow and green peppers
Mushrooms
Black olives (sliced thin)
Water chestnuts
Parsley
Sunflower seeds (plain or quickly sauteed in olive oil)
Soy bacon bits
Olive oil (extra virgin and cold pressed)
Hidden Valley Ranch dressing (just enough to add some zip)

Almost any combination of these salad ingredients makes a healthy, nutritious dinner.

Marilyn Kvasnok

Shop Around the Food Store

Jul 27th, 2008

by Marilyn.

No comments yet

There’s a real psychology to the layout of a food store. Most of us don’t pay attention to it, but the placement of every product is carefully planned. Eye level shelves are the premium products. Lower level shelves are for the cheaper products. And the lower level shelves, especially in the cereal aisle, are eye level for kids.

I’ve never been one to breeze thru the food store grabbing things as I go. I spend a good deal of time reading labels, comparing products and determining which size is the best buy. And I use coupons when I can.

Today, I’m more apt to shop AROUND the food store and not walk up and down every aisle. The perimeter of the food store is where all the fresh food is located – The produce, meat and dairy sections. Shopping AROUND the food store keeps me away from all the boxed and canned foods. Those are the products that contain extra salt, hydrogenated oils, trans fats, sugar, chemicals, artificial colors, artificial flavors and preservatives. Sure I love potato chips, mayonnaise and brownies. But, sparingly. It’s not part of my regular diet.

Over the years I’ve made little changes that have added up to eating much more healthy and simply. I like lots of salad and vegetables. I’ve cut back on meat, especially beef and pork. And food is prepared simply – raw vegetables or lightly steamed or sauteed. I don’t add sauces and gravy to my meals. It cuts down on prep time, but most importantly, I get to really taste each food item.

Marilyn Kvasnok

“Living Green” When Shopping

Jul 18th, 2008

by Marilyn.

No comments yet

You’ve got to start somewhere. But where? I believe in making little changes that add up to a big change. And everything counts. Here are some “Living Green” ideas I’ve adopted when shopping . . .

Paper or Plastic?
The answer is “Neither.” I bring my own cloth or canvas bags.

Plastic Produce Bags
I see shoppers using a plastic bag for each apple or cucumber. I just put all my produce in my cloth bag. At the checkout counter, the cashier takes out one at a time, scans it and packs it in another cloth bag.

Less is More
To reduce plastic bottles in the landfill, I buy concentrated cleaning products. The products I like are also non-toxic. Because they’re concentrated, I buy one bottle. When I’m ready to clean, I mix up a bottle of cleaner, using a little of the concentrate and filtered water. One bottle of concentrate makes a LOT of bottles of cleaner.

Marilyn Kvasnok

The Story Behind the Health Talk Today Header

Jul 15th, 2008

by Marilyn.

No comments yet

The Rainbow:
Rainbows have a special meaning to my family. In 1980, Dad passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. As Mom drove home from the hospital on that dreary, rainy day, the clouds parted and the sun peeked out. Just as mom turned the last corner, a rainbow appeared over the house. She knew it was a sign from Dad. He was in heaven. Since then, we’ve been drawn to rainbows – On birthday cards, suncatchers, stationery, tee shirts and anything else we find.

The Apples:
“An apple a day, keeps the doctor away.” That’s a start, but it takes so much more. I try to eat lots of fruits and vegetables.

The Cat:
Cookie is my cat. She’s 7 years old. We adopted her from the Animal Protective League. I love animals and so we’ve always had pets.

The Vitamins:
I used to think I ate well and didn’t need vitamins. But, the food we eat today, no matter how well we think we eat, just doesn’t have the nutrients it used to have. There’s a wide range of vitamins on the market. Most of us are familiar with the popular brands like One-A-Day and Centrum. And there are lots to choose from at the health food store. I found a brand of vitamins and supplements that are working well for me and I take them every day.

The Globe:
Thanks to the Internet, we’re truly a global community. I have friends all over the world and stay in touch with them online. I’m with an international corporation that’s based in the US. They’re now in 6 countries and expanding to 50 in the next several years.

The Cleveland Ohio Skyline:
Cleveland Ohio is my home. That’s where my parents were born, grew up, got married and started their family. That’s where I was born and lived for several years. Even though we moved to the suburbs, I consider Cleveland my home.

The Trees:
I have 5 majestic oak trees in my front yard. Trees are a symbol of life. They provide shade and filter the air. I love to listen to the birds that live in the trees and watch the squirrels that scurry all summer, gathering acorns to eat during the long, cold winter.

Marilyn Kvasnok