Me and Jorge: Belly Fat Cure Diet

Flax Seed Muffin - 50 Ways to Make Your Muffin

2012-02-24T14:34:00.000-08:00

Flax seed Muffin w/ 5 Blackberries

Ester, a long time blog reader here, sent me a recipe over a year ago and she swore by this little muffin. Honestly it didn't sound very good - a muffin that is only an egg and ground flax seed? No thanks. After reading Dr. William book Wheat Belly and completely giving up grains in October, I started making the recipe from his book. It is the same, except you make a pancake/tortilla out of it. He recommended microwaving it on a plate or wax paper, but I preferred cooking it on the griddle.

Jorge Cruise appeared on the Dr. Oz show and made the same muffin in a coffee mug and when he popped it out, it looked like one of the molten lava cakes or chocolate souffle. Okay, yes I've been on a very low sugar diet for a low time, so my "sugar glasses" skew this sort of thing....

With my egg aversion and no grains, breakfast is very difficult. So finally I broke down and made the Flax Seed Muffin, and I am hooked! It's my goto breakfast now and is perfect for any diet you are doing. Low sugar, no sugar, Atkins, Belly Fat Cure, Fast Track, Paleo, Weight Watchers... you name it. Here is how I make mine. After I've had my morning coffee, I reuse my cup and add these ingredients:

Basic Ingredients:

3 Tblsp Ground Flax seed (I get mine at Costco)
1 tsp coconut or olive oil
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg

I mix it up in the cup, making sure to blend the baking powder really well. I microwave mine for 65 seconds. Make sure it is a coffee cup and you don't need to prep it/grease it. I pop it upside down, one knock on the counter and it slides out. I don't use any sweetener in mine, not even Stevia, because usually I'll mix something else in. These options add a little sweetness to it and keep it interesting. Because it is not, in fact, a chocolate souffle.

Options:

1 tsp Stevia (most people will want to include this)
Handful of Blueberries (10) or Blackberries (5)
1 Tbsp Raw Cacao (raw cocoa)
A few chocolate chips (5)
1 Tbsp Nature's Hallow Jam

Flax seed muffin w/ chocolate chips

Plain

Blueberry

Cheddar & Jalapeno

Chocolate

And how does it taste? It's great. I love it. I have it every morning, no joke. The key here is to not sweeten it way up folks. It is a really simple muffin that is nothing but good stuff. If you use My Fitness Pal the One Minute Muffin - Flax- Instant Flax Muffin looks like it has about the info already entered for you. I entered my own remembered meal and it came up with 0 sugar and 13 grams of carbs, 10 grams of fiber and 11 of protein. So an S/C Value of 0/1. Be sure and add your sweeteners or fruit too to get an accurate count.

It reminds of that old Paul Simon song "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" and this should be called "50 Ways to Make Your Muffin". (ps. I named my blog with his Me & Julio in mind...)

The voice inside your head

2012-02-23T10:56:00.001-08:00

I love this!

via Pinterest

Because you CAN do it.

Belly Fat Cure Quick Meals by Jorge Cruise Review

2012-02-20T07:48:00.000-08:00

Jorge Cruise has a new book out and it is great if you eat out a lot. Belly Fat Cure Quick Meals is actually a restaurant guide, mostly fast foods and contains no recipes at all. The book goes back over the basics of the plan and how to calculate your sugar and carbohydrate calculates. I was SO thrilled to see so many friends and readers of this blog featured in the book! Nicole, Kellie, Rosalie and Robin are all real women who have overcome their weight issues on this diet. I've met them all in person, except Kellie who I feel like I know her none the less, and each has inspired me.

The funny thing is my skinny Vegan Husband really liked this book too. First he was really impressed Ray Kurzweil gave a blurb for the book. I don't know who he is, but the science geek in our house did. We both liked how the book told you HOW TO ORDER at the different restaurants too. Often you have to modify the menu item a little bit, and the book tells you how to do that in a way the restaurant will understand. There is also a sense of humor in the book that we haven't seen before.

What don't I love about the book? Well it leaves out some obvious really easy choices. Like at any restaurant, including McDonalds, you can order a Cheeseburger (even a double) with no bun and a side salad and it makes a great Belly Fat Cure meal. The book really pushes the 5/2 S/C Value per meal to the limit. While I'm glad to see him reinforcing the 5/2 per meal along with 15/6 for the day, many of the meals take up the full 5/2 which doesn't leave much room for a snack or wine. I also think the book should really indicate on the cover or in the title that it isn't "quick meals" so much as it is actually how to order BFC style at restaurants.

This book is a good investment if you want a low sugar lifestyle and eat out a lot. You could always look up the nutritional values at the restaurant's website before you go or ask the waiter, but I know that doesn't work for everyone. The Kindle version is only $9 and you could have it on the Kindle App on your phone to look up anytime. I am really enjoying using the Kindle App on my Xoom tablet lately. If you are having trouble finding any of Jorge's books, Amazon has them all HERE.

Recipe: Grain-Free Scotch Eggs

2012-02-16T13:55:00.000-08:00

Scotch Eggs - Finished Product

An egg. Wrapped in sausage. Fried. Boom, you got a Scotch Egg! I became intrigued by making a grain-free version of these, traditionally Scotch Eggs are coated in bread crumbs. Serve it with a side salad and veggies and you have a great little low sugar meal! Atkins, Paleo, Belly Fat Cure - doesn't matter what you call it, this one is great for them all. I made up a spicy mustard sauce with horseradish to serve with them. Wouldn't they be fun for a party or as an appetizer?

Grain-Free Scotch Eggs:
Ingredients:

7 boiled and peeled eggs
uncooked/raw ground sausage
cooking oil
Pink of salt & pepper on each egg
chopped jalapenos (optional!)

How To:
Make a flat circle of sausage, like a large patty. Place the peeled boiled egg in the center and wrap the sausage all around the egg. Smooth it around and make sure the egg is not showing.

The Oil:
Your oil needs to be consistently about 190 degrees Celsius. If it's too low your food will get all greasy and too hot and it will smoke and burn (for some reason my husband is an oil expert, who knew?) I don't like to fry things with oil, so I didn't much and needed to roll them around to get all sides cooked. How long you cook the egg depends on how thick the sausage around the egg is. The thicker the sausage, the longer you cook. I made the mistake on the first one to take it out too quickly. It looked completely cooked on the outside so I thought it was done, but once I cut it open the sausage directly around the inside of the egg was still very raw. You don't want to eat raw sausage. My advice is to give it a little more time on all sides once it looks done.

Oil should be 190 degrees celsius

Years ago I worked with proud Scot. He used to regal me with stories while we tried to work about how all these famous, important people in history were Scottish. When he claimed Benjamin Franklin was Scottish, I adamantly claimed he was American. I was living and working in Sydney, Australia at the time and I looked around for backup support, but our co-workers didn't even know WHO we were arguing about. The next day he brought a little book basically titled "Everyone's Scottish" or something and tied back the ancestry of notable people to Scotland. It was funny, Scottish men have a great sense of humor.

Scotch Eggs! Yum

Belly Fat Cure iPhone App Review

2012-02-13T20:57:00.000-08:00

Oceanhouse has released the Belly Fat Cure App for iPhone and iPad. No news on when an Android App will be available.

Pros:

Nicely designed, pretty app
Cheap at .99 - but apparently the price will go to $4.99
Easy to Use
7,000 item Food List
Can enter your own foods
Short summary of the book
Lists Fiber for each item (yea!) but doesn't total it for the day (boo!)

Cons:

Does not calculate Carb Servings correctly. In fact, depending on whether you are viewing a day's food log or actively entering a food, it calculates them differently... but NEVER correctly. Carb grams are totaled for your meal, then converted to Carb Servings. The app calculates them by food item as you are entering them and if you are just looking at the screen it totals the grams for the day. Granted, you there is no place to indicate which meal you had that food with. The least it could do is calculate them consistently.
No way to enter recipes
None of Jorge's Recipes are included
~~Cannot delete or remove a food from your day, favorites list or added foods~~
Includes foods not allowed on the diet (artificial sweeteners) without indicating that
Doesn't track your weight or measurements - very weird
Doesn't sync information between your iPhone and iPad. If you get an new iPhone or iPad you will have to start over again (your data is stored locally)
No social aspect to the app - interaction with friends via Facebook, Twitter, Email, etc. That is a huge missed opportunity to promote the app actually.

Personally, I cannot get over the errors in calculating carbs. The BFC is ALL ABOUT COUNTING SUGAR AND CARBS... and the app does it incorrectly. This app should be perfect since the book was released over 2 years ago and the app originally released over 6 months ago. Usually if I don't have anything nice to say, then I don't say anything. But I know many have been wanting an BFC APP and it deserved a thorough review. I am going to stick with My Fitness Pal and decided to a video review of how to setup MFP for the Belly Fat Cure.

Here is a video review I put together. (At 4:58 I realize it keeps changing the Carb Servings on me, even though I hadn't changed anything. That is why I am laughing at the end too, I was very confused by the numbers changing.) I explain the problem better in the 2nd video)

I made a separate video for the problems, with the hope they will be fixed and will become irrelevant in time. I also show you a way to get around the problem of not being able to DELETE a food from your day. You can't exactly, but there is a work around. A commenter pointed out you can DELETE any item by swiping the item and a REMOVE button appears. Thank you!

Sugar Labeling

2012-02-10T12:12:00.000-08:00

On Jorge Cruise's Belly Fat Cure we count sugar and carbohydrates as S/C Values. But product labeling can make tracking your sugar intake confusing. Sugar free, no sugar added and low sugar all sound like foods that would be great on a reduced sugar diet, right? Well, usually the answer is no.

First let's cover the difference between two different categories of sugar substitutes.
Natural Sweeteners - Stevia and sugar alcohols (Xylitol, Maltitol, Sorbitol) are consider natural ingredients because they are derived from plants. They contain small amounts carbohydrates, but not as much as refined sugar. There are those who argue that the processing of these products involves lots of chemicals, so they aren't really natural at all and should be avoided too. (That is why they are not allowed on Paleo) But on the Belly Fat Cure, they are allowed and count with your S/C Values.

Artificial Sweeteners - Sucralose/Splenda, Aspartame and Saccharine are chemicals, made in a lab. They have no calories, sugar or carbohydrates but are believed to have other side effects that can prevent weight loss. Possible side effects include stimulating food cravings and long term disruption of digestion. The Belly Fat Cure recommends you steer clear of these. What good does it do if it has 0 Calories, but makes you crave foods that do or clogs up your bowels?

I don't want to pick on one product or brand, I'm just randomly picking a few here as real world examples. The shelves are filled with similarly labeled products, not just these. There are also some with these labels that DO work on the plan... you always have to read the label.

Sugar Free
This is usually a red flag that screams "I CONTAIN ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS!", so read that label. Sucralose/Splenda, Aspartame or Saccharine were likely used instead of actual sugar to eliminate the sugar. The Nutritional Facts would say Sugar = 0, but the Ingredients List will tell the full story.

Product Example: Sugar Free Jello Pudding
Ingredients: Water, Xylitol, Modified Cornstarch, Milk Protein, Salt, Cocoa, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Calcium Phosphate, Sodium Alginate, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Natural and Artificial flavor and colors, Yellow 5, Yellow 6.

Notes: So many people see the first allowed sweetener and assume that this pudding is allowed... but read on.
Xylitol - Sugar alcohol, least likely to cause laxative side affects, and supposed to be good for your teeth. This is allowed on the plan, but you should take note of it for side affects.
Sucralose - Also called Splenda, a chemical artificial sweetener.

No Sugar Added
This one is tricky and simply means, "other than the sugars that naturally appear in this product, we DIDN'T ADD ANY MORE". Read the label carefully on these, but mostly they are still too high in sugar and/or contain artificial sweeteners. I often see it in Ice Cream products when I am searching for a Clemmy's substitute.

Product Example: Blueblue No Sugar Added Ice Cream
Ingredients: Milk, Skim Milk, Polydextrose, Cream, Sorbitol, Maltodextrin, Cellulose Gel, Cellulose Gum, Vegetable Gums (Guar, Carrageenan, Carob Bean), Natural And Artificial Flavor, Soy Mono And Diglycerides, Aspartame, Acesulfame Potassium, Annatto Color, Vitamin A Palmitate. Phenylketonurics: Contains Phenylalanine.

Notes: No plain ol' sugar is added, but plenty of sugar substitutes we want to steer clear of have been.
Polydextrose - a fiber additive synthesized from glucose and sorbitol, it is allowed but not the best thing you could eat. Ice Cream does not have actual fiber.
Maltodextrin - a sweetener derived from starch, but it has less carbs/sugar than actual sugar. It is alllowed but will show up as sugar grams.
Sorbitol - Sugar alcohol carbohydrate, which can have laxative affects, but it is allowed. It is the least favorable of sugar alcohols.
Aspartame - Chemical artificial sweetener, contains no carbs/sugar. Not allowed.

Low Sugar

"Low Sugar" has no real meaning, so you must read both the Nutrition Label and Ingredients list. Lower in sugar than what, exactly? Some of these products are okay, some are not.

Product Example: Quaker Lower Sugar Maple & Brown Sugar Oatmeal
Ingredients: Whole Grain Rolled Oats, Sugar, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Gar Gum, Oat Flour, Caramel Color, Sucralose, Niacinamide, Reduced Iron, Vitamin A Palmitate, Pyridoxone Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Thiamon Mononitrate, Folic Acid

Notes: Anything with maple and brown sugar in it's name could not be allowed on the BFC I'm pretty sure, so that is a dead giveaway. Sugar is the 2nd ingredient AND it has Sucralose (artificial sweetener) - double trouble.

I hope this helps clear up the difference in how sugar is advertised and how to choose the right products! It took me a while to figure out how to precisely read a label on BFC, but once you figure it out it is easy!

1yr, 100lbs: Habits – Live and Let Die!

2012-02-08T11:15:00.000-08:00

burgerfest

Okay – In Oklahoma, It’s McDonald’s Day of Love – so hamburgers are on sale for .59 and cheeseburgers are .69. Proceeds go to the Ronald McDonald House. The guy that sits in front of me bought 45 cheeseburgers and a couple dozen bags of fries to pass around the office. I have been able to say “no” politely about 5 times. I had a satisfying breakfast of eggs over easy, a great lunch with chicken and sautéed mushrooms, onions and a nice salad with avocado. So, it’s really been very easy to avoid the burgerfest.

But there is something still deep within me, that wants to reach deep down into those damp, crinkled, and now cooled bags of burgers – I think it’s just a habit; Like walking into someone’s office with a bowl of mints or m&m’s reflecting brightly off the fluorescent lights. I’m sure everyone’s grabbed a handful without even thinking. I know I have.

The new me does not. The new me, sees the brightly colored bowl, acknowledges it, and feels the phantom movements towards the bowl, but then ignores it.

Misha's Portabella Crust Pizzas

The new me, planned for the Superbowl and made buffalo wings, and bacon wrapped shrimp, and had cool, crunchy sliced vegetables with great sauces. I didn’t feel the least bit cheated or undone. I did have a moment. My very thin and fit teenage son shares a love of the wavy chip and dip platter. I even taught him how to make momma’s special dip. I did ask him not to make that specific dip or buy those specific chips; but he did. During the game, I went into the kitchen to see how my dishes were coming along. There was the open bag, angled perfectly for the optimal reach and grab, waiting for me like an old friend. I actually gasped when I saw my old nemesis. My first thought was to grab the bag and roll it up and throw it in the pantry. (OK, maybe that was my second thought). But I didn’t want to be close enough to smell them. So the new me, just backed away, went about my business and left them alone.

I had a great Superbowl Sunday. I hope everyone made good choices. I have no regrets on what I ate. And while it may sound like wavy chips are my kryptonite, the new me doesn’t allow them wreck havoc with my food plan. I can envision myself in the near future, where I don’t gasp, I don’t run away and I don’t blink. But for now, I let them have their distance, and I keep mine. - Sister M

A teaspoon of sugar

2012-02-07T09:08:00.000-08:00

I found this in my son's homework today and had to share it! In case you don't think I practice what I preach #4 says "Is that a teaspoonful of unhealthy sugar?" I had to laugh when I saw this! The assignment was to use two spelling words in a sentence, somehow he worked sugar in there, just like Mom would have.

The day before I heard my 7 year old tell my 10 year old "Mom couldn't even have one of these, it has too much sugar". For some reason I thought that was so sweet! First, they were reading a label and second they thought of my diet while sneaking a snack from the pantry!

Have a wonderful day, and remember to laugh!

Product Review and Recipes: Coconut Butter

2012-02-05T06:45:00.000-08:00

I picked up some Coconut Butter recently at Whole Foods and decided to experiment a little with low sugar/grain-free treats. It is the same thing as Coconut Cream Concentrate, basically coconut oil with the coconut flesh. So more of the good stuff, plus all of the benefits of the oil, Coconut Butter has 1 gram of sugar, 7 grams of carbohydates and 5 grams of fiber for 2 Tbsp. It is meant to be eaten in small amounts, and each serving below is probably half of that.

The first thing I made from Coconut Butter was the "Fudge" I found on a Paleo site. It was okay, but I didn't totally love it. I was expecting something creamier than it was. It kind of looks like Marshmallow Cream in the jar... but it is not. It's a little chalky and almost peanut buttery flavored. I have Coconut Oil in my coffee every morning, and maybe that is way I don't even notice the coconut flavor in this. I realize that this will not be everyone's cup of tea (did someone say tea?!), but in case you have a jar of it in your pantry or are wanting to try out more Fast Track, Paleo and really low sugar ideas here goes:

Blueberry Bark from The Urban Cave - It is simply half cup of melted coconut butter and 1/4 cup of organic blueberres. I added cinnamon to his recipe and LOVED this! The sweetness of the berries really offsets the coconut butter. You just melt the butter and pour to out over wax paper or a glass plate and press your blueberries into it. Refrigerate it to let it set and then break it apart into little pieces. I used 1/4 Cup of Coconut Butter and maybe a 1/3 Cup of Blueberries.

Chocolate Peppermint Swirl Truffles from Primal Palatte Blog (authors of Make it Paleo) - I love their grain-free cookbook and blog. It is a young coupe who write it and they have great ideas. If you haven't checked out their book yet, I highly recommend it! I adjusted the original recipe a little and rolled them into 6 little balls:

1/4 Cup melted Coconut Butter
1/2 tsp Raw Cacao
1/4 tsp Mint extract
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 packet of Stevia on the Raw - my current stevia sweetener of choice
sprinkle of salt (because they said to)

There were also great. I have one every now and then instead of chocolate, I store them in tupperware in the refrigerator. The mint, chocolate and coconut butter flavors mix really well together. They looked like balls of raw cookie dough!

These are not my original ideas. Idea hijacking is a huge pet peeve of mine! We all spent time and effort to come up with original topics and recipes, and it is very disappointing to have someone else then claim it as their own. So please, click on over to their links!

If you have made something with coconut butter, please leave a message and share! My jar is nearly gone nowHere is a video on how to mix your Coconut Butter before the first time you use it. It has usually separated the meat from the oil in transit:

Q & A's

2012-02-02T06:53:00.000-08:00

Thanks so much for supporting my sister on her weight loss journey! My maintenance is pretty boring and I am hoping she will share her story here often with us all. Sadly Jorge's Facebook page has turned into a complaint spot for login problems with his recipe club. I thought it would be useful to answer the questions that I get asked the most and see online, I see these over and over again.

Q. Jorge has so many books, I am confused on which one to buy and which plan to do.

Get the darker blue Belly Fat Cure book, it is the original and the easiest to follow. On Amazon it now says "Original Cookbook" on the cover but I'm not sure if all the copies say that. That is how I lost all but my last 10 pounds. It is all about limiting your sugar and carbohydrate intake and regulating your insulin. The other books are companion guides, this the one you want.

The newer Quick Meals book (light blue/purplish) is a good book if you eat out a lot, especially fast food. Only pick up the Fast Track (red) if you are truly interested in going grain-free or have gluten issues. Skip the (orange) Carb Counter book and use www.calorieking.com to look up foods instead. Jorge has moved on from the 3 Hour Diet, which is time and calorie counting based and published in 2006.

Q. Can I have LESS than the 15 grams of sugar or 6 carb servings?
YES, Yes and yes! Those are a maximum, not a target goal. On Jorge's FAQ and in the first book he says should get all 6 carb servings, but that could actually mean as little as 35 grams of carbohydrates depending on how you spread them out. Plus he answered this question in class once and said what he actually meant was that you need to get your fiber out of the carb servings and less meant less fiber. So YES!

Q. Is your whole family, kids included, on the Belly Fat Cure (or Fast Track)?
No, they really aren't. I greatly altered my kids diet to cut way back on the sugar, up the fiber and completely eliminate all artificial sweeteners for them. Changed their bread, tortillas, milk and cereal. My kids not overweight to start with and quickly after doing this I could count their ribs, I got freaked out and decided we would not be so strict! They get dessert after dinner and after school snack, we just keep it reasonable. Here's the details on how I implemented a version of the BFC for my kids.

So yes this is hard to juggle and they all made sacrifices for a bit while I figured it all out!?

Q. I'm allergic to peanuts (or dairy, fish or whatever), can I still do the Belly Fat Cure?
I see this question ALL the time, and honestly I feel like it is just an excuse. Of course you can do the plan if you are allergic to nuts, dairy or fish! Just substitute another like food for the one you are allergic too. For example nuts are mentioned on the plan as a snack. Nuts are a good source of protein or what Jorge calls Skinny Fats. Choose another snack instead, like cheese, salami, celery,etc. The dairy allergy always confuses me, since we are allowed very limited dairy as it is. You don't HAVE to put cream in your coffee, it is just a suggestion.

Q. I lost weight the first two weeks and was really happy with that. But the 3rd week I gained a pound. What am I doing wrong.
Oh my, I have seen this question dozens of times and I DO have an answer for you: Who says your doing anything wrong? Just keep it up, keep doing the diet exactly as it is written. Ignore the scales and try to weight less often. Some days the scale measures you up, some days lower. As long as the overall is lower, you are on the right track.

If it has been longer than two weeks and you have not lost weight, make sure you are following these guidelines for 5/2 S/C Value per meal along with the 15/6 per day. That is really important so that you can truly control your insulin levels. Make sure you are getting 25 grams of fiber a day through food, not through chia and flax seeds or supplements.

Q. I can't buy the specific products where I live that are mentioned in the book, can I still do the Belly Fat Cure?
Here is what you need to do the BFC: Protein and green vegetables. Period. Pretty much all the products listed in the book are found at Whole Foods and Sprouts, but are difficult to find elsewhere. So if you live outside the U.S. or without a Whole Foods you're screwed... although not really. You don't need a single one of those products to do the BFC. Not a single one! There are numerous products that are just as good as the ones in the book at your corner store, no matter where you live. Just check the labels and look at the product reviews here. I've sought out most of the products listed in the book and most still sit lounging in my cupboard. You don't need them, but some are nice to try. I put together an Amazon list of all the products from the book HERE if you really have to have them.

I hope you found these useful! If you have a specific question feel free to leave a comment here and I'll try to answer or others in our wonderful BFC community will help you out. You can also EMAIL me! Check out my older Q&A here for older questions too.

1 Year 100 Pounds: Month 1 Weigh In

2012-01-31T09:06:00.000-08:00

So, have you ever seen that Hallmark commercial where the mother gets one card for her daughter if she WINS the tournament and one card if she LOSES the tournament? Turns out, it’s the same card and mom is proud no matter what the outcome. I truly feel that I will have support from Amber and the rest of my family no matter what happens at my weigh-in this morning. I am proud of the way I conducted myself over the last 31 days and feel that my true measurement ISN’T on those scales, but in my health and my life.

That being said, let’s hit the scales.

OK! 13.5 pounds down for MONTH 1!

I am very pleased with this number. Although our “agreement” is 8 pounds per month, I felt as a drastic change “deserved” a drastic number. But the truth is, while grain free sounds drastic, it’s actually been quite easy. The biggest change is in my appetite. I am not craving any specific food and I’ve lost my ravenous hunger. I’m easily satisfied with a deviled egg or two for breakfast and a great bowl of butternut squash for lunch. Last night, we went out for dinner and I had nice salad, spinach and grilled salmon. Voila.

I also believe that my mindset has changed this time around. Weighing ONLY once a month will keep me from playing mind games with the scales. I do have a lot to lose and reacting to little changes on the scales has not served me well. AND the number on the scales is really just a symptom of what’s going on inside of me. I know what to do and what to eat. And when I faithfully follow the plan, everything else will fall into place.

I am so thankful that Amber did not give up on me and gently prodded and proposed as I decided what to do with my life. I did come very close to bariatric surgery last year and simply could not/would not take the last step. I’m also thankful for the support you, as her followers have showed to me. I’m anxious to share this journey of One Year and One Hundred Pounds with you.

One month down, eleven to go!

One Year and One Hundred Pounds

2012-01-29T22:20:00.000-08:00

Misha dressed as a clown at my 4th birthday party

As many of you know, I have someone very close to me and I'm worried about her weight. I'm not worried about the size she wears, I'm worried about her health and happiness. And those things are struggling because of her weight. I feel like I have let her down. How can I be such a weight loss success story, and not even be able to help my sister stay on the plan? Meanwhile it turns out she feels she has let me down. She wrote several posts for me here before, but then over a year ago had a bad weekend completely fell off the wagon. Or she lept from the wagon screaming, on fire and running in the other direction...

When I met Nicole recently, I kept thinking this is what my sister could look like after losing her weight. I WANT to SEE her "After". If I could only do it for her, but I can't. If only I could talk her into a diet, but I can't. If only I could make her meals or shop for her, but I can't (she lives in Oklahoma, I live in California). But I can be a good example and encourage her. I can help her see that I struggle with the same food issues she does, and have overcome them (mostly). She has to want this for herself. Really, really want it.

So that is what I did, for many months. Dr. William Davis's Wheat Belly book really spoke to me and had a very powerful message that 100% backed up the Belly Fat Cure and the Fast Track. So I excitedly read her quotes from it and sent her a copy. I came up with this idea that by simply losing 8 lbs (8.2 to be exact) a month she could lose 100 pounds in a year. Gastric By-Pass couldn't offer results that good. We would concentrate on overall health and well being, not just the number on the scale. Because her health has declining. The number on the scale will be a bonus. And because the number on the scale has a very powerful hold on her psyche, she would weigh herself just once at the end of each month. I didn't bug her (much) but quietly talked about it with her whenever I had the chance.

She wants this for herself now, and she agreed! She started January 1st and she understands this is not a sprint, it's a marathon. Every meal, every day, every week, every month. Month after month. That is how she will lose the weight. That is how I lost the weight. That is the secret.

I will let her tell the rest of this story as it unfolds... I asked her to share her story with us here. It's her story not mine. I'm simply a cheerleader on the sidelines. I'll try not to be a coach with a clipboard and whistle. I am SO so so proud of her. I'm nervous for her too, I want her to succeed. I'm calling this series One Year and One Hundred Pounds.

This one is for my husband

2012-01-26T12:32:00.000-08:00

Sixteen years ago I walked down the aisle towards a man I honestly didn't know all that well. It was impulsive and silly to get married so quickly and we are so lucky that it has worked out.

When I married him I was thin and over the years I gained weight. A little bit at first and then a lot later. He never once criticized or demeaned me, although I did enough of that for both of us. When I cried or belly-ached over my weight and health issues he would make suggestions... none of which I followed. In fact I usually argued back how he "just couldn't understand" since he and his family don't have a pound to lose between them all.

Last year when I got to my goal weight, I went through my closet searching for some old "skinny clothes" to try on and see if they fit again. But it had been ten plus years and none were left. There in the very back was my wedding dress, so I tried it on - and it fit! I think it was a sign.

So thank you Fred, for sticking with me and for supporting me. For being there for me through thick and thin, through laughter and tears, through struggles and success. For just plain putting up with my shit. I am so grateful and thankful to have found you and taking that leap together. Because, it WAS a leap. As a grown woman who now knows you quite well, I'm glad I was impulsive and stupid sixteen years ago...

I also hope his mother has forgiven me for moving him thousands of miles from their home. As the mother of growing sons I cannot imagine my boys announcing they are about to marry a women on the other side of globe that I've never met... but then I may deserve just that. Hopefully I will have the same grace and trust in my sons that she did.

Recipe: Paleo Pizza Muffins

2012-01-21T06:45:00.000-08:00

I finally came up with a recipe for Pizza Muffins or mini pizzas. I don't use almond flour, since I have a nut allergy and use coconut flour instead. With some a green vegetables on the side, these make a great lunch or dinner. They were surprisingly filling, even just one or two muffins.

Basically I just took my Coconut Pumpkin Muffins recipe and removed all the sweet stuff and added some savory.

Paleo Pizza Muffins
Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Coconut Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
pinch of Salt
1/2 Cup Butter or Coconut Oil melted (I used the oil)
4 Eggs
3/4 Cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 Cup (or more) Chopped Pepperoni Slices (or other meat pizza topping like sausage)
1/2 Cup (or more) Shredded Mozzarella

How To:
Mix together the oil, eggs and milk. Sift together the Coconut Flour, salt and baking powder into the wet ingredients. Fold in the pepperoni and cheese. Pour into greased muffin tins (no need for liner). They will rise a little, but not much, so fill accordingly. You could take a teaspoon or so of low sugar red sauce and at this point tuck it into the top of the muffin. Or leave the sauce for dipping later. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

These turned out really nice and savory, everything I wanted them to be! It made 9 muffins that lasted for several meals. It is filling on its own, but you really need your veggies with the meal too, so don't forget that. These are perfect for the Belly Fat Cure, Fast Track and any grain-free diet. When eating grain-free, which I have been for four months now, I feel much more creative in my cooking. I really do not miss the grains. Especially with meals like this.

The sauce is the highest sugar item on the menu, and I experimented with this two ways. First I just left it out and dipped my muffins in the sauce as I ate them. I also tried adding a heaping teaspoon to the muffin right before I put it in the oven. I ended up liking the second option best! I use Trader Joe's Three Cheese Marinara which is very low in sugar.

Wheat Belly and the Flaxseed Wraps

2012-01-20T10:34:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned before, I LOVE Dr. William Davis's new book Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Belly. I have been grain-free for 4 months now! In fact one of my New Year's Resolutions is to be grain-free for a year. I was set to just do it for 2 months, but honestly at the end of that I didn't feel like adding grain back and had already been through the hardest part. So why not keep it up? (More on the 12 month challenge and how my Sister accepted it later! I'm too excited and don't want to jinx it..)

I really recommend picking up Wheat Belly, either from Amazon or your library (like I did, so more on that below). I made dozens of notes on little scraps of paper, and immediately wished I had my own copy. The first half the book really spoke to me and my food addictions, the second half I didn't enjoy quite as much. And I don't agree with 100% of what he says. I was very disappointed to see Dr. Davis allows Sucralose/Splenda (along with Stevia), basically as a sacrifice for the low sugar requirements. Boo, hiss. But I'm not adding that crap back. Aside from that, The Wheat Belly is a great companion guide to Jorge's Belly Fat Cure Fast Track, and even a little more flexible. Whether you are grain-free all the time, or just for the evening meal, it's a good read.

One recipe I really liked in the book were the Flaxseed Wraps. I changed the recipe a bit (just like Jeri over at Just Me and the BFC did) to get it just right for me. Thankfully, I but a huge bag of ground flaxseed from Costco and the Vegan Husband uses it all the time.

Here is my version of the Flax Wrap (8 grams carbohydrates, 0 grams sugar, 6 gram fiber for 0/1 S/C Value):
Ingredients:
1 Egg
2 Tbs Water (more water will make it thinner)
3 Tbs Ground Flaxseed
pinch salt
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1Tbs melted Coconut Oil

How To:
Mix it all together. I made it just like a pancake/crepe in a skillet on the stovetop. You flip it when the bubbles form. The photo is the entire recipe, with a handful of blueberries and my coffee with cream and coconut oil. Very filling. The day before I topped them with Cream Cheese.

Depending on whether you want something sweeter or savory you could add: cinnamon, nutmeg and even stevia OR garlic powder and italian spices. I used them like pancakes/crepes and didn't add any of that stuff, but they could be used as Naan, a tortilla or flatbread. This last photo I used them as soft taco shells and they were pure perfection! I actually like these better than the coconut flour pancakes and crepes! Ground flax seed is a little easier to find and less expensive too. I get this giant bag at Costco for less than $7.

Here is a link to figure out how to checkout Kindle Books from your own local library though Amazon HERE. I've been doing it and love it! You don't need an actual Kindle, any iPod, iPad or Android phone or tablet with the Kindle App will do.

Recipe: Twice Baked Butternut Squash

2012-01-17T11:18:00.000-08:00

This is originally a Martha Stewart recipe I found via Pinterest, and I really love it. It is a little time consuming, so you will need to plan ahead. The left side is for my Vegan husband (minus the cheese and meat), right side for me. I also use a very large squash and make my half last for two meals. Sometimes it is the whole meal!

This is great for Jorge's Belly Fat Cure and the Fast Track or Paleo, since is it grain-free. The S/C Value really depends on the size of squash. It is a great winter meal that is savory and very filling!

Twice Baked Butternut Squash
Ingredients:
1 Whole Large Butternut Squash
Bacon
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
1/4 Cup Favorite cheese - I use mozzarella, parmasan
1/2 tsp Black pepper
1 1/2 tsp Salt

How To:
Cut the squash in half legnth-wise and remove seeds. Place in pan and then fill the pan with water about half up the outside skin of the squash. I actually use hot water I've heated from my teapot to get process going. Bake at 450 for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, pour off the water.

Scoop out the soft insides, leaving enough around the edges so that the shell stays whole. Mix the scooped up insides with the sour cream, cheese, bacon and any other ingredients that sound good! Add back to the shell. Sprinkle the top with extra cheese and paprika. Lower the temp to 425 and bake for another 25 minutes.

These are just really good and I wanted to share them with you all! I served them at Thanksgiving too. I would recommend using small squash when serving guests as the presentation is prettier.

Reader Profile: Nicole Brower

2012-01-11T11:22:00.000-08:00

Recently I met Nicole Brower, who is featured in Jorge Cruise's new Belly Fat Cure Quick Meals book (pg.5 and and the back cover). She is a beautiful 32 year old Mother of two and I thought she would be perfect for a Q&A, so we can all find out exactly how she lost her weight. Nicole and I had been "Internet friends" before we met, so I kind of knew her story. But in person, I literally found it hard to believe she had ever been overweight by any amount. She just looked TOO good!

So here are the questions I was dying to ask her, because her weight loss is incredible and we can all learn something from how she did it!

Q: First, how much did you lose and how long did it take?

Nicole: Ive now lost a total of 89 lbs and 17 1/2inches off my waist. I started BFC 6/1/10 and by 12/1/10 I was down 86lbs and 15 inches off my waist. 6 months was all!

Q: How often did you weight yourself?

Nicole: Everyday. I recorded my weight on the calender as well. Seeing the scale drop everyday was a lot of motivation to keep on going. To this day I still weigh everyday and record it.

Q: Was there an event or something that was the turning point for you, that made you really want to lose the weight.

Nicole: Ive always been into trying to lose weight, and to be healthy. I am (or was) the definition of a yo-yoer. I've had success numerous times on a few other weight loss plans and diet pills, but as soon as I lost, all the weight came back.

Right before I started BFC, I was outside with my sister who was reading the guidelines of the BFC to me and the type of things I would need to change in my diet..as I sat down in the lawn chair, I literally busted through the chair and to the ground. I started bfc the next day!

Q: Can you tell us what a regular day of eating looks like for you? Everyone wants to know what you are eating!

Nicole: Right now I follow FT.. so breakfast is usually eggs with some cheese or some kinda of omelet w/cheese and green peppers. On a really rushed morning I will eat some cheese and almonds. I always have coffee, first thing. I use heavy whipping cream along with unsweetened coconut milk or almond milk.

if I have a snack I have celery with raw almond butter. Sometimes cream cheese or 25 raw almonds.

lunch: I will have a spring mix lettuce or spinach leaves with grilled chicken, avocado, olive oil and vinegar and a little bit of shredded cheese and black olives. I have do admit some days I don't have a lunch if I'm too full from my snack.

dinner: I eat a lot of grilled meats along with green veggies. I love green peppers, zucchini, cucumbers and artichokes. I also have been eating a lot of stuffed mushrooms or jalapenos lately. I just put a mixture of cream cheese, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese with garlic, salt and pepper sprinkled with flax seeds. Sometimes i wrap in bacon..but not all the time! Sometimes I have red wine or chardonnay either while I'm making dinner, or after.

Q: What is the hardest part of the day for you food wise, and how do you get through it?

Nicole: Starting out, the hardest part was after dinner. In the past, I always told myself I had to eat some sort of dessert while watching my nightly t.v. shows. I usually ate a huge bowl of yogurt with granola and chocolate chips. I honestly didn't think that that was too bad.

So, instead of a dessert, I started having a glass of wine, or two. For me that did the trick. I also discovered that when having wine, it completely kills the urge for me to want to snack.

Q: Do you have a favorite food?

Nicole: Steak. I love it. I honestly like any kind of grilled meats, but steak is my favorite thing ever!

Q: What do you eat when you have a craving?

Nicole: I honestly have lost cravings. Sometimes if we have dark chocolate in the house, or think thin bars, I will take a bite. But those items can sit around for weeks before they're gone. I'd much rather eat some brie with salami and some wine if i want something really satisfying.

Q: Do you exercise? If so what do you do?

Nicole: I do exercise. 6 days a week. I run 3-4 times a week at the gym, along with weights. The other 2 or 3 days I workout at home doing kettlebells, and I highly recommend them! Along with tracking my weight daily on the calender, I also put a star on the days i workout. Although, I always take Tuesdays off... it's just more satisfying to see all the stars at the end of the month.

Q: Are you BFC or FT or something in between?

Nicole: Right now I fast track. For my first 15 months I was BFC. I started FT in Sept. '11. I Did the two week plan and then went back to BFC. I then start getting horrible headaches, so I decided to go back to fast track and my headaches completely went away. So i now have being doing FT since October, and I lost an additional 3lbs and 2 1/2 inches off my waist. Right now I love being grain free.

Q: What is your plan to keep it off?

Nicole: I plan to eat like this forever. Whether its FT or BFC. I love everything I'm able to eat, and for once in my life I have been able to maintain my weight loss. Ive now had all my weight off for 13 months, which I've never been able to do on other diets, and to me this is not a diet. I think most people in my life have now accepted this is the way I eat and no longer try to sabotage my ways. That is probably the hardest thing to get past. There will be so many people who want try to get you to take 'just one bite' or say you're 'small now, its ok', but it's not OK. I've made the commitment to myself to eliminate hidden sugars, HFCS, and artificial sweeteners. I don't ever want to put those poisons in my body again.

I'm just going to keep working out, eating right, and to remember this is the ONE thing I do for ME!

Thanks Nicole, there is some really great advice here that I plan on following myself! She also shared her Margarita recipe that fits the Belly Fat Cure HERE.

The End of Mom Jeans

2012-01-07T07:38:00.000-08:00

I've cried in the dressing room many times. Every time I go shopping now I'm a little fearful I won't be able to pull the clothing over my hips. As I've mentioned before I have had to re-buy pretty much an entire wardrobe after losing 53 lbs, so that means a lot of shopping. I realize now I need to take my time to replace everything! When cooler weather finally hit Northern California and I broke out my new Fall wardrobe. I am thrilled with all the orange, brown and purple colors. Black was my favorite clothing color before, but I realize I need to change it up a little. The funny thing with aquiring all my clothing within a year, I'm pretty sure it will all be very dated. The colors and styles will all be stamped "2011". Wrap sweaters and boots are so comfy and fun this season!

My biggest purchase has been a nice pair of jeans. For the last many years I tended to buy cheap clothing. But I'd have to buy several things to find something that looked good and fit correctly. As soon as the Size 8 "fancy jeans" fit me, I got them. When I told my Husband how much the cost he was SHOCKED! He said "You know it costs $5 to make those?!" At the same time I went to the Gap and bought two pairs of jeans I kind of liked. Together they cost as much as the "fancy jeans" so I returned them and got the ones I really wanted. No more Mom Jeans for me!

I ended up with AG (Adriano Goldschmied) Stevie jeans. The material is so nice, not like any jeans I've ever worn. They are a little stretchy, but not too much and don't lose their shape throughout the day. They come in different "ages", so you can buy the same jeans that look new, 4 years old, 7 years old, even 28 years old. Kind of cool! I see these jeans as an investment and I really love them! I spent too much on them, but look at it as an investment in me.

From size 14/16 to size 8

What are you waiting to buy at your goal weight?!

My Fitness Pal and the Belly Fat Cure

2012-01-03T06:11:00.000-08:00

I believe it is crucial to track your carbohydrate and sugar intake on the Belly Fat Cure. The plan is designed around the concept of the S/C Value of 15/6. What does that mean? The "S" stand for SUGAR grams and Jorge Cruise wants you to have no more than 15 grams of sugar per day. The "C" stands for CARB SERVINGS, which is a little more complicated. For a detailed explanation see THIS OLD POST.

Dawn (and her awesome BFC Blog at Dawn's Daily Chocolates) recommended My Fitness Pal as a way to track your S/C Values and I think it is a perfect fit! In fact I wish I had been using it ages ago! Instead I spent a ton of time making my own spreadsheet to do the work (ugh!). Hayhouse Publishing had a Belly Fat Cure iPhone App briefly on the market, but then pulled it the same week. I even spent time writing my own BFC App for Android and abandoned it out of frustration. But My Fitness Pal (MFP) is everything you need to keep track of you S/C Value, plus it is an excellent food diary and weight tracker. And big bonus, you can use it from your computer, iOS (iPhone, iPhone, iWhatever) or Android phone or tablet for free!

To setup MFP to help you track your BFC goals, you need to start with a little setup. After you have created your account (HERE), from the top menu choose: My Home: Goals: Change Goals: Custom. Here I changed my Carbohydrates to be 120grams, but I could only do so by making it be a percentage of my calories. MFP decided I should have 1200 calories a day, and I didn't argue with that, so 40% is the proper setting to get 120 grams. Then I changed my Fiber to be 25 grams and Sugar to be 15 grams and click CHANGE GOALS.

I really don't care what my calorie settings are, as I don't count or pay attention to them (honestly, I don't). But MFP seemed obsessed with it, so I worked with that!

Now you are ready to do your daily entries. I LOVE that everything under the sun is already in the database and other users have validated the nutritional values. I also love that with Quick Tools: Remember Meal I can save my own recipes very easily and save my common meals. For example, I made an entry called "Home Coffee" that consists of coffee, benefiber, heavy cream and coconut oil. I did the same thing for my Zucchini Lasagna and then when I have a portion I just use .25 of the recipe.

Here is a day from this week where I had a gathering where I knew I would be drinking, so I ate a little lighter than usual. I am currently doing the Belly Fat Cure Fast Track, where I don't actually need to track the S/C Values and my sugar and carbs are noticeably lower. I would usually have a light breakfast and no wine at all, so it's isn't a real typical day.

Here is a typical day of Belly Fat Cure tracking where I did count my S/C Values.

I think My Fitness Pal is a great fit with the Belly Fat Cure and allows you to track your food intake and S/C Values very easily! If you have tips on how to use MFP with the BFC, please let me know in the comments section.

If you have an Android phone, you can simply use a barcode app to scan this QR Code and get My Fitness Pal!

This and that

2011-12-29T06:34:00.000-08:00

I am still thinking about my goals for 2012. So far I want to spend more time doing things like this:

And less time thinking about things like that:

I want to remember that when I look down I see this:

And that I no longer look like that:

And no matter what size I am, it is really just all about this:

If I could help one person in the whole world next year, it would be her:

What are you goals for 2012?

Christmas Wrap Up

2011-12-27T11:50:00.000-08:00

My boys playing the Michael Jackson Experience

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! My allergies have been really bothering me, even after a round of antibiotics for a respiratory infection. So I have not been online much. But we had a great Christmas

The boys got a few Wii Games for Christmas and they were a little hit and miss. The dancing games were a HUGE success and the whole family loved them. Wii Go Vacation got mixed reviews. The 10 year old loves it, but it brings out the worst in the 7 yr old. He doesn't have the patience to figure it out and gets very mad! Ugh. But we all enjoyed the dancing and laughed the whole time!

I cooked a lot this last week. I want my kids to be more adventurous eaters - so no tears over Thanksgiving dinner in 2012! I find Pinterest to be great for recipes, since it is all visual. These roasted chickpeas were super! And the whole family ate them. Christmas day I stuck a whole chicken, with what is left of my herb garden, in the crockpot and it was ready for lunch. I tried roasted red cabbage, but it turned out really bitter.

Mommy's little helper

Santa refused to deliver presents until the house was clean, so I got a little help! I have to watch out for this one... he's trouble.

Star Wars Phone Covers

I made these phone covers for the kids and they were a big hit. They are Chewbacca and Yoda for the non-Star Wars fans. I love doing crafts, especially ones that the family will actually use! Chewy turned out extra cute!

I asked for a nice pair of PJs. The ones I wanted were men's wear inspired from J. Crew, but this is what I got. I'm pretty sure they found them in the Jr's dept. On the up side, I got an exercise Hula Hoop! It is the 3lb model and very cool! I've never been able to hula hoop but this I can do. I love doing the Hula Hoop on Wii Fit and I swear that it really tightens your lower belly (from the belly button down). This is much more difficult than Wii Fit and I'm excited about it! This should totally be my new profile pic, don't ya think? Complete with unwashed face and nappy hair.

I am thinking lots about goals for 2012, what about you? Usually my goal is centered around weightloss, and that will not be the case this time (you know, since I've lost the weight). I'll write more about this later, I'm still figuring it out!

Merry Christmas from my family to yours

2011-12-24T17:30:00.000-08:00

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and are able to enjoy the time with your families! One gift you can give yourself? Learn to be kind... to yourself. That is something I learned in the last year or two.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Cheesy Cauliflower Grits

2011-12-18T06:43:00.000-08:00

I found a beautiful photo on Pinterest of what looked like Cheese Grits, but claimed to be made from riced Cauliflower. So you know I was all over that! When I found the actual recipe, it contained 1/2 Cup of Panko and since I'm not doing grains I just left them out completely. I was not sure how it would turn out without the Panko, but it did not let me down. As you may know I pledged to give up grains for Jorge Cruise's Fast Track for 2 months, but I'm on 3 months now and have not plans to add grains back at all right now.

These little yummies make a great potato/hash brown replacement, they were like a savory pancake. But I thought they were most like good, old fashion grits! I ate them hot, right off the griddle, but I'll be having them with steak for dinner later. Wouldn't they make a great latka? Just don't serve it with applesauce - too much sugar!

These turned out WONDERFULLY! I'm going to guess your whole house will like these. My super picky kids even tried them, although it was in exchange for a cookie, so go figure. I would love to find a way to incorporate them into breakfast or smaller with different toppings for a party. Whether you are doing the Belly Fat Cure or Fast Track, these make a great snack or side dish to your meal.

Cheesy Cauliflower Grits:
Ingredients:
1/2 head cauliflower
1 egg
1/2 shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp garlic powder

How To:
I grated the fresh cauliflower with my cheese grater, but a food processor is great for this too (and is on my Christmas list!). I guess frozen would work fine too. Do it all, the florets and stems, but not the leaves. Microwave for 2 - 2:30 minutes and blend in the egg and cheese thoroughly. Scoop them out onto a hot griddle or skillet into the size of a small pancake, using olive or coconut oil if your skillet needs it. Depending on thickness, and how crispy you want them, cook least 3 minutes on each side.

The entire batch is 16 grams of carbs, 6 grams sugar and 8 grams fiber. I'd say four little pancakes, half of the recipe, should be more than be enough and will have an S/C Value of 3/1. It is all determined by the size of the cauliflower head and are all good, high fiber carbs.

Link back to the original recipe I modified is HERE. For all my recipes that fit Jorge's plan click HERE.

Dark Chocolate Review Part 4

2011-12-15T06:41:00.000-08:00

I will definitely be getting Dark Chocolate in my stocking this year. My sweet husband actually surprised me last year with two brands I've never seen before. Dark Chocolate is a perfect treat or dessert on the Belly Fat Cure (and Fast Track), Paleo and Primal diet and for diabetics. I love that I can have just a square or two, and I don't crave the whole bar!

My regular and favorite Dark Chocolate is Ghirardelli 86% Midnight Reverie. I find it at Target and my corner grocery store. When I see it on sale I stock up. And this probably won't surprise you, but I have a chocolate drawer in my house and have a piece or more almost every night. My 7 yr old loves it too!

If you have tried Dark Chocolates already and didn't like them, I'm going to suggest you wait a few weeks and try again. Your palate changes when you remove sugar from your diet. I HATED Dark Chocolate at first. I think I actually spit it out. Check out all my Dark Chocolate Reviews HERE.

Droste Pastilles Extra Dark 75% - I really love this Dutch made chocolate. It's cocoa content is higher than the others, which basically means you can have less of it. They come in a tube little circular discs that are yummy. I found these at Target. I have 4 of the pieces for 5 grams sugar, 8 grams carbs and 1.5 grams of fiber for an S/C Value of 5/1.

Godiva Santa Domingo 85% - This was a great find and a really good chocolate. I found this bar at Target one day, but my store doesn't usually carry it. Also for some reason it is not on Godiva's website, but I think several pharmacies (Walgreens, CVS) may carry it. It has 5 grams of sugar, 14 grams of carbs and 5 grams of fiber for an S/C Value of 5/1 for 4 squares.

Cote D'or 86% Noir Brut -This is a great dark chocolate that my corner produce market carries. They have an elephant imprint on each square and taste like very dark chocolate. This bar has 6 grams of sugar, 13 grams of carb and 5 grams of fiber for an S/C Value of 6/1 for 4 squares.

Amberlyn - I don't eat these chocolates because they contain Maltitol, and in any quantities it upsets my stomach. But I know lots of people who love these chocolates bars. They are sometimes available at Costco, but I don't see them in regular stores. Depending on which bar you choose they have between 0 (dark) - 3 (milk) grams of sugar, 19 grams of carbs and up to 2 grams of fiber. They are a good transitional chocolate if the true dark chocolate doesn't taste good quite yet.

Dark Chocolate is my favorite treat on the Belly Fat Cure and what I will be having on holiday evenings this year! Please check out Dawn's blog for my holiday survival tips!

Nicole's BFC Margarita Recipe

2011-12-13T07:34:00.000-08:00

Nicole is one of the women I met for Jorge Cruise's video shoot recently. Her 86 lb weight loss is featured in his new book Belly Fat Cure Quick Meals, which ships 12/27/2011 and is just $13 on Amazon. Nicole hasn't just lost weight, in person she is tiny and it was hard to imagine her ever overweight. But she was, just like the rest of us! I was really motivated by her weight loss and think she is a great BFC role model.

I'm really looking forward to doing a Q&A with her soon, so if you have questions you'd like to hear her answer, leave them in the comments here! I'm going to guess she has lots of good advice that we could all learn from.

She shared this recipe with me and I thought it would be great for your holiday cocktail cravings. It is the perfect example of how a few small changes can make a big difference in sugar content.

Nicole's BFC Margarita:

1.5oz tequilla
2tbsp lime juice fresh or bottled
4tbsp water
1/4 tsp orange extract
1 tbsp sweetner (stevia)
ice

She says you can serve it on the rocks or frozen and she counts it as an S/C Value of 0/0.

Be sure and check out Dawn's blog today for more tips on Surviving the Holidays on the BFC or all of my other holiday posts. You don't have to wait until after the holidays to start dieting, start today!