The Many Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

I discovered the health benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) years back when I was dealing with some health issues and have seen some real miracles occur as a result of drinking it on a daily basis.

What is Apple Cider Vinegar?

Apple Cider Vinegar, otherwise known as a natural "Miracle Drug" was fist cited for its health benefits back in 4000 BC. Many used it mainly to treat and heal illnesses, fight disease and boost energy.

ACV is the result of fermentation of fresh organically grown apples into hard apple cider, followed by a second state of fermentation which results in what we know as apple cider vinegar. This process retains all the nutritional properties of fresh apples and further fortifies ACV with extra acids and enzymes giving it the many health benefits associated with it.

Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar?

* A reduction in high cholesterol

*Treatment and cure of skin conditions such as acne as eczema

*Loss in weight

*Reduction and treatment of cellulite

*Strengthening of the immune system

*Increase in stamina

*Promotion of digestion

*Prevention of bladder stones and urinary tract infections

Use of Apple Cider Vinegar

The way I use ACV is by boiling a cup of hot water and adding about a TBSP of it to my water. I usually drink it once or twice a day.

I also use AVC in my hair care regimen by doing what is known as an ACV rinse. I do this twice a month to cleanse my hair and remove build up from the products I use. I just love how clean my hair and scalp feel with these rinses.

Where Can You Buy Apple Cider Vinegar

ACV can be purchased at any major grocery store; however, it is important to note that all ACV is note created equally. For ACV in its purest, natural form, you want to purchase it from a health food store.

For more information on ACV, visit:

http://www.homeremediesweb.com/apple_cider_vinegar_health_benefits.php

or

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/health-benefits-apple-cider-vinegar.html

Granola Alternative

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One of my favorite snacks to eat during the day is a nice bowl of vanilla yogurt with cottage cheese, granola and fresh strawberries. For quite a while now I was using a brand of granola that I thought was "Organic" granola, until reading Michael Pollen's, "Food Rules" and learning that what may be packaged as organic may not necessarily be organic. Then again, anything that has to be packaged to begin with should have you questioning its health benefits.

Either way, in my attempt to rid myself of processed, packaged and refined foods I was scanning through the net and came across a really great granola alternative to that found in the grocery store. It's a recipe that comes from Kathy Nichols over at the Healthy Habits Coach Blog. Her recipe uses mostly natural ingredients, is super-duper healthy, and taste amazing.

I altered the recipe a bit, by replacing canola oil with olive oil, using less almonds and agave nectar and opting not to use apple-sauce and sesame seeds. I suggest you experiment with the recipe a bit to match your taste.

Here's the recipe for you:

Healthy Homemade Granola

Dry Ingredients:
5 cups rolled oats (you can also use a combination of rolled grains)
2-3 cups of raw almonds or pecan halves (or other nuts)
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds (or sunflower seeds)
¾ cup sesame seeds
½ cup wheat germ or ground flax seed.
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt
Options: ½ – 1 cup unsweetened coconut,
½ cup dried fruit (add after cooked) –date pieces, cranberries, cherries, apricots, mango

Wet Ingredients:
¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup agave nectar (or brown rice syrup, honey or maple syrup)
Note: see new posting questioning agave.
2 Tbsp canola oil

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix the wet ingredients together, and then stir into dry ingredients. Stir well to mix thoroughly.

Spread the mixture into two baking dishes. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until evenly golden brown. Stir every 10 minutes to ensure even browning. Stir again when removed from oven to keep it from cooling into a solid mass. The granola will crisp as it cools. If you use fruit, stir once it is cooled.

Store in the refrigerator in a large zip lock bag or other airtight container. Makes about 10 cups.

A Declaration of Independence from a Weight Obsessed World!!

One of my friends who I admire and respect dearly posted this on facebook recently, so I thought I'd share. It's a Declaration of Independence from a Weight Obsessed World put out by The National Eating Disorder Information Center and offers a nice little reminder on the importance of accepting and appreciating your body and not getting hung up in trying to fit into society's standards of perfection...enjoy!

Declaration of Independence from a Weight Obsessed World:

*I will accept my body in its natural shape and size.

*I will celebrate all that my body can do for me each day.

* I will treat my body with respect, giving it enough rest, fueling it with a variety of foods, exercising moderately and listening to what it needs.

* I will choose to resist our society's pressure to judge myself and other people on physical characteristics like body weight, shape, or size. I will respect people based on the qualities of their character and the impact of their accomplishments.

* I will refuse to deny my body of valuable nutrients by dieting or using weight loss products

* I will avoid categorizing foods as either "good" or "bad". I will not associate guilt or shame with eating certain foods. Instead, I will nourish my body with a balance of foods, listening and responding to what it needs.

* I will not use food to mask my emotional needs.

* I will not avoid participating in activities that I enjoy (i.e. swimming, dancing, enjoying a meal) simply because I am self consious about the way my body looks. I will recognize that I have the right to enjoy any activities regardless of my body shape or size.

* I will believe that my self-esteem and identity come fromwithin!

Michael Pollan's Food Rules

Looking for a good read? I highly recommend Michael Pollan's, "Food Rules: An Eater's Manual. Trust me when I say that after reading this book you will never look at food the same again and your relationship with food may even change as well.

I learned about Pollan's "Food Rules" after watching a recent episode on Oprah entitled, "Food 101 with Michael Pollen". The whole premise of the show was to uncover the hidden secrets behind the many foods we eat, along with where they come from, what's been added into them, and what's been removed from them.

This show was certainly an eye-opener for me as I discovered that many of the foods we put into our bodies are harmful in nature and affect our health in more ways than you canimagine. I'll be honest in stating that I knew that a lot of the CRAP I ate before wasn't all that good for my body, but I chose to ignore it because the food taste so good and, to be frank with you, I just didn't care. But now after an in depth look into the practices of food manufactures, my outlook on food has totally changed.

Michael Pollan's "Food Rules"lays out a basic, straightforward approach to eating, summed up in 7 simple words : "Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants". These 7 simple words offer a simple equation for eating healthy, finding health and living happily.

The book is an easy, simple guide which is broken down into 3 sections and offers 64 basic principles for making healthy and conscious choices when it comes to food. The first section centers around eating nutritious, wholesome foods, while avoiding processed, packaged and refined ones; the second section offers rules for differentiating between various types of foods and choosing among real ones; and the third section offers tips aimed at modifying your eating habits. The best thing about this book is that it offers simple, practical advice that anyone can follow without getting bogged down with scientific jargon, theory and history often associated with other books on diet and nutrition.

If you're looking to make healthy changes in your life and choose health first, then this book is for you. I haven't done so bad as far as making small changes to my eating habits, but after reading this book I know I can do better and so can you!

I know, I know-you all must be wondering where I've been over the last few months. I haven't forgotten about you or the commitment I've made to getting in tip-top shape! The last few months have been a little bit challenging as I was dealing with a few health issues that prevented me from keeping up with my weight loss journey. Not only that, with the Christmas holiday's my commitments with diet and exercise stalled completely with all the food temptations caved into through-out the season.

With the new year among us, I have re-committed myself once again to continuing on my weight loss journey and feel super RECAHRGED! Speaking of recharged, have you guys seen the latest release from Tosca Reno? The Eat-Clean Diet: Recharged. I am an huge fan of Tosca and absolutely love her books! I own every book she's ever put out and am totally amped about her latest release.

For those of you who are new to the "Eat-Clean Diet", Tosca promises you lifelong weight by following her simple and easy to follow guidelines.

What is Clean Eating? According to Tosca, it's not a diet that you go on for one minute and then off the next. It's a lifestyle, meaning that you commit to making a life-style change in your diet and health in general, for long and lasting results.

What I love about this book is that it's a great starting point for those who are serious about getting in shape, but have no idea where to start. It's loaded with tons of information to help you get started with a solid plan and stick to it long-term. The book itself is about 415 pages in total and has everything you can think of from how to structure a meal plan, prepare for eating out, right down to dealing with skin issues such as loose and saggy skin, and the dreaded "C" word-cellulite! The best part of all, is the selection of recipes at the back of the book for those who are trying to get use to the clean eating lifestyle, but are not much of cooks in the kitchen.

I love this book and highly recommend it to anyone wanting to get in shape! Trust me you won't be sorry!

Challenge for the month of November

"Spending one hour a day working on yourself will surely give you dramatic results in thirty days-provided you do the right things. It takes about one month to fully install a new habit. After this period, the behaviors, strategies and tools you are embracing will fit like a second skin. They key is to keep on practicing them every day if you want to keep on seeing the results. Commitment is a powerful thing." Robin Sharma

I chose this quote for this entry as it pertains to a challenge my trainer has given me from now until I reach my goal weight. For the month of November, my trainer is encouraging me to eat clean and train hard, and avoid skipping work-outs and having those occasional cheats on the weekend. It is quite the challenge for me, particularly on the nutrition side of things since the longest I've gone without cheating is 14 days. He feels that by going a whole month straight with this challenge, I will see even more changes in my body and health that I will be even more motivated to reach my goal weight.

Well I'm going to take my trainer on with this challenge, and find the strength within to defeat the odds! wish me luck!

Nutrition and Fitness Tips!

One habit I’ve gotten into ever since starting on my weightloss journey is keeping a running list in my personal journal of nutritional and fitness tips I’ve come across while reading fitness magazines, talking to health experts, and of course spending time on forums such as my two favorite sites: www.sparkpeople.com and www.bodybuilding.com. Doing this helps keep me motivated and more committed then ever in pursuing my goals.

Below you will find a list I’ve started in my journal with really great tips I'm sure you'll find usefull (please note that I’ll continue updating this list as I come across more tips).

1. The easiest and sure way to lose weight is by changing your mind set and not viewing your diet as a "diet" but a lifestyle change.

2. Be sure to incorporate each of the food groups into your diet, that includes Carbs, Protein, Fats, and Dairy. Omitting any of these will leave you feeling deprived and undernourished.

3. Watch your portions! A little trick that works for me is using what I call the "Pie-square Method" of Eating. What I do is when about to eat is split my place into sections-1/2 the plate only for vegetables; 1/4 of the plate for protein, and the other 1/4 for Carbs.

4. Drink your Water! Water acts as a natural cleanser and is one of the best ways to rid yourself of impurities and waste from your body…and if you didn’t already know-water aids with weight loss as well.

5. Don’t underestimate the power of PATIENCE! Remember it took time for you to pile on the pounds and it will also take time to lose, so hang in there and you will certainly see results!

6. Eating Clean guarantees results!

7. Successful weight loss is based on the 80:20 rule; 80% nutrition, 10% genes, and 10% fitness.

8. Eat 5 or 6 smalls meals everyday!

9. Eat every 2-3 hours.

10. Write down and record everything you eat (every morsel of food)!

11. If you need it, give yourself one cheat meal a week so that you can enjoy foods that you don’t normally eat.

12. Find healthy alternatives to your favorite meals and treats and incorporate them into your diet.

13. Consume foods like fruits, whole grain carbs and starches at the beginning of the day when you are more likely to be busiest and have a better chance of burning the calories away.

14. Say no to sugar!!!

15. Be consistent with your efforts!!! Don’t give up so quickly if you aren’t seeing results. Remember, it takes time for you body to adjust to the changes you’re imposing on it (this can take anywhere from 2-3 months).

16. Track your progress every 4-8 weeks. Measuring your progress using these guidelines gives you an accurate measure of how much your hard work is paying off.

17. Take your photo every six weeks. Use each six week date as one of your "mini" goals.

18. Post a motivational picture or statement, or even your goal somewhere that’s visible to you.

Finding Alternatives to Your Favorite Foods

The best thing about embarking on my new found lifestyle is the fact that I get to experiment with a wide variety of new recipes and best of all, find alternatives to most of my favorite dishes. As a result, I feel so much more in control of my diet and don’t feel the need to reach for some of the unhealthy foods I was eating before. For example, I am the ultimate cheesecake lover and would do anything in a heart beat to get my hands on the stuff, but now, I have found a waaaaaay healthier alternative that seems to keep my cravings at bay and keep me satisfied in the process. I while back I found a cheesecake alternative-Lemon Peel Ricotta Creme and the stuff is to die for! It’s to the point where I really don’t miss the REAL thing and am fine settling for something quite similar, but much healthier.

Another healthier alternative that has served me quite well is spaghetti squash topped with homemade tomato sauce with ground chicken and fresh veggies as opposed to regular spaghetti and pre-made, store-bought sauce. It’s so much tastier, not to mention healthier, and I can have as much of it as I want without blowing my calories out the window.

I think I can get use to and live comfortably with this Clean Eating thing. There’s nothing like being exposed to a whole new way of living and improving your health in the process.

Cheat Alert!

Yesterday evening I was invited to my little cousin's birthday extravaganza and as much as I tried to restrain myself from giving in to the tempting delights-I caved in. I mean, how could I stop myself from the mouth-watering Nigerian dishes-Jellof rice, spiced chicken, marinated fish, puff puff (Nigerian donuts), fried plantains and meat pies? I just couldn't turn away and yes I indulged myself and didn't look back.

If it were me 2-5 years ago, I would have gone away from the situation feeling extremely guilty about so called "cheating" on my diet. But is it really "cheating" or was my action just part of my new found lifestyle towards health? Call it what you will, I see my actions as a part of being human and a part of my journey towards health. As much as I would love to be perfect on my diet and keep it as clean as possible, I'm learning that I may not always face those situations where I have the luxury of being perfect. The most important thing is that if you have those days where you stray away from your diet, you immediately go back to eating clean the following day-no excuses!

If you're not at that point yet and can't get past the simple act of straying from your diet-you can give Johanna Hall's Contingency Plan for Cheating a try. I came across this a while back and found it useful for those days I was far from perfect with my diet:

What is it?
An action that is put in place once you feel you have taken a back step on your weight loss journey.


What is its Aim?
To help you get on track and keep on track so that your lapse doesn't become a collapse. A Contingency Plan for Cheating stops you from feeling like you're failing. It puts you firmly in control, reinforcing your Template of Success, and stopping the Template of Failure from taking hold.

What are the Guidelines of a Contingency Plan for Cheating?

1. Play the 300 Calorie Game.
Eat 300 fewer calories the day before an event and be sure to fit in a structured exercise session. Then eat 300 calories the day after. This can be done by cutting back on a snack or limiting portions. If you want you can fit in another exercise session.

2. Double Carb Curfew
Introduce a double carb curfew-lunch and supper-but do still have some slow releasing carbs at breakfast.

3. Stay Hydrated
Keep on top of properly hydrating yourself with water through-out the day.

4. Veg-up!
Use liquid foods to help curb your hunger and preserve your energy. Make yourself a vegetable based soup to eat before you go out to your function-this will help curb your appetite and line your stomach.

5. Burn those Calories by: Walking a mile; accumulating 2000 steps on your pedometer; walking up and down your stairs for 5 minutes continuously; dancing enthusiastically to your favorite music for 12 minutes.

IDFA Championships

So one of my ultimate dreams has always been to compete in a fitness/figure competition and for the first time I had the opportunity to attend my first ever natural body, fitness, and figure competition hosted by the IDFA-talk about an experience! There was nothing like experiencing the hard-work, dedication, and motivation that goes into a nicely sculpted figure and paying it all off by displaying your work for the world to see.

I've honestly never respected any athlete as I do those who compete in body building, fitness and figure competitions. I know it's not easy, but the will-power and patience these competitors employ while preparing for competition is unbelievable.

If all goes well, I do hope to one day compete myself in a fitness/figure competition, then again, my focus should be on one thing at a time and the first on my list is to knock off the last 20-30 pounds.

I wanted to congratulate Candace McLellan for placing 1st in her Division, she was one of my favorites in the show and she deserved to win!

Check out pics from the show.

Welcome!!!

Hello Everyone! Welcome to my blog: Cynthia's Health and Weight Loss Blog. I am so excited about this blog and the opportunity to share my weight loss journey with you all. It hasn't been easy over the years as I've struggled with the ups and downs in weight and the constant and conflicting messages often received from the media around body image and general health. If you're anything like me (I'm sure many of you women can relate), I've gone through extremes striving to fit into society's standards of health and what they consider the "ideal" body type. However, after years of doing my own research around health, my own trials and errors, and talking to experts within the health industry I've come back with vengeance. I now feel that I'm on my way to mastering what it takes to get in shape and reach for optimum health.

I see my journey as a life-long one and one that I look forward to sharing with all those who have struggled or are struggling to get in shape and live healthy lives. With that said, I want to thank all those who have inspired me to share my journey with you all:

Cara over at www.fitandfierceat40.blogspot.com and Ms. Blackandi over at www.blackandi.com

Love you ladies and I thank you for continuing to inspire and motivate me towards reaching my goals!