Now What?

With only 1 week left of our first 21 Day Sprint 

the question becomes...

what is your next step?

Ready, Set...

If you're ready to sprint with us...we are ready for you! 

Saturday Update On The 21 Day Sprint

We Pick Your Foods...
You Get RESULTS!
You know Ideal Protein Works!
Let's Get This Done Together!

21 Day Summer Sprint

We have one goal at NJ Center for Health & Healing and that is to get YOU results.

Recently we racked our brains thinking of a way to deliver you faster results this summer.

We are so excited to launch this new idea today.

Check it out!

Jicama Fun Facts

A few more reasons to start exploring the most exciting select veggie you're probably not eating.

Jicama Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

• 1 large cucumber
• 1/4 jicama, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• 1 lemon, zested

• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 12 ounces white cherry tomatoes, quartered

Directions

1. Peel cucumber, alternating rows so that thin green strips of peel are left. Slice cucumber into thin rounds.
2. Stir cucumber, jicama, lemon zest, and lemon juice together in a bowl until salad is evenly mixed. Gently fold tomatoes into salad.

Allrecipes.com

Jicama...the New Cauliflower

Throughout June we will be introducing you to an often mysterious 

select vegetable called jicama (HIH-kuh-ma).

We plan on inspiring you to step outside of the broccoli and spinach box by teaching you about this very fun veggie.

Today we are focusing on how to prep jicama.  It can be cubes, sliced, julienned, shaved or spiralized. The options are endless.  Do not be afraid.  

During June we challenge you to jump right into this fun veggie!

Ideal Protein Diet Rated #1 Diet

Check out this press release from Ideal Protein Corporate:

Ideal Protein is the #1 Most Popular Diet of 2015

Comprehensive Weight Loss Method Tops Prestigious DietsinReview.com Ranking

Gatineau, QC. (January 11, 2016) – Medically developed weight loss method Ideal Protein has ranked #1 on the “Most Popular Diets of 2015,” list by DietsinReview.com, the largest and most trusted diet resource on the web. Ideal Protein has jumped twelve places from its #13 position in 2014, beating out competition from diet programs including Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, Optifast and Medifast.

Ideal Protein is a proven four-part method that enables safe, rapid weight loss, with a healthy lifestyle approach and structured, evidence-based maintenance program to sustain weight loss success. The method – offered through preferred healthcare partners and trained coaches – targets the root causes of weight gain by regulating insulin levels.

Ideal Protein strongly emphasizes the importance of education and understanding as part of its weight loss program. Maintaining healthier lifestyle habits, including eating “smarter” are key throughout all four phases of the Ideal Protein method. Dieters are provided with one-on-one coaching, which includes a diet plan that promotes losing fat while maintaining lean muscle mass.

The method teaches weight maintenance habits and balanced lifestyle choices, including:

• How body fat is effectively burned?The relationship between insulin and weight gain
• Which foods are best suited for healthy weight management
• When, why and in what combination to eat carbohydrates, fats, and proteins
• Weight stabilization and maintenance habits.

“The Ideal Protein weight loss method has helped many thousands of dieters reach and maintain their weight loss goals, and we are delighted to be listed as the most popular diet of 2015,” said Olivier Benloulou, President and CEO of Ideal Protein. “We know there are many diets and programs on the market today, but Ideal Protein is unique in our dedication to ensuring our dieters receive the support and education they need to safely and successfully meet their weight loss goals.”

He continues, “As we enter a new year, we look forward to helping more people to enjoy the benefits of long-term weight maintenance, such as improved energy and heart health, in 2016 and beyond.”

Cardiologist Douglas Rothrock, MD, lost more than 100 pounds on the Ideal Protein program. He said of the method, “The science behind Ideal Protein makes it stand out amongst other weight loss methods. Their education coupled with supervised weight management is the key for success.”

Ideal Protein is available at more than 3,000 medical establishments in the U.S. and Canada. An alternative method is available for type I diabetics.

Join us for our upcoming FREE workshop where you can find out how Ideal Protein can change your life.  Click here for our schedule! If our workshop times do not work for your schedule, we also offer daily one-on-one consultations to help you get started.

You Had Me at "Cookies"

I've been meaning to try Janeva's Cinnamon Maple Oatmeal Cookies for a few weeks now...and I am so happy that I finally found the 12 minutes to make them.  

They did NOT disappoint.

Check out page 41 of her cookbook for the simple recipe.  The only Ideal Protein packet that it requires is the Maple Oatmeal...so these cookies, all 6 of them, equal 1 unrestricted! Warm cookies and only 1 unrestricted...now you're talking my language!

Janeva's Ideal Recipes Cookbook is available in our office our office and ***For more recipes like this visit Janeva’s Ideal Recipe Cookbook – Phase 1 on Facebook or www.janevasidealrecipes.com.  A portion of the proceeds will support Samuel’s House Foundation, a non-profit charity helping disadvantaged children and those in need of a nice meal on their plate every day. 

Sausage on Phase 1?

This is a must make dish!

Janeva's Sausage Zucchini Lasagna has quite a few steps to it...but the end result is something everyone in your family will eat with no complaints. The "sausage" is really not sausage...but amazingly it works in this dish. The best part is that your veggies are built right into this dish.I recommend making this on a weekend and doubling up the recipe so that you have leftovers for another night.    Let me know what you think!

***Due to copyright, Janeva asked that I only reference the page number on which these recipes can be found.

Outside the Box October

October is an amazing month to focus on weight loss. 

There's nothing in your way...and still about 80 days left until the holidays!!

For the next month I am going to be focusing on variety! Everyday I am going to share with you my rendition of a recipe idea from Janeva's Ideal Recipe's Facebook Page or from her new must-have cookbook (available on her site or in our clinic). I hope to inspire you to try a new dinner or veggie or to "shake-up" your usual shake. 

Let's think "Outside the Box" this October...and race to the end of the year together!

Day 1~ Outside the Box October

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Why have plain old maple oatmeal when you can add a taste of fall to your morning? 
What a great way to kick off the first day of October!

***Due to copyright, Janeva asked that I only reference the page number on which these recipes can be found.

Italian Herb Baked Spinach Chips

Italian Herb Baked Spinach Chips by DivasCanCook

Looking for a healthy snack idea that is also full of flavor? With only FOUR ingredients and ready in just 20 minutes, this is the savory and low-calorie choice for you!

Ingredients:

2 Cups (32tbs, big, healthy-looking leaves)     Spinach Leaves

1 Tablespoon (as required)                                 Extra Virgin Olive Oil

To Taste                                                                  Italian Seasoning Blend

To Taste                                                                  Salt

Directions:

For directions, please visit http://divascancook.com/2013/02/italian-herb-baked-spinach-chips-recipe.html

Recipe Summary:

Difficulty:            Easy

Course:                Snack

Method:              Baked

Prep Time:          10 minutes

Cook Time:         10 Minutes

Tips for Staying Healthy this Labor Day!

Labor Day Weekend is finally here and there may be many thoughts running through your head. You might have kids getting ready to go back to school (or already have), or you might be excited for the cooler weather to finally come around. Some of us are thinking more in the short term—the annual tradition of Labor Day cookouts with family and friends. If you have been sticking to your individualized weight loss plan or are currently on an Ideal Protein Phase, you may be stressing out about these cookouts. What can I eat? Is it rude not to eat the food that is served there? Can I bring my own food?

We have all had these questions. Labor Day cookouts are supposed to be fun, and now they can be fun AND healthy! There are some tips you can follow that can not only keep you on your weight loss plan, but make cookouts an enjoyable and worry-free time!

Take something with you

Prepare some snacks or a meal to take with you. If everyone else is eating at the cookout, why shouldn’t you? Even simple solutions such as cutting up some celery, pepper strips, or cucumbers to bring with you can be enough to get the job done. If snacks aren’t going to cut it, bring a healthy dish that you enjoy! One idea is to make note of your favorite Ideal Protein Phase Approved recipes and save them just for special occasions, like Labor Day! It will not only give you something to look forward too, but it will also be a delicious and rewarding holiday treat!

Eat Throughout the Day

Usually cookouts take place in the late afternoon or early evening, so the food available there will not be the only meal you eat that day. Eating throughout the day, prior to the cookout, can keep you full and satisfied so you aren’t hungry during the party. You can, of course, still bring food with you, but you should try to eat a well-balanced breakfast, light lunch, and a protein-rich snack to help curb hunger and temptation.

Stay Hydrated

These are two easy things you can do to help take off some of the pressure that comes with eating healthy at cookouts, where food is a major focus. The last tip is an easy one that anyone can do—Stay hydrated! Water is your best friend no matter what day it is, and Labor Day is no different! It can keep you full, energized, and even speed up your metabolism. Drink up and make sure you’re properly hydrated. Your body will thank you!

So this Labor Day, get out there and have a blast. You deserve it!

Planning to Succeed is a Successful Plan

The anxiety hit me right away.  Friends that I haven't seen for 10+ years were going to be in NYC for a few nights and they wanted to get together for a play and dinner.  Yes, I would love to....except, I'm cranking along with Phase 1 and I really don't feel like throwing a curve ball into my perfectly executed diet.  Why~oh~why does something always seem to sabotage my successful momentum? The choice was clear...be antisocial and stay home or enjoy a night in the city and make a plan to be successful.

I went with the latter.  I quickly suggested we eat at a great steakhouse, this way no one would know I chose it because of my restricted diet.  I looked at the menu ahead of time and knew exactly how and what I would order.  When everyone was picking at the bread basket, I would sip a hot water with lemon, just to keep busy. I also made sure to be the first one to order when the waiter came, in order to avoid being swayed by everyone else's selections.  The plan went perfectly, my steak was delicious and the asparagus was the best I've ever had.   The nice part was that our conversation lingered for so long, that no one ordered dessert, since we had to run in order to get to our show on time.

I really enjoyed the show...not only because it was a great comedy but also because I was so proud of the decision I made to stick with my plan no matter what..and I had succeeded...until....after the show.  Wait, I didn't plan for this!  I thought we were going straight home!  What about the babysitter?  We really just needed to go straight home!

Nope...that's not how this night was ending.   "Why not take a walk together on the way back to the parking garage?" my husband, the food pusher, suggested. "Oh, and there's a great cupcake shop called Magnolia's on the way.  Why don't we stop in for the dessert that we missed."   Oh no, this was not in my plan.  I    L   O   V    E   Magnolia cupcakes.  I can rationalize in my head why I should eat them every day of the week.  But I needed to stay strong.  I kept reminding myself of what I would feel like after I ate the cupcake.  That's a place I didn't want to go.

So, I went for the walk.  I went into the shop.  I smelled the sugary air and wondered (out loud) if just breathing in the smell of that shop could take me out of ketosis. I got lost in the snaking line that overwhelms that bakery and decided to sneak out the door and wait for everyone outside.

I did it. I walked out.  I was strong. I made it through my toughest temptation unscathed. I worked on my "resistances muscles" that night and weakened my "giving-in" muscles. I felt so proud standing outside Magnolia's with nothing in my hands or mouth.

It was a night filled with great company, nourishing food, and a terrific show.

It was all worth it!

I'm worth it!

Classic Crack Slaw

I found this great recipe on Janeva's Ideal Recipes Cookbook - Phase 1 Facebook group.  

This recipe was so easy to follow and tasted so good that even my kids ate it. I highly 

recommend you give it a try...and I highly recommend you consider joining Janeva's great 

recipe group on Facebook.

CLASSIC CRACK SLAW

This is the IP version I created from the classic crack slaw recipe to fit protocol

By Janeva Eickhoff

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 T. + 1 tsp. olive oil

1 tsp. minced garlic

3 ½ C. shredded cabbage

½ C. chopped green onion

salt & pepper, to taste

Sauce:

½ tsp. Splenda

½ tsp. ginger paste (or fresh grated ginger)

1 tsp. white vinegar

2 T. soy sauce

½ tsp. chili paste (or hot sauce)

Directions:

1.     In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over med/med hi heat.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

2.     Meanwhile, combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl; mix.

3.     Drain any fat from the ground beef, remove from the pan and set aside.

4.     In the same fry pan heat the olive oil over med/med hi heat, add the green onion and cabbage.  Stir fry until cabbage is slightly wilted and tender.

5.     Stir in the sauce and add the meat; stir to combine.  Serve hot.

SERVINGS:  2 – 8oz. lean protein.  Eat ½ the recipe for 1 serving – 8 oz. lean protein + 2 C. veggies.

Stop Wishing & Start Doing!

We have a FREE Ideal Protein Weight Loss Workshop 

Monday, March 23rd at 6:30pm. 

All are invited...

plus for attending our workshop we give you a $50 credit 

toward the purchase of your start-up bag. 

www.njcenterhealth.com

Summer and Trouble Spots

Summer finally decided to show up in New Jersey. As thankful as I am for longer warmer days, I'm also more acutely aware of my thighs. Between shorts, skirts, and bathing suits there is a constant reminder of my trouble spots at all moments.

And there's ice cream. All summer long. Yet another trouble spot.

OK. Enough of trouble spots.

Summer also means lots of fresh veggies. It also means grilling and barbecues with family and friends. Don't stay away- it's good for the soul to be around family and friends and enjoy the time together. But yes, there can be temptations and trouble spots.

Here's how you survive and keep up the progress so those trouble spots don't become too much trouble.

• Use sugar free spice rubs and sauces. Here are some we like.
• Bring your own protein (B.Y.O.P.) to throw on the grill.
• Grill your veggies, and don't be afraid of the grill grates. Slice your veggies according to whatever phase you are on and place in the center of a large piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt, pepper and Italian Seasoning. Fold sides of packet together and then fold edges. Grill for about 40 minutes, and you will get this. YUM!

Fruit, Glorious Fruit!

You won't gain weight eating fruit, but you won't loose either. It seems a little strange but the reality is that most fruits have a fair amount of sugar in them. Although it's natural sugar, it's still sugar. The amount of sugar in foods is measured by what's called the Gylcemic Index. This is a measurement of how quickly blood sugar levels rise after eating a particular type of food. When blood sugar levels rise, insulin is produced. Sadly, insulin allows us to store fat.

Not all fruits are created equal; however, during Phases 1 & 2 they are.  While in these weight loss phases, all fruits must be avoided for the purpose of resetting your pancreas (so that it does not produce excess insulin). Don't sweat it...eventually, fruit will be introduced back into your diet, at a time when the body can better process those sugars.  If fruit is on your mind while on Phases 1 & 2 of Ideal Protein, why not take this time to start educating yourself on the Glycemic Index of fruits (as well as veggies)?

That bowl of fruit up top looks good, right? Well, summer is just about here and there's watermelon everywhere you look, but it's smart to avoid it. Check this out:

Once your eyes are opened to the Glycemic Index, you will find yourself reaching for berries and cherries. Not only are their antioxidant levels high, their Glycemic Index numbers are low. Perfect for getting to and keeping that beach-ready body.

Confessions Of A Dieter

I work my way through dinner so I can get to dessert. I enjoy a good meal, and I love to cook, but if I'm honest, the prize at the end is my goal the whole time.
My dessert habit caught up with me after the birth of my third child and my 40th birthday.
The biggest problem? At 4'11" people automatically thought I was thin and petite. I wasn't. People said they would kill to weigh what I did, but I was the only one who knew that my weight was 10+ pounds higher than it should have been. My clothes didn't fit. My shoes didn't fit. My rings were tight. Remember, I'm not even 5' tall.
Ideal Protein got me back to a healthy weight and I've finally come to terms with the fact that I will never again weigh the 96 pounds I did in high school. But the 107 of my of my thirties was attainable and manageable, and is healthy for me at 43.
But my habits haunt me.
I love dessert and anything sweet. All. Day. Long.
I also happen to love fruit, but would prefer ice cream cake to berries with sugar-free chocolate sauce. Even in Phase IV, with all the liberties and "treat day" I fight every other day of the week for the will power to avoid dessert.
What keeps me going? My clothes. My thinner arms. The fact that with so much less sugar in my body, my Restless Leg Syndrome has taken a back seat. But I know that my dessert battlewill remain for the rest of my life. Every day I will have to answer the question, "is it worth it?" even if I already know the answer. And every day when my clothes fit, I will be thankful for being strong the day before.

Today's guest post was from Tracy B.

Rhubarb- It's Not Just For Dessert

In fact- since it's a vegetable, it's a little strange that it's so often a dessert.

 

As a member of the celery family,

and an IP friendly vegetable,

it should not be overlooked!

Since the season for rhubarb is very short, this is one of those moments we have to embrace.
Be Inspired this weekend to try something new!

Add a little Rhubarb to your salad

Make a Vanilla Rhubarb Smoothie!
1 cup frozen diced rhubarb
1 vanilla ready-made drink
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cocoa powder
*Place everything in a small blender and blend away!

A few rhubarb tips:
When you find it in the store, buy a bunch and freeze the extra if you don't have plans to use it all at once.
If it gets a little wilty, do the same thing you would do with celery- stick it in some cold water and it will get crispy all over again.
Also like celery, it is stringy on the outside. Feel free to peel before cutting, cooking or freezing.