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Spinach Sauteed with Garlic
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If you love spinach you will go nuts over this version. Even people who hate spinach, love it! Trust me on this one. This is the Italian way to get kids to eat vegetables… sauté them in lots of garlic and olive oil.
Two 10-ounce packages frozen spinach
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves, sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Thaw frozen spinach in the microwave.
Squeeze out most of the water using your hands and set aside in a bowl.
Sauté’ garlic in the extra virgin olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium low heat, until softened and light golden brown.
Add drained spinach; toss to coat, and season with salt and pepper.
Makes eight ½ cup servings: Calories 23, fat 5g, carbs 5g, protein 0g
Food journal is key to shedding pounds and long-term weight maintenance.
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Finish this sentence. “Today I ate _____.” Do you know? Can you even remember? After a long day of work, you may find it hard to remember where you parked much less what you had for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and in between. Many of us are so busy that we go through the day not paying much attention to what or when we eat. Unfortunately, this lack of attention has led to many expanded waistlines. If you’re struggling with extra weight and are ready to make a change, a food journal is a must.
Keeping a food journal is an important tool for any weight loss program as well as lifelong maintenance. It not only helps you monitor your caloric intake, but it also gives you insight into why, when, where, and how you eat. Being aware of your eating patterns can make it easier for you to identify the issues that may be holding you back from reaching your goal weight, and, in turn, help you make the necessary diet and lifestyle changes. Your food journal should include:
- Food Log — Record what you eat throughout the day. Be specific and include everything, even condiments, chewing gum, and candy. Many people eat healthily at mealtime but don’t choose the right snacks. Every mini Snickers, handful of nuts, or spoonful of ice cream can add up to unwanted pounds.
- Liquid Calories — Record everything you drink, including water. Remember, everything counts.
- Calorie Consumption — List the item, serving size, and calories of each item. Although you may just want to eyeball it and guess, if you want to make a change, you need to weigh the food. This way you know exactly how many servings you’re eating. Compare your food journal to the USDA’s MyPlate guide. Are you eating a well-balanced diet? Where do you have room to improve?
- Time — When do you eat? Do you binge at night because you have not eaten all day? Recording this can help you better see patterns in your eating habits.
- Social Level — Are you alone or with someone when you eat? Sometimes what we eat is affected by whom we are with at the time.
- Activity and Location — What are you doing when you are eating? Do you eat breakfast in the car, lunch at your desk, and dinner in front of the television? Are you paying attention when you are eating?
- Mood — How do you feel before, during, and after eating? Paying attention to your moods can help you better determine why you are making the food choices you are making or eating at the times you are.
- Calories Burned — In addition to recording calories consumed, you should record the calories you are burning through exercise. Record your daily activity, the duration of the activity, and the calories burned during the exercise.
Central Baptist Hospital Weight Loss Center is a surgical weight loss center who provides weight loss surgery in Lexington.
Seared Tuna Salad
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While some sort of seared tuna is on almost every restaurant menu, it is a fast and simple meal to make at home, providing you have a great fish market. Since there isn’t any shrinkage, you can pick up two four ounce portions for less than what a seared tuna appetizer would cost.
Two, 4-ounce portions of ahi tuna
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar free apricot or orange preserves
1 garlic clove, crushed
a small pinch of crushed red pepper flake
baby greens
cucumber slices
assorted vegetables
Favorite sesame dressing – I use Mido bottled dressing – or blend peanut oil and rice vinegar 3 to 1 with a drop of toasted sesame oil
Blend soy sauce, preserves, garlic, and red pepper in a small shallow bowl. Reserve one tablespoon of marinade and turn tuna to coat in remaining marinade. Heat non stick skillet and sear tuna on all sides, less than one minute per side. Remove from heat. Toss greens with dressing and pile on plate – slice tuna and arrange on top of salad. Drizzle with remaining glaze.
Recipe and image courtesy of: http://www.bariatriceating.com/BErecipes/recipefiles/fish–seafood/seared-tuna-salad/65/index.html
Stress and Weight Gain
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There are several reasons why an individual gains weight and has difficulty losing it. Usually, my articles on this topic have focused on unhealthy eating habits and lack of exercise. However, another very important factor is the stress levels in a person’s life. There are more and more studies indicating that stress plays a very important role in weight gain, and that in the absence of dealing appropriately with stress, weight loss is difficult, if not impossible.
In one study, researchers immobilized rats. During this period of time, the rats experienced constant stress, since rats generally choose to be active. Without any increase in calorie intake, the rats gained weight (Selye, H., “A syndrome produced by diverse noxious agents,” Nature 1936;138:32). This phenomenon is observed in humans as well.
So, what is stress and how does it physiologically contribute to weight gain? Stress is defined as any real or perceived threat to a person’s body or ego. It can be caused by an acute event, such as almost being involved in an automobile accident, or by just feeling helpless or victimized.
No matter the cause, the body has a programmed way of responding to stress. Stress causes an overproduction of cortisol and other stress hormones. This in turn causes the body to increase blood fats, sugar and insulin. These chemical responses then cause the body to deposit fat around the waistline, which we call visceral fat. Visceral fat then produces more cortisol, which leads to a vicious cycle of more stress and weight gain.
Over-production of cortisol results in a reduction in the amount of leptin the body produces. Leptin is a hormone that signals the brain that you are full. Reduced leptin levels due to stress can contribute to overeating, which is why some people are labeled “stress eaters.”
In one study, women who reported being anxious had higher levels of cortisol, cholesterol, were more likely to be overweight, and had more accumulation of visceral fat than those who reported lower levels of anxiety. (Landen, et al, “Dyslipidemia and high waist-hip ratio in women with self-reported social anxiety,” Psychoneuroendocrinology 2004;29(8):1037-1046).
Stress can also cause adverse changes in other biomarkers – loss of lean muscle mass, increases in triglycerides, blood pressure, oxidative stress and inflammatory response, as well as increases in fatigue and restless sleep patterns.
Whether or not you have a weight problem, a thorough examination of your stress levels is always a good idea. Not just those that are obvious, such as divorce or financial adversity, but also those that I call “stealth stressors” – those insidious issues like scheduling, over-extending yourself, patterns of behavior that include thinking about the next thing you’re going to do instead of enjoying what you are doing right now, spending time with negative people, etc. In other words, all of the little things that chip away at being happy and fulfilled on a daily basis.
Also, examine your reasons for maintaining these patterns. Anything is changeable if you decide you want to do so. Remember, the old saying that if you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting. If you’re getting adverse health effects, weight gain and high stress, it’s time for a change!
To get more information on stress and weight gain contact Central Baptist Hospital Surgical Weight Loss Center.
This article courtesy of: http://www.tcolincampbell.org/
Welcome to Our Blog!
Posted by: | CommentsWelcome to the Central Baptist Hospital Surgical Weight Loss Center Blog! We are very excited to offer the most comprehensive weight loss surgery program in Central Kentucky.
Our Center of Excellence Surgeons, Dr. G. Derek Weiss and Dr. John S. Oldham, Jr. of Bluegrass Bariatric Surgical Associates are among the foremost minimally invasive bariatric surgeons in the country, if not the world. Bluegrass Bariatric Surgeons perform the Laparascopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass, the Laparascopic Adjustable Gastric Banding (lap band or Realize band surgery), and are the most experienced Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy surgeons in Central Kentucky. Our surgeons are also among a very small number of expert surgeons in the country to offer the Laparoscopic Greater Curvature Plication (LGCP). And remain some of the only surgeons offering the first incisionless surgery for weight regain after bypass surgery, known as the ROSE procedure.
Our program is comprehensive; we provide the support, guidance, education and encouragement before you make the decision to have surgery and long after you’ve had surgery. We are here for you.
To learn more about Kentucky lap band surgery, REALIZE band surgery, Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass, Sleeve Gastrectomy and the newest procedure, Laparoscopic Greater Curvature Plication please attend a free seminar at our Lexington, KY location today!
