THERE IS 20 KG LESS OF ME ....

I suppose it is a tradition with many blogs that there can be a long time between posts. This is certainly the case here.

Looking at the stats, no-one really reads this ... not that it matters.

The Dinner Mob was a complete flop by not even getting off the ground with one dinner ... not that it matters.

What does matter is my health.

To that effect ... I have had outstanding results.

I still eat heaps ... from when I get up until I go to bed. And I still DO NOT exercise. I should ... but it never seems to get my interest enough to act on it.

HOWEVER ... with diet alone ... I HAVE LOST WEIGHT.

A couple of months back I was tipping the scales just under 110kg. I can't remember the exact number.

And now ... I weigh 88.5kg !!!

That is a loss of about 20kg - ish in a few months ... totally void of gym memberships, diet foods, exercise in general and 'dieting'.

In fact, it has involved a lot of eating, sitting on the couch, watching TV.

I still eat (relatively) the same breakfast I always have, but I added Grapefruit (juiced and pulped) ... which is now 2 grapefruit a day because I like them so much.  

I substituted sweets, cakes, ice cream, chocolate and the like for the PULSE RECIPE ... which I still love and eat daily. It contains a lot of natural sugars within the dried fruit. I have had the occassional traditional treat as listed above ... but seldom and as moderately as my addictive behaviour allows.

Counting calories was imperative to analysing and identifying diet issues. I don't run my pad like I used to (on everything I ate) as dietary foibles and patterns are quickly identified and were acted upon.

And I still cook every main meal I eat. No takeaways or fast foods. Merely, my cooking (and shopping) methods and recipes have changed slightly.

End result ... I am still couch potato-ing (no carbs involved) and after this I will resume watching TV. However, I am shrinking ... and continuing to do so.

Cool eh !

MORNING TEA (150 calories)

This seems to be a recurring morning tea (or afternoon tea) at my house while strawberries are in season and cheap.

A mug of tea (no sugar), fruit & nut slice with fresh strawberries and a magazine to read.

I first made the slice 2 weeks ago and I (& friends) eat so much of it that I make it about 3 times a week. I have tweaked the original recipe a few times to improve on it a couple of differing ways. It now contains grains, for instance.

I also buy the ingredients in the largest sizes I can find, resulting in a 66% reduction in cost.

HOWEVER ... the main thing is that I have chockies and biscuits in the pantry ... but I instinctively reach for the slice first for one reason ... it tastes BETTER and is NICER to eat.

It's significant health benefits are an added bonus.

Love it !

SATAY CHICKEN SALAD

This is a quick dinner that always goes down well, especially if the Satay Sauce has been prepped and made beforehand ... and already in the fridge.

The meal comprises three parts.

 1. A bed of greens on each plate, mixed with some thin sliced onion, carrot and a  good splash of balsamic vinegar.

2. Cut chicken breast into strips and brown in a pan with oil (use about 1/2 breast per serve). Lay (or pile) on top of the greens.

3. Put a generous dob of satay sauce on the top (with garnish), and dinner is done !

Job done !

Easy huh !

And so quick and healthy too.

My sauce recipe easily keeps for 3 - 4 days in the fridge.

Marty's Sarty Sauce recipe (Serves 6 luxuriantly)

  1/2        cup         Peanut Butter (Smooth or Crunchy ... your call)
   1          tbsp        Curry Powder
   1          tbsp        Ginger (Minced - in Jar)
   1          tbsp        Chilli (Minced -  in Jar)
  1/2        tbsp        Lime Leaves (in Jar)
  1/2                       Lemon (rind)
  1/2                       Lemon (juice) - use the same 1/2 of lemon for both rind and juice
  1/2        cup         Natural Yoghurt

Combine all the ingredients in one go, then serve or store in fridge.

FRUIT PULSE (or PHROOTI PHI PI)

I just made a fruit pulse. It is incredibly yummy and good for you.

Pulses are a food I will write about a bit later on. I just wanted to get the photo up and record the calories since I had just worked it out.

I will post recipes and general information, such as, what they are and why they are good for you.

This amount is 12 x 60g serves ... which contains 205 calories per serve.

It sounds a lot ... though this fruit pulse is nothing more than raw (dried) fruits and nuts, hence the health benefit of this food is very high.

Basically, the more of it you can eat, the better you will be for it.

The joke is, it is as nice to eat as a Mars bar.

BREAKFAST ... BUT DON'T EAT GRAPEFRUIT !

I don't even consider I am 'dieting' because I am eating the foods I like in regular and large quantities.

 And I am happy to do that day in and day out, every day of the year, without sufferance of any kind.

Initially, I kept my usual breakfast as is (because it was quite ok), to be refined at a later date.

Well ... as it happens ... breakfast evolved by itself.

Changes I made are :

1. Replaced white bread with wholemeal. This is an easy change and though the calories don't change much ... the quality of the food increases considerably. There is no cost difference.

2. Replaced the glass of fruit juice (at approx. 125 calories) with fresh pink grapefruit at 32 calories per half.

Note the sticker that denies me the one food that will cure my condition. Who benefits from that ?

The advantage of eating the pink grapefruit ... and the reason for the change ... is that eating pink grapefruit every day for 90 days is said to clear heart blockages, thus eliminating the need to take blood thinning medication, which after 12 years (4,380 days) of taking the maximum dose of Lipitor (not to mention Ramipril & Metoprolol as well), has done NOTHING to 'cure' the 5 blockages in my heart.

I will post another entry at a later date concerning my personal experience with how ineffective modern medical practice (and drugs) have been at ACTUALLY curing my health issues.

OK ... so that's the breakfast changes, reducing my daily brekky calorie intake from 444 calories to 390 calories.

And I'm still loving it and eating plenty and eating well.

ACID TEST

The real test of counting calories is not how I fare on my good days ... but how I fare on my bad days.

I have been having some of my lower moments ... mood-wise. In the past ... this has been when I have done my worst diet damage.

By counting calories, I only consumed 2,500 calories on my very worst day. Around 2,000/day for the rest ... and now I am back to 1500 - 1700.

And I weighed myself this morning ... after breakfast. I was 97kg or 2.5kg less than last time, being about a week and a half ago from memory.

My mmo/L is 16 today ... disturbingly high ... so I will need to be more careful with sugars.

Stand by for more ... or less (which should be the case).

SAUSAGE ROLLS (225 calories)

This is one of my "secret" recipes from my Pastrycook days. It's really very easy.

I scaled down the recipe so that it makes 1 dozen full sized sausage rolls (225 calories each) or 2 dozen cocktail-sized rolls at only 112 calories each.

Pastry :

3  sheets   Frozen Puff Pastry

Filling :

500      g        Lean Mince

210     ml      Water

20        g        Dried Onion Flakes

2/3     tsp      Salt

1/2     tsp      Pepper

1 1/2  tsp      Mixed Herbs

1         cup     Oats

METHOD:

1.    Mix all filling ingredients thoroughly.

2.    Place the 3 sheets of pastry side by side and cut the pastry in half (lengthwise) so you have six pieces of pastry, 3 on top and 3 below 

3.    Spread the filling mix evenly in a line in the middle of the upper and lower rows of pastry 

4.    Moisten the pastry (to help it stick) and roll up 

5.    Brush with milk. Cut upper and lower row into 6 rolls to make 12 full sized rolls ... or cut rows into 12 rolls to make 24 cocktail-sized rolls 

6.   Place in rows on a tray with baking paper and bake in a pre-heated oven at 200C for approximately 14 minutes  

7.  Place on a plate with a dob of tomato sauce and give to any eager children that are hovering about ... and/or have a seat and enjoy them for yourself !

250 Calories in this serve - including the sauce

EXTRA LOW FAT, LOW CALORIE ICE CREAM RECIPE

Does a low fat and low calorie ice cream exist ??

YES it does !!!

The 4 things I look for in a good ice cream recipe are :

1.  Healthy recipe

2.  Easy to make

3.  Keeps well in the freezer

4. Tastes good.

This recipe makes 1 litre of VANILLA ice cream.

1/2   cup     Skim Milk Powder

4      tbsp     Corn Flour

1/2   cup     Equal (Sweetener)

4      cup      Low Fat Milk

2       tsp      Vanilla or Vanilla Essence

Method:

- Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.

- Place milk and vanilla in a blender.

- Pour 1/4 of the dry ingredients into the blender and buzz for a few seconds. Add another 1/4 of the dry ingredients and buzz again. Add remaining powder and blend until light and frothy.

- Place mixture in ice cream maker for 20 minutes. Return mixture to blender and blend until light and frothy.

- Return mix to ice cream maker and mix until it has the consistency of ice cream (approx 45 minutes).

TIP: You can reduce the time in the ice cream maker by chilling the milk in the freezer for about an hour before hand.

And here's what you get ...

With berries, this serving is 150 calories

The 1 litre of ice cream has 1274 calories in total. (In future,  I will refine the recipe to even lower in calories by buying different brands to those currently in my pantry).

It goes a bit solid in the freezer, though 15 - 20 minutes on the bench thaws it enough for serving.

It is more a sorbet-like consistency than a creamy one ... mighty nice and refreshing though.

If you make 10 small serves, it is 127 calories per serve.

If you make 8 medium serves, it is 160 calories per serve.

If you make 6 large serves, it is 212 calories per serve.

A word on ice cream makers :

I use a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker. The model I use is discontinued, but still available. It is excellent. Easy to use and easy to clean.

You can buy cheaper machines and gadgets ... but do yourself a favour and buy a machine where the freezing is built in, i.e. it has a built-in compressor.

BEEF LASAGNE ... AT LAST

I am making the Beef Lasagne from the HD's cookbook. It is in the oven at the moment ... and it smells fantastic.

Get ready for the photo ...

1770 calories (5 serves) in this whole dish

As I mentioned. I ditched the idea of a dinner group due to lack of interest.

My pursuit of weight loss continues, despite birthday parties and footy final celebrations.

CALORIES CONSUMED:

Wed    29/8      1727 Calories
Thu     30/8      1963
Fri       31/8      2067
Sat       1/9       1717
Sun      2/9       2136
Mon     3/9       1714
Tue      4/9       2335
Wed    5/9       2384
Thu     6/9       2542
Fri      7/9        1718
Sat      8/9       2162
Sun     9/9       1994
Mon   10/9      2266
Tue    11/9      1978
Wed  12/9       1920
Thu   13/9       2286
Fri     14/9       1896

Averaging a tad over 2000 calories per day, I haven't lost weight. Importantly ... I haven't gained weight and my blood sugar levels are down to 12-15 mmo/L ... which is a welcomed reduction.

It shows me that I have to do better with calorie reduction. 

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As for how the Lasagne tastes ... FAN-BLOODY-TASTIC ! 

And BIG servings too !

Well done Si & Dave ... I'll make this my standard lasagne recipe from now on. Blanching and drying the leeks is a bit fiddly, but so worth it.

I THOUGHT THIS MIGHT HAPPEN ...

Well ... there has been NO INTEREST from anyone for the dinner mob WHAT SO EVER.

It is bizarre talking to people who can find plenty of time to eat wrong foods ... but can't find an hour or two to eat right.

Selling the Dream

Emails went unanswered. And discussion met polite, but almost immediate refusal in all cases.

My observation is that people are allergic to the word "diet". It carries connotations of suffering, expense, deception, failure and torment.

Living the Reality

I believe there is an eventual expectation a pill will 'cure' their excess weight ... and not a pine box, some weeping friends and a soppy Cold Play song.

A real product .. insert your brand name & find some suckers !

Well ... as far as forming a group goes ... I GIVE UP !!!

It doesn't change my personal agenda ... but it does change the porpoise of this blog.

Stay tuned ....

WEIGHT LOSS ALREADY ...

I've been keeping a diary for 1 week (so far) of ABSOLUTELY everything I eat and drink, calculating the calories.

I haven't started the HD's recipes yet. I will be making the Beef Lasagne (probably) over the weekend.

I have made the Crumpets & Berries with Yoghurt and Honey. In fact I've had it twice.

It's a recipe from a member of the HD's dinner group ... and it was much nicer tasting than I thought. It takes 5 minutes to make and wash up after. So easy.

Crumpet & Berries, topped with Yoghurt and Honey

In about a week of keeping my diary and eating the foods I normally eat ... I have lost 1.5kg.

CALORIES CONSUMED:
- Friday 24/8       -  1436 calories
- Saturday 25/8  -  2153
- Sunday 26/8     - 2096
- Monday 27/8    - 2128
- Tuesday 28/8    - 1576 

I haven't craved for anything or felt deprived. Keeping the diary helps to avoid doing anything silly. So, there has been no entire packets of bikkies or packets of sweets consumed (or bought).

I do have my chockies ... the Milky Way bars I previously wrote about.

My treat. But with a cup of tea, I can have 2 chockies

I even had a friend over during the week and we cooked (and ate) all day. One solid day of eating.

Yet ... by keeping a diary (which is a plain old notepad) ... I can already see a weight benefit.

YIPPPEEEE !

CALORIE COUNTING - MADE EASY

I'm analysing my diet by recording EVERYTHING I eat and drink, to assess how much change is required and to learn my patterns and tendancies.

I currently target 1500 calories per day (the average being 2500 per day), which requires reading labels and measuring (for portion control), so I use the following links frequently ... 

THESE ARE HANDY LINKS:

-  Best Calorie Database is        http://www.calorieking.com.au

It is Australian and the information is HIGHLY brand specific for Australia. You will find thorough information quickly and easily. Not only for shopping, but also takeaways and food brands we see, buy and use every day.

-  Kj to Calorie Converter     www.unitconversion.org/energy/kilojoules-to-calories-nutritional-conversion.html

This link is useful for calculating calorie content when nutriotnal info is given as Kj only.

Other items to keep handy while calorie counting are:

- a pad or pen (or iPhone/iPad with dieting app)

- a magnifying glass (to read microscopic nutritional info on packaging)

- scales and a measuring jug

AND THEN ... THE ARVO MUNCHIES SET IN

The day has been busy busy busy.

I am now sitting down to an online poker game and some munchies.

Basically, it is a cup of coffee and a chocolate bar.

I like my coffee and I drink a lot of it.  I drink flat white ... a shot of espresso and frothed low fat milk ... no sugar.

I have measured out my coffee's, they way I make it for two. But when it is me only, I use a slightly larger cup.

So, my normal cup of coffee (done my way) is 95 calories ... but in my larger cup, it is 124 calories.

NOW THE GOOD NEWS:

I don't have to give up chocolate. If I don't make changes ... my weight won't change ... and that's a fact !

Sweets in general are high calorie ... even the fat free ones.

I can have a Milky Way bar. Limit it to 1 well savoured, carefully pulled apart Milky Way bar ... very consciously resisting just popping the whole thing in my mouth and chowing down in one go.

DIETARY INFO for a Milky Way Bar :

I buy a pack of Milky Ways ... 18 pieces in a 216g pack  ... or ... 12g per piece.

Each piece has 226Kj, which is 54 calories (or 3% or your daily dietary intake).

And leisurely consumed with a nice cup of coffee ... it's (all up) 178 calories and still a treat that makes me feel good     : )

MY LUNCH ... FISH & CHIPS

I haven't started eating the HD's recipes yet.

However, I am eating up the food I have in my fridge, freezer and pantry that doesn't warrant throwing out for temptationary reasons.

And I have bought the ingredients to trial making the Beef Lasagne.



So ... today's lunch is FISH & CHIPS.

The fish is packaged and frozen with a Tempura batter. (NOTE: Tempura has about 1/3 less calories than batter or beer batter).

The chips are also frozen ... but Heart Foundation approved. I am hungry today because I woke late and only had a coffee for brekky ... so I have 1 1/3 servings of chips.

BOTH the fish and the chips are DRY OVEN FRIED.

There is a side salad made of Mesculin greens, a small tomato and dressed with a squeeze of lemon.

The drink is sparkling mineral water with a squeeze of lemon and a lemon wedge.



THE CALORIES:

Fish   (134 calories per piece)       -  268

Salad & Lemon Juice Dressing     -     24

Chips (120 calories per serve)      -   161

Drink:

Mineral Water                                 -      0

Lemon wedge & juice                     -     1

TOTAL:                                             454 calories



So ... for a quick and easy out of the freezer meal ... it stacks up quite well. Quite happy now after working that out.



Chow for now .........

HAIRY DIETERS - HOW TO LOVE FOOD AND LOSE WEIGHT

OK ... in Australia we haven't seen the Hairy Dieters on TV yet. So this entry will bring you up to speed.

Last TV series of the Hairy Bikers was "BAKEATION" where the lads toured Europe feasting on pies, pastries and cakes like it was a race to the Coronary Heart Disease clinic.

And this is how they looked ...

BEFORE

The series currently running in England is a 4 part series called ...

"HAIRY DIETERS - HOW TO LOVE FOOD AND LOSE WEIGHT"

And check out the lads on the cover !!!

AFTER

This transformation took 12 weeks.  So ... what did they do ???

Well ... they love food and love to eat. So, starving themselves or eating foods more akin to animal husbandry is OUT OF THE QUESTION.

Simply, they analysed and changed the way they cook.

They still eat curries, pies, pastries, rich meat stews, hearty breakfasts, sumptuous desserts and treats and takeaways (or Fakeaways as their version). But much healthier versions, sacrificing nothing in flavour, texture or the sheer delight of eating great food.

Si & Dave view lost weight as lard (38kg or 19kg EACH)

The book of Hairy Dieters (cover above) has rocketed to top best selling book in UK.

You can buy the Cookbook here, which is were I ordered mine. Unfortunately, it is currently sold out so it won't get posted until they re-stock.

Another BEFORE shot

I have been following this "food revolution" online and feedback by those that have tried the recipes, endorse that these meals taste great and bring weight reduction results.

Dave Myers at 2012 BAFTA's

THE CATCH:

Yeah, I know ... you have been asking yourself "What's the catch?"

1. You won't buy this food at a "Drive-Thru" ... so you have to cook it yourself.

2. Most of us will lose weight  just by eating these meals. However, exercise (even moderate) will speed the process along.

THE UPSIDE:

There are many. Mostly, you will cook and eat great meals ... the foods you (and your family) already love.

You will become healthier, look better and weigh less. You may even become a better cook ... I know I will.

I now understand calories and if 100 calories is a lot or not ... go figure !

OK ... if you want to know anymore ... follow the links on this page.

P.S. 

I am not eating these meals yet ... so I will record a 'weigh-in' for the record and as my starting point. 

So with embarassment and shame ... here it is ...

Hairy Dieter - Australian Style (22/08/2012)

AGE:             53

WEIGHT:     101.5  KG

WAIST:        117   CM

BLOOD SUGAR:    17.0 mmol/L

MEDICATIONS:    Lipitor, Ramipril, Metoprolol, Aspirin, Fish Oil, Diamicron, Lipidil, Diabex, Nitro Lingual Spray (when req'd) and I sleep on a CPAP.