As I mentioned to you in my previous post about the Fat Smash Diet, there are 4 different Phases you go through during this program, and each phase has a list of suggested and excluded foods.

Some of the excluded foods in one phase are being introduced back into your diet in the next phase, so for ideal success, you need to follow these food suggestions, eat 3-4 smaller meals per day, follow the same eating schedule, and continue to  exercise.

Just think, this phase is only 9 days long….you can do it!!

It is so worth it.

Phase One –Detox

Suggested Foods:

( in daily maximum quantities)

• All fruits in any quantity.
• All vegetables in any quantity, except:
• No white potatoes
• No Avocados
• Good sources of protein:
• Chickpeas
• Beans
• Tofu
• Lentils
• Brown Rice -  2 cups of cooked rice
• Low-Fat or Skim milk, or Soy Milk – 2 cups
• Water – as much as you like
• Oatmeal – 1 cup
• All herbs and spices
• Low-fat Yogurt (no fruit on bottom) – 2, 6-oz cups per day
• Egg whites – 4
• Herbal tea – 2 cups
• Freshly squeezed fruit or vegetable juice – 1 cup
• Low-fat cheese – 1 ½ slice, or 1 Veggie Burger without bread
• Sugarless chewing gum
• Low-fat Mayo – 1 tsp
• Salt – 1 tsp
• Butter – 1 tsp
• Mustard or Ketchup – 1Tbs
• Soy Sauce – 2Tbs
• Teriyaki Sauce – 2Tbs
• Sugar substitute – 1 tsp

Snacks:

(Choose one snack for the allotted snack period in your eating schedule)

• Low-fat yogurt dip  - 1/3 cup, and  2 cups raw vegetables
• Cashews – 10 pieces
• Low-fat Granola bar – 1
• Grapes – 15 pieces, and ½ cup of low-fat milk
• Plain Low-fat Yogurt – ½ cup
• Baby carrots – 1 ½ cup
• Almonds – 10-14 pieces
• Jell-O Smoothie snacks – 1 snack
• Popcorn, air popped – 3 cups- NO butter
• Saltine crackers – 7
• Medium banana – 1 frozen
• Sunflower seeds – 2 Tbs

EXCLUDED FOODS:

• Peanut butter/jelly
• White Rice
• Meat
• Fish
• Full-fat cheese
• Bread – all types
• Raisins
• Dried or preserved fruits
• Candy
• Ice cream
• Alcohol
• Soda – regular or diet
• Coffee and all coffee drinks
• Sports drinks
• Milkshakes
• Whole eggs or yolks
• Fried foods
• Fast food

All the holiday parties are over, all the cookies and chocolates are gone, but unfortunately what stayed with me, and perhaps with you, are a few extra pounds (according to that darn bathroom scale), and a few inches in the waist line.

Oh well, at least we all had fun, and got carried away a bit, but it is all fixable with some determination and will power.  Here comes the dirty word…Diet…, and I am about to introduce you to a very relaxed way of getting back into shape, by learning to eat healthier and to keep your body moving.

Personally I don’t even like to think about being on a “diet”, since I am not one to count points, weigh my food, live on pre-measured and pre-packaged meals, or stick to high fat foods without any carbs, or indulge on some sort of a cabbage soup, etc.  I have heard about all of these from my family and friends, who experienced all of the above, and yes, some were quite successful, but it’s just not for me. I also am not a “gym rat”, but I do enjoy swimming and walking (mostly walking, since it is the easiest thing to do anywhere ,even at the mall while shopping…).  Does lifting and carrying around my 25 lbs. granddaughter count as “weight lifting”??..if so then I do that on a very regular basis, with love I must add.

A couple of years ago, a co-worker told me about the Fat Smash Diet book, written by Dr. Ian K. Smith.   I looked through her copy, and liked what I learned, so I bought my own copy (it was only $12.95, unless you select the newer version which offers a larger selection of recipes), and decided to give it a try.

The Fat Smash Diet is about smashing the bad habits, and learning the principles of healthy eating, plus physical activity to maintain a healthy life.

This program consists of 4 phases, and there is a list of suggested foods for each phase, as well as a list of foods to avoid during a particular phase.  Each phase continues with the same foods from the original list, plus a gradual introduction of additional foods.

I am beginning my Phase One, on Monday, February 1st (after a weekend, of course), and if you would like to get this book and familiarize yourself with it, and join me (misery loves company…it’s not really misery… it’s actually fun, but more fun with a fan club), that would be great.

Either way, I will post the list of suggested and excluded foods for each phase, so you can be creative with incorporating these into your menu planning.  Believe me, there are lots of choices, many more that I normally would need to stay satisfied.

It is suggested to have 4-5 meals per day, in moderate portions of course, and at least two snacks.  So wouldn’t you agree that there is no way to be overly hungry, and better yet, you eat the foods you are use to.

However, as with any changes you plan to make to your system, you might want to consult with your physician, and do not give up those daily vitamins.

These are the Four Phases:

Phase One – Detox -  9 days.  It cleanses your body of all the toxins you filled it up with, until now.  It is
much more pleasant than it sounds.  I love the fruit and yogurt smoothies!

Phase Two – Foundation – 3 weeks.  You still continue with the foods in phase one, plus
you begin to add few additional ones.   Most of these foods were already part of your
diet, but now you are learning how to make healthier choices.

Phase Three – Construction – 4 weeks.  Here again you continue with foods from previous phases
and introduce some additional ones.

Phase Four – The Temple – lesson for LIFE.  Now that you have learned all the basics, all you have to do
is to apply your knowledge , enjoy your food in moderation, and keep your body moving.

Throughout all the phases, you are required to stay physically active, and the book lists several  exercise suggestions for you, but all I was doing daily, was walking briskly 10 minutes during my lunch time, plus at least 45 minutes after work, plus making 3-4 rounds of stair climbing at home in the evening…no biggie, and quite doable.  If you already have your own daily exercise routine, that might work for you as well.

During the 90 day period, my body felt so much better, I lost 15 pounds, and brown rice and I became best friends for life.

I have slacked off during the past year, so of course, I gained back few of those pounds, but am still ahead, so it’s time again to practice what I preach.  If your goal is greater than mine, have no fear, you can easily achieve it by increasing your daily exercise routine, and sticking to your routine and schedule.

I would love to know how many of you plan to join me on this mission.  The more the merrier!!

In my next post I will provide you with the food list for Phase One, in case you did not get a chance to buy the book, or you are not ready to join me at this time.

Tip: On my first day of this program, I weigh myself very early in the morning, just before jumping in the shower.  It gives me a good start, and it’s a motivating factor for me. After that, I try to check my weight every Monday morning.

photo credit: Alex E. Proimos

I came across this article about women and retirement, so of course I had to read it, and then needed to vent a little.

It is still men’s world out there… women came a long way, but not far enough…yet!

I commend young ladies who value education, go on to college and become professionals, and are easily self supporting, if needed to, then also start families and continue the traditional life cycle.

It is not easy to be a woman these days, since besides having a full time professional job, she still has to be the glue that holds the family together, the organizer, the planner, the wife and mother, the cook, the chauffeur,  the teacher, and so on, and on, and on.

I know that more and more men share the household chores with their wives, but there still is the reality of the ever so famous quote “go ask Mom”, just to pass yet another responsibility to mom.

I really did not plan to talk about family life, but rather about women and finances. Even though women are very engaging in so many aspects of the daily routine, many of them are not interested enough in financial matters of the family.  Most women still feel that this is a job for their husband, and there is nothing wrong with that, until that husband is not there to carry on.

This scenario may happen sooner than any woman may dream of, since it could be spurred by various factors, such as a temporary employment assignment away from home and family, serious illness, separation or divorce, or even a premature death.

At any rate, life must go on, and the financial responsibility requires the woman’s involvement, thus one has to be ready to carry on.  Even if you think you would hire a professional to do it for you, your still should understand what is going on.  I can’t believe how many women out there are still not interested in knowing how to balance a checkbook, how to pay bills, who is their insurance carrier or investment broker, plus so many other things of this nature.

To prevent unnecessary stress and disaster, women should be equally involved with their husbands in financial planning and decision making process throughout their life, just to be ready in time of need.

I was always told that “it is good to know everything, but not always good to do everything”, and this could not be more true about finances and decision making.  Not that I totally practice what I preach, but I am trying to know and do as much as I am able to, so if life draws me a short straw, I am not stuck in such a situation.

There are so many websites on this topic, community colleges are always offering non–credit courses on various money matters, and what better way to learn than by sitting down with your husband while he is involved with this task on regular basis, and offer your assistance, thus learn by doing.

If you still are not convinced that you should get involved, please click on the highlighted words, to expand your knowledge on the subject of money and finances for women, and let me know if you found these posts helpful and encouraging.

Also, tell us that you decided to get more involved in your family’s finances and financial planning.

The same suggestion goes to the husbands, to encourage their wives to be involved in family financial management, rather than being distanced from it.

photo credit: Photos8.com

If you are just like the rest of us, you are dreaming of financial success, and you want it to happen ASAP, or at least for it to start in 2010.

I have some ideas for you, which I found on Getting Rich Slowly, and will give you a short outline to refresh your memory about your plan (maybe), but if you are interested in expanding your knowledge further, please follow the link for more details.

These are their 10 suggestions to get you started, plus my 2 cents of advice:

• Track every penny you spend - nothing better than being aware where your money if going

• Develop a budget - best way to keep track of your cash flow

• Review your accounts (and ask for discounts) - that would be all accounts, incoming and outgoing of your funds

• Optimize your accounts – always a wise idea to analyze your financial position on regular basis

• Start an emergency fund – one should always be ready to survive for a 6 months period during those “rainy days”

• Get out of debt – it is best to consolidate your debt as much as possible, and look for best rates

• Fund your retirement – we all will need this one some day (sooner than you think)

• Automate your finances – not very difficult with all the nowadays technology

• Earn extra money – if there is a will there is a way

• Educate yourself – knowledge is power

All of the above are very valid, and common sense points, wouldn’t you agree?

Nobody said it will be easy, but you have to start somewhere.

One thing you have to remember, is that you can’t spend more than you make (many do just that), so you have to really watch where your money is going, and there is no better way to keep track of this than writing it all down, and review it weekly, or at least monthly (hopefully my children are reading this and taking my advice).

You must be very diligent about it, so no slacking off, even if you spend 75 cents in the vending machine for your daily snack, this will amount to $3.75 per work week, or $180 per work year.

Pennies make dollars, so every penny counts, if you really want to be accurate and learn where to cut corners.

Another important point is to educate yourself about finances, so even if you don’t make or have lots of money, you learn to use it wisely, to stay out of debt, and perhaps even start building up your savings or a retirement fund.

If you have other ideas for financial success, please share them with all of us.

If you would like to put together a meal that is easy to prepare, but looks complicated, you will love this recipe for Chicken Cordon Bleu.

You can use plain chicken breast, but I prefer a more flavored taste, so I marinate it for an hour, or overnight, in an Italian Salad Dressing.  For simplicity and ease, I also use Campbell’s Cream of Chicken or Cream of Mushroom soup, for the sauce.

4 servings.

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 slices of smoked ham(Ham of the Bone, or Smoked Virginia Ham, from the Deli)
• 4 slices of Swiss cheese
• 2 tsp of deli mustard
• Italian Salad Dressing
• Salt, pepper, garlic powder
• Flavored breadcrumbs
• Oil for frying
• 1 can of Cream of Chicken soup (or Cream of Mushrooms)
• ½ cup of heavy cream, or whole milk
• ¼ cup of white wine (optional)
• Italian seasoning
• 4 toothpicks, or string

Directions:

1. Trim off all fat from the chicken breast.
2. Spread the breasts on a cutting board, cover with clear plastic saran wrap, and pound with a meat mallet to a ¼ inch thickness. (I like to place the chicken with the clear membrane side down, to keep it intact during this process).
3. Place the chicken in a large enough container, and pour the Italian Dressing, or marinate, over it.
4. Move the chicken around, to coat all pieces evenly.
5. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for an hour, or overnight.
6. Lay each piece of marinated chicken on a work surface.
7. Place one piece of ham and one piece of cheese on top of each breast (you might fold the ham and cheese in half for a better fit).
8. Spread ¼ tsp of deli mustard over the ham/cheese slices.
9. Roll up from the widest end towards the opposite end.
10. Fasten with tooth pick, or a string.
11. Dredge the chicken in flour seasoned with garlic powder.
12. Beat one whole egg with a tablespoon of water, salt and pepper.
13. Dip the floured chicken in the egg, then coat with flavored breadcrumbs, set aside.
14. Heat the oil in a frying pan, place the chicken roll ups in the hot oil and fry to a golden color, turning gently.
15. In a casserole dish, pour 1/4 cup of water on the bottom, and arrange a single layer of the browned chicken rolls.
16. Remove the toothpicks, or cut off and remove string.
17. Mix the Cream of Chicken soup with the sweet cream (if you are using wine, add the wine, and mix well).
18. Pour the sauce over the chicken.
19. Sprinkle with pepper and Italian seasoning.
20. Cover the casserole dish tightly with aluminum foil.
21. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F, for 45 minutes.
22. Remove from the oven, let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Tip: I like to serve this chicken with garlic mashed potatoes, and cooked green vegetables.

If you love mushrooms, you can saute some mushrooms with onion and garlic, and place them on top of the chicken rolls before baking, or even just before serving.

photo credit: Ryan Somma

Ever since my daughter was in 6th grade, I became so much more conscientious about our environment and still continue to do all I can to support the “Green Team”.

It started one day when she asked me to stop packing her school lunches in brown paper sandwich bags, and suggested to buy a cloth reusable lunch bag with a logo “Save Mother Earth”.  She used that bag for a couple of years, until she made one of her own, in her Home Economics class.  She still is an excellent supporter of the Green Team, and a constant reminder for me to do the same.

Hopefully all of you are already faithful supporters of “living green”, and one of your New Year’s Resolutions is to continue your loyalty throughout 2010,  onwards.

I actually found a very useful website, about living green, and became a subscriber to their newsletter, which keeps me up to date with their news, ideas, and numerous tips.  I have been saving many of these tips, and will make sure to post several every month, to help you to be a wiser consumer, more aware of the environment, and an active contributor to “Save Mother Earth” .

Today I will share a tip with you about cutting down on the numerous  pieces of  unwanted “junk mail”, which comes to your mail box, and mine, and how to put a stop to that, and at the same time save thousands of trees from being destroyed to produce this wasted paper.

You can accomplish this by some help from Catalog Choice – a free mailbox clearing service!

Catalog Choice will help you stop junk mail from continuing to fill up your mail box, and your recycling bin.  They will do it with such ease, as you will never have to be put on hold by a customer service representative to get your name off the numerous mailing lists, they will do it for you.

The most favorite feature of Catalog Choice is that once you have created an account with them, they keep track of your selections of unwanted mail, and provide you with details on the progress of your request to be de-listed.

Now, all you have to do is to sign up with Catalog Choice, lay back, and figure out how will you utilize the extra time you will be saving by not reviewing your junk “snail mail”.

Also, to keep the ball rolling, please make sure you forward this information to your family and fiends, as the old saying goes:  “The More The Merrier”. Remember that we all live on the same planet, breath the same air, and it takes a village to accomplish something worthwhile.

Better yet, forward them this article so they subscribe to suburbangrandma.com and stay informed with all the “ecomii tips” I have saved and will be sharing in the future.

Thank you for supporting The Green Team and our environment.

Those of you who were lucky enough to be recipients of  gift certificates for a massage, especially a foot massage, will find this post of interest, and schedule your massage without delay.

If you are still dreaming of such experience, then don’t forget to include it on your gift list for next year.

Here is  a very interesting and informative video, which provides a short summary of reflexology and pressure points in your feet.

I also find it very intriguing that a massage and stimulation of the different pressure points in the foot associated with body organs, can positively affect their function, such as:

• Vision problems
• Hormonal imbalances
• Digestion
• Quality of sleep
• Deep relaxation
• Back pain
• Posture
• Blood pressure
• Migraines
• Anxiety

Pressure points can be used to:

1. Treat certain symptoms of illness
2. Reduce stress

One would need to consult with an experienced reflexologist, or Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, to identify the key areas, and to receive treatment and relief.

However for stress reduction, some of these basic methods and techniques of foot massage may be applied by you on your own feet:

• To reduce stress in the knees and calf muscles – apply pressure to the area at the top of the ankles

• To clear up the sinuses and improve vision – apply pressure to the tops of the toes

• To improve breathing and open up the chest area – apply pressure to the soles of the feet

• To flush out toxins from the body - apply pressure to the large area right beneath your toes

• To stimulate the stomach, kidney and spleen, and to help alleviate indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome or other types of discomfort after eating - apply pressure to the arch of the foot

• To help control blood sugar, improve energy flow and reduce excessive fatigue and other side of blood sugar imbalance – apply pressure to the inner soles of the feet near the arch

• To flush out the lymphatic system, and help the body to eliminate toxin buildup caused by stress and improve overall well-being – apply pressure to the area under the second toe, and gently massage this pressure point

If you never experienced a foot massage and stimulation of the pressure points in your feet, watching this video will provide you with a preview of this wonderful and relaxing experience.

photo credit: thinbegin

As you already know I do enjoy humor, and humerous emails, and once this one came around, I just had to share it with you.

As funny as it sounds, I am sure we all can identify with these in some way or another, and unfortunately many people are sensitive enough to become affected by all the stuff they read.

However, don’t stress over it, relax, and take it with a grain of salt, since you can’t believe everything you read….as you already know that.

I just want to thank all of you for your educational e-mails over the past year. I am totally screwed up now and have little chance of recovery.

• I no longer open a public bathroom door without using a paper towel or have them put lemon slices in my ice water without worrying about the bacteria on the lemon peel.

• I can’t use the remote in a hotel room because I don’t know what the last person was doing while flipping through the adult movie channels.

• I can’t sit down on the hotel bedspread because I can only imagine what has happened on it since it was last washed.

• I have trouble shaking hands with someone who has been driving because the number one pastime while driving alone is picking ones nose (although mobile phone usage may be taking the number one spot).

• Eating a little snack sends me on a guilt trip because I can only imagine how many gallons of Trans fats I have consumed over the years.

• I can’t touch any woman’s purse for fear she has placed it on the floor of a public bathroom.

• I MUST SEND MY SPECIAL THANKS to whoever sent me the one about poop in the glue on envelopes because I now have to use a wet sponge with every envelope that needs sealing.

• ALSO,  now I have to scrub the top of every can I open for the same reason.

• I no longer have any savings because I gave it to a sick girl (Penny Brown) who is about to die in the hospital for the 1,387,258th time.

• I no longer have any money at all, but that will change once I receive the $15,000 that Bill Gates/Microsoft and AOL are sending me for participating in their special e-mail program.

• I no longer worry about my soul because I have 363,214 angels looking out for me, and St. Theresa’s Novena has granted my every wish.

• I no longer eat KFC because their chickens are actually horrible mutant freaks with no eyes or feathers.

• I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day.

• THANKS TO YOU I have learned that my prayers only get answered if I forward an e-mail to seven of my friends and make a wish within five minutes.

• BECAUSE OF YOUR CONCERN, I no longer drink Coca Cola because it can remove toilet stains.

• I no longer can buy petrol or diesel without taking someone along to watch the car so a serial killer won’t crawl in my back seat when I’m filling up.

• I no longer drink Pepsi or Fanta since the people who make these products are atheists who refuse to put ‘Under God’ on their cans.

• I no longer use Cling Wrap in the microwave because it causes cancer.

• AND THANKS FOR LETTING ME KNOW I can’t boil a cup of water in the microwave anymore because it will blow up in my face.. Disfiguring me for life.

• I no longer check the coin return on pay phones because I could be pricked with a needle infected with AIDS.

• I no longer go to shopping malls because someone will drug me with a perfume sample and rob me.

• I no longer receive packages from UPS or Fed Ex since they are actually Al Qaeda in disguise.

• I no longer answer the phone because someone will ask me to dial a number for which I will get a phone bill with calls to Jamaica , Uganda , Singapore , and Uzbekistan .
  [See the attached file]

• I no longer buy expensive cookies from M&S since I now have their recipe.

• THANKS TO YOU I can’t use anyone’s toilet but mine because a big brown African spider is lurking under the seat to cause me instant death when it bites my butt. (The lesser spotted African barking spider?)

• AND THANKS TO YOUR GREAT ADVICE I can’t ever pick up £2.00 dropped in the parking lot because it probably was placed there by a sex molester waiting underneath my car to grab my leg.

• I can no longer drive my car because I can’t buy petrol from certain fuel companies!

• I can’t do any gardening because I’m afraid I’ll get bitten by the Violin Spider and my hand will fall off.

• I now keep my toothbrush in the living room, because water splashes over 6 ft. out of the toilet.

• Oh, by the way…..A German scientist from Argentina , after a lengthy study, has discovered that people with insufficient brain activity read their e-mail with their hand on the mouse.

• Don’t bother taking it off now, it’s too late.

photo credit: Marit & Toomas Hinnosaar

Poinsettias are one of those plants you find in every store during Christmas season, and at the curb shortly after Christmas.   It really does not have to be that way, since with proper care you can save your Poinsettia until next December, and admire fresh blooms for Christmas.

If you consider yourself a frugal shopper, and you love plants, you may wish to follow these steps to save your Poinsettia until next year:

1. Expose your Poinsettia plant to indirect sunlight for at least 6 hours each day while it is blooming.
2. Keep it slightly on the dry side, so please do not over-water.
3. Do not fertilize during flowering time.
4. Apply all-purpose fertilizer, after the plant has finished blooming.
5. Cut it back in early spring.
6. Fertilize monthly.
7. New growth will begin to appear later in the spring.
8. You may keep it outdoors for the summer, once all danger of frost is gone.
9. Fertilize more frequently during the summer months.
10. Prune the plant, to keep it from getting leggy.
11. Bring it indoors in early fall, once the temperature begins to cool.
12. It will set buds and produce flowers during November or December.

For Christmas blooms, follow this schedule of daylight and darkness for 8-10 weeks:

1. During October, November and early December, keep it in total darkness for 14 hours each night (no peeking).
2. Any stray light will upset the schedule.
3. Allow 6-8 hours of bright sunlight.

Once you follow these steps, you should be able to save money by not needing to purchase a new Poinsettia for the upcoming Christmas, and enjoy the old Poinsettia in a new full bloom.

Please share your experience with Poinsettias, if you have plants that have been saved from the previous year.

photo credit: evelynishere

If you are one of those people who do not really set any New Year’s Resolutions for themselves, I am one of them, then you will enjoy this post and have a fresh look at what’s important in LIFE, not just in the New Year.

“Life is not measured

by the number of breaths we take.

but by the moments

that take our breath away,”

Think about this.

You may not realize it, but it’s 100% true.

1. At least 2 people in this world love you so much, they would die for you.
2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.
3. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don’t like you.
4. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.
5. You mean the world to someone.
6. If not for you, someone may not be living.
7. You are special and unique.
8. When you think you have no chance of getting what you want, you probably won’t get it, but if you trust God to do what’s best, and wait on His time, sooner or later you will get it, or something better.
9. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good can still come from it.
10. When you think the world has turned its back on you, take a look; you most likely turned your back on the world.
11. Someone that you don’t even know exists, loves you.
12. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.
13. Always tell someone how you feel about them; you will feel much better when they know, and you’ll both be happy.
14. If you have a great friend, take the time to let them know that they are great.