Dukan Diet Recipes

Dukan Diet Recipes to Lose weight



One of the new diets that is getting people excited is the Dukan Diet. Developed by a French doctor, the diet gives concise instructions on how to lose weight in four phases. An attack phase, where you eat all lean protein - a low fat and low carb diet, a cruise phase where you alternate the protein with vegetables, a consolidation phase where you gradually add in fruit and breads in specific amounts and a stabilization period where you can basically eat everything six days a week and then on the seventh day, you go back to the all-protein “attack” phase diet for a day. Then, back to normal. Dukan’s research has shown this to be an effective long-term strategy if followed to the letter. If you are someone who likes structure and can stick to a diet plan, check it out in more detail here.

If you are interested in a few of Dukan’s recipes to help you through the diet, a few are below although you can design your own recipes as the doctor is very specific about what things you can have and which you cannot have during each phase of the diet. Little room for error, just the way many of us like it. Rather than counting calories you are counting categories as Dr. Dukan says. You can eat as much as you want from these low-carb categories that he lists in his books. 72 foods you can eat unlimited amounts of. During the second phase and on - you can eat all you want from his 100 Dukan approved foods list. Spices, vinegar, mustard with no sugar and low salt is always okay as is juice from lemon to season your proteins.

The following Dukan fish recipe is an excerpt from The Dukan Diet book, which you can purchase here: The Dukan Diet

Recipes for the Protein-Only days

Shrimps sauteed in Herbs – serves 2

2lb shrimps, peeled, de-veined and rinsed 


4 garlic cloves, crushed 


1oz fresh parsley, chopped 


2fl oz dry white wine


1 lemon, cut in half

In a non-stick frying pan on medium heat, add the shrimps, garlic, parsley and wine. Sauté until the shrimps are pink. Serve with fresh lemon.

During the attack phase of the diet, you will lose weight quickly and see your most dramatic results. Here is a delicious Dukan chicken recipe for the attack phase.


Tandoori chicken escalopes – serves 6

6 chicken breast fillets

2 small containers of non-fat yogurt 


2 tbsp Tandoori masala spice mix

3 garlic cloves, crushed 


2 cm piece ginger, crushed 


2 green chilies, crushed 


Lemon juice

Salt and black pepper.

Mix all the ingredients together, except the meat. Make sure the garlic, ginger, chilies and spices are completely crushed to make a smooth blend. Score the chicken so that the yogurt and spice mixture gets inside the meat and marinate overnight in the fridge. The following day cook bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes then brown under the grill or broiler before serving. 


Both of the above are great options for the first phase, the “attack phase” and on your alternating protein-only days in your stabilization period. You can enjoy them anytime though!

The following are allowed during the second or cruise phase of the Dukan Diet – if you remove the vegetables, you can have them during the first or attack phase of the diet. During the cruise phase, you continue to lose weight but at a slower more gradual pace. Try this tasty Dukan beef recipe from the lean meats category.

Beef Kebabs – serves 4

14oz Beef fillet, cut into large chunks

¼ c low-sodium soy sauce 


2 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp cider vinegar 


A little thyme and 1 bay leaf

Dash of vegetable oil

¼ c fresh lemon juice.

Mix all the ingredients together and marinate the beef for 2 to 4 hours in the refrigerator. Discard the marinade. Place the chunks of beef on the skewers (if using wooden skewers, make sure you soak them in water first to prevent burning). Grill until cooked to your liking.

During the second phase or cruise phase you may add tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers and onions. You may choose to use these when you cook in the attack phase to add color or flavors while cooking but you can't eat the fruits and vegetables during this phase. 


For those who like something sweet to finish a meal, a great no-sugar low carb Dukan dessert:

Cafe, Chocolate or Vanilla Creme – serves 4

3 eggs, separated

¼ tsp cornstarch

1 c skim milk 


Flavoring (choose one): 1tsp instant coffee, 1 tsp non-fat cocoa powder dissolved in water or 1 vanilla pod, split lengthwise, insides removed and mixed with a few drops of vanilla extract. 
Sweetener to taste

Protein and Vegetable Recipes

Indulge in these in the cruise, consolidation or stabilization phases

Stuffed mushrooms  - Serves 20 hors d'oeuvres

20 large mushrooms, washed 


2 garlic cloves, chopped 


1oz fresh parsley, chopped 


A few tsp of skim milk 


A few drops of vegetable oil 


Salt and black pepper

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

Use the largest mushrooms you can find. Wash and remove the stalks. Chop stalks and add garlic, parsley, salt, pepper and skim milk. Cook the stuffing mixture in a non-stick frying pan. Meanwhile, bake the mushroom caps stem side down for 10 minutes.

Fill the hollow mushroom caps with the cooked stuffing and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until done.

When cooked drizzle a drop or two of vegetable oil over each stuffed mushroom. Another Dukan fish recipe follows:

Three-pepper tuna – Serves 2

1lb 9oz  tuna steak


1 red pepper

1 green pepper

1 yellow pepper


Juice of 1-2 lemons 


2 garlic cloves, crushed

Salt, white pepper.

Wash, de-seed and halve peppers. Grill for 5 minutes, then to make peeling them easier place in a plastic bag for 10 minutes.

Next cut into strips and gently fry for a few minutes over a moderate heat in a non-stick frying pan that has been lightly oiled (add some oil then wipe with kitchen towel) with a little water in the bottom. Season the tuna and steam for 20 minutes.

Mix together lemon juice, garlic and peppers. When the tuna is cooked, allow to cool then marinate it with the peppers in a cool place for 2-3 hours. Serve cold.
Another Dukan Dessert favorite is the floating island. This Dr Dukan treat includes eggs, vanilla, and no sugar sweetener along with skim milk - perfect to maintain your low fat diet during your attack phase.

Floating Island - Serves 4

4 eggs, separated

2 ¼ c skim milk

1 vanilla pod, split lengthwise.


Sweetener to taste

In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until they form soft but firm peaks (you can use a dash of cream of tartar to make this easier). In a saucepan bring the milk, sweetener and a small vanilla pod to a boil.

With a ladle carefully spoon out snowball-sized portions of the egg whites and drop them into the hot milk. They will swell up. After turning them over remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate.

Those are just a few recipe ideas. Be creative in planning your meals and recipes to your tastes. Dukan gives a list of condiments and foods you may eat in each phase of the Dukan Diet and those to avoid. If you stick to that, you will be fine.

Also from his book, this excerpt gives and idea of an average day during the second phase or “cruise” phase of the diet. During this phase, you are losing weight at a more gradual pace.

A Typical Protein and Vegetable Day

Breakfast:

Coffee or tea (with skim milk and sweetener)

Either 2 small non-fat yogurts or

1 c non-fat cottage cheese and

Either 1 slice turkey, chicken or low-fat ham, or 1 boiled egg

Snack: 1 small non-fat yogurt or

½ c non-fat cottage cheese

Lunch:

Stuffed mushrooms and

Three-pepper tuna and

Café creme

Snack: Oatbran pancake (made with 2 tablespoons oatbran) and

Slice of ham or smoked salmon

Dinner:

Thick zucchini soup and

Beef kebab and

Finish with a treat of Floating Island 


The above recipes are all from Pierre Dukan’s new book the Dukan Diet – more recipes can be found there. Has anyone tried the Dukan Diet? Did you lose weight quickly? Were you able to maintain your weight loss with Dukan Diet Recipes?

Extracted from the Dukan Diet by Pierre Dukan

Source: Daily Mail 
More Dukan Recipes at http://www.PierreDukanDiet.com

Fruit Picker | Fruit Harvester

Fruit Picker - Which one to buy? Fruit Picking Mania!

Just came across something great for those trying to replace processed sugar with natural sugars from fruit and fruit smoothies. If you are fortunate enough to have fruit trees on your property, or access to them elsewhere (legally, of course!) – you will know that sometimes it is really challenging to get to the good fruit. It’s too high, too far back on the branches and a little shake down isn’t helping the fruit to fall down. It seems wasteful to let those great pieces of fruit just stay on the tree until they fall off and either get eaten by the local predators or until they rot.

There are some really great, sturdy functional fruit pickers to help you get the fruit from the trees. 

Whether you have oranges, peaches, nectarines, apples, lemons, avocados or any other fruit in abundance – you want to get all of it. If you don’t use it yourself to make fruit spreads, fruit jams – maybe because they require far too much sugar to lose or maintain weight – fruit makes a great gift to friends and neighbors. Share your abundance of fruit, use it for smoothies, freeze it – just make sure you get it all with a handy fruit picker.

I came across the fruit picker in Bon Appetit magazine, where they feature a pretty one by Ames – it looks sturdy and sells on amazon. This is it here: Ames True Temper 2324500 Fresh Fruit Harvester With 10-Foot Telescoping Aluminum Handle

I also found a few other fruit harvesters or fruit pickers that looked pretty solid and got good reviews. The two I’m considering for myself to pick my fruit in the backyard are the Fruit Picker TwisterPicker and the Do It Best Import L&G M3A Fruit Picker. Both of these got good reviews and everyone said they help you “pick fruit with ease” even from the hard to reach branches. Just what I’m looking for. The Do it Best L&G Fruit Picker is cheaper but the other looks more solid to me. 

The twister picker doesn't look quite as cute but it looks like it really gets the job done. Lots of five star reviews and a solid looking fruit harvester. That will probably be the one for me. Fruit Picker, the TwisterPicker

Fruit is a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth – especially good frozen with a bit of natural stevia sprinkled on to bring out the sweet flavor. No sugar necessary! Check out my other posts for some great healthy smoothie recipes with fruit, vanilla stevia, and hemp protein powder, some with anti-aging micro plant powder thrown in.

Did you see the foodie tool feature – the fruit picker in Bon Appetit? Has anyone tried the Ames True Temper Fruit Picker? What are some favorite ways to use fruits in a low calorie fruit recipe? Have you tried any of the fruit harvesters or fruit picker tools?

Cabbage Soup Diet - Cabbage Soup Recipe

Cabbage Soup Diet - Cabbage Soup Recipe


If you are thinking of doing the cabbage soup diet to kick-start your weight loss - check out my post about the cabbage soup diet Cabbage Soup Recipe


6 large green onions

2 green peppers

1 or 2 cans of tomatoes (diced or whole)

3 Carrots

10 oz Mushrooms

1 bunch of celery

Half a head of cabbage

1 package Lipton soup mix

1 or 2 cubes of bouillon (optional)

1 48oz can V8 juice (optional)

Season to taste with salt, pepper, parsley, curry, garlic powder, etc.

Directions:

Slice green onions, put in a pot and start to saute with cooking spray.

Cut green pepper stem end off and cut in half, take the seeds and membrane out. Cut the green-pepper into bite size pieces and add to pot.

Take the outer leafs layers off the cabbage, cut into bite size pieces, add to pot.

Clean carrots, cut into bite size pieces, and add to pot.

Slice mushrooms into thick slices, add to pot.

If you would like a spicy soup, add a small amount of curry or cayenne pepper now.

You can use beef or chicken bouillon cubes for seasonings. These have all the salt and flavors you will need.

Use about 12 cups of water (or 8 cups and the V8 juice), cover and put heat on low. Let soup cook for a long time - two hours works well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Recipe Source: cabbage-soup-recipe.com

Cabbage Soup Diet

Cabbage Soup Diet

The infamous cabbage soup diet  - does it work?

If you want to drop a lot of weight quickly, you can do it with the cabbage soup diet. The diet is a 7 day plan. You should only follow the cabbage soup diet for one week and then wait a couple of weeks if you want to do it again for quick weight loss.

Why do people like the cabbage soup diet?

They like it because it’s structured – it tells you exactly what you can eat – in unlimited amounts and that’s it. You can’t eat anything not on the list but you can eat the things on the list as much as you want, whenever you want.

People like it because the cabbage soup diet works – you lose a lot of weight quickly. Will you gain it back? Most likely, yes- unless you change your diet and activity habits to maintain the quick weight loss.

People like the jump-start it gives them to lose weight quickly. There are better diets that will help you with long term weight loss and maintenance such as the Dukan Diet, the HCG diet or the Tracy Anderson Method or The Truth About Abs. However, if you need a crash diet to get into a pair of pants for a date or an event, you may consider the cabage soup diet.

Why do people not like the cabbage soup diet?

People who don’t like cabbage or green vegetables tend to not like the idea of it. Some people find the cabbage soup pretty bland. Some don’t like the diet because it isn’t a long-term strategy for weight loss.

Here are the guidelines for what you can eat in addition to the cabbage soup on the cabbage soup diet. 

Click here for the Cabbage soup recipe

Day One: 
Unlimited fruit – everything except bananas is okay. Drink unsweetened tea, cranberry juice and lots of water.

Day Two: 
Eat all the vegetables you like. Fresh, raw or cooked is fine. Don’t eat dry beans, peas and corn but the green, leafy, ultra healthy nutritious stuff is best –eat tons of those along with your soup. No fruit. At dinner – treat yourself to a baked potato with butter.

Day Three: 
Combine day one and two – fruits, vegetables and soup but no baked potato, no butter.

Day Four: 
Bananas and Skim Milk: Enjoy up to eight bananas and drink all the skim milk you want, along with your soup. Your desire for sweets should diminish this day.

Day Five: 
 Ten to twenty ounces of beef and up to six fresh tomatoes. Drink a lot of water -at least 6 to 8 glasses to your body of the uric acid. Eat your soup at least once this day. Baked or broiled chicken is okay to substitute for beef – but no skin on the chicken

Day Six: 
Eat all the beef and vegetables you want on day six. You can have 2 or 3 steaks if you like, with leafy green vegetables. Eat cabbage soup at least once. No baked potato

Day Seven: 
Brown rice, unsweetened fruit juices and vegetables: eat as much as you want until you are stuffed. Don’t forget to have at least one bowl of cabbage soup.

For a more long term weight loss strategy or to maintain your cabbage soup diet weight loss, Get a customized work out based on your body, metabolism and goals!

Dukan Diet - Will you Lose Weight Quickly?

Dukan Diet - Long Term Weight Loss Plan with French Beginnings

It seems like the French often have the secrets for keeping slim. Have you heard of the Dukan Diet?

Do you need to lose 20 pounds or more quickly? Created by French doctor Pierre Dukan, this one is popular in France and has been for years and was only recently released outside of France. 

The Dukan diet is broken up into four phases: the attack phase, cruise phase, consolidation phase and stabilization phase. It isn’t so much about counting calories, but about which foods you eat and when. Dukan notes that instead of calorie counting, you are category counting. The diet is pretty strict and you have to stick with it but if you do, you can lose weight quickly.

The Dukan diet is also a plan for life – it focuses heavily on maintenance and keeping the weight off with a specific plan for that period. In his thirty years of practice, Dukan realized that the vulnerable period is the one right after people reach their goal weight. It is challenging to know how to balance your eating if you aren't naturally inclined to balance and restrict your food intake. He developed a plan to get people through the sensitive time after losing the weight and transitioning into way of life. If you need to lose 20 pounds quickly, you may want to consider the Dukan diet. You can use the Dukan diet to lose 10 pounds or to lose more than 40 pounds - the times you will be in each of the phases will differ depending on how much weight you have to lose.

The Dukan diet allows you to eat foods you like but has one major catch. One day a week, (the diet designates Thursdays) – you can eat only protein. When you want to lose weight quickly, this seems like a minor catch. Low carb diets are popular for a reason - they get results and Dukan says you can maintain your weight loss long term by going back to this structured low carb menu one day each week, for the rest of your life.

In the first phase, the “attack”, you eat only protein. Seem familiar? The focus on protein appears similar to the Atkin’s plan. However, unlike the popular low carb Atkin’s diet, this isn’t protein with butter and as much fat as you want. Fat is to be trimmed off, skin removed from the chicken – this is more focused on lean protein eating. You carry on this first attack phase of the diet for anywhere from one to ten days, depending on how much weight you need to lose. If you want to lose more weight quickly, you spend more time in this first phase of the diet. The average dieter spends five days in the attack phase of the diet.

Here are the specifics about what you can and cannot eat in this attack phase.

Lean beef, veal, chicken liver or rabbit with fat trimmed – avoid ribs as they are too fatty. All of these must be broiled, grilled or roasted. No butter, cream or oil – no low-fat versions either. You can have skim milk and non-fat dairy. You can use lean ground beef as burgers or meatballs – mixed with capers, an egg or spices.

No pork or lamb

Ham is okay if it is low fat and lean with the rind cut off – avoid smoked, deli or cured hams

All fish including crab legs are okay unless it is in oil or sauce that has fat

All shellfish is okay

Up to two eggs per day – stick to 3 or 4 yolks per week if cholesterol is a problem for you but unlimited egg whites are okay

Non-fat dairy products such as cottage cheese, skim milk, no-fat yogurt in natural, vanilla or lemon flavors. Avoid the ones with fruit purees to really attack your weight loss

Stevia is okay, Dukan says Aspartame and splenda are okay (which I advise strongly against – see other posts on the right about the dangers of aspartame and bad things about splenda), vinegars, spices, herbs, garlic, onion, pickles (in moderation), lemon juice (on food – not as a beverage), mustard and salt (in moderation) sugar-free chewing gum and sugar-free natural ketchup in moderation are all okay in the first phase of the Dukan Diet. Diet sodas are okay as the doctor thinks they help you avoid eating foods that are off-limits as they satisfy a craving. Click for a complete list of Dukan approved foods

The second phase of the Dukan diet is the cruise phase. During this second phase, you will continue to lose weight quickly but not as quickly as in the first phase. You will be alternating your protein-only days with protein and vegetable days. On the protein and vegetable days, you can eat as much as you like of a long list of vegetables – mostly green such as kale, broccoli, cabbage, asparagus, sprouts, Brussels sprouts, spinach, chard, aubergine, peppers, leeks, salad greens and more. You can enjoy tomatoes during these days but avoid starch-based vegetables like potatoes and sweet potatoes. In this phase of the Dukan diet, you should expect to lose a couple of pounds a week.

You stay in this phase alternating protein and protein/vegetable days until you’ve reached your weight loss goal. If you have a lot of weight to lose quickly, stay in the first phase for a longer period before going into this second phase of the diet. Then, just stick with the cruise phase until you reach your goal weight.

The third phase of the Dukan diet is the consolidation phase. It is this period that Dr. Dukan says is the “high-risk” period for weight gain for most dieters. You can add back in limited amounts of breads, cheese, pasta and other foods you love during this phase but still in a restricted way.  You can eat lean protein and vegetables every day. You can add in one serving of fruit per day. Avoid fruits that are very high in sugar like grapes or bananas. One serving of cheese is okay daily during this phase as well as two slices of whole grain bread with low-fat butter.

Dukan encourages having a splurge meal each week in this phase of the diet but says there are a few things you must not do. Dukan says you must not have second helpings of any dish and also avoid more than one splurge meal in the week. It is critical that after your splurge meal, you pick up the healthy eating immediately in the next meal. You should have one protein-only day each week during this phase to maintain. Dukan recommends five days of this third phase for every pound of weight you have lost. So if you lose 20 pounds on the Dukan diet, plan on 100 days in the third phase or consolidation of the Dukan diet. You don’t continue to lose weight in this phase so if you wanted to lose more weight – stay in the cruise phase alternating protein-only and protein-vegetable days before jumping into this one. 

On the Dukan Diet, it is imperative that you do low impact exercise such as a walk for 25 minutes each day. This 25 minute a day walk is not optional - it is a requirement for the success of the diet. Dukan also recommends taking 2 Tbsp oat bran or fiber equivalent daily for regularity. The exact amount of oat bran required depends on which phase of the diet you are in.

Finally, the fourth phase or stabilization phase of the Dukan diet is your maintenance step for life. At this point, no foods are off limits but one day each week – Dukan suggests doing it on Thursday, you eat only protein. This protein day is to balance out the food during the rest of the week. Like the protein-only phase during the diet, avoid fats and skin and stick to no sauces and the same rules as the attack phase diet plan.

This Dukan diet fourth phase is a plan for life. You can eat the foods you love, and do protein-only once a week. Combined with about 25 minutes of exercise daily, you can keep the weight off and feel great. One important thing to note is that you need to keep hydrated - drink a lot of water. The water is cleansing, hydrating and helps your organs and systems function well during your dieting. If you stray and gain weight, you can start the plan again to get rid of those few extra pounds. Have you tried the Dukan diet? What were your results? For Dukan Diet recipes and more Dukan Diet information click Pierre Dukan

You can check out the new Dukan Diet Book here: The Dukan Diet

Source: Daily Mail UK - Dukan Diet

We'd love to hear your weight loss results with the Dukan Diet - did you lose weight quickly?

Mini Trampolines to Lose Weight?

Is exercising on Mini-Trampolines a good way to Lose Weight?

Always on the search for a new form of cardio to lose weight – I came across the mini trampoline workout idea through celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson. As you can see from my various posts about the Tracy Anderson Method, she advises her clients to avoid some of the typical cardio options that people use to lose weight. However, Tracy Anderson does say yes to jumping on a mini trampoline for cardio.



Celebrity trainer and creator of the Tracy Anderson Method for lean non-bulky muscles, she says no to running, elliptical machines and standard use of the treadmill. She’s okay with dancing and skipping on the treadmill, but that’s a whole different post. Her theory is that these sorts of cardio activities like stair climbing and running tend to make you bulk up rather than lose weight. These activities work the large muscle groups and engage those larger muscles and don’t give the slim, toned, lean muscles she is working for with her clients. Generally, her idea is, “if you want a dancer’s body, then dance”. If you want a gymnast’s body, gymnast style exercises make sense, for those who want more muscular strong physiques, running or weight lifting are appropriate.

If you want the lean dancer muscles, Tracy Anderson suggests you dance using Tracy Anderson Method Presents Dance Cardio Workout DVD or whatever other dance you like as long as it makes you sweat like crazy. However, some people get bored of dancing all the time. You have to dance quite consistently to lose weight so what are some alternatives to the dancing when you want to lose weight and achieve the lean, long muscles. Tracy Anderson recommends that you workout six days a week, forever. She advises 40-60 minutes of dance cardio or comparable and about 45-60 minutes of muscular structure training. If you do find dance cardio tedious and want to add another type of cardiovascular activity for weight loss - consider the  mini trampoline.

Not hugely popular since probably the 70s, the mini trampoline seems to be making a bit of a comeback for weight loss. Mini trampolines are great as they don’t take up too much space in your place, they are fun, you burn a lot of calories using them, they are easier on your joints than pounding the pavement, you can watch TV or a DVD while on it, and you can do varied movements to avoid boredom. 

However, does jumping on the mini-trampoline help you lose weight?

Research suggests that you don’t lose much weight if your only exercise is a mini trampoline routine or “rebounding”. Although you may feel an increase in heart rate, or sweat, it could be from the bouncing and not for your own exertion. If you are just bouncing, you will likely not burn enough calories to make it worth the effort unless you really love doing it. However, you can change that by the types of things you do on your mini trampoline. If you are doing squats on the trampoline, jumps, dancing on the trampoline, kicking and other moves that you would do on the floor – you will be burning far more calories than you would just bouncing around. 

Just like with the other Tracy Anderson method DVDs and webisodes, the key is performing the moves you do. If you are dancing on the trampoline, pretend you are performing and either follow choreography from an exercise cardio DVD or create your own mini trampoline workout. Consider using your mini trampoline as a step too. You can incorporate step aerobics, mini trampoline dance cardio and bouncing for your own boredom free custom trampoline workout. How many calories will you burn on the mini trampoline workout?

It’s hard to say as there are many factors. Get a calorie counting monitor so you can figure out how many calories you burn on the mini trampoline to determine how many days a week you want to work it into your weight loss workout plan. If you want to lose weight quickly, a good reduction in calories you take in or EAT is your best bet. Combining physical activity like a mini trampoline workout or dancing with a diet of fewer calories will help you lose weight quickly. Jumping on the mini trampoline alone won't likely burn the calories you want for fast weight loss. Eating less and eating fiber and protein rich foods will be beneficial to your trampoline workout weight loss plan. If you need a lot of structure, consider a well-designed low-carb healthy diet like the Dukan Diet to go with your mini trampoline weight loss workouts.


For other intense cardio workouts - no one is better than the incomparable Jillian Michaels. Jillian Michels has helped tons of people lose weight on "The Biggest Loser" and "Losing It with Jillian Michaels". She doesn't take excuses or take no for an answer. If you need some drill-sergeant like disciplinarian pushing you, you may want to consider joining Jillian's weight loss program. Her workouts are known to be intense, exciting, challenging and most important - effective. More Jillian: Fat-Blasting Cardio: Learn the right exercises for your body. Start losing weight now!

Make sure to check out my other posts on The Tracy Anderson Method, losing weight with HCG, diet plans that work, the miracle anti-aging supplement Micro Plant Powder, ways to burn fat, fitness DVD reviews, master cleansing and more. If you have good or bad experience with mini-trampolines to lose weight - let us know in the comments.

Is HCG the Weight Loss Cure?

HCG Weight Loss Cure?
Fact or fiction. Can you really reset your metabolism with HCG?

Are you looking to lose weight fast? Then the HCG protocol might be just the diet for you. The HCG diet gets results. Forums all over the Internet have fans raving about this amazing weight loss cure. My own husband used HCG combined with testosterone for a dramatic weight loss this year. There are still critics who say the diet can’t work or that it isn’t safe but for everyone who says that (and note – most of them haven’t tried it), there are many more saying that the HCG protocol was the only thing that worked for them. After years of struggling with weight issues, not being able to lose weight and feeling low energy – people finally found something that worked for them.

So, they lost weight does that make HCG the weight loss cure? If you are struggling to lose weight - you will probably try anything. Most people you talk to who have done the HCG diet will tell you that it is not very difficult to maintain their weight loss results. The HCG resets your metabolism making it easier to keep the weight off if you stick to a somewhat sensible diet after your protocol. I’m sure if you go back to eating huge amounts of food and load up on sugar, pizza and processed foods to test this – you will find that you will put weight back on. However, if you eat the foods you want within the recommended calories per day for your weight, height, age and gender – you will be able to maintain your weight loss with HCG. In that way it could be said that HCG is a weight loss cure. It is also explained in the protocol that when the HCG resets your metabolism, your craving and desire for food lessens so that you feel full sooner even when you have finished your HCG protocol regiment. 

How does HCG work? It’s pretty simple but you can read more detail on my site – here is a link to frequently asked questions about HCG but you can also look at the past posts on the right for more HCG information.

HCG is a hormone that has the ability to moderate the function of one of your major glands. This gland controls many systems in your body including your thyroid levels, fat burning and metabolism. The HCG stimulates this gland to release stored fat into your bloodstream. It isn’t fat that you need, it is the excess fat that you want to get rid of. During the HCG treatments, you are on a very restrictive 500-calorie diet. Note - there is a breakthrough modified HCG diet that allows you more calories and a few other small modifications which you can read more about at HCG New Breakthroughs. You get some of your nourishment from the calories you are eating each day during the diet, but most of it is coming from that excess fat storage roaming around in your body. This will fuel your body function for the course of the HCG protocol. 

So, your body is burning that excess fat because the HCG is instructing it to do so. How do you get HCG? You can order it online either as injections for personal use or you can order homeopathic HCG drops to take orally. Instead of homeopathic HCG, you can also opt to have HCG shots. Some people prefer the shots and think that HCG shots are more effective than the HCG drops. However, others contest this saying that the HCG drops are every bit as effective as the shots. HCG shots generally have to be administered by a doctor in the U.S. although you can look to order them from outside of the country and self-administer. However, there are legal issues with ordering HCG shots as well as shelf life potency to consider when ordering HCG shots internationally. The HCG sublingual drops don't have these issues and can be ordered safely in the United States and outside of the states and taken under the tongue.

Will HCG be the weight loss cure you need? Try it and find out. What do you have to lose? Oh…a few pounds. Consult your doctor before you begin any diet plan including the HCG weight loss cure.

Quick Weight Loss Tips Cheat Sheet

Quick Weight Loss Tips Cheat Sheet

• Cut out juices, sodas and alcohol – basically drink ONLY water. This includes DIET sodas – they are terrible for you, terrible for your diet. More on that in another post.
• Always park in the parking spot furthest from the entrance of wherever you are going. If you can park a block or two away, do that – it’s even better. If you can walk somewhere close instead of driving, do that. If you run out milk – walk to the market to get it or make yourself wait until the next time you will be going to the grocery store as punishment for not walking! 

• Eat breakfast! It’s obviously better if you choose something healthy but regardless, you should eat something in the morning. Weight Loss tips that you can work into your routine and make into habits will help you far more than things that are too difficult or extreme to follow.

• Make lunch your biggest meal. Take weight loss tips from slim Europeans and have a lighter breakfast, a lighter dinner and the main event at lunch. If you are going to indulge, do it earlier in the day so you still have time to walk it off and make good choices for the rest of the day.

• Resist snacking – or at least resist snack foods. If you find yourself hungry during the day, don’t torture yourself. Have a small snack to tide you over until the next meal. Try a few almonds, some tuna, veggies, or an apple. Definitely avoid processed foods, chips, treats, and baked goods. They won’t keep you full and will make you crave more. 

• Keep your portions under control when you eat in AND when you eat out. Portion control is the biggest diet savior or killer. If you can control your portions, you can eat out and eat whatever you like any night of the week, finances permitting of course. A great way to do this is to take a plastic container with you to the restaurant. As soon as your food is delivered – put ½ (or a 1/3 or ¾) of your meal in the container – seal it and forget about it…until tomorrow. If you want to eat everything on your plate and don’t want to have to worry about it, make it easy for yourself, and get the food off your plate when you still have enough focus and discipline to do so. This will be a major way to see weight loss if you stick to it. Don’t worry about what fellow diners think – they’ll be jealous of you the next day when you have delicious leftovers. Do the same thing at home. Put aside a portion of your food in a container to enjoy the next day. If you are hungry later, have a small snack such as veggies, a piece of fruit or celery with peanut butter. Eventually, you will not even notice the change in portion size – it will be natural.

• Choose this OR that – if you have a weak spot, whether it is a sweet tooth, a pizza lover, a salty chips fanatic or crave a huge popcorn at the movies – don’t deprive yourself. Simply choose to have your indulgence in place of something else. Don’t have the mega-sized popcorn after you just had a big dinner out. Forego an entre at the restaurant and get a light salad to allow yourself the popcorn without guilt later. If you know you are going to a birthday party where amazing cake will be the main attraction, avoid bread and pasta for lunch. Make a conscious choice. You want THIS, so you’ll give up THAT. Beyond that, if you can manage just a couple of bites of your favorites when they are presented, it’s even better!

These weight loss tips can be terrific small life changes that will help you lose weight over time. If you are looking for dramatic weight loss of 20 lbs in a short time, you will need to approach your weight loss plan more aggressively and choose a diet and exercise plan to keep you motivated and on track. If you need to lose a few pounds quickly, there are plenty of diets, crash diets and more healthy diets but know that whichever diet you choose, you will need to make lifestyle changes to maintain your weight loss. This bonus tip isn't really a weight loss tip but is a good tip for looking slimmer and like you've lost inches without the work and when you don't have the time to lose weight. Try Shapewear! Body shapers like Spanx and Flexees can make such a difference in the way you look. Check out some of the best affordable shapewear options, click Shapewear. Hopefully, some of these weight loss tips were helpful. Keep this weight loss tips cheat sheet in mind when trying to reach your weight loss goals.

Micro Plant Powder Review

Cleansing With Micro Plant Powder

Have you heard of Micro Plant Powder? 
Here is a brief Micro Plant Powder Review with some of the benefits outlined. This microscopic plant powder has been reformulated to be even more powerful in getting your body to a perfect state of health. 
This may be one of the more exciting supplements that I will write about. The benefits of Micro Plant Powder are astounding and the side effects are nil. Micro Plant Powder has so many incredible healing benefits that are truly life changing – you will really just have to try it for yourself to believe it.

Now, let’s just get right to it.

Benefits of Micro Plant Powder :

• Micro Plant Powder lowers high blood pressure naturally. It doesn’t go down just a couple of points---we are talking BIG numbers. 
• Micro Plant Powder lowers high cholesterol. Many people report 40-60 points lower after only 2 weeks of taking Micro Plant Powder. 

• Micro Plant powder restores and repairs joint and bone health. As we age, calcium in our body system depletes, our bones become brittle and weak. Taking only a calcium supplement cannot correct or stop osteoporosis or even make use of the calcium supplements without the presence of silica. Evidence suggests that, instead of healing, calcium supplements may accelerate the leaching away of bone calcium. For osteoporosis, Micro Plant Powder may stop the pain and even restore the bodies self repair process. Silica, which is the main part of Micro Plant Powder is instrumental in creating calcium in the body so even when calcium is not sufficient, the body can use Micro Plant Powder to generate calcium that bones need.
• Micro Plant Powder is great for hair, skin and bones. It is used extensively around the world where they don’t have an FDA

• Mircro Plant Powder can make us look younger. Sign me up! Collagen, largely made up of Silica, is the glue that holds us together. If your body has ample Silica, the collagen makes us look younger. Micro Plant Powder helps with all sorts of skin problems from rashes, to bites, acnes to eczema. A solid Micro Plant Powder food program far exceeds other products for maintaining healthier and longer lasting collagen. Micro Plant Powder is also good for lustrous, shiny hair and assists in preventing baldness. It hardens teeth enamel, prevents many teeth and mouth problems like tooth decay, bleeding gums and gum atrophy. Fragile nails improve in hardness quickly while taking Micro Plant Powder. It’s restorative effects are incredible.

A few other benefits of Micro Plant Powder:

• Fades age spots
• Stimulates metabolism for higher energy
• Has a negative charge. Bacteria have a positive charge. It helps cleanse the body of bacteria and pollutants.
• Helps maintain vital lung tissues
• Reduces inflammation
• Supports the lymph system
• Prevents undesirable side-effects of menopause

Now, here is a big one: Cancer cannot survive in cells that have the correct levels of Micro Plant Powder. It is alkaline and cancer can not grow in an alkaline environment

• Micro Plant Powder can help prevent kidney stones and heal infections of the urinary tract.

Micro Plant Powder’s benefits go on and on – there are many. It truly is a “miracle drug” but it isn’t a drug. It is natural and has all of the right elements your body needs to heal and cleanse itself. It is great to detoxify with Micro Plant Powder.

Micro Plant Powder is easily digested – you can throw it in a smoothie or protein shake, add it to eggs, oatmeal, dressings, pasta, drinks or you can just add it to water as part of your daily regiment. However you take it, Micro Plant Powder is worth checking out. We live in toxic times – MicroPlantPowder is a great way to flush out the bad and get your body in a state of healing homeostasis.


No Micro Plant Powder review would be complete with noting potential negatives. One that I see is that I can't personally test Microscopic Plant Powder in a lab or anything beyond how it makes me feel so I don't know really if it is a scam. I can only take the scientific studies and text of those who provide it and combine those with my own personal review of Micro Plant Powder.  Does the silica powder product make my skin better? I think so. When I drink it with hemp protein powder in a smoothie in the morning, does it keep me from feeling hungry? Yes. Have I gotten sick since I started taking Micro Plant Powder? No, I haven't. 


I would love to see some medical tests done before and after taking Micro Plant powder. It would be interesting to see first hand the blood pressure going down, the bone density going up. Studies have shown that these results are not unreliable. It is also interesting that silica which is the main ingredient in Micro Plant Powder or Microsilica powder is in many products internationally. Because we are such a youth obsessed culture - it seems that anything that makes you look younger and helps collegen rebuilding would be a success. However, there are plenty of products that promise anti-aging benefits that are scams. For the combined benefits of improved skin, hair, nails, blood pressure, cholesterol, bone strength, and major detoxification - this one is a must try in my book.


The new microscopic plant powder formulation has a powerful strain of lactobacillus and acidophilus added so that it offers a knockout punch of benefits. In addition to the detoxification and anti-aging effects, the incredible benefits of the silica - it also has active acidophilus and lactobacillus that get rid of bad bacteria and create a healthy environment for good bacteria to flourish.


I take Micro Plant Powder every morning in a smoothie with organic frozen fruit, and Hemp Protein Powder
MicroSilica powder doesn't have a taste so it just blends into your sauces or smoothies nicely and if anything adds bulk or texture which to me is an added bonus. 


Check out the Micro Plant Powder that I use here: Purchase MicroPlantPowder. There is also another brand available now called Aquatic Treasure Single Cell Microscopic Plant Powder. It is cheaper than the one I currently buy so I just ordered it to try to see if I notice a difference between the two.
I will post a Single Cell Micro Plant Powder Review on the site if I notice any differences.