Denise's Daily Dozen (69 page)

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!

And that includes your skin. Experts say that certain highly processed foods and those with refined sugars may be a complexion problem for those who are acne-prone. Keep your skin glowing and gorgeous by eating whole grains, lean sources of protein, and lots of vitamin-rich produce, as well as at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.

Week Two Sunday Daily Dozen Meal Plan

The road to success has many tempting parking places and rest stops. Just keep going! That’s not too hard when you’ve got a menu that’s filled with delicious foods. Today’s certainly is. The Breakfast Burrito is a spicy way to start the day, and you’re getting the benefits of protein, carbs, and even antioxidants like lycopene from the salsa. For lunch, a protein-topped salad helps you make it through the afternoon without your stomach growling. And for dinner you’ve got the very light and low-cal halibut along with quinoa, a grain that boasts more protein than most others. In fact, it’s considered a complete protein because it has all the essential amino acids.

N
othing feels better than the time after a workout. It’s a great feeling of self-accomplishment. You overcame procrastination.

BREAKFAST

Breakfast Burrito (
women:
1½ protein + 1 grain;
men:
2 protein + 1 grain)

1 cup strawberries (1 fruit)

Men add:
1 cup skim milk (1 protein)

MORNING SNACK

1 medium apple (1 fruit)

1 tablespoon natural peanut butter (1 healthy fat)

Breakfast Burrito

1 sprouted grain tortilla

1 egg plus 1 egg white, scrambled

Men add: 1 egg, scrambled

1 tablespoon salsa

Warm the tortilla in microwave for 30 seconds. Add cooked eggs to the tortilla, top with salsa, and roll up.

LUNCH

Salad with Turkey & Feta (2½ veggie + 1 protein + 2 healthy fat)

1 medium orange (1 fruit)

AFTERNOON SNACK

½ cup grapes (½ fruit)

Men add:
1 granola bar (no more than 200 calories) (1 grain)

Salad with Turkey & Feta

2 cups baby spinach

½ cup chopped cucumber

2 ounces roasted turkey breast

2 tablespoons crumbled low-fat feta cheese

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

In a large bowl, combine the spinach, cucumber, turkey, and feta. Drizzle with oil and vinegar.

CELEBRATE SUCCESS

Life is too short not to celebrate the many wonderful reasons we have to be happy! We’re all too quick to put ourselves down for “cheating” on our diets or skipping a night at the gym, but we forget about celebrating the many positives in our lives, as well as the small victories we achieve daily. Congratulating yourself along your weight loss journey—every time you complete a difficult workout, lose a pound, or stay strong and stick to your diet during a tempting situation—will help keep you motivated!

DINNER

Baked Halibut with Quinoa (
women:
1 protein + 1 veggie;
men:
1½ protein +1 veggie)

Baked Halibut with Quinoa

1 cup quinoa

2 cups chicken broth

Women: 4 ounces halibut

Men: 5 ounces halibut

1 teaspoon Very Very Teriyaki sauce

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

½ tablespoon olive oil

1 cup pea pods

1 teaspoon black sesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse the quinoa. Pour the chicken broth into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Once it’s boiling, add the rinsed quinoa, reduce to a simmer, and cook for approximately 20 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Meanwhile, spray a black iron skillet with nonstick spray. Add the halibut, drizzle with teriyaki sauce, and place the skillet in the preheated oven. Bake for 20 minutes. While it bakes, add the sesame oil and olive oil to a sauté pan and turn the heat to medium. Add the pea pods and toss to coat. Add the black sesame seeds and cook until the pea pods are tender, but still crisp when broken. Serve the halibut on top of the quinoa.

Week Three Sunday Daily Dozen Meal Plan

Your great food choices today are your rewards tomorrow. Plan ahead!

By now you know what a powerhouse oatmeal is, but did you know there are endless numbers of ways to prepare it? Today you’ll sprinkle on cinnamon and raisins, though a quarter cup of any dried fruit—like cranberries, sliced prunes, or chopped dates—will do. The taste of this morning’s fruit medley snack—which contains melon, mango, pineapple, and berries—will make you feel as if you’re on a tropical getaway while energizing you at the same time with all its nutrients. Add protein and calcium-rich yogurt and you’ll be sweetly satisfied all morning long. The Chicken & Pepper Flatbread for lunch is so easy to make and yet it’s also extremely satisfying. Something about that gooey cheese just really hits the spot! And I also love the Citrus Marinated Chicken Kebabs for dinner. They’re so juicy and have a unique flavor thanks to the honey, pineapple, and curry powder combination. The pineapple adds a sweet taste and is loaded with vitamins B
₁
, B
₆
, and C as well as fiber, while the curry powder contains compounds believed to have cancer-fighting benefits. The onions also offer an array of nutrients including chromium, folate, potassium, and phosphorus and are believed to stave off an array of diseases, too. But that’s not the only reason that I often make enough of this chicken dish so that we have leftovers. It’s because it’s so delicious that it leaves my family asking for more!

ENJOY THE RIDE!

One of my favorite sayings is “The joy is truly in the journey.” Learning about yourself and taking pride in your small accomplishments along the way is all part of the experience. Sure, there are tough times, but it’s all part of the effort to change your life for the better. I encourage you to soak up as much of the experience as you can and to include the important people in your life in your journey as well.

BREAKFAST

1 cup cooked oatmeal (prepared with water) (1 grain)

¼ cup raisins, for topping (1 fruit)

1 teaspoon cinnamon, for topping

Men add:
½ cup oatmeal (½ grain)

MORNING SNACK

1 cup fruit medley (melon, pineapple, mango, berries, etc.) (1 fruit)

1 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt (1 protein)

LUNCH

Chicken & Pepper Flatbread (1 grain + 2 protein + ½ veggie)

1 pear (1 fruit)

Chicken & Pepper Flatbread

1 whole wheat pita or Flatout bread

3 ounces diced grilled chicken breast

½ cup sliced bell pepper (any color)

¼ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

½ teaspoon dried oregano

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the pita on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Top with the chicken, pepper, and cheese. Sprinkle with oregano and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

AFTERNOON SNACK