Book Review - Diabetes Slow Cooker Cookbook by Shelby Kinnaird and Simone Harounian

 

I want to mention upfront that I received a complimentary copy of this book and was asked to share a review of my honest thoughts regarding “Diabetes Slow Cooker Cookbook.” The thoughts below are my own and come from reading the cookbook and testing out some of the recipes.

This is a great Slow Cooker cookbook! I have been a follower and admirer of Shelby Kinnaird for many years. The partnership between Shelby and Simone Harounian shines through this book. It is clear they want to help people live life as their healthiest selves. They do this throughout the cookbook by sharing their expertise, experience and passion. Shelby and Simone put their personal and practical knowledge on the line for all of us. It is clear they have put thought and their love for us and good food on every page.

First they share why slow cookers can be great for your health. This includes a section about “Eating Healthy with Diabetes” which is an uncomplicated overview of the basics. It is a great reference guide for those living with diabetes…and honestly relevant to all of us wanting to eat healthy.

Then there is a section on “Golden Rules of Slow Cooking.” You are going to love this part! Again it is filled with common sense advice when using slow cookers. We all need to be reminded of these Golden Rules!

There are many other parts of the book that help you be a better cook and a successful chef with a slow cooker. For instance, they guide you on how to make a balanced meal using the recipes in the cookbook. Shelby and Simone also point out that there is always room for Comfort Food in a healthy lifestyle and they list some of their favorites they have included in the cookbook.

Sweet and Sour Scallops from Diabetes Slow Cooker Cookbook

When checking out the merits of a cookbook it is a must that you also check out the recipes. I can say I have prepared two recipes so far: “Sweet and Sour Scallops” (see photo above) which I served with brown rice and steamed edamame as well as a side dish, “Orange Carrots and Parsnips” which I served with roasted pork and steamed broccoli. The ingredients included are primarily fresh and focused on wonderful combinations of whole foods that are accessible at your local grocery store. Both were easy to follow, created attractive dishes, and were tasty. My true test is to share recipes with my family and if they say the recipes are a “repeat” then I know they have hit the mark. Both recipes were voted to be “repeats.”

If you are looking for a slow cooker cookbook that also provides a great resource for those living with diabetes as well as those wanting to live a healthy lifestyle, this book is for you. I for one am adding it to my bookshelf with my other favorites that I use regularly. I recommend this cookbook.

Check out the other Book Reviews on our Live Vibrant Blog!





 

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Greek Yogurt Tzatziki Sauce Recipe

Earlier this year we shared a new cookbook with you, Half the Stomach, Twice the Taste: Cooking for a Bariatric Lifestyle authored by Hilary Cutler, MS, RD, CSOWM, CD and Emily Tieu, MS, RD, CSOWM, CD. We are still loving the recipes that are coming out of this wonderfully created bariatric resource.

The authors and the University of Utah Health graciously allowed us to share the recipe and photo below from the cookbook. It is a snack recipe. There are also recipes for lunch, dinner, breakfast and protein shakes.

It is wonderful to note that this recipes was taken using Livliga’s Just Right Set® bariatric. It is a beautiful 2-piece dish set in the Aveq pattern. This unique ensemble has been specifically designed for those who need bariatric portion dishes.

Interested in finding out more? This cookbook is currently available through the Comprehensive Weight Management Program at the University of Utah Health. To get your copy of Half the Stomach, Twice the Taste, visit weightmanagement.uofuhealth.org and ask to talk to a University of Utah Health expert.

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Book Review: Release Your Regain

Dr. Kristin Lloyd, PhD, LPC, CCH does it again! Her new book, “Release Your Regain” goes to the heart of the chronic challenge of post-bariatric surgery regain. She shares the specific ways we can stop the shame, embrace our ability to make positive change, and gives us the steps we need to take to make the changes we want in order to live life as our healthiest selves. She makes it clear that only we have the power to make the change. It may not be easy but it is possible.

Because Dr. Lloyd is a post–bariatric patient herself she brings personal understanding and insight as well as empathy into the realm of the tough subject of regain. An important insight she shares is that we can’t tackle the regain until we are ready to or, as many of us already know, we will not succeed. She walks us through the steps necessary to be ready for change.

As a psychotherapist, Kristin is able to outline the issues and stages we can take to get control of our regain by addressing the emotional, psychological, and behavioral reasons for weight regain after weight loss surgery. As she points out, “…you can release your regain at any time or stage of your journey.” She further explains, “…the majority of regain comes from poor lifestyle choices and a lack of behavior modification after surgery.” And additionally, she points out “Post-op issues are life skills issues and largely emotional regulation issues.” Often these are the issues that are glossed over or neglected. That is why this book is such a great resource for the WLS community.

Every chapter has “Reflection Questions” at the end of it. These help you understand what your challenges are and to personalize the process to make it work for you. Kristin makes clear, “Lasting lifestyle change occurs over time. It is not a light switch. It doesn’t just happen. It’s intentional, gradual, and requires a practice of new behaviors.”

Finally there is a book to help us let go of the shame and our regain, allowing us to better understand ourselves emotionally and embrace the healthy lifestyle we seek.

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Best Diet for Healthy Eating—DASH Diet Comes Out on Top

Dash Diet Comes Out on Top!

Every year the U.S. News and World Report comes out with a new list ranking the Best Diets. The battle for the top position seems to toggle between the Mediterranean and DASH Diet.  In 2020 it is a tie for these two approaches to healthy eating.

All of us have a sense of what the Mediterranean diet is but what is a DASH Diet? According to the Report “The DASH Diet…stands for dietary approaches to stop hypertension and is promoted by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to do exactly that: stop (or prevent) hypertension, aka high blood pressure. It emphasizes the foods you've always been told to eat (fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy), which are high in blood pressure-deflating nutrients like potassium, calcium, protein and fiber. DASH also discourages foods that are high in saturated fat, such as fatty meats, full-fat dairy foods and tropical oils, as well as sugar-sweetened beverages and sweets. Following DASH also means capping sodium at 2,300 milligrams a day, which followers will eventually lower to about 1,500 milligrams. DASH Diet is balanced and can be followed long term, which is a key reason nutrition experts rank it as U.S. News’ Best Overall Diet, tied with the Mediterranean Diet.”

From the Book: Spanish-Style Pan-Roasted Cod...served up on Livliga's Vivente dinner plate...oh...so...good!

When you compare these two diets it is evident that they are very similar in types of foods they promote and their focus on health as a lifestyle. I got to thinking that if you combined the two you would end up with the perfect long-term healthy lifestyle diet. It turns out Marla Heller, MS, RD has already done this in her book, The DASH Diet: Mediterranean Solution.

Livliga Healthy Lamb Tagine on Halsa Portion Control Dinnerware

Ms. Heller offers detailed information about our health and the impact the food we eat, in specific quantities, has on our health. She presents a compelling argument why all of us can benefit from these two methods of eating combined. As she states, “The Mediterranean and DASH diets have so many hidden benefits for the health of the whole body. These diets help reduce systemic inflammation, and risk of heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. They protect our bone health and kidneys, and may even be associated with a lower risk for depression.” She also provides an eating plan as well as a 14-day Meal plan to get you started. Recipes are provided like Spanish-Style Pan-Roasted Cod and Lamb Tagine. Of the recipes I have tried I found them to be simple and straightforward to follow as well as tasty to eat. Here is another version of Lamb Tagine available on the Livliga Live Vibrant blog.

Tending to our health is the greatest gift we can give to ourselves as well as the ones we love. It is amazing to realize that just by eating certain foods and cooking them in a certain way we can improve our health and live as our healthiest selves.  We all deserve to live a healthy life.

Download Our Free eBook:
Healthy Lifestyle & Weight Loss

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Book Review—30-Minute Mediterranean Diet Cookbook

At the beginning of the New Year it is the time we tend to give ourselves a fresh start. We look for new and better ways of living a healthy lifestyle. We check out new tools and resources that can help us a long the way.

My favorite thing to do is to check out new cookbooks that focus on healthy foods and healthier ways of cooking. We have found that no matter the healthy eating lifestyle you choose to follow, it works with Livliga. I was given a copy of a cookbook called 30-Minute Mediterranean Diet Cookbook by Serena Ball, MS, RDN & Deanna Segrave-Daly, RDN at a conference. As the New Year approached I thought it was time to check it out.  What immediately appealed to me about this cookbook was that the authors explain that they don’t like the work “Diet” and instead prefer the term “Mediterranean eating lifestyle”. The authors also point out that this form of eating has been proven and tested for centuries. We know it works.

A little about the authors of this cookbook.  Serena Ball, MS, RDN & Deanna Segrave-Daly, RDN have over 20 years of food, nutrition and culinary communications experience between them. As they describe it, they’ve dedicated their careers to helping people get delicious and nutritious meals on the table. The 30-Minute Mediterranean Diet Cookbook is their first cookbook.

What this cookbook offers.  In this book you get great information about the Mediterranean eating lifestyle and how to practically incorporate it into your daily life. Specifically here is what is provided:

• Guidelines for eating the Mediterranean way, as well as tips for navigating your supermarket
• Recipes that follow the Mediterranean eating lifestyle that have been developed to be less complicated and take less time
• Use of healthier ingredients that are available in your local grocery store
• Meals and recipes that focus on whole foods showing how it is not only healthier but very possible to avoid highly processed or pre-packaged food items in preparing meals
• Mediterranean-style recipes that can be tailored for specific dietary needs, i.e., gluten free, dairy free, nut free, Vegetarian or Vegan
• Prep tips and ingredient tips
• Nutritional information with each recipe

Chickpea Patties in Pita Served Up on Livliga

My experience with the recipes in the cookbook. One of the first recipes I did was the Chickpea Patties in Pita on page 74. True to the cookbook’s promise, the recipe was quick and easy to prepare, even with the added steps to prepare the hummus recipe to provide one of the ingredients called for in the chickpea patty.

It was visually appealing and had tasty textures to enjoy. The feedback I got from the family, which was similar to some of the reviews I found on Amazon, was that it was a little chalky and bland. Next time I plan on adding some sweet paprika and plain yogurt to the patty to address the blandness and chalkiness. Everyone liked the idea of the recipe and the ingredients. Taste is in the mouth of the eater in reality so adding spices and other tweaks to a recipe is the way to make it just the way you like it… just so long as you keep it healthy!

Overall impression of the cookbook. It is a well-constructed cookbook packed with helpful and informative content. The recipes are creative and in keeping with a Mediterranean eating lifestyle. Hopefully, in the next edition they will add photos of the recipes, which will greatly benefit those using the cookbook.

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Book Review: The Complete Guide to Weight Loss Surgery

This is a great book. It is true to its promise of being a complete guide that finally answers your questions about WLS. It has a direct and simple style so it is easy to understand. In fact, at the very beginning the authors, Lisa Kaouk, MPH, RD and Monica Bashaw, MScA, RD take the time to go over the common vocabulary used surrounding weight loss surgery and the post op experience. This is very helpful.

The topics covered include the real issues of “dumping,” hair loss, weight loss plateaus, eating out, and, of course, our favorite topic, portion control! As Lisa and Monica state, “…we strongly suggest that you weigh and measure your food throughout your WLS journey,” and they go on to say “…we’ve never met anyone who weighs and measures their food everyday for their entire life.” That’s why, with full disclosure, they reached out to Livliga when they discovered our Just Right Set® bariatric dish set because it eliminates the constant need to weigh and measure due to its built in measurements designed into each piece.  Along with their expertise and our tool, it makes the cooking, measuring and balanced meal aspects of a post bariatric surgery lifestyle much easier and more manageable. 

One of the chapters I found especially practical and helpful was Chapter 14: Cooking, Not Cooking & Meal Prep. Like all the other chapters it identifies the real issues surrounding fixing our meals by stating the ideal, and then providing options when it just isn’t possible to meet the daunting task of home cooked, from scratch meals. What Lisa and Monica present are healthy options that are doable and still keep you on track.

They also don’t shy away from the challenging topic of Emotional Changes after surgery. In chapter 18 they acknowledge and list the significant changes that occur after WLS. Lisa and Monica cite the importance of seeking support to help you through these changes. They list the many ways you can receive ongoing support. The key, as they recommend, is to reach out and to find the types of support that will work best for you. It is made clear that you are not alone and you do not have to go through your WLS journey alone. Everyone needs to read this and embrace the message.

It might be helpful to have some information on the authors. Lisa Kaouk, MPH, RD and Monica Bashaw, MScA, RD are compassionate and enthusiastic Canadian registered dieticians who have specialized in all things WLS. They are co-founders of www.bariatricsurgerynutrition.com, an online company that offers a variety of nutrition services to the WLS community. They are all about “no more guesswork, just practical expert answers.”

As they state at the end of the book…”our wish for you, is that:

• You find moderation and balance with all foods;

• You don’t lose the pleasure of eating;

• You embrace your journey;

• You find your best weight and celebrate it;

• You learn to listen for and trust your body’s cues;

• You develop new habits that will last a lifetime;

• You let go of diet language and see right through the latest weight loss fad;

• You won’t be afraid to seek help when you feel alone;

• You focus on the positive changes in your quality of life that WLS has brought you;

• You be kind to your fellow WLS patients;

• You find peace within.”

As you hopefully see, there is a lot to like about this book and the expert wisdom the authors share throughout its pages.

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Product Reviews: A Healthy Diabetes-Friendly Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook and The Instant Pot

When you are living with diabetes you live with a lot of “have to’s” that can require many extra steps to manage your health and live life as your healthiest self.  The trick is to find ways that make preparing healthy foods, cooking them, and measuring them doable, repeatable and, perhaps most importantly, enjoyable.

There has been a lot of buzz about the Instant Pot or Electric Pressure Cooker.  I wanted to find out what all the excitement was about.  Some questions I wanted to answer were: 

Is it really true that food cooks in a lot less time? 

Is it true that it is easy to prepare foods in an Instant Pot?

Can you prepare nutritious and delicious recipes in an Instant Pot?

Here is what I found out. As with any device, it does make a difference which kind you buy. I bought the bigger capacity Instant Pot that included the button for making yogurt (see photo). It is not difficult to use but it does take some getting used to. You do need to read the instructions. If you don’t pay attention to the steps in using the Instant Pot and heed the warnings, you can get into trouble or damage your Instant Pot. You do need to pay attention, but it is not hard. Once you get used to following the steps it is actually an easy machine to use. Here is what Shelby Kinnaird said in her latest cookbook that is an Instant Pot cookbook for those living with diabetes:

“Cooking with an EPC requires minimal planning, and clean-up is a breeze. You can usually create something tasty from ingredients already in your pantry and refrigerator. You can set the table and unload the dishwasher while your meal cooks. You can even cook meat without defrosting it first. Managing your diabetes just got a whole lot easier.”  Kinnaird, Shelby. The Diabetic Cookbook for Electric Pressure Cookers: Instant Healthy Meals for Managing Diabetes . Rockridge Press. Kindle Edition.

Shelby Kinnaird is a great cook. She is practical too so she makes her recipes and the tools she uses doable for others. In researching recipes to use in my new Instant Pot I wanted to explore Shelby’s new electric pressure cooker cookbook. (As full disclosure, and a happy discovery, Livliga is mentioned in Shelby’s section on portion control.) Her recipes may be mindful of carbs and specific to the needs of those living with diabetes but I have found what that really means is that they are delicious recipes that can be enjoyed by everyone.  When living with diabetes you need to be mindful and measure your carbs. Ingredients and portion control go hand in hand. As someone who has had to be mindful of what I eat for weight management, I find her recipes a great resource and source of inspiration.

The greatest way for all of us to be mindful and manage what we eat is to prepare more meals at home.  The challenge is that we live busy lives and we need ways to put a meal on the table without too much effort, especially on a weeknight. My new Instant Pot and Shelby Kinnaird’s Diabetic Cookbook for Electric Pressure Cookers: Instant Healthy Meals for Managing Diabetes are a great combo for accomplishing just that. I prepared Shelby’s “Teriyaki Chicken” in the Instant Pot and served it with cauliflower rice and stir fry vegetables (from the freezer).  The chicken was moist and delicious. And true to the description, it was gluten free, low carb and family friendly. Everyone in our family enjoyed this healthy meal and gave it a thumbs-up for a repeat dinner. That is our highest compliment!

If you are committed to living a healthy lifestyle and want tools and inspiration to help you sustain it, the Instant Pot and Shelby Kinnaird’s new Instant Pot cookbook —Diabetic Cookbook for Electric Pressure Cookers: Instant Healthy Meals for Managing Diabetes—makes a great combo. I bought both on Amazon. The Instant Pot was on sale and I bought the Kindle version of the cookbook. Both I have already found to be great long term investments.

Download Our Free eBook:
Manage Your Diabetes Through Portion Control

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Book Review: When Food Is Your Frenemy by Jacob Bustos

The wonderful part of traveling to many different healthy-related conferences is you get to meet so many great people. One such person is Jacob Bustos. Like me, he is committed to helping people change their lives and live as their healthiest selves. He does this by sharing his personal story and the insights he has gained through his own weight loss journey.

When Food is Your Frenemy is an authentic and heartfelt book. Jacob shares his own personal story in an honest and forthright way of how he chose bariatric surgery and practices portion control to take back his health and put back the joy in his life. Not only does he tell his story but he also offers sage advice regarding the realities and challenges of weight loss surgery and reclaiming your life.

Some of his sage advice includes:

 

Mindset Matters.

He believes you have to have the mindset to be willing to embrace change. One of the ways you embrace change is by setting “SMART” goals. He also makes the point that positive thinking will yield better results.

 

Choose Your Path.

Jacob points out that no matter how grim a person’s health situation may be, you always have options. It is your choice what path you choose. The key is in sticking to it.

 

Moving Forward Requires Forgiving Yourself and Learning to Love Yourself.

As Jacob states in chapter 7, “ In order for your mind to move forward, you have to forgive yourself.” As he points out, the biggest change that happens when you lose significant weight is inside. In fact he goes on to say, “…I had to learn to love again. Not to love just anyone, but to love myself!” He makes it clear that in order to truly move forward you have to address your self-esteem and work at being “at home” with yourself.

 

Get Back Cooking in the Kitchen.

In order to control our food environment we have to change the way we eat. The best way to do that is to get back cooking in the kitchen. It is how we can control what we eat as well as how much we serve up.

 

Portion Control Matters.

He makes it clear in chapter 9 that “In order for you to be successful in your weight loss endeavor, portion control will be absolutely crucial to your victory.” He believes to lose weight and keep it off you need to think about eating only 1000 calories a day. The best way to manage your limited calories is to eat several small meals throughout the day to prevent your body from going into starvation mode. Perhaps the most important point he makes in this section is that “You should also use small plates when enjoying a meal—since it will look like more food than you think.” Jacob has served up more than one meal on our Just Right Set® bariatric when competing as a chef at the Weight Loss Surgery Foundation of America (WLSFA) Bariatric Chopped event during their annual conference.

It is clear that Jacob cares and has shared his personal story to help people with their own weight loss and health journey. His book is filled with information and advice to help guide those looking for answers and insight. He even offers up a few of his own recipes. If you are one of those looking for someone who understands and can help you along your journey, Jacob and his book, When Food Is Your Frenemy, is a good place to start.

Are you looking for some more bariatric-friendly recipes to serve up right-sized?

Download Our Free
Just Right Set^® Bariatric eCookbook

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Book Review: Back in the Swing Cookbook

Most all of us can look back on our lives and see times when dramatic events have occurred that have felt like a punch to the stomach or have “knocked our socks off." During those times we endure, take each day one at a time and long for what is “normal” and when we can feel “back in the swing” of our lives. This is particularly true for those who face major illness, like breast cancer.



Two wonderful women, Barbara C. Unell and Judith Fertig, who understand personally the longing and challenge of getting “back in the swing” of things, put together a cookbook to help breast cancer survivors with the process of embracing life after treatment in order to find their new “normal." Their cookbook is The Back in the Swing Cookbook: Recipes for Eating and Living Well Every Day After Breast Cancer.


I had the pleasure of working with these women when we launched our healthy lifestyle tableware company, Livliga®, in Kansas City three years ago. One of the weekend-long events we had as part of the launch was a luncheon. The food was served on Livliga® dinnerware and the recipes came from the Back in the Swing Cookbook. Judith Fertig is the chef who designed the recipes to be healthy and with ingredients particularly supportive of the health of breast cancer survivors. The food served at the lunch from this cookbook was delicious and perhaps as important, visually appealing. I experienced first hand the benefits of this thoughtful cookbook. 





Livliga® dinnerware can make a recipe shine, by adding some extra visual appeal to healthy meals.

The cookbook is packed full of goodness. And it is not all about recipes. It is about how to live and embrace a healthy life, including the foods to eat, insights from survivors, health news, and ways we can help ourselves live a healthier and happier life. For instance, throughout the book there are sections called “Treat of the Day”. Each of these sections highlights a specific way you can help yourself feel better and be happier and the scientific reason behind it.  One section gives you “Scientific Reasons to Watch a Funny Movie” and then shares some of the American Film Institutes top 100 funniest American films.  A few from the list are Tootsie, Singin’ in the Rain, A Fish Called Wanda and When Harry Met Sally.


The core of the cookbook is its recipes. The recipes highlight ingredients that are proven to be good for our health, healing, our immune system and for preventing disease and the re-occurrence of disease. Although the focus is clearly for the breast cancer survivor the approach and recipes are relevant and good for us all.


There is a real flare to this cookbook. It entices us with internationally based recipes imbued with herbs and spices that wake up our senses (Asian Chicken Salad with Fresh Ginger Vinaigrette). Back in the Swing also takes classics and adds an upgrade of healthier ingredients that satisfy our taste buds while warming our hearts (Celebration Chocolate Cake includes a filling with pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg).


In this era when we are busy and find it hard to spend time in the kitchen, this cookbook makes it easy to cook. The recipes are made up of accessible ingredients and are simple to assemble. The best part is how the recipes taste and look.  If you want to embrace a healthier lifestyle this cookbook is a great place to start.


My personally adage is: The greatest gift we can give ourselves and the ones we love is the gift of health. The Back in the Swing Cookbook is a perfect way to give this gift.








#breastcancerawareness

#womenshealth

#healthyeating

#backintheswing 



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Book Review: The Pound A Day Diet by Rocco Dispirito

Livliga Live Vibrant 2016 Book Review

I love the first of the year when I can try out new methods to inspire me and renew my commitment to living a healthier lifestyle. This year I picked Rocco Dispirito’s The Pound A Day Diet to explore.

There is lots to like about this book. It is definitely designed to help you get organized. It lays out clearly a weekly plan with all meals and snacks accounted for to cover a 28 day program. The “why” of the program is explained in terms of the particular foods chosen, the goal of the calories per day and the psychology of enjoying a higher calorie day each week as part of the overall program.

The challenges come when you actually start implementing the plan. The first thing I found is that the grocery lists provided do not always map to the actual meal plan and recipes. I discovered it was better to go to the recipe and make my lists; otherwise I ended up buying way too much or didn’t have the right foods on hand.

The second thing I found in preparing the meals and snacks each day is that it requires a “from scratch” approach each time you eat. This takes a lot of time and also does not account for leftovers. This works well if you have a family of four eating each meal or have the time to commit to assembling each meal. I found I have to modify the plan. We ended up eating leftovers from the night before every other day for lunch, which made it much more doable. I also ended up focusing on the snacks that could be made ahead of time, still being mindful of the overall calorie count. This made more work for me.

You can tell a lot about a chef from his recipes. The Pound A Day Diet shows that Rocco Dispirito has a sweet tooth. Most snacks are sweet and dessert like. It is also obvious that he is Italian—there are many pasta recipes! Although I like desserts and pasta they are not things I crave everyday, several times a day. I ended up wanting more variety.

What I learned about the plan:

It needs more color in each meal and more variety of foods

It needs more vegetables as part of each meal

A big water bottle filled with ice and slices of lemon helps manage my hunger between meals

What I learned about myself on the plan:

I can work with my hunger between meals

I do not have an unlimited amount of time to fix meals, even when I am totally focused on healthy eating

I do not live for one pot meals; I much prefer the visual appeal of a protein, vegetable and grain on my plate

Favorite Meal:

Chicken Enchiladas, page 188

Turkey Alfredo, page 164

Beef and Broccoli Stir-fry, page 170

Favorite Snack:

Banana Cream Smoothie, page 100

On the go snack: Apple and cheddar cheese, page 128

Surprise favorite: Green Monkey Smoothie, page 102

Best Discoveries:

It is possible to live on 850 calories a day and stick to it

It is possible to lose weight, especially if you stick to this plan

Miracle Noodles are a great find!

An additional way for you to get organized for right-sized eating and long-term healthy eating, no matter what diet plan you choose, is to invest in healthy lifestyle dinnerware that uses the psychology of eating and subtle serving sizes in its very design. Livliga is the only dinnerware that does this! A great way to invest in real change and a positive mindset.

Here's to Living Vibrant in 2016!

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Looking back--2016 New Year Fresh Start--Focusing on Mindset

This year will be known as the year of new paradigm shifts. This is the year of focusing on my mindset. Dr. Carol Dweck, a professor at Stanford University, has studied the power of mindset.  She has shown that it is our set of beliefs about ourselves and our capabilities that influence our ability to succeed. She shows through her research that it is possible to move from a fixed-mindset to a growth-mindset. It is through a growth-mindset that we can change entrenched beliefs while also changing old self-destructive habits to then achieve the success we seek.

In order to do this we have to first believe we can change. This means listening to the internal messaging that we currently have which has kept us from the change we desire. What judgments have we made about ourselves that we hold deep inside? At some point we believed something about ourselves that was limiting. We internalized a judgment about our imperfection, inability or ineptitude that provided the fixed-mindset we have been guided by for however long we have been unable to change. We have to name it to change it.

In order to change our fixed mindset we need to visualize the change we want. Then we need to make a concrete plan that outlines specifics that will help us achieve the change we desire. It needs to include the when, where and how.

When we implement the plan the key is to stick to it. We have to hold on to the belief that we can change and not give into the old fixed-mindset that keeps us from the change we want and desire.

Steps to Take in 2016 to Embrace a Growth-mindset:

• Creating a mindful and ever present purpose- living a healthy lifestyle
• Changing how I think about food and me- it is not who I am. It is what fuels me and provides great pleasure
• Self hypnosis- getting my mind on board and reinforcing the growth-mindset, over and over again
• New mantra- favorite food shift- visualizing healthy foods like: celery and chocolate PB2
• Meditation- taking a few minutes each day to breath, relax and believe that I am worthy of feeling and looking good
• Paying attention to how I feel and doing something about it- doing my exercises to heal and strengthen from injuries and tending to myself when I am tired or not feeling well
• Adding time to my cardio work out-  increasing my time from 30 minutes to 40 minutes in order to go for the next 50 pounds. Consistently practice interval exercise
• Mindful eating- eating what makes me feel good not the comfort food of indulgence
• Log all food- even on "bad" days
• Sleep more hours each night- get in bed at 10:30 and lights out at 11. Goal 7 hours
• Making a healthy lifestyle permanent and sustainable- getting my mind, heart and body all on the same growth-mindset

• Include Weight loss as part of the plan- Going for the next “50”. Total to lose- 57   pounds; looking at it in 3 segments of 19 pounds each. Target months-- April, August, December. 
•  Sub goal 1: lose the weight over a years time
•  Sub goal 2: lose 5 pounds per month

• Why am I doing this?- My Ultimate Purpose
  • To live what I preach
  • To be a physical manifestation of what I preach
  • To be a better role model to others wanting to live a healthy lifestyle
  • To help eliminate physical pain exacerbated by weight
  • To improve my cholesterol numbers
  • To make life a little easier
  • To have more fun because I will have a deeper well of energy
  • To feel the success in what I preach--personally-- both inside and out
  • To prove it is possible to have a growth-mindset long term

This is the year of the Growth-Mindset.

Additional Note: 
I have been watching My Diet Is Better Than Yours and very interestingly the contestant Jeff was really struggling with his own mindset issues on the show this week. He was struggling in completing his tasks, slamming parts of the competition and expressing a lot of frustration. His Coach, Jay Cardiello, pointed out how we can really get in the way of our own success because of our mindset. So did the TV host Shaun T. The moment Jeff focused on the reality of his negative "fixed-mindset" and committed to personally doing something about it he started succeeding again and losing weight. He, in fact, was the winner of last night's competition! He did name it to change it!

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My Favorite Healthy Cookbooks

My Favorite Healthy Cookbooks (photo by LivligaHome)

Cookbooks are my favorite read. There is no doubt about it. I have been cooking for a long time. I have also loved to cook. Even when my husband and I were teenagers our idea of fun was having a dinner party with friends and teachers. We even paired wines with the food! Then when we were a young married couple we had "guinea pig" dinners where we would try new recipes out that neither of us had ever prepared before. Good news is we never killed anyone or caused serious harm.

Then there were the years of preparing meals for my family while working full time and being a volunteer leader in my community. I looked for ways to prepare "complete" meals that didn't take too long, weren't too complicated and my kids would eat.

All my cooking was done because it looked good, was known to taste good, was recommended by someone or was a favorite of the kids. I wanted to offer a great meal that was "complete" but I never thought about it being a "balanced" meal or a meal with the healthiest of ingredients. The only thing I did pay attention to was calories but that was only when I was watching my weight.

As my learning and understanding of health and food has evolved, so has my library of cookbooks. Here is a list of my favorite go-to cookbooks:

My favorite regular everyday cookbooks:
Low-Fat Low-Calorie: quick and easy cookbook by Cooking Light

Mix & Match Low-calorie cookbook by Cooking Light

The Back in the Swing Cookbook by Barbara Unell and Judith Fertig

400 Calorie Fix by Liz Vaccariello with Mindy Hermann, RD

My favorite seasonal cookbooks:
Grilling by Cooking Light

Slow Cooker by Cooking Light

Low-Fat Ways to Cook for The Holidays 

My favorite "need-to-clean-up-my-act" cookbooks and resources:
State of Slim by James O. Hill, PhD, and Holly R. Wyatt, MD

The Fat Flush Cookbook by Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS

Now Eat This! Diet by Rocco Dispirito

My favorite newest cookbook:
Fresh Food Fast 24/7 by Cooking Light

My all time favorite "if-you-only-had-one-cookbook-to-choose" cookbook:
The Complete Cooking Light Cookbook by Cooking Light

As you can see, I love cookbooks! I learn so much from each one. It also keeps me from getting bored with the "same ol' same ol'". You might have also noticed that Cooking Light is very present in all categories. I find their books so well done and the recipes are well concieved. They are always visually attractive, the right amount of calories and incredibly tasty-- what I require in any recipe and meal I prepare. And, of course, you can find so many terrific recipes on line through their site or myrecipes.com.

We are so fortunate to live in an era that has an abundance of resources for us to plan and cook healthy meals. The challenge is taking the time to be organized and to make the meals! The results, however, are totally worth it.

Enjoy! And Live Vibrant!

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Menu Making for 400 Calorie Meals (or less)

This all started because I was watching "The Doctors" on television during lunch. As their guest they had Rocco Dispirito, a chef, touting his new book, Now Eat This! Diet! I was so taken with the whole premise--eating delicious food that was visually appealing, made from real ingredients, tasty AND good for you. It seemed too good to be true. When in doubt, I research! I got on line to learn more about him and his books. It seemed legit--he is a chef who started experimenting with ingredients to make recipes healthier and yet keep the taste appealing and the amount reasonable. He even did a stint for "The Biggest Loser" helping come up with better alternatives for long time favorites of the contestants. His book seemed worth a try!

I have now tried his recipes, as have my husband and daughter, and we are all loving the food! I have not been reduced to "cheating" once. I do get hungry and always have that late afternoon craving, but what I eat is so satisfying I do not need more. I think his premise of eating 6 times a day is key. I can't not eat between my three big meals a day. And one or two of the snacks are often cookies, Popsicle or muffins (with low glycemic indexes). I don't just get to eat carrots, celery and apples!

We are currently using his 14 day meal plan. All the recipes are good but the daily menu planning is a little wanting. Yesterday, for instance, we ate two breaded recipes--a Filet-O-Fish sandwich for lunch and a breaded Chicken Amandine for dinner. I love planning weekly menus so I am looking forward to creating new weekly menus this next week and sharing them. The new goal will be to plan daily menus with a total of 1200 - 1300 calories. The recipes will come from 4 cookbooks I have found which all focus on eating well, eating lighter and where the portion sizes are no more than 400. The books are:


Now Eat This  by  Rocco Dispirito
Now Eat This! Diet  by  Rocco Dispirito
Light & Healthy 2011  by the Editor's of America's Test Kitchen
400 Calorie Fix  by Liz Vaccariello

All the menus will come from these resources. I plan on noting the resource and the page number for those who want to use my planning. Eventually I want to see how I can share my shopping lists as well...stay tuned!

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Great Book for Gift Giving–State of Slim

photo by LivligaHome

I am always looking for good books to read and recommend. Usually I think of novels that provide a great escape that take me to a place where people overcome great odds, do the impossible and arrive at a happy ending. This year I am offering up the same kind of book…but in non-fiction. It is called State of Slim by James O. Hill, PhD, and Holly R. Wyatt, MD. This published work meets all the requirements of a great book and it has the facts, research and statistics to back it up. Some might call it a “diet” book or a “self-help” book. It is really a book about adopting and succeeding in living a healthy lifestyle.

The message of the book is all about the possible. It is based on years of research done at the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center , practical application and the results from actual participants in the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR).  From the very beginning it is an honest, straight-forward and concrete guide that provides advice gleaned from real people who have succeeded in losing weight, keeping it off and living a healthier lifestyle long-term.

Within the first pages of the book the authors explain “Most diets aim to stop bad habits. Ours focuses on instilling good ones.” What is the difference you might ask? It may seem subtle but it is based on creating a world you want and will enjoy living in where new habits reinforce your will power to make healthy choices automatic and mundane.

It is about establishing new habits, routines and rituals that build and sustain a healthy lifestyle. Included in the guide is an explanation of 6 key factors that make healthy living easy and manageable. They are “Be Active Every Day”, “Fuel Up on Real Food”, “Create Your Own Healthy Environment”, “Stay True to Your Purpose”, “Believe You Can Succeed” and, “Make Healthy Living Fun”. Examples of each are provided from true-life stories.

Just when you were losing hope and reaching for another cookie here is a book that will bring you real sustenance. Looking for a great book to give or receive? Put this one on your list!


For more recommended books check out the resource list on the Livliga Live Vibrant blog.

Looking for Solutions? Livliga and Kidliga help support a healthier lifestyle and they make great gifts too! 

 Re-posted from Sheila's Blog on TheEpochTimes.com.

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The Diet and Eating Danger Zones

 

According to Brian Wansink, Ph.D in his book Mindless Eating there are 5 Danger Zones for Mindless Eating. They describe types of people and their mode of mindless eating. He challenges us to look in the mirror and discover what type of mindless eater we may be. The descriptions are-

#1. The Meal Stuffer
Stuffers eat primarily during mealtimes, but then they eat to excess, cleaning everything on their plate. They often eat so quickly that they're uncomfortably full after they finish. Meal stuffers consider themselves to have "healthy appetites." They often take second helpings at home.

#2. The Snack Grazer
Grazers reach for whatever food is available, typically about three times a day. While they love the 4 C's, convenience is usually more important to them than taste. They seldom pass up a candy dish. For these people, snacking can be a nervous habit, something that gives them an excuse to get up and walk around, or something they can do with their hands while watching TV or reading. They might be hungry when they snack, but it's almost done more out of habit than hunger.

#3 The Party Binger
Parties--buffets, receptions, tailgates, and happy hours-- these are high-distraction environments where the food is the backdrop for either business or fun, and it's easy to lose track of how much they've eaten or drunk. Party bingers are often professionals who frequently wine and dine, or single, stay-out-late people.

#4 The Restaurant Indulger
While many of us eat lunch away from home, the restaurant indulger also eats dinner out at least three days a week. Like party bingers, restaurant indulgers are often on an expense account. They might also be affluent gourmets or DINKs (double income, no kids) in their thirty-something years.

#5 The Desktop Diner (or Dashboard Diner)
Both speed-eat while multi-tasking at their desk or in their car. Desktop diners eat at their desk partly to save time, but more often to save the hassle of getting a real lunch. It's not that they are overly busy-- they're under-motivated. If the right person were to stop by to ask them to lunch, they'd probably go. But more often, they snack out of the vending machine or grab a donut from the mail room.

For each of these mindless eaters, Dr. Wansink offers eating changes which can help defuse each of their eating danger zones.

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