As loyal readers of this blog know, during the time that I weighed over 450 pounds, I was Diet Coke’s best customer. I needed 3 to 4 cans of it just to begin my day (to help quench my food hangover from the night before) and then would continue to drink it throughout the day. I would always have several with each meal, convinced that the bubbles were helping me digest my gargantuan-sized meals. “At least I have one aspect of my eating life in check,” I would gloat to myself — not realizing that the 144+ ounces (approximately 12 cans) of Diet Coke I was drinking a day was doing me more harm than good. Wait… Make that all harm, no good.

Back in the day, my reason for getting off the stuff was because I was finally trying to ingest all-natural products into my system — including any and all beverages I consumed (meaning I switched to mostly water — both plain and sparkling for a little variety). Although I realized then that the many ingredients in Diet Coke couldn’t be good for me, today there’s even more evidence that this stuff is potential poison for our systems.

Wondering what’s really in your Diet Coke? Check out this interesting article from Men’s Health, which dissects what Diet Coke’s Caramel Color, Aspartame, Phosphoric Acid and “Natural flavors [that] are derived from the essential oils or extracts of spices, fruits, vegetables and herbs” (according to Coca-Cola) are all about.

And speaking of the ingredients, a recent study published by General Dentistry states that constant exposure to the citric and phosphoric acid in soda (without proper dental hygiene) can be just as damaging to teeth methamphetamine or crack cocaine.

Fox News reported on the study’s findings, in which a woman in her 30s who drank 2 liters of diet soda every day for 3 to 5 years. When her teeth were compared to a 29-year old methamphetamine addict and a 51-year old crack cocaine user, the levels of tooth rot and decay were very similar.

Sure, the woman admitted she hadn’t seen a dentist in years, but still — why would we continue to put this stuff into our mouth? Much less ingest it? And since we know it’s virtually just as addictive as hardcore drugs — why would we be surprised at these findings?

Men’s Health also reports that when researchers from the School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio compared the waistlines of diet soda drinkers against a group of non-diet drinkers, the diet soda drinkers had 70 percent greater increases in belly bulge over the course of the 9.5-year study. You can read more reasons why diet soda makes you fat by clicking here.

So I ask you… Have you canned the diet soda habit yet?

I have heard from many of you in regard to having an addiction to diet soda. And believe me, I understand. But there’s really no better gift you can give yourself than to give up diet soda cold turkey — 100% — starting now. If you’re addicted to the caffeine, try some black coffee instead (just enough to avoid headaches — and be sure rinse and brush your teeth after, since coffee does your teeth no favors, stain-wise).

I’ve always said that the three major components of successful weight loss include a 1) healthy, balanced and moderate diet, 2) exercise and 3) lots of water. So why not give up the diet soda and start that “Lots of water” thing today? You just might find that you not only feel and sleep better, but also that you’ll lose weight faster — perhaps because your body is no longer having to sort through and process the many artificial ingredients found in diet soda.

The makers of diet soda may have taken the calories out, but they’ve put other things in to replace those calories. Perhaps it’s time for you to cut the ingredient of diet soda out of your life once and for all.

Photo Source: Wellsphere.com

When I first heard about Dunkin’ Donuts new glazed donut breakfast sandwich, I thought it was some kind of joke — until I came across countless news stories, all of which also called into question the company’s unleashing this sugar- and fat-laden breakfast sandwich that some might potentially nickname “The pre heart-attack special.”

According to the CBS affiliate in Boston, the sandwich (which comes with fried eggs and bacon squeezed between a split glazed donut) clocks in at 360 calories, which (as pointed out by CBS Boston) is ironically less than the 390-calorie turkey sausage sandwich that Dunkin’ Donuts recently introduced for people looking for healthier menu options.

Becoming part of Dunkin’ Donuts regular menu as of June 7th (National Donut Day to those in the know), many ponder the audacity of the company (based in Canton, Massachusetts) introducing such a decadent entry given the nation’s recent push toward food options that make for healthier choices.

Remember, breakfast is about “breaking the fast” between dinner and a good night’s sleep. Healthy breakfast foods are meant to give us energy and help invigorate us as we start our day — not make us want to take a nap or (worse yet) contribute to clogging our arteries.

When visiting the Dunkin’ Donuts website, I read that, according to Chef San Frankethaler, “Based on all of the buzz and positive responses we received during testing, we knew we wanted to offer this nationwide and to be able to give it to our guests just in time for National Donut Day. The Glazed Donut Breakfast Sandwich was able to move fairly quickly because we are using ingredients that are currently on our menu. We had to train our crew members on constructing the sandwich — slicing the donut, adding the fried egg and bacon.”

Um… Okay…

So upon further analysis, yes — the glazed donut breakfast sandwich does seem to be some kind of a joke. Only problem is, if we’re buying and consuming breakfast items like this, the joke just might be on us (not to mention on our health).

What is your take on this new concoction? Would you order it once just to try it one time? Make it part of your daily or weekly routine? Do tell. I’ll be the one happily eating (and enjoying) my all-natural cereal with a sliced banana and 2% low fat milk while listening.

Photo Source: Eater.com

By now, you’ve likely heard that New Jersey governor Chris Christie underwent secret gastric band surgery in February of this year and has shown some “success” in dropping the pounds since then.

Although Christie claims “This is an intensely personal issue,” political pundits note that candidates often try to lose weight as they prepare for major political campaigns. The Washington Post reminds us that former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee lost more than 100-pounds before running for president and then even went onto pen a book about healthy living.

WebMD reports that gastric banding surgery is the second most common weight loss surgery (after gastric bypass). WebMD details that gastric banding is considered the least invasive weight loss surgery. It is also the safest according to WebMD. They go onto report that the procedure can be reversed if necessary, and in time, the stomach generally returns to its normal size.

No matter what Christie’s true intents are (whether health or politically oriented), I wish him luck with his endeavors to attain better health. Although personally, I question the legitimacy of any kind of surgery to help with weight loss. I have several friends who have undergone these procedures and disagree with me. And I know that many readers of this blog would disagree with me as well.

But at the end of the day, the key to weight loss is eating less and exercising more. And anyone can achieve this without invasive — and potentially dangerous — surgery. Yes, it takes a lot of will power to achieve this. But why not work to tap into that before taking such extreme measures? Not only do people who undergo these surgeries often throwup a great deal right after having the surgery (due to initially still overeating), but they often gain the weight back. We’ve seen examples of this in Carnie Wilson and others.

If you’re considering surgery to achieve weight loss, I urge you to consider the pros and cons. Click here for more information.

People often look depressed when I tell them that keeping off the 250+ pounds that I lost over a decade ago still requires work today. Everyone wants the simple solution and/or to know that after the weight loss they won’t have to think about dieting anymore. But as people who are or who have been extremely overweight, this is something we can never stop thinking about — otherwise the weight will creep back on (no matter how the weight loss was achieved in the first place).

What do you think of Chris Christie undergoing weight loss surgery? And do you think people (all potential voters) will be impressed if he loses all of his excess weight even though it’s through surgery? And are you for the surgery or against it? Are you a surgery success story? No matter where you weigh in on this debate, I’d love to hear from you.

Photo Source: Zap2it.com

Living in Los Angeles certainly has its distractions. And I’m not talking about the occasional star sighting. Just going for frozen yogurt can present an afternoon of entertainment with all the people you see who obviously treat it as the holy grail of snack foods when on a diet or when watching one’s weight. And who can blame them? It’s creamy deliciousness virtually matches ice cream’s merits. Add some favorite toppings and the experience can be downright orgasmic. (Yeah, I went there.)

But lately, I’ve noticed that many who are ordering at my fro-yo shop of choice treat this snack as if it’s completely healthy and calorie free. Fact is, frozen yogurt is as much of a treat as ice cream (or any other decadent snack) and should be treated as such. Too often I see people ordering it as a daily meal (I can tell they’re regulars by their interaction with the staff). There are others who look so thin that the fro-yo may be all their ingesting in a 24-hour period. Then there are the customers who obviously think of fro-yo as completely non caloric (no matter how many Reeses Pieces they add to the top of it).

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not against treating fro-yo as a meal replacement. Why? Because it’s caloric. But this should be done only once a week or so — mainly because it doesn’t contain the necessary nutrients that a normal lunch or dinner should.

Recently, I saw a larger gal ordering in front of me. She announced to the worker that she was on a diet and wanted to be very careful with her choices. She then proceeded to request a sample of every flavor of frozen yogurt (all 10) before finally ordering a large dairy free and super low calorie version. I wanted to tap her on the shoulder and ask her if she knew the amount of artificial ingredients would have to be used in a frozen yogurt that had almost no calories and no dairy.

I guarantee you that her large-sized yogurt (ordered after she’d sampled enough yogurt to equal a medium-size) wasn’t nearly as satisfying as my “regular” peanut butter yogurt, which not only had dairy but also a fair amount of calories. But here’s the thing — my fro yo was all-natural (a choice the shop thankfully provides along with all their fat-free varieties). I ordered a medium and even added some decadent chocolate toppings to it. Caloric? Sure. Satisfying? Absolutely. Satisfying enough to quench my fro-yo addiction for a week. I wanted it. I enjoyed it. I moved on. And mind you, later that day I had a delicious and healthy salad for dinner. (Now that’s balance!)

As dieters, we’re too often misled by media-induced messages as to what’s “healthy” and what’s not for our bodies (especially when trying to lose weight). The 10 different samples aside, the reason this woman wasn’t feeling satisfied is that she wasn’t indulging in what she really wanted. Eating overprocessed, chemical-infused snacks is not something our body (or even our minds) really want. Instead, go for the treat, take a walk to help metabolize it and move on. It’s these very acts of denial that lead us to believe that all the sampling “Doesn’t count” and that a dairy/calorie free snack is good for us.

P.S. It isn’t.

Have the treat. Enjoy the treat. Then do it again a week or two later (not before) — depending on how much weight you want to lose. The less we obsess and the more we enjoy, the more we’re acting — and eating — like a thin person. And that’s the real trick to not only taking the weight off, but keeping it off. Even with a topping or two.

Photo Source: playa.info

One recent morning I was up early, finished with the gym and running a few errands. While in my car and stopped at a red light, I saw a man on the crosswalk, consuming a large bag of barbecue potato chips. I checked the clock in my car (still before 9am) and did a doubletake, surprised that this person apparently could not begin his morning without the chemical-y goodness of artificially-flavored chips (yes, I checked the brand on the bag to see if they were all-natural or not).

Then, as if to emphasize a point, I saw another man nearby — this one sucking on a cigarette as if he were in outer space and needed it for oxygen. I must admit that I was in awe — so much so that a honk behind my car made me snap to and realize the light had turned green.

As I drove on, I thought about these two people. If you had been with me, you would have seen that the looks on their faces indicated their chosen substances were life giving forces that they needed to begin (or even get through) their respective days. But I assure you I wasn’t judging these folks. Instead, I was shuddering — reminded of a time in my life when I needed my own unhealthy substance to begin my day.

When I weighed over 450 pounds, I would wake up with a serious food hangover. And I assure you that “food hangover” is no catchphrase. Back when I weighed more than my scale would even register, I would eat at night until I was literally stuffed and in physical pain. I would then toss, turn and sweat all night long — until finally rising in the morning, barely able to stumble to the bathroom due to being in such anguish.

This is when I would grab for my life giving force of diet soda. That’s right. I would have to consume 3 to 4 cans first thing in the morning in order to be able to start my day and actually function. Along with the artificial ingredients (that I’m sure my body mistook for sustenance) and the caffeine, I think that the carbonation somehow helped digest the leftover food from the night before. I truly was unable to function before having multiple cans of diet soda. I was addicted — to this (and so much more).

Burp.

I’m not proud of this confession — but I make it as a reminder to myself that I never want to go back to a time in my life when, to function, I felt like I had to remain on a cycle of self-abuse (in this case delivered by consuming the wrong foods and/or beverages simply to begin my day). Whether barbecue chips, cigarettes or diet soda, these are not the kinds offood groups recommended to start our day – food groups that can give us a positive (and healthy) outlook.

Letting go of what doesn’t really serve us means making a commitment to getting back to paying attention to how our bodies feel when consuming such substances. Today the thought of ingesting diet soda makes me want to barf. Don’t get me wrong. I’m human. I want my big cup of black coffee along with my all-natural cereal and fresh sliced fruit. But all of these things work together to add some pep to my step — rather than clogging my body, mind or organs with unnecessary ingredients that my body cannot process (and that might even cause harm in the long run).

Was this you, too? Or is it you? What do you feel like you have to have first thing in the morning that might give a nutritionist a panic attack? By paying attention to how you feel (how you really feel), you might just realize these substances aren’t what you’re craving after all. And as our tastes change, our bodies, minds and health can change — for the better. So tomorrow morning, why not rise, shine and dine — on a healthier, happier (and ultimately more delicious) choice than chips, cigarettes or diet soda? The life you save may be your own.

Photo Source: eatyourbooks.com

A special guest post from Sherry Coleman Collins, MS, RD, LD

Recently, I read a story by Gregg about his struggle to tame his desire for one of my favorite foods, peanut butter.  As is his style, he shared with great honesty the challenge it was for him to control his eating of the sticky delicious spread.  It made me want to share some ideas for controlling portions and tips on how reframing how we think about a food can change how we treat it.  I hope these tips will provide you with some tools for your toolbox in maintaining a healthy weight and a healthy life.

It’s just food. Remember, food isn’t “good” or “bad.”  You may feel like they are out to get you, but the truth is that feelings aren’t facts.  You are in charge and have the ability to control what you put in your body.  Yet, there’s no need to carry around shame about what you’ve already eaten.  Take each eating opportunity as a fresh start to do it right-er.

Know how to spot a single-serve portion. If you buy tempting foods in larger containers, separate them into smaller ones.  Measure or weigh out the portions, since sometimes what we think is a serving, really isn’t.  Alternatively, buy single-serve or pre-packaged foods that can help make it easier to control the amount you eat.  For instance, peanut butter can be purchased in single-serve to-go style squeeze packets – perfect for tossing in your bag with some rice cakes for an afternoon snack, squeezing right onto an apple, or making that perfectly portioned peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Save that food for eating out or special occasions and get the smallest size offered. My treat food is fried potatoes.  Seriously. I love really good French fries, crispy hashbrowns and potato chips.  I almost never have these at home, where I eat >70% of my meals.  Instead, these are a treat food that I have occasionally when I eat out with friends or for date night.  By enjoying this food outside the house, I’m not tempted to eat it more often than I should.

Do distraction. When you’re feeling the tug, it’s time to do something else.  Try drinking a glass of water, taking a walk, or calling a friend.  Taking your mind off of the food and nourishing some other part of you – thirst, physical activity, or connection – may be just enough space to reduce the temptation or eliminate it completely.

Pay attention. When you do eat the foods you love, be present.  Usually, the first few bites are the best.  Take time to savor them and enjoy them.  Don’t eat (at all if possible, but especially special foods) when you’re doing something else, such as typing at your desk, driving your car, or anything else that requires most of your attention.  When you are more mindful of the food you eat, you eat much less.

Now, as far as the peanut butter goes, I can’t leave you without some thoughts on that one.  Peanut butter is a wonderfully versatile and flavorful food.  It’s also nutritious!  Unlike my fried potatoes, which have far less to offer in that area, peanut butter provides protein, fiber, mostly good fats, and 30 vitamins and nutrients.  It can be used in everything from my favorite PB&B (banana) sandwich to homemade breakfast peanut crunch bars, or a spicy peanut dipping sauce for lean grilled chicken skewers.  Peanuts have more protein than any nut and are a deliciously satisfying food to enjoy.  Check out our website at www.nationalpeanutboard.org for more ideas.

About the Author: Sherry Coleman Collins is a registered and licensed dietitian practicing in the Atlanta, GA area.  Her love of food and nutrition has allowed her to work with individuals and groups, children and adults of all ages, and in a variety of settings from clinical to foodservice to communications.  She currently serves as senior manager, marketing and communications for the National Peanut Board. Connect with America’s peanut farmers via Facebook and Twitter. Follow Sherry on Twitter at @PeanutRD.

Although you wouldn’t know it to look at me today, I used to be a total boob man. But the difference between me and that guy who Googles Dolly Parton is that, at the time I had boobs that could give Ms. P a run for her money.

This was back when I weighed well over 400 pounds and was approaching the dreaded 450-pound mark (at which point my scale quit me – but that’s another story for another post). During this time period, I was somewhat terrified to leave my apartment. Mainly because I was worried that the world was judging me. By just stepping out the door, I felt like everyone could figure out my weakness (food!) and see my Achilles’ heel (well, myAchilles’ belly, in any case).

Of course, a lot of this thinking was ego-based. I mean, inhabitants of Tallahassee, Florida (where I lived at the time) were likely too busy living their own lives to really care that my girth was close to being assigned its own zip code. And yet, often times, their stares told me differently. Usually, once I would catch someone staring, we would both look to one another, acknowledge mutual shame and then look away. This would usually be followed by me making fun of their outfit (silently in my head) – anything to combat the torture I was sure they intended for me to suffer.

Again, a lot of this was drama I was creating for myself. And this drama was paralyzing. This is why I would usually shop for groceries late at night. After all, I knew the sight of a 400+ pound man shopping for food might be too much for some onlookers to bear. Luckily for me, there was a 24-hour Albertsons nearby. So late at night I would sneak out of my apartment and scurry over to the grocery store, trying to stay hidden from the world. And from myself.

But there was a reason this market was open 24-hours a day. It turns out other people liked to shop around the clock as well (although I was sure their reasons weren’t as important as mine).

I’ll never forget one late evening, while pushing my cart through the aisles of Albertsons. My bounty thus far included my usual picks: 1/2 very healthy, “diet”-type food along with 1/2 binge-worthy treats that I would use as a “last meal” before beginning that week’s diet. Thus, I would quickly wheel past anyone who happened to be in the same aisle as me.

This particular evening, I found myself in one aisle that was very crowded. It was the cereal aisle and I was picking out one ‘healthy’ and one ‘unhealthy’ cereal. When turning my cart to leave the aisle, I saw a bunch of shoppers on one end. Abort mission! I quickly turned my cart toward the opposite end of the aisle, horrified to see it was just as crowded. ‘Why must everyone like cereal as much as me?,’ I wondered.

I then swallowed hard, looked down (eye contact with anyone seeing my girth was forbidden, after all) and pushed my cart toward the end of the aisle. At one point, I passed a mom and her daughter. The little girl (around 6 or 7) made eye contact with me. There she was, this sweet, innocent cereal lover. So I risked everything and smiled at her. Much to my chagrin, she stared back blankly. I continued past her and her mom. But as I did, the girl screamed out to her mom, “Mommy! Mommy? Why does that man have boobs?”

Everyone – and I mean everyone – in that crowded aisle turned to look at the man with boobs (I was sporting facial hair at the time, so there was no denying I was male).  I quickly made my way down the aisle, my hands gripping the cart while I held my breath, determined to slink away before every shopper saw my 44Bs. Or were they Double Ds?

After rounding the corner, I abandoned the cart and quickly left the market – getting into my Chevy Chevette and speedily racing home like a vampire fearing dawn’s first light. Once safe in my apartment, I wished that I had said something equally mean to the little girl – something that would have kept her up at night or, at the very least, made her pee her pants in front of all the other shoppers. I never did see her or her mother again. But I still went even further into hermit mode for the next several years.

I share this not to demonize – or even excuse – the little girl’s behavior. I share it because I know the agony of stepping into public with added girth. It’s our embarrassment and shame that not only keeps us from heading into public but also from actually taking the weight off. This is all part of the cycle of abuse that society offers and that we participate in. Looking back, I can see that the little girl wasn’t my worst enemy at the time. I was.

Nowadays I think back on my man boobs with pride and a big sense of humor. When appearing on the Today Show, I joked that I felt like I was nursing America when they flashed one of my shirtless “Before” pictures onscreen. It’s this kind of humor that can free us. No matter what size we are, it’s nothing to be embarrassed of. And it’s nothing that should keep us from shopping in public – or doing anything else in public for that matter (perhaps even exercising)… And it’s nothing that should keep us from loving and accepting ourselves. This kind of acceptance can be so freeing – and can help unblock the path to weight loss and good health once and for all.

Today, I have slightly-defined pecs from my years of working out (emphasis on slightly — LOL!). But look closely and you’ll see scars under my nipples from when I had excess skin around my chest (and elsewhere) cut away after losing and keeping off the excess weight. So I still think twice about being seen in a bathing suit in public. But then again, so do most people I know (even those odd ‘Thin all their lives’ people).

So wear your boobs proudly – no matter if you’re male or female, no matter if you’re in a “Before,” “During” or “After” phase. And for God’s sake, keep your sense of humor. After all, I may not have actual boobs anymore, but I’m still one of the biggest boobs you’ll ever meet.

Have you experienced something like this? If so, I want to hear about it. Not to be horrified. Not to be frightened. But to acknowledge, smile – and hopefully laugh – with you… One boob to another.

Who can turn the world on with her smile? Turns out it’s not just Mary Tyler Moore, but also Valerie Harper, who has bravely come forward with her brain cancer diagnosis and is inspiring all of us with her brave and positive attitude.

After recently catching Ms. Harper (appearing with others from the original Mary Tyler Moore show) on Katie, I was moved by her joy, her courage and her refusal to stop living life even after being told by her doctors that she may have just months to live. Instead, Ms. Harper gracefully cautioned us all to “Not go to the funeral before the actual funeral.”

I realized in that moment (while watching her speak) that despite what I thought was a stressful day (the kind of day that made me want to reach for the nearest package of cookies and eat them all), that I actually had nothing to complain about. After all, if Ms. Harper could smile even when facing her current circumstances, then why couldn’t I?

Ms. Harper is a great reminder for us all to live in the moment. As she recently told CNN, “I just want folks to see me, that I’m OK, that I’m not suffering so far. There may be pain. There may be a lot of things ahead, but whatever they are, they’re ahead. They’re not now.”

She went onto tell interviewer Piers Morgan that she is trying to live in the moment and then offered this advice for others: “Keep your chin up and don’t go to the funeral, mine or yours or your loved ones, until the day of the funeral because then you miss the life that you have left.”

“Death is out there for all of us,” she told Mr. Morgan. “There’s other ways to handle it than just sit on the couch and accept.”

I always find it very inspirational when people facing odds we can’t even imagine share their courage and inspiration with the rest of us. It helps make whatever we’re facing seem tolerable — while also reminding us to count our blessings and be thankful for every little thing in our lives (cookies and otherwise).

Photo Source: knue.com

What does tax day mean to you? Ask most Americans and they’ll confess that they dread April 15th even more than a trip to the dentist (or perhaps even starting a new diet).

There’s something about having to fork over our hard earned funds (on top of sales taxes we already pay when buying something) mid April of every year. And you can count me among the folks who used to grouse about having to pay taxes. Yes, you read that right… Used to.

I recently realized that whenever I broke into a sweat, panic or foul mood as a result of sitting down to write a check out to the IRS, it was actually me making myself feel miserable and not anyone else. After all, I’m the one who earned the income. I’m the one who lives in the country that I live in. And I’m the one running the thoughts of “Oh, man, why do I have to pay taxes?” through my head. Not the IRS. Not my CPA. Not my bank. Me.

I then began to realize that because I was responsible for the negative banter in my head, I could actually be happy while writing out my tax payment check. Now, before you call the loony bin to come pick me up, let me explain.

Just as one day I decided to just stop eating so much and went from over 450 pounds to around 175 pounds in less than a year’s time period, I decided I could just stop feeling sorry for myself and instead just accept that paying taxes is a part of life. And since it’s a part of life, why make myself miserable about it? After all, paying taxes is a sign that I’m earning income. It’s also a requirement of living in my state and in this country (two places that I love). So what’s to complain about?

By thinking negative thoughts, I was only making myself miserable. And this includes joining others when complaining about having to pay taxes. Now, this doesn’t mean that if I heard you complaining about having to pay the IRS I would break into song and cartoon birds would start circling around me (although, quite frankly, I wish they would). It just means that I’m not going to ruin my own day by grousing about things and circumstances I can’t change.

Based on my longterm history, complaining and grousing leads to more and more negativity, which (for me) leads to destructive behavior such as eating the wrong foods, gaining weight and not being able to fit into my skinny jeans. And let me tell you, the cartoon birds would flee for their lives if I wasn’t able to comfortably zip up my skinny jeans.

So as Bobby McFerrin sings, “Don’t worry, be happy.” After all, we might as well accept our present circumstances (regarding paying taxes, our weight, our life situations or whatever) and make the very best of them. This better attitude will sure lead to better things. Even if not to cartoon birds. (But hey… You never know!)

So join me in paying your taxes with gratitude, won’t you? The life you change just might be your own.

Photo Source: southernstudies.org

One of the most popular recipes I’ve shared on this blog is my recipe for Beer’d Chicken. It can become a real go-to staple for any healthy eating of weight loss program. I get asked for the recipe all the time and am always happy to share it — thus my sharing it again here, today.

I love making this chicken ahead of time (and lots of it all at once as it lasts nearly a week and can be easily reheated). And bonus – it’s just as delicious when eaten hot as a main course or cold when cut into chunks for use in a lunch or dinner salad. You can also make this for friends, as they’ll be astounded how delicious this healthy meat entrée is.

I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts because I find the thighs offer a richer and moister flavor. Yes, there are a few more calories from fat in the thighs, but these aren’t the kind of calories that get us into any trouble. I also leave the skin on for some bonus flavor (both while cooking and while eating). If you’re on a very strict plan, you can remove the skin, but do so after cooking so you still get the benefits of the flavor.

Ingredients:
6 – 12 Large Chicken Thighs with Skin
1 Bottle of Beer

Preparation:
Put Chicken Thighs into a large pot (bone down, skin side up). Next, pour a bottle of beer over the chicken thighs. Yes, it’s that easy. Next, place a lid on the pot (preferable one that allows a minimal amount of airflow) then place on the pot on the stovetop – at the lowest heat. Cook on the lowest possible heat for about 4 hours (until chicken is cooked through). While chicken is cooking, prepare a large broiling pan. I like using nonstick aluminum foil or parchment paper in addition to the pan to make clean-up easy. Next, remove chicken from liquid and place on a broiling tray, skin-side-up (AKA bone-side-down). Place tray under the broiler for approximately 8 minutes (on ‘High’). After 8 muntes, remove the chicken from the broiler. Allow chicken to sit for a few minutes. Then… Ta-da! It’s ready to serve (or store in fridge for future use)!

Serves:
6 – 12 (depending on the number and size of the thighs)

For me, a common evening meal will include 1 piece of Beer’d Chicken (wrapped in nonstick aluminum foil or parchment paper, sprinkled with a splash of Balsamic Vinegar and warmed up in the oven on very low heat for approximately 20 minutes if coming from the fridge) along with steamed green beans (sprinkled with Granulated Garlic and Pepper) and a 1/2-cup of sliced Grape Tomatoes.

Another option is to serve the chicken with my ‘Fresh Veggie Side Salad’ recipe for a winning (and complete) meal. Your taste buds will thank me for it! If you’d like the recipe for the side salad, Click Here.