TASTE THE DIFFERENCE OF A REALLY GOOD OLIVE OIL

The right tasting salad dressing can make or break your fresh vegetable enjoyment so it is important that you use a good tasting, quality olive oil.  Read the labels to identify if the oil is a first cold pressed extra virgin olive oil.  You can really taste the difference, not the rancid flavor a lot of lower quality olive oils have. Press fresh garlic in the oil and drizzle it over salads and you'll never go back to premixed salad dressings again.

Another salad favourite is balsamic vinegar and again the right pick will decide the success of your fresh vegetable dish.  When choosing a good quality balsamic vinegar look for 6-12 year aged.  The taste is much more than just the acidic taste of vinegar.  Mix it with a lovely olive oil and you'll be in flavour heaven.

Here are a few excellent choices you can purchase locally:
Olive Oil:   Krinos (IGA)    Mastrodonato and  Italissima (Capers Whole Foods)
Balsamic Vinegar:   La Molisana (Capers Whole Foods)    Lucini Italia (IGA)  * note they can be expensive

(Have an olive oil or balsamic vinegar you love please add it to the comment box below)

QUINOA FESTIVE SALAD!
My favourite recipe!  All you need is:

2 cups of cooked quinoa grain
1/2 cup of shelled fresh english peas
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup dried sweetened cranberries.

Mix all these ingredients in a bowl, add a dash of salt and pepper, chill and serve.

I think it's working I'm down 12 pounds in just 4 weeks!

The end of February, I cut out meat from my diet. That is red meat and chicken. I am still eating fish. I also eliminated bread during the week and only eat it on weekends. A special type of bread being "sprouted" and only 2 slices on Sat. and 2 on Sunday. I eliminated most dairy products including cheese. If I have yogurt, it's plain. I also eliminated all refined sugar. I only have sugar from the fruits I eat which includes lots of berries. I also don't eat tropical fruits right now since they do have a higher sugar content as well as green grapes. I am eating more green leafy vegetables in general which includes lots of spinach and brussel sprouts. I also love avocados and eat 1/2 of one with my omlettes or in a salad. I also cut down my portion size and try to eat slower and not so fast. No second helpings!!!

BREAKFAST: Monday to Friday, I eat a special concoction I prepare and received the recipe from a couple that operate an organic farm outside of Kamloops called Suede Hills Organic Farm. Check out their website which is great information.
I have a mid morning snack - usually a piece of fruit - grapefruit or apple
LUNCH: Salad of mixed greens or various beans usually chickpea, with tabouleh and a small piece of salmon or a hard boiled egg
SNACK: 10-12 almonds or a piece of fruit
DINNER: small piece of fish with various mixed vegetables. Lots of green usually spinach, green beans or squash
If not fish, then a 2 egg omlette with fresh spinach, mushrooms, chopped onion and garlic
Also usually eating hummous every day which I love!
BEDTIME: I take my 2 "Happy Pills" which are pure alphalfa pills with water

I am drinking more water; as well as my San Pellegrino sparkling which I love and I still do have 1-2 cups of coffee max. each morning with some creamo. In February, I did a PH balance test and I was off the chart. I'm in my early fifties and for me this was a wake-up call since I was a person who worked out on a regular basis for over 20 years. The last 2 years, I've had a lot of stress in my life, seperation from my husband (soon ex) and then the death of my father and then I bought a house which I totally gutted and I'm renovating still. This all happened in 1 year! My job is also stressful but I am managing it in that I joined your class!  And I love the bootcamp sessions the most!  I really feel like I have a lot more energy!

EM

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EVEN MORE WEIGHT LOSS TIPS !

Too busy to get to an exercise class?  Eating poorly and out a lot?  Feeling sluggish, lazy and unmotivated?

Well don't beat yourself up!  This story has been told a million times by a million different people because everyone has a busy life.

Here are a few suggestions that may help boost your chances of weight loss success.

1)  Use free time wisely by cutting up veges for salads,  precooking chicken, fish or meat so it can be easily reheated for meals.  Visit the Deli at Capers for quick healthy food.  Buy smoothie ingredients like Vega protein mix, frozen berries and 2% milk to blend up for a quick and healthy breakfast.

2)  Skip the TV, crank up your favourite tunes and do the Home Boot Camp exercises.  Easy to do, no fancy equipment necessary and get through the collection 3 times doing 15-20 repetitions per exercise and you'll work up a sweat and feel great.  The shoulder hold involves slightly pulsing the arms for 2 minutes then release. Exercises #2,#3,#4,#5 are alternating while exercise #1 is a single side at a time.

3) Walk as much as you can!  This basic, easy to do and enjoyable exercise is finally getting it's spotlight with almost every fitness magazine singing it's praises.  It is one of the top weight loss activities of 2011.

Ever need a personalized workout program e-mail me at tenpounddown@gmail.com and in just one session you'll have it.

FANTASTIC DISCO FUN!

The Saturday night aerobics was jam packed again as we shook our booties for an hour straight!  Oh Yah!  Did we sweat off those calorie! Two more weeks to go and  already someone is down 12 pounds!  Wow!!
I'm sure if the pound's don't go down your fitness level will definately be moving on up!

GO CHALLENGERS GO!!!