|
JustLoseItwithBerta
Volume 1
Issue 23
06-10 - 2010
Hello !
Welcome,
welcome, new and old friends! Thank goodness the summer appears to have finally
arrived, and with the long days and warm evenings come plenty of activities
that revolve, unfortunately, around food.
I know many of you have the misconception that it's easier to lose
weight in the summer since we feel less hungry in the extreme heat. While this should be true, unfortunately, it
is not. It is true is that we tend to
swell in the summer heat, and this leaves us feeling disinclined to overeat.
However, the swelling can turn into a bigger problem than mere physical
discomfort: it can lead to the belief that you are gaining weight, despite
sticking with your food plan. This can really play with your head. On top of the bloating, add some fun-a few
barbecue parties and long weekends - and what looked to be a promising summer
could quickly become a disappointing one.
Well, there is hope for the battered bloated, and all you have to do is
read on. When you finish the ezine, go
to www.justloseit.com/blog for an in-depth look at
proactive steps you can take to stay on top of the inevitable summer bloating.
I promise that you can totally enjoy your weekends, just like everyone else,
without compromising your commitment to yourself.
Tea Time with Berta: 
I
know. It's just not fair! Finally, we
get some great weather and you're in the groove with your new clothes, perhaps
even a size or two down! You're feeling great, looking great and just not ready for
a new temptation. But, alas, the truth is that long ago some genius came up
with the idea of cow à la coal:
the All-American Barbeque! Not just a meal, the barbeque, ladies, is an
event! And like it or not, you'll be
invited to plenty of events this summer. "Why are they so darn much fun?" you
moan. "Must there be one every weekend?" I agree. I mean, really, isn't there some other way to spend a summer
weekend? No? Well, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. But first, we had better
make a plan.
If
you've been reading along, you know I'm big on planning ahead and making sure
that you are prepared-forewarned is forearmed-so here are a few ideas to help
you out when someone flips you a burger to go with your beer and chips. Understand that planning at the last minute
is not the best strategy; I suggest having your strategy ready for every occasion summer
will present, well before the invitation is issued. Above all, please don't stay home! It's not
fun, and when you feel deprived of fun you might just binge at home. So, go and
don't deny yourself a day of hanging out with friends and family. You don't have to throw away all of your good
work!
We'll
begin by handling the barbeque issue from the perspective of what not to do,
okay?
1. Do not eat before you go! This sounds
like a good idea for a minute. If you go to the grill full, the spiral-striped
dog won't tempt you, right? Wrong! The reality is that for even the strongest
of us, it doesn't work. Why eat a salad at home just so you can sit there watching
everyone else indulge? How much fun is that? In addition, more often than not, the person who eats before is just as
unlikely to resist temptation as the one who arrives having not eaten. Once the
ball is dropped, temptation begets temptation: you ate before, you eat during,
and well, what the hell, you might as well eat after, too!
2. Do not skip breakfast and lunch! The
thinking behind this equally ineffective strategy says that if you skip two
meals, you can eat whatever you want at the pig roast. This, also, doesn't
work. If skipping meals to prepare for pigging out worked, we would all be
happy as pigs in poo. In truth, you will
only find that skipping breakfast and lunch left you ravenous for whatever
charred chop the chef serves up. Please have some self-respect: no more power
to the pig!
3. Don't think you can eat just one!You're probably the one the Lays Corporation had in mind when they wrote
that ad! No way are you going to be able to have just a taste of everything and
stop! No way! You're not Mikey, and you do like it! On a really hot and humid
day you might pull it off, but usually this thinking backfires. In addition, what you think is "just a little" is probably loaded
with sodium, and you know by now how bad that is. So, just admit it, the aroma of barbecued spare ribs can prove too much to humanly bear, right? Too finger
lickin' good to stop at one! So, before you risk licking your fingers to the bone, follow some
of my suggestions as to what you can do to feel like a satisfied, self-respecting
participant!
4. Don't assume there will be a salad! You
know what they say about those who assume! This event is a carnivore's carnival and they're
not thinking carrots! Select a really great recipe from one of my ezine's, or
bring one of your own, but be sure to make enough for all the sane people who
are longing for at least one lower fat, healthy choice.
5. Don't touch the chips and dips! The salt will do you in faster than anything
else you eat.
Now
for the dos.
1. Bring something! Your mother was right; it's good manners! If your friends are
having the barbecue, call and offer to bring something civilized. If you can,
find out what they will be serving so you can plan ahead. No matter what, smuggle in your own veggie
burger! Leave the buns at the store, please. However, if they fall into your
shopping cart unnoticed, hope that they're the whole-wheat variety. That would
be a healthier choice, albeit not a weight loss choice. Better to go for a favorite veggie burger
with a delicious salad on the side. Even
better, bring some fish. While everyone is doing hamburgers and steaks it will
hardly be a disruption if you throw on a tuna or swordfish steak. Again, be
forewarned: someone else might snag it, so bring a few! The nice part about this option is that you
will be participating and you won't feel at all deprived. And don't forget the grilled veggies! You can check out last week's ezine where I
posted my favorite grilled veggie recipe.
2. Give the party yourself! Be a control
freak and have it your way! Then think along the line of shrimp with cocktail
sauce as a precursor to the main course. Steamed oysters and clams are always
party favorites! There are many options
other than their boring artery-clogging chips and dips and cow, pig and
dogs. You might offer those for the
unenlightened, but believe me; you will get raves if you go with some beautiful
seafood options.
3. Hydration beats inebriation! Drink
plenty of water. It will help you keep busy and full. Try to keep your libations to simple,
refreshing drinks. Opt for a light beer or a nice white wine spritzer, and
don't forget to "hydro drink" - read: Tips and Tricks, Ezine 01-15-2010
4. Participate! Most importantly, look forward to these
wonderful summer weekends without fear of throwing away all of your good work.
Summer is fun, and you should enjoy every moment. Don't just suffer through it!
Plan it. Participate in it. And do it your way, with Berta on your side!
Enjoy!
Did you know...
what
the phrase "Loaded with Antioxidants" means?
You've seen it plastered all over everything you've purchased in recent
years. What are antioxidants, and what good do they do you? I thought I would take this opportunity to
offer an abridged explanation.
First
of all, you need antioxidants to fight free radicals. I know, what you're
thinking, "Free radicals? Sounds like a bunch of teenagers
loose on spring break!" Seriously, let's start by looking at free radicals. We all know what an atom is, right? Well, every atom has a nucleus (center), and
every nucleus has a set of electrons. When an electron becomes damaged, the atom tries to steal an electron
from another atom or molecule so that it can stay in a state of balance. Every time it does this, it adds to the chain
reaction of damaged cells. Still with me? Thus, free radicals are basically anything that damages a cell. The sun,
cancer, bladder infections, the common cold, or anything else that causes the
body damage are considered free radicals. Stress, smog and other environmental
pollutants are responsible for them, as well. Consuming non-nutritious foods, e.g. foods that are fried or processed,
foods high in sugar, salt and/or saturated fat, and foods containing pesticides
are also free radicals. It sounds as if
we are under siege from all sides, doesn't it? Well, we are, to some extent.
All of these elements make us sick, wrinkled, old and gray. They tire us and
drain us of our energy. What is our main
defense against these outside invaders? You guessed it! Antioxidants.
So how do
antioxidants help us? Well, antioxidants
neutralize the free radicals in every cell of the body. It's kind of like
stopping the chain reaction from continuing, or even starting. Antioxidants do one of
two things: they either stabilize the radical with a chain-breaking substance
like beta-carotene, vitamin C or E, or it just decays.
You can purchase antioxidant supplements, but the best way to get
them is through your food. Some of the
best antioxidant foods are wild blueberries, raspberries, blackberries,
strawberries, cherries, apples, red plums, prunes, red kidney beans, pinto
beans, black beans, artichokes, and pecans. There are many, many more, of course. I have named these simply because they are the ingredients frequently called for in my "Favorite Things to Eat" recipes, as you might have noticed. They
are loaded with antioxidants, fiber, and they contain no harmful fats.
So please knock yourself out eating some of these amazing foods!
They are easily obtained and delicious to eat!
Information
for this DYK came from Eat this and Live,
by Don Colbert.
My favorite things to eat!
Grilled Fish - Bathed in Oregano and Lemon
Since
the flavor of the day seems to be what to eat at a barbeque, I figured it would
be apropos to choose something tasty and civilized to grill. My favorite choice is
fish, hands down. This recipe, from Easy
Summer Food, by Ryland Peters and Small, is for a fish called bream,
but you can also use snapper or trout, if you prefer.
What you need:
2
lemons
1
cup extra virgin olive oil
1
tbsp. dried oregano
2
garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp.
chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
6
bream, snapper, or trout, about 12 oz. each, well cleaned and scaled.
Sea
salt and freshly ground black pepper
What to do:
Grate
the zest of one lemon into a small bowl and squeeze in the juice. Add ¾ cup of the olive oil, the oregano,
garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cover
and steep for at least one hour.
Wash
and dry the fish, inside and out. Using a
sharp knife, cut several slashes into each side. Squeeze the juice from the remaining lemon
into a bowl, add the remaining ¼ cup of oil, salt, and pepper, and rub the
mixture all over the fish.
Heat
the flat plate of an outdoor grill for 10 minutes, add the fish, and cook for 3
to 4 minutes on each side, until charred and cooked through. Alternatively, use a large, heavy skillet or
stove-top grill pan. Transfer to a
large, warm platter, pour the dressing over it, and let rest for 5 minutes
before serving.
Delicious!!
Bon Appetite!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Berta is a respected weight loss counselor who has educated and empowered hundreds of women JUST LIKE YOU to lose the excess weight that prevents them from living their dream and becoming the woman they were meant to be.
Her gift, and the reason her program is SO SUCCESSFUL, is her ability to break down every detail of your weight loss journey so you can be prepared for the challenges and understand the emotional components behind them.
This on-line program has been designed to bring you the same experience of her methods and common sense explanations that Berta uses in her successful private practice, at a fraction
of the cost. If you liked today's issue, you'll love her blog and the main site as it is being built, which you can find at JustLoseIt.com.
DON'T LET ANOTHER DAY GO BY!
|
|
|
|
Manifest Destiny Limited Liability Company
P.O. Box 1292
Stratford, CT 06615 USA
|
Want to use this article in your E-zine or website? You can, as long as
you include this complete
sentence with it: Weight loss expert Berta 
Prevosti publishes the free weekly e-zine Just Lose It with Berta,
to
support, inspire and educate women to reach their weight loss goals.
If you have "given up" on weight loss, or
know some one who has,
JustLoseIt.com is the place for them to turn for the
explanations of
why nothing has worked before, and better yet, the reason why
it will
work now.
Copyright 2010. Manifest Destiny LLC.
All Rights Reserved
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
