Smart Ones quick meals

Looking for some Frozen Entrees? Here are some "Smart Ones" which will NOT cause the Fat Bus to come out.

Slow Roasted Turkey Breast

Home Style Beef Pot Roast

Enjoy!

Jim Wright

Breakfast Patties

Healthy eating does not have to mean boring breakfasts! You don't have to give up sasuage and eggs, bacon and eggs, etc. Here are a some options:

Option 1:

2 eggs

2 Morningstar Farms Breakfast patties (80 cal. each)

2 slices of DFWB

Option 2:

1/2 C Egg Beaters

Sauteed Green (and/or red) peppers, green onions (Scallions)

2 Morningstar Farms Breakfast patties (80 cal. each)

1 Extreme Fiber Tortilla

1 slice Fat Free cheese

Salsa

Cook sausage and cut up. Sautee peppers and onions. Add peppers, onions, sausage to egg beaters and cook until set. Melt cheese on mixture. Place mixture in tortilla. Top with salsa.

If you like sausage links, try Morningstar Farm Sausage Links. Unlike the sausage patties, you get 2 links for 80 calories. In other words, you can have 4 links compared to 2 patties!

Other MorningStar Farms products which are healthy for you include:

• MorningStar Farms Hot and Spicy Veggie Sausage Patties (1 patty=70 cal)
• MorningStar Farms Maple Flavored Veggie Sausage Patties (1 patty=80 cal)
• MorningStar Farms Veggie Sausage Patties (1 patty=80 cal)

NOTE: NOT EVERY MorningStar Farms PRODUCT WILL WORK! Avoid the following:

• MorningStar Farms Veggie Bacon Strips (too much fat!)
• MorningStar Farms Veggie Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit (too many carbs)
• MorningStar Farms Veggie Sausage, Egg and Cheese Biscuit (too many carbs)

I have found the MorningStar Farms products at both Ingles and Wal-Mart; however, I have not found every product listed above at those stores.

Stay tuned for some more healthy eating ideas.

Jim Wright

New Snacks!

I'm always on the lookout for new snacks that won't cause your body to store fat! Here is my newest find: Blue Diamond Oven Roasted Almonds. The following versions work as a Thrive snack:

• Mint Dark Chocolate
• Dark Chocolate
• Butter Toffee
• Sea Salt
• Cinnamon Brown Sugar
• No Salt

Blue Diamond also makes 100 calorie snack packs. If you want the Blue Diamond 100 calorie snack packs you can! In fact, you should have two.

The good thing about having 2 packs equal one snack is that you can have a pack in the morning and one in the afternoon or whenever. In other words, you can you enjoy two 100 packs a day, but remember you must have two 100 calorie packs a day to meet your protein requirements.

The 100 calorie snacks include:

• Lightly Salted
• Whole Natural
• Cinnamon Brown Sugar
• Dark Chocolate
• Sea Salt
• Wasabi & Soy Sauce

To find out more go to: http://bluediamond.com/index.cfm?navid=458

Skinny Jim

Calcium

One complaint/concern I often hear is about the lack of milk in the Thrive! healthy eating program. You can have Skim Milk with your Special K Protein Plus cereal, but don't drink the leftover milk! Also, drinking a glass of milk is not good either because Skim Milk contains 12g of sugar!

Some feel that if we don't drink milk we won't get the recommended amounts of calcium. Calcium is good for you. You body uses about 1% of its calcium supply for vascular contraction and vasodilation, muscle function, nerve transmission, intracellular signaling and hormonal secretion and the other 99% is used for bones and teeth. According to the government, the Recommended Daily Allowance of calcium for people 19-50 is 1,000mg/day.

If milk is not a foundational part of one's diet, can you get enough calcium? Yes! Milk is not the number one source of calcium; Greek yogurt has more calcium than milk. You can get calcium through the following foods:

Fibrous Carb

Artichokes

Asparagus          

Beets

Broccoli

Brussels sprouts

Cabbage

Cauliflower

Celery

Chives

Cucumbers

Eggplant

Green Onions

Greens Collard/Mustard/Turnip  

Kale

Lettuce

Mushrooms

Okra

Peppers

Radishes

Sauerkraut

Snow Peas

Spinach

Squash

Sugar Snap Peas

Turnip Greens

Water Chestnuts

Extreme Fiber Tortillas

Lean Proteins

Salmon, canned, pink

Low Fat Cottage Cheese

Natural Carb

Blackeyed Peas

Cowpeas

Corn

Lentils

Lima Beans

Navy Beans

Parsnips

Potatoes

Sweet Peas

Whole Wheat Bread

Balanced Foods

Almonds

Sesame Seeds

Flax Seeds

Brazil Nuts

Kidney Beans

Pinto Beans

Soy Beans

Condiments

Carrots

Onions

Tomatoes

Sour Cream

Fat Free Mozzarella Cheese

Fat Free Cheddar Cheese

Although milk contains a high percentage of calcium (30%), yogurts and cheese are higher. Salmon, low fat cottage cheese and Tofu are not far behind. You can get enough calcium if you eat healthy. In many cases, the higher the fat content, the lower the calcium so you may be getting more calcium than the average person who eats a fatty diet with milk!

Of course, you can have a glass of milk on a "cold" day. I do!

Skinny Jim

              

Food	Milligrams (mg) per serving	Percent DV*
Yogurt, plain, low fat, 8 ounces	415	42
Orange juice, calcium-fortified, 6 ounces	378	38
Mozzarella, part skim, 1.5 ounces	333	33
Sardines, canned in oil, with bones, 3 ounces	324	32
Cheddar cheese, 1.5 ounces	306	31
Yogurt, fruit, low fat, 8 ounces	313-384	31-38
Milk, nonfat, 8 ounces**	296	30
Milk, reduced-fat (2% milk fat), 8 ounces	296	30
Milk, buttermilk, 8 ounces	280	28
Milk, whole (3.25% milk fat), 8 ounces	272	27
Tofu, firm, made with calcium sulfate, ½ cup***	253	25
Salmon, pink, canned, solids with bone, 3 ounces	181	18
Cottage cheese, 1% milk fat, 1 cup unpacked	138	14
Tofu, soft, made with calcium sulfate, ½ cup***	138	14
Pudding, chocolate, instant, made with 2% milk, ½ cup	127	13
Ready-to-eat cereal, calcium-fortified, 1 cup	100–1,000	10–100
Instant breakfast drink, various flavors and brands, powder prepared with water, 8 ounces	105–250	10–25
Frozen yogurt, vanilla, soft serve, ½ cup	103	10
Turnip greens, boiled, ½ cup	99	10
Kale, cooked, 1 cup	94	9
Kale, raw, 1 cup	90	9
Soy beverage, calcium-fortified, 8 ounces	80–500	8–50
Ice cream, vanilla, ½ cup	84	8
Chinese cabbage, raw, 1 cup	74	7
Tortilla, corn, ready-to-bake/fry, 1 medium	46	5
Tortilla, flour, ready-to-bake/fry, one 6" diameter	39	4
Sour cream, reduced fat, cultured, 2 tablespoons	32	3
Bread, white, 1 ounce	31	3
Broccoli, raw, ½ cup	21	2
Bread, whole-wheat, 1 slice	30	3
Cheese, cream, regular, 1 tablespoon	14	1

A handful of almonds is the best snack. However, if you are looking for more than almonds, try out True North. I couldn't find nutritional information on all their products, but I know that the Almond Pecan Cashew Clusters and the Pecan Almond Peanut Clusters work. You can have 5 clusters per serving.

Another nutty option are the snacks from Sahale Snacks. For example, you can enjoy 1/4cup of "Almonds with Cranberries, Honey and Sea Salt", Barbeque Almonds, Southwest Cashews with Chili+Cheddar, Tuscan Almonds with Parmesan + Herbs

Skinny Jim



Grits!!

Did you know you can eat grits and still be in a fat burning mode? Grits are a natural carb so they can ONLY be eating in combination with a lean protein (LP) and a fibrous carb (FC) if you want to burn fat. Here are some suggestions for enjoying grits as a part of breakfast:

Possibility #1
Egg Beaters (LP)
Double Fiber Wheat Bread (FC)
Grits (NC)

Possibility #2
Egg Beaters Veggie Omelet

• Egg Beaters
• Sauteed Green and/or red pepper (FC), onions (sparingly), and mushrooms (FC)
• Grits

Possibility #3
Protein Shake
Double Fiber Wheat Bread with Walden Farms Apple Butter spread (if you want)
Grits

Possibility #4

Egg White Veggie Omelet (See Above)

Grits

Possibility #5

Egg Beater Muffins
Double Fiber Wheat Bread

Grits

Can you think of other possibilities? Just remember, grits can only be eaten with a lean protein and a fibrous carb.

Do you Like Trail Mix?

If you like trail mix, try out Nature's Harvest Wasabi Wild Trail Mix. You can have 1/4 cup as a snack. While that doesn't sound like much, you can nibble on it for a while. The trail mix includes: peanuts, wasabi peas, golden raisens, almonds, and cranberries.

Skinny Jim

Blue Bell Ice Cream

I know it is Fall, but I never completed my article on ice cream several months ago. The following are some Blue Bell ice creams which qualify as a snack

• Blue Bell No Sugar Added Country Vanilla (1 Cup)
• Blue Bell No Sugar Added Dutch Chocolate (1 Cup)

No other Blue Bell flavors work. Sorry.


Skinny Jim

Lasagna!!

Do you crave lasagna? Would you believe you can eat lasagna and still burn fat? I have great news! You can enjoy a great lasagna and burn fat. 

Micheal Angelo's Eggplant Parmesan
Serving Size: 1 Cup=240 Calories
10g Impact Carbs
12g Protein

You can have 1 1/2 cups and have the lasagna alone as a BF (Balanced Food) or you can have 1 1/2 cup plus 1 piece of Double Fiber Wheat Bread or a fibrous carb or try 1 cup plus 1 slice of Double Fiber Wheat bread and 3/4 c of another fibrous carb. You cannot have a natural carb with this meal or any Balanced Food!

Enjoy!
Skinny Jim

Yogurt

I am not a yogurt person, but for those who enjoy the creamy stuff, Yoplait has a new line of greek yogurts that work as a snack. Based on my research, any flavor of the Yoplait Greek Yogurts will work! The best carb to protein ratio is found in the "plain" flavor, but why eat plain when you can have blueberry? Current flavors include: Peach, Strawberry, Blueberry, Honey Vanilla, Plain, and Key Lime.

Most yogurts do not work, but some greek yogurts do and this is one of them. So if you are ready for a snack and you like yogurt give these a try.


Skinny Jim

A Candy Bar for a Snack? No Way!!

My wife is always on the lookout for new snack and meal ideas. Last week she brought home a package of snack size Payday candy bars and said "I believe these will work." I was skeptical, but I looked at the nutritional value and SHE WAS RIGHT!!

You can have 2 PayDay snack size bars and not cause your body to store fat! Each bar has:

90 Calories

9g of Impact Carbs
3g of protein

NOTE: You cannot eat a regular size PayDay bar as a snack. It has too many calories and the impact carb to protein ratio is not correct. It will cause the fat trash truck to run!!

Enjoy!!

Do You Like Butter?

You don't have to give up the taste of butter if you want to burn fat!! The following are some healthy options

1. Promise Fat Free Spread (1 TBPS = 5 calories)

2. I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spread (1 TBPS = 5 calories)

3.  I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray (1 Spray =  0 Calories!)

The maximum amount of condiments you can have per meal is 50 calories. The best rule is "2, 2 and very few." In other words, 2 grams of fat, 2 grams of sugars or less, and as few calories as possible. If you use a butter that has 45 calories per serving, chances are there are no other condiments you can add that will keep the total under 50 calories so you would have to have that butter as the only condiment.

Skinny Jim



Jerky Snack Ideas

If you want a different snack, try some Jack Links beef jerky. You can buy it in a box of 10 snacks per box. In many cases you can have 3 sticks for a snack! In addition, there is plenty of protein in each snack.
Here is a list of other Jack Link beef steaks that will work as a snack
Beef Steaks:

• Jack Link’s Original Beef Steak (3 servings/snack)
• Jack Link’s Teriyaki Beef Steak (2 servings/snack)
• Jack Link’s Peppered Beef Steak (2 servings/snack)
• Jack Link’s Sweet and Hot Beef Steak (2 servings/snack)
• Jack Link’s Hickory Smoked Beef Steak (2 servings/snack)
• Jack Link’s KC Masterpiece Barbeque Beef Steak (2 servings/snack)
• Jack Link’s Carne Seca Beef Steak (2 servings/snack)
• Jack Link’s Original Hickory Smokehouse Beef Steak (2 servings/snack)
• Jack Link’s Steakhouse Beef Steak (2 servings/snack)
• Jack Link’s A1 Steak Sauce Beef Steak (2 servings/snack)
• Jack Link’s Sweat and Spice Thai Beef Steak (2 servings/snack)
• Jack Link’s Kickin' Cajun Beef Steak (2 servings/snack)
• Jack Link’s Oven Roasted Turkey Steak (1 serving/snack)
• Jack Link’s Steakhouse Beef Steak (1 serving/snack)
• Jack Link’s Bacon Blitz Beef Steak (1 serving/snack)

In a future blog, we will look at other Jack Link Products.

Skinny Jim

Pudding

It has always seemed unfair that you could eat sugar free Jello-O but not sugar free pudding. The problem is that sugar free pudding has flour in the mix and flour converts to sugar which can lead to a sugar spike. It may be low calorie, but it will cause the fat truck to run.

Fear not, you can eat pudding. So far, I have found two options:

Option 1: MHP Pudding.
This pudding is not available locally (as far as I know). You can buy it at a GNC or a Vitamin Shoppe type store.

Option 2: Homemade Pudding (admittedly, this does not have as much protein)

I have been experimenting with a homemade pudding. Granted this is NOT exactly like regular homemade pudding, but it is close. My wife said it is "good." In fact, she and I both prefer it over the MHP pudding because it doesn't have an aftertaste. It does, however, act more like a jello (due to the gelatin) than regular pudding. Here is the recipe:

1/4 C Dark Chocolate Cocoa
1/4 C Splenda
1 TBSP Imitation Vanilla
1 pkg unflavored gelatin
1 egg
1 1/2 C Skim Milk
1/2 C Fat free Half and Half

Wisk the cocoa, splenda, gelatin, and vanilla. Wisk in the milk and blend well. Heat over medium heat until almost boiling. Do not boil as it may hinder the thickening of the gelatin. Remove from heat. Beat egg in a heat resistant bowl. Pour hot mixture into bowl and mix with egg. Pour pudding into serving ramikins or cups. Chill for 3-4 hours or until set. Serve with a dolop of fat free or sugar free cool whip.

Serving size: 1 1/4 C
185 calories (w/dolop of SF or FF cool whip)
11.5 g Impact Carbs
10.5 g Protein

Balanced Food

A balanced food (BF) is a food which is 200-400 calories and contains the right ratio of fat, carbs and protein. If you want to eat a litle more, you can have a fibrous carb (FC) with the balanced food (BF/FC). Here are some BF ideas from MorningStar Farms:

MorningStar Farms Lasangna with Sausage Style Crumbles

• Can serve with 2 slices of DFWB sprayed with "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" and topped with garlic powder. Place bread under broiler until lightly toasted.

MorningStar Farms Sesame Chik'n

• Can serve with 1 slice of DFWB

MorningStar Farms Three-Bean Chili with Griller's Crumblers

Can have entire package (270 cal)

Can serve with 2 slices of DFWB

Avoid the following MorningStar Farms entrees:

• MorningStar Farms Chik'n Enchiladas
• MorningStar Farms Sweet & Sour Chik'n

Enjoy!

Skinny Jim

Yogurt-like Snack

If you like yogurt, try this as a snack:

1 C low fat cottage cheese
1/4 tsp sugar free Jello-O (any flavor)
1/4-1/2 tsp Splena (or 1-2 packets)
2 TBSP low fat cool whip

Blend in mixer until creamy.

Calories: 185

Fries

Do you miss french fries? You shouldn't! Here are some french fry options:

Natural Carb Options

Option 1: French fries

• Slice potatoes into french fry cuts
• Fry in MCT Oil (Don't get oil too hot)
• Serve with a fibrous carb (FC) and a lean protein (LP)
• Sample Dishes:
• Grilled chicken on double fiber wheat bread with condiments and fries

Option 2: Sweet Potato

• Peel sweet potatoes into french fry cuts
• Cook in oven at 425 F for 20-30 minutes (until done)
• Serve with a fibrous carb (FC) and a lean protein (LP)



Butternut Squash Fries



Fibrous Carb Options

Option 1: Butternut Squash Fries


• Peel a Butternut Squash
• Remove seeds
• Cut in french fry cuts
• Cook in oven at 425 F for 20-30 minutes (until done)ur
• Serve with a lean protein and a natural carb (LP/NC) or a lean protein only (LP/FC), or a fatty protein (FP/FC)



Option 2: Acorn Squash Fries

• Peel an Acorn Squash
• Remove seeds
• Cut in french fry cuts
• Cook in oven at 425 F for 20-30 minutes (until done)ur
• 
  Serve with a lean protein and a natural carb (LP/NC) or a lean protein only (LP/FC), or a fatty protein (FP/FC)
• Sample Dishes:
• Grilled chicken on whole wheat bread with condiments and fries
• Extra Lean Hamburger on double fiber wheat bread with condiments and fries

With these options, you can have a sandwich and fries meal and be healthy too!



Skinny Jim



Skinny Jim's Menu Guide and Cookbook is here!

After several months, long nights, many dishes and learning how to publish, Skinny Jim's Menus and Cookbook is a reality! I ordered 120 hard copies today. The book is also available as a download and as an eBook.

The book contains nine weeks of menus and over 120 recipes. Click the link to order your copy today!!

Want to Look Younger?

Losing weight can make you look younger! You don't have to worry about pills or creams, just eat healthy and watch the years melt away!  On the left is a picture take of me about 1 week after I began my healthy eating journey. I had lost about 5 lbs at that point and weighed around 185lbs. The picture on the right was taken when I had reached my goal and weighed right at 155lbs. I look a little different! Many say I look younger too. Too bad healthy eating doesn't make your hair thicker (LOL)!

Eating healthy and losing the weight has its benefits.

Skinny Jim

Diet Coke Anyone?

Before I started my weightless journey, I was a Diet Coke addict. I drank 3-4 diet cokes a day. Since I began drinking about 96 ounces of water a day, I cut way back on Diet Cokes. Now I generally drink 1 a day or sometimes none a day. I'm glad I've cut way back; however after reading this article by Caroline Sloan I'm going to work toward drinking none a day!

"If you think people are hooked on Coke, it seems like Diet Coke has added a new meaning to the word addicted. It’s not hard to find someone who drinks several cans a day. Everyone seems to think that it’s totally fine for your body, since it doesn’t have any calories. In fact, the communications director of Coca-Cola North America is quoted as saying, “Great taste. No calories. Wholesome ingredients. How could you drink too much?”
We’re not sure exactly which wholesome ingredients he’s talking about. If you check out our post about the effects of Coke on your body, you’ll see that several of the negative health aspects of Coke don’t have anything to do with the high-fructose corn syrup it contains. So we broke down the ingredients of Diet Coke, and what they do to your system.

Carbonated water: This can irritate your digestive system, triggering Irritable Bowel Syndrome. 

Caramel color: According to the Journal of American Medical Association, there’s some evidence that caramel coloring could increase insulin resistance, which can lead to diabetes.

Aspartame: This chemical sweetener replaces the “bad” high-fructose corn syrup found in regular Coke, but could be bad for you in its own way. There have been studies for years linking aspartame to cancer, and while the FDA has claimed that there’s been thorough testing on the chemical, not everyone is convinced. In 1995, the Department of Health and Human Services submitted a list of aspartame side effects to the FDA, which included headaches, seizures, neurological problems, and abdominal pain, and nausea. Also, when aspartame is ingested, it breaks down into a variety of chemicals, including formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen, and can also cause abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, and damage to internal organs and the central nervous system.

Phosphoric acid: This ingredient gives Diet Coke a tangy taste. Oh, and it can also be used to remove rust on surfaces. Phosphoric acid has been linked to low bone density in several studies, as well as kidney stones. The phosphoric acid binds with zinc, calcium, and magnesium in your lower intestine, which would be good for your bones, but the caffeine in Diet Coke makes you pee it all out before that happens.

Potassium Benzoate: This preservative keeps your Diet Coke fresh. Coincidentally, it also gives fireworks that annoying whistle.

Citric acid: You know that slightly citrus-y taste you love so much in your Diet Coke? That’s thanks to citric acid. It can ruin your tooth enamel and lead to decay.

Caffeine: Your body absorbs caffeine within 40 minutes, causing your pupils to dilate and your blood pressure to rise. It can also lead to ulcers, since it increases the production of stomach acid."

Next time I am tempted to drink more than 1 Diet Coke a day, I think I'll pass!

Slim Jim