Friday Food and Favorites: Naked Juices plus My Personal Weight Loss Tips

Friday, June 01, 2012

Hey there! Hope you all had a wonderful week! Mine was amazing. Now that Shavuos is over I'm ready to dive back into life and live everyday to the fullest. I don't know about you but after all that holiday food I was re-motivated to eat really healthy this week. With all the recent Hollywood talk about the benefits of juice fasts, and since I recently tried the Naked brand of juices and fell in love with them, I created a modified juice diet (see below) that I've been on the for the last few days. And guess what? I actually lost the bloat I was carrying around from the holiday and I feel great.

Can I complain a little? Since I turned 40-something, maintaining my weight and losing any gained weight without excruciating discomfort (is there really any other way to put it?) has been almost impossible. I admit that I don't work out like a beast, but I do practice yoga twice a week plus I walk/run anywhere between 20 minutes to an hour whenever I can*. I also (for the most part) do NOT eat flour, potatoes, corn or fried food. And yet the belly protrudes where it once didn't and the minute I relax and just eat what I feel like, I gain weight.

*that could mean only once a week or up to 5 times a week...does running errands and shopping count?

Since I am officially at a never ending WAR with nature (think "The Hunger Games-Real Life After 40"), I have been researching and experimenting, and have come up with my own method that is both emotionally and physically healthy for my mind, body and spirit. No longer am I able to 'starve myself' for 3 days to drop 5 lbs. Deprivation is not a part of my 'live life to the fullest' mindset. So instead, I think about what I can have, what I need to have, what feeds my mind and body, and how amazing it will be for me in every way.

So here I share my personal formula:


Plan I: Modified Juice Diet for healthy weight loss and a flatter belly:

Breakfast: Coffee with milk, 1 egg+1 egg white, green tea, a few sips of Naked fruit juice.

Snack: Starbucks mocha

Lunch: 1 bottle of Naked green juice

Snack: Almonds and more Naked juice

Dinner: Chicken, meat or fish with a huge salad dressed with a little olive oil and organic apple cider vinegar.

Snack: A little more Naked juice or a glass of dry red wine.

PS You will feel a bit hungry on this program but you will not be starving or unhealthy and you should embrace the feeling because you will love your flatter belly in the AM!

Tip: Make sure you have access to a bathroom on your first day doing this, you will be visiting it often :)

Note: The Starbucks mocha is my treat. I truly believe that every diet should incorporate a 200 calorie treat so that you are able to persist on an emotional level as well as on a physical level. Choose what you love carefully and in moderation.




Plan II: For maintenance and for life:

Breakfast: Coffee with milk, 1 slice of sprouted or multi grain toast with one egg and some butter, green tea

   Tip: I take my green tea inside and out; after I steep the tea bag I swipe it all over my face before I put on my makeup. Sounds weird? Well green tea is one heck of an anti oxidant and anti-ager so why not use the tea bag directly on your face? I do it daily and I love it!)

Snack: Starbucks mocha (tall)

Tip: I once read that non-fat milk is more fattening than the higher fat ones because the lactose turns to sugar more quickly. I never order my mochas with skim milk and I always have a bit of whip cream so I feel like I'm having a treat.

Lunch: Salad with either quinoi, brown rice and/or tuna dressed with a little olive oil, organic apple cider vinegar and spices. Sometimes I add walnuts for crunch or blueberries for sweetness.

Tip: Every Sunday I put up a pot of brown rice or quinoi and make sure I have the ingredients for my     salad, including plastic containers. In the mornings, I throw in whatever I feel like, shake it up and take it with me in the car so I have my lunch on hand when I get hungry.

Snack: Almonds and dried fruit or a Naked fruit juice and/or greek yogurt.

Tip: Throw some almonds or walnuts into the yogurt for a yummy afternoon snack!

Dinner: A piece of chicken or meat and some more salad or veggies.

If I have after dinner cravings I'll have more juice or a glass of dry red wine.

After 7:00 pm, a little hunger is OK, but I usually don't feel hungry unless I'm on my formula for weight loss.

Note: I was NOT compensated by the Naked juice company for this post, I just really like the way they make me feel healthy and help me lose weight :)

Have a healthy and wonderful weekend!
xo
Sharon






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20 comments

  1. Just want to say that I LOVE your blog Sharon! You rock.

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  2. Thanks Sharon for the inspiration....I am just about to start a diet, ugh, HATE it, but its to be done and I agree in the end its all about moderation and common sense combined with some exercise. I think the hardest point is the first few days, but after your stomach adjusts, it gets a little easier.......so hear you on after reaching 40 and it not falling off as it once did!

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  3. OK - this over 40-something needs some tummy help and I love Naked Juice. Are there any flavors you prefer over others? Looking forward to a flatter belly soon. Happy weekend, Sharon!
    xxoo

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  4. Finally. This sounds like a do-able plan. I have actually put green or white tea bags in steaming water when I have steamed my face. Why not get the extra benefits? I believe your book is due to arrive today! xo

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  5. Hi! Just found your blog thru Cote de Texas. Do you only drink the green naked juice, or any color/flavor? I can buy a case at Costco and it is a lot less expensive that way.

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  6. Hi! just found your blog thru cote de texas. do you drink any color/flavor of the naked juice or just the green one? or do you say green as in natural/healthy? ha! i can buy a case in a variety of flavors at costco and it is much less expensive that way.

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  7. You better believe I'm taking notes over here. You look amazing for a 20-something, let alone 40-something! I drink tons of green tea, but never thought of using the bags externally. I'm going to have to start doing that. Thanks for the tips!

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  8. Yup, going to start dieting next week once the kids are done with school. Too hectic to fit in diet and exercise when I'm balancing blogging, volunteering and chauffeuring the kids to the their after school activities!

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  9. Thanks for sharing your tips Sharon! Deprivation should never be part of anyone's life.

    Happy weekend!
    Rowena @ rolala loves

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  10. All these tips sound great and I love the fact you've already tried it, thank you. Although one thing, the Starbucks, I know it's your treat but it isn't 200 calories it's closer to 600 calories...sorry. I know because I used to have one everyday now I have one only every three months or so. Drink more juice that's better for you.

    Enjoy your weekend!
    XX
    Debra~

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  11. Hi Sharon, I found this article regarding the use of skim and low fat milk against whole milk:
    http://www.details.com/style-advice/the-body/201105/skim-milk-non-fat-milk-diet-foods
    and regarding running errands and shopping counting as exersice, well you must walk for 30 minutes with NO, 0, NEIN stop, and at a good pace.

    the problem with diets is that your body has a marker with your current weight as the ideal, when you lose weight, your body sees it as a deprivation of food, then brings the marker above your weight, then when you return to eat, you tend to increase more than what you were weighing. So that the next time you pass by a famine (that is how the body reads diet) and lose pounds, you stay in the same weight you had at the beginning of the diet.
    I saw it on a tv show 'Extreme bodies'.
    I consider the treat a good idea too. Sorry for the long post but hope you found it helpful

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  12. You always look great - I wouldn't think anything is "protruding"! Very relevant post for me - I've been going through the same weight thing this week. I ran out of time last week, so I never got to make your yummy recipes you posted (but I will be sure to pull them out later), but yet I still managed to eat way too much cheesecake, flan, ice cream, and other things I shouldn't have! So, this week I've been on the treadmill nearly every day (jogging really re-shapes my body and mind fast). I almost seriously considered a cleanse! Instead I'm just doing the old fashioned calorie counting thing, nothing too exciting, but I will definitely try your food plan - it all look so yummy and healthful and things I like! Have a wonderful Shabbat!

    PS Remember the good ole days when we could just skip one meal and lose all our weekend/holiday weight?!

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  13. Love the naked drinks! They sell them in staarbucks ..whenever I'm in the mood of something sweet and cold ( and unhealthy)i buy one and ask them to blend it with ice.result: an awesome slushy type drink . Its a delicious, healthy, refreshing treat on hot days...

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  14. What a great idea Sharon! I'm loving the idea of drinking juice to loose weight.
    I didn't know you were in your 40s?! You look like you could be 25! You look great, Hun!
    Thanks for this very do-able plan! I'll keep this in mind when I want to loose a few pounds.
    Have a beautiful weekend!
    xoxo

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  15. You look great but if you are looking for a change I do think lifting heavy weights is key, not cardio. As you get older you lose muscle and lifting weights will change your body composition so you'll burn more calories just sitting still. I've seen friends completely shocked in how their body changes after they start lifting 3 days a week instead of focusing on eating less and more cardio (which the combination of the too puts your body in starvation mode).

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  16. Great tips! I am trying a new challenge where I give up alcohol, soda, and meat for a month... but I don't know how well it will go because I love wine. LOL.


    XX,
    Miranda

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  17. hmmm i don't nearly exercise enough. actually i don't really and i should since my grandpa and my dad already has diabetes. Might try this naked juice on top of making a goal to at least do 20-30 minutes of pilates or 35-30 min jog on the treadmill. I have little belly too. I just love food too much!

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  18. Sharon,

    Love this post and very inspiring. I'm 50 something.. and it seems like me exercise and caloric intake keeps getting more selective. Deprivation or extreme diets are not a good idea in my opinion. I have a sweet tooth, and always treat myself to a cookie or equivalent ~ daily. Acceptance of SELF is important.

    Enjoy your weekend.

    leslie

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  19. Nice post for summer when we are trying to look our best! I have had the green drink and was shocked it wasn't that bad. I think I would be really hungry if that was all I had for lunch, not sure how long I could do that but they are a great healthy choice if you do not get enough greens in your diet. Hope you have a great weekend!!

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  20. LOve this !!! I am turning 40 and noticing the slowing metabolism myself. Thanks for this post.

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