Totally Tofu

Years ago, when I started eating healthier, my older sister remarked that next I would be serving Tofurkey for Thanksgiving. I laughed at the time, thinking how funny it was that my meat, potatoes and no vegetable sister thought eating fruit and salads more would mean I was taking the leap to eating Tofurkey for the holidays. Well here it is a few years later and I find shes not so far off the mark anymore.

It seems the healthier I eat the more I move toward less meat in my diet. I simply crave it less and less. Seems that happens for a lot of people. While some people make an overnight change to vegetarian diets, others grow towards it gradually.

I confess I may never be a complete vegetarian. Somehow the thought of never having another juicy burger or chicken marsala is not possible to me right now. Right now I could see myself being what is often referred to as a near vegetarian. Those are people that eat a mostly vegetarian diet while occasionally still eating meat.

One of my favorite meat replacements has to be tofu. I dont eat it constantly since I think you can overdue it with soy like anything else. Soy is a top allergen along with eggs, nuts, and dairy so I think its wise to be moderate with any food. Especially if you already enjoy soymilk and yogurts, youre getting a good amount of soy in your nutrition.

I have a vegetarian friend who doesnt enjoy tofu. Shes tried it but its jut not for her. Instead shell load up on bean dishes or protein-rich veggies to make up the protein portion of her diet. She used to eat fish on a rare occasion but I believe shes completely vegetarian now.

If you havent tried it, Tofurkey is a great tofu foodie. I found a great selection at my health food store in town and bought a package of sausages to try. I made a pepper and sausage dish that mimicked the meat sausage and pepper dish so well it might have even fooled my dad, who loved his sausage & pepper sub sandwiches.

So if you have never tried tofu but are thinking about healthy eating alternatives, then maybe its something to put on your list. Do what I did and start with something small. Maybe a local salad bar has some tofu you can add to your salad for a taste.

Visit a local grocer or health food supermarket and see if they have Tofurkey. You can pick up a package to make sandwiches ” like a Tofurkey sandwich with salad greens, mustard, and tomato grilled on your indoor electric grill or panini sandwich maker. The taste might surprise you ” and your body will thank you for the healthy choice.

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Does Milk and Weight Loss Go Together?

Copyright (c) 2008 Phyllis Ekleberry

Do milk and weight loss go together? We have all seen the commercial where someone is drinking a glass of milk and then says ‘”It does a body good”. After that statement, the commercial goes on to say that by including milk in your every day weight loss program promotes better weight loss particularly around the waist line.

Milk and Weight Loss in the News

The Natural News had this to say about milk and weight loss, ‘”There is no evidence that dairy consumption helps people lose weight, according to a study conducted by researchers published in the journal Nutrition Review.”

Researchers Reviews On Milk and Weight Loss

The researchers reviewed the results of 49 different clinical trials that examined the connection between either dairy or calcium supplement consumption and the changes that occur when you do consume dairy products or take calcium supplements. The results were over-whelming. Out of the studies the following was recorded:

– 41 studies showed no weight

– 5 showed a correlation with weight loss

– 2 showed an actual weight gain

– 1 study found no impact on weight but a decrease in the accumulation of body fat.

This is verifiable testing that shows milk and weight loss do not necessarily go hand in hand. When you partake of dairy products, researchers have found out that you also consume more whole grains, fruits and vegetables. With these great choices, you will lose weight faster and easier. All of these things have complex carbohydrates instead of the over-processed carbohydrates that are found in white breads and bleached white grains and white rice. It also shows that women who have a higher dairy consumption or calcium intake are much less likely to drink or smoke. Those same women are also more likely to exercise and take vitamin supplements.

The Direction of a Good Weight Loss Program

This research goes a long way to point you in the direction of a good solid weight loss program instead of just picking what you think will work and hope for the best–like milk and weight loss . Instead of listening to the dairy industry, which has a vested interest in touting the supposed weight-loss benefits of milk and weight loss, you need to choose a weight loss plan that encompasses good eating habits along with exercise.

Many health experts advise that rather than expecting a single product to function as a miracle food, those wishing to lose weight should instead focus on a balanced, healthy diet with consistency.

You and Your Weight Loss Program

So what should your weight loss program possess? You should choose a weight loss program that fits your lifestyle and combines a good variety of foods. If you choose a weight loss program that has limited menu choices, then you will quickly tire of those choices and ultimately lose the battle. Generally speaking, if you can retrain your brain to eat healthy meals, stop the munching all day and eat when you are hungry instead of eating when you are bored, stressed, depressed, lonely or sad, then you will succeed!

Steps of Healthy Weight Loss Program

Following these simple steps to your weight loss program will catapult your weight loss into the double digits!

1.) Find a program that fits your lifestyle.

If you are not fond of cooking, a diet plan that requires you to cook will not work! Don’t choose a weight loss program or diet plan that requires you to eat something you can’t stand or do something you are not willing to do, this is self defeating.

Hint: this does not excuse you from exercise or improving your eating habits because without these two elements in your weight loss program, you are not going to get where you want to be very fast.

2.) Decide the “why” – you have to have a motivating reason why you want to lose weight. If your reason is not motivating enough to stop food in mid air – find another one! There will be times that your reason why will be the only thing that motivates you to exercise, eat less and eat healthy – Get a good one!

3.) Make sure you are healthy enough to go on the program you have chosen!

Please take the time to check with your doctor before you go on a weight loss program to see if there are any under lying problems that could limit your success.

4.) Choose a diet that makes sense. One that is healthy and has plenty of options If you are contemplating taking weight loss supplements – either in the form of a weight loss pill or weight loss patch.- Please take the time to check them out. Some companies have tested their products in a double blind test – look at the test results before using their products. Don’t trust the companies that have not gone through this process. The good ones have tested their products to insure their safety as well as their results.

5.Above all – carry through. You must continue along the weight loss path to succeed.

This is the hardest things to do – to carry through with your plans. How many times have you decided to do something and then dropped it like a hot potato because it did not work fast enough or it was not fun enough. Buckle down – just do it. It has to be done for your health’s sake so just do it!

6.) Enlist a support person, group or friend. With the right support you can move mountains!

7.Give yourself some praise. You are taking one of life’s hardest journeys – the weight loss journey. Losing weight just takes some time and committed dedication. You are worth it – you are worth every calorie you don’t put in your mouth – you are worth every moment you exercise. After all, if you do not take care of yourself – who is?

By: Phyllis Ekleberry

About the Author:

One of the top weight loss sites is owned by Phyllis. There, you will see more articles and reviews of the most popular natural weight loss programs. Look at Phyllis’ blog for more weight loss motivation, great recipes and diet tips!

Submitted by Margaretta