tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83013938160503307112024-03-08T15:25:38.044-08:00A Diet By Any Other NameBlueBerryGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17461525985532684600noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301393816050330711.post-80463772836853213902012-02-01T01:01:00.000-08:002012-02-01T01:01:59.037-08:00Spice and all things nice.I love, love, <em>love</em> spicy food. My partner loves, loves, <em>loves</em> spicy food annnd so does our 21 month old daughter! (I <em>know</em>, bizarre, right? It must be the Spanish in her). Luckily for all of us spice lovers spicy foods are good to us in return, particularly on weight loss journeys. So, without further ado here is a list of several benefits to spicy food:<br />
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1. Spicy food boosts your metabolism. This is a fact and other studies have suggested that those that eat spicy food regularly tend to have smaller portions than those who do not. Furthermore capsaicin, a main ingredient in chillis, has a thermogenic effect causing the body to burn extra calories. <br />
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2. Improved digestion (whaaa?). Ok this one surprised me but studies have shown that spicy food can boost stomach secretions that aide in digestion. <br />
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3. It makes you sweat (ewww?). No, there is a very scientific type reason such as "Ahem, spicy food has been found to increase circulation thus is increasing the heart rate" which, in turn, makes one sweat. Those of you who have read 'First they killed my father' (Loung Ung, 2000) will know that this is a good thing as it helps keep people living in hotter countries cooler. <br />
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4. Those that eat spicy food the most often have a reduced risk of heart attack and stroke. It is also known to prevent cancer and lower blood pressure. <br />
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5. Chillies and peppers increase serotonin (the "happy" hormone) levels. <br />
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So, that’s just some of the many benefits of spicy food. For those of you keen to vamp up your pasta sauces with the wondrous super food I am including my very own chilli pasta sauce recipe (loved by both my partner and daughter). <br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ingredients:</b><br />
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Pepper, 2 tsp.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oregano, 1 tsp. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sea salt, 1 tsp. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Chilli flakes, 1 (or 2, if you like) tsp. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dried rosemary, 2 tsp. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">3 cloves of garlic, crushed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Paprika relish, 1 tbsp. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Vegetable or Chicken stock, 2 cups. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">200g tinned tomato. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ green capsicum, diced. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">5 button mushrooms, sliced. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 leek (or brown onion), sliced. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">350g premium mince (omit for vegetarian).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ carrot, diced. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 tbsp light olive spread, to cook. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Parmesan, to serve. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Method:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sauté garlic, leek, button mushrooms until softened. Add the mince and continue to cook on a medium heat, stirring, until mince is browned. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Add the capsicum and carrot and continue to cook for a further 2-3 minutes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Stir in the oregano, sea salt, chilli flakes, pepper and rosemary. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Add the tinned tomato, paprika relish and vegetable stock. Simmer for 30-40 minutes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Serve over wholemeal or vegeroni pasta with topped with parmesan. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">*serves 4-5 people.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">*The flavour can be further enhanced by making your own tomato puree flavoured with herbs, if you wish to. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Happy eating!</span></div>
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<br /></div>BlueBerryGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17461525985532684600noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8301393816050330711.post-15557872658231066962012-01-29T05:03:00.000-08:002012-01-29T05:03:16.366-08:00A diet is a diet is a diet.<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“What's in a name? that which we call a diet</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">By any other name would be as hard;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So a diet would, were it not diet call'd</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Retain that difficulty which it owes”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A thing is what it is. Many people I know who are on diets shriek when it is called just that, a diet. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Oh don't" they moan "I feel instantly hungry when you call it that. Anyway, I prefer to think of it as a lifestyle change."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oh, how many times have I heard this only for the person in question to cave in after two weeks? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I won’t call it a lifestyle change just to try and make it easier to cope with because it won’t. I am restricting myself from certain foods and embodying new things such as exercise and healthier alternatives. It’s not a lifestyle change until it’s complete, until it is so much a part of me that I genuinely don’t want those things that are bad for me. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You see what I am learning is if you cannot face calling something a diet than you won't lose weight. You’re sabotaging yourself from the beginning. I believe in calling a diet, a diet. I want to lose 7 kg and in order to do so I am on a diet. I am restricting my calorie intake to 1,500 calories per day. I am running 3 and half km's four days a week. When I eat I make sure it is healthy, which means whole grains, low-fat milk and cheeses and lots of fruit and vegetables. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I accept that I must first diet to get to my goal weight before I can call it a lifestyle change. Once I am at the maintaining phase and can increase my calories (only slightly) then I will be putting my new lifestyle into practice; the beginning of the new me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thinking this way I find I have zero desire to sabotage myself. For 21 days I have followed my diet to a ‘T’ and will continue to do so. I am fully accepting this permanent change in my life. I know in future I can be a little less strict, but only a little. I am facing up to the fact that even though this is a diet it's something I want to stick to. If I let thinking of it as a diet discourage me I would not be so driven to reach my goal and make a permanent change to my life. I would allow myself to think “oh it’s a diet and I can’t stick to diets anyway”, “I have no will power” or “I will just eat this today and start over tomorrow”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well no, that is me of the past. I know now that if I stick this out I will be slimmer, fitter, happier and more confident. I will have all the tools and knowledge I need to make these changes permanent. After going the hard yards of the dreaded dieting territory maintaining my weight and beginning my new life slimmer and happier should be a breeze (well, maybe a strong breeze). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So I say call your diet a diet because calling it a ‘lifestyle change’ won’t make it any easier, or anymore permanent. The power and knowledge to succeed is within you, not the name. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Originals of the altered qoutes:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose<br />Loveliness extreme.<br />Extra gaiters,<br />Loveliness extreme.<br />Sweetest ice-cream.<br />Pages ages page ages page ages</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">- Sacred Emily by Gertrude Stein. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JULIET:<br /> What's in a name? that which we call a rose<br /> By any other name would smell as sweet;<br /> So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,<br /> Retain that dear perfection which he owes</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare. </span></div>
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<br /></div>BlueBerryGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17461525985532684600noreply@blogger.com1