Get Well

Do you ever feel like you’re being held captive by your health; like you have little to no control over your own body? Have you ever been given a diagnosis that seemed to rob you of options? If you’ve ever struggled with your own wellness destiny I have a story to share that just might make you reevaluate how much control you truly have over the future of your health.

When I first met Sarah she was a child selling Girl Scout cookies. She was dynamic, smart, loving and independent -- all the things I love in a person. And by the time she was 14, she was also a Type 2 Diabetic. To look at her, you’d never guess. She had a ruddy glow and a sunny disposition. But despite her seemingly good health, she was dependent on insulin.

Fast forward a few years and Sarah found herself on her own -- going to college, managing her own money and waiting tables to make ends meet. Of her small take-home pay, much of it was going to insulin shots. One day, Sarah noticed that when she ran, her insulin intake went down. That gave her an idea. If she could control her insulin with exercise she could put more money in her pocket -- in fact, she could save as much as $200 every three weeks!

Today, Sarah is still running and still controlling her insulin levels with exercise. While she may not be insulin-free forever, she has more control of her own destiny than ever before. As someone who comes from a family of diabetics, I find that encouraging. I once had a doctor tell me that if you eat well and exercise, there’s no reason diabetes should be part of your future. It doesn’t have to be inevitable.

So whatever your health concerns may be, ask yourself if there are things you could be doing to improve your own wellness. Are there habits you can break or good ones you can cultivate that will give you back some of the control you’ve lost? It just might be that with a little determination, you too can change the trajectory of your future health.

When The Muffin Top Becomes a Souffle, It's Time For My Salmon Plan

We’ve all done it -- put on our jeans and struggled to get the zipper to move. Now that's a moment. Then come the lies we tell ourselves in order to justify that bucket of wings we had for lunch: “They probably just shrunk in the wash,” “I’m sure it’s water weight” or “It’s that time of the month.” And guys, don’t think you’re off the hook. We all know that lowering your belt until your belly laps over your pants or adding an extra hole a little closer to the end of the belt does not account for a good fit.

But the truth is, jeans don’t lie. Where a dress or skirt or even a pair of slacks can hide that waistline growing beneath our belt, jeans put it all out there for everyone to see. So here’s the challenge -- face your fears, grab those skinny jeans and get ready for some three-way mirror honesty. Ask yourself if they fit like they did when you first bought them. Is the view from the back as good as you’d like? Do you find yourself covering your waistline with an untucked shirt?

If so, I can help. The “Salmon Plan” is a system of protein-heavy, simple carb meal choices that I’ve come to develop to assist me in losing weight or just maintaining my ideal size. The goal is to eat in such a way and exercise enough to achieve the size that works and then, (and here’s the key), stay there! Keep in mind, it’s not about a number on a scale because we women know that thing is a moving target some months. Plus, everyone’s ideal size is different. Instead, try to stay within a dress size (or pant size for you fellas). Find where you feel best and make it a mission to stay there.

Disclaimer: This meal plan is a system that I have discovered that works best for me.  If you decide to follow this plan, be conscious of what is best for your body.  If you find that you are hungry, by all means EAT. Eat more frequently or eat more of the foods listed for whatever plan you follow.

Meal	Water	Track 1-Soufflé  (Extreme)	Track 2-Muffin-Top (Work in Progress)	Track 3- Comfort Fit (Lifestyle)/ Allowing Room for GIM
	1st cup (16 oz)
Breakfast	2nd cup	·         Black Coffee (1 cup) ·         2 egg whites (hard boiled or scrambled)	·         Coffee (can add milk) ·         ½- ¾ cup oatmeal (steel cut or Quaker old fashion) with skim milk or water. Sweeten with Sweeten with your choice of artificial sugar.   OR Track 1 breakfast	·         Coffee( can add milk & sugar) ·         Oatmeal OR ·         Egg whites with low glycemic index vegetables (chart to follow) OR High protein low fat, low sugar yogurt (i.e. Chobani) Track 1 & 2 breakfast options
Snack	3rd cup	·         ½ low fat mozzarella string cheese stick AND/OR ·         1 small apple or ½ of large apple	·        1 Snack option	·       1  Snack option
	4th cup
Lunch	5th cup	·         4oz of Salmon (P)  ( 1/4 filet) ·         1-2 cups vegetables or salad combination (SC)	·         4-6oz protein(P) ·         1-2 cups vegetables or salad combination(SC)	·         4-6oz protein(P) ·         1-2 cups vegetables or salad combination (SC)
Snack	6th cup	·         4-5 strawberries	·        1 Snack option	·       1  Snack option
Snack	7th cup	·         5-10 non salted almonds	·      1  Snack option	·      1  Snack option
Dinner	8th cup	·         4oz of Salmon (P) ·         1-2 cups vegetables or salad combination (SC)	·         4-6oz protein ·         1-2 cups vegetables or salad combination (SC)	·         4-6oz protein ·         1-2 cups vegetables or salad combination (SC)
Snack (before bed)	9th cup	·         ½ low fat mozzarella string cheese stick	·      1   Snack option	·      1   Snack option

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Water

·         1 Gallon daily. Room temperature with lemon. (12x12oz or 9x16oz)

Multivitamin

·         Take a well-rounded multivitamin daily

Protein Options (P) (Baked, Grilled, Broiled, Boiled, Steamed, Pan Seared, or Roasted):

·         Wild Salmon- Salt, pepper, lime. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18min. (Track 1, 2, & 3)

·         Salmon (Track  2, & 3)

·         Chicken (1/2 breast) (Track 1, 2, & 3)

·         Veal (Track 1, 2, & 3)

·         Lean Beef (Track 2, & 3)

·         White Fish (Track 1, 2, & 3)

·         Lobster (Track 2, & 3 )

·         Crab (Track 2, & 3)

·         Shrimp (Track 2, & 3)

·         Quinoa (Track 1, 2, & 3)

·         Canned meat (Tuna or chicken in water) (Track 3)

·         Deli meats (Turkey or roast beef-low salt) (Track 3)

·         Pork (Track 3)

Vegetables/Salad Options (SC)- Choose all natural or frozen ONLY:

·         Spinach (Track 1, 2, & 3)

·         Lettuce (Track 1, 2, & 3)

·         Tomato (Track 1, 2, & 3)

·         Onion (Track 1, 2, & 3)

·         Mushrooms (Track 1, 2, & 3)

·         Garlic (Track 1, 2, & 3)

·         Peppers (Track 1, 2, & 3)

·         Cucumber  (Track 1, 2, & 3)

·         Celery (Track 1, 2, & 3)

·         Eggplant (Track 2, & 3)

·         Broccoli (Track 2 & 3)

·         Cauliflower (Track 2 &3)

·         Asparagus (Track 2 & 3)

·         Beans (Can also substitute for a serving of protein) (Track, 2, & 3)

·         For tracks 2 & 3 add vegetables that are low on the Glycemic Index.

Snack Options:

·         1 apple (Track 1, 2, & 3)

·         ½ grapefruit (Track 1, 2, & 3)

·         1 low fat mozzarella string cheese stick (Track 1, 2, & 3)

·         Strawberries (4-5) (Track 1)

·         Fresh berries (blueberries, raspberries) not to exceed ½ cup(Track 2 & 3)

·         5-8 almonds (salt free roasted or raw) (Track 1)

·         Walnuts (Track 2 & 3)

·         Pistachios (Track 2 & 3)

Dressing/Seasoning/Condiment Options:

·         Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix

water & vinegar only Track 1, add olive oil Track 3

·         Vinegar:

o   White Balsamic

o   Apple Cider Vinegar

o   Rice

·       

·         Olive Oil (extra virgin) (Track 2 & 3)

·         Lime

·         Lemon

·         Garlic (fresh)

·         Parsley

·         Basil

·         Salt

·         Pepper

·         Cinnamon

·         Celery seeds

·         Cilantro

·         Horseradish (Track 2)

·         REAL butter (Track 3)

·         Mayonnaise (Track 3)

Reserved for GIM-Limit 2 (Track 3 Only)

·         Alcohol-any

·         Ingredients-any

·         Sweets-any

·         Complex Carbs-any

·         Quantities-any

·         Cooking Methods-any

Exercise

Unfortunately a change in eating habits alone will not result in weight loss.  Exercise and a meal plan go hand in hand.  It comes down to simple math.

Pounds lost= calories burned > calories eaten

If you aren’t willing to put in the sweat equity required to burn those extra calories, don’t eat it!