The Mayo Clinic Diet and Journal

Its time for good healthy resolutions again…. this book is timely and appreciated!  ~ Sheila

I am always trying to find ways to stay healthy…  stay fit… and I admit… I constantly find the pitfalls… (what?  Am I the only one that hides good chocolate behind the Harlan Coben section of their book shelf?) When this book came my way I was excited to take a look at it.  We have a Mayo Clinic in Minnesota so this also peaked my interest in knowing more.  I was not disappointed!

The Mayo Clinic Diet Book starts out with a 2 week period of ADDING 5 Habits – BREAKING 5 Habits and ADOPTING 5 Habits.  What I love about this method is that it is doable.  That’s right… it is simple steps that the journal (I love the journal!) helps you calculate and keep up on day to day.
The Journal has a Habit Tracker within it so you can put in your starting weight… and check off the habits you are applying each day.  This is great for someone wired like me as I have to have the visual in front of me…. plus, I like goals…  and challenges…
With great habits to remember like eating a healthy breakfast, fruits and vegies daily, eating whole grains, healthy fats – and my favorite habit:  MOVE!  That’s right – get out there and well, MOVE!  🙂
In the two week period you will also be encouraged to break 5 habits and this is good to doccument as well – like no eating while watching TV (guilty!), No sugar, no snacks, only moderate meat and dairy, and no eating at restaurants.
Now this is just part of the journal habits to break.  In the two week period if we focus on breaking these habits we are on our way to new and healthier ways to enjoy life…  The back of the book has a break down of good carbs and healthy choices as well as recipes.  This book will be one I can refer to again and again!

The book talks about what motivates us… find what will give you an ongoing, burning desire to succeed.  For me – I love being fit.  I feel better about myself, I have more energy and I am just better.  I dont know any other way to describe it.  In September of this past year I fell a little off my routine and have yet to get back into where I was.  I started not eating as healthy and skipping some of my workouts.  My time management became cluttered and now in January I find myself 7 pounds heaver than my usual 125 pounds.
So – in light of this review – a new year, a great read…  I am starting this two week program today.  I will probably do a recap at the end of the two weeks on how I did.  This book has motivated me to do what I need to do to get back on track.  Using the journal as a guide and the book to help me with those pitfalls I am looking forward to and expecting success.
I thoroughly enjoyed everything about this book and cant say enough about the journal.  Having a workbook that I need to keep track of what I am doing daily is a great motivator for me.


Healthy Cooking
By the weight-loss experts at Mayo Clinic and Donald Hensrud, M.D., M.P.H.
Authors of The Mayo Clinic Diet: Eat well. Enjoy life. Lose weight.

Healthy cooking doesn’t mean you have to become a gourmet chef or invest in special cookware. Simply use standard cooking methods to prepare foods in healthy ways. You can also adapt familiar recipes by substituting other ingredients for fat, sugar and salt.

Use these methods

These methods best capture the flavor and retain the nutrients in your food without adding too much fat or salt.

Baking. Besides breads and desserts, you can bake seafood, poultry, lean meat, and vegetable and fruit pieces of the same size. Place food in a pan or dish (covered or uncovered) and bake. You may need to baste the food with broth, low-fat marinade or juice to keep the food from drying out.

Braising. Braising involves browning the meat or poultry first in a pan on top of the stove, and then slowly cooking it covered with a small amount of liquid, such as water or broth. In some recipes, the cooking liquid is used afterward to form a flavorful, nutrient-rich sauce.

Grilling and broiling. Both grilling and broiling expose fairly thin pieces of food to direct heat and allow fat to drip away from the food. If you’re grilling outdoors, place smaller items, such as chopped vegetables, in a long-handled grill basket or on foil to prevent pieces from slipping through the rack. To broil indoors place food on a broiler rack below a heat element.

Poaching. To poach foods, in a covered pan gently simmer ingredients in water or a flavorful liquid, such as broth, vinegar or juice, until cooked through and tender. For stove-top poaching, choose an appropriate-sized covered pan and use a minimum amount of liquid.

Roasting. Roasting uses an oven’s dry heat at high temperatures to cook the food on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan. For poultry, seafood and meat, place a rack inside the roasting pan so that the fat can drip away during cooking.

Sautéing. Sautéing quickly cooks small or thin pieces of food. If you choose a good-quality nonstick pan, you can cook food without using fat. Depending on the recipe, use low-sodium broth, cooking spray, water or wine in place of oil or butter.

Steaming. One of the simplest cooking techniques to master is steaming food in a perforated basket suspended above simmering liquid. If you use a flavorful liquid or add herbs to the water, you’ll flavor the food as it cooks.

Stir-frying. Stir-frying quickly cooks small, uniform-sized pieces of food while they’re rapidly stirred in a wok or large nonstick frying pan. You need only a small amount of oil or cooking spray for this cooking method.

Find new ways to add flavor

Instead of salt or butter, you can enhance foods with a variety of herbs, spices and low-fat condiments. Be creative.

Poach fish in low-fat broth or wine and fresh herbs. Top a broiled chicken breast with fresh salsa. Make meats more flavorful with low-fat marinades or spices — bay leaf, chili powder, dry mustard, garlic, ginger, green pepper, sage, marjoram, onion, oregano, pepper or thyme.

To bring out the sweetness in baked goods, use a bit more vanilla, cinnamon or nutmeg.









The above is an excerpt from the book The Mayo Clinic Diet: Eat well. Enjoy life. Lose weight., by the weight-loss experts at Mayo Clinic and Donald Hensrud, M.D., M.P.H. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print.

Reprinted from The Mayo Clinic Diet, © 2010 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Good Books (www.GoodBooks.com). Used by permission. All rights reserved.

About Donald Hensrud, M.D.
Donald Hensrud, M.D., M.P.H., is chair of the Division of Preventive, Occupational, and Aerospace Medicine and a consultant in the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. He is also an associate professor of preventive medicine and nutrition at the College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic. A specialist in nutrition and weight management, Dr. Hensrud advises individuals on how to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. He conducts research in weight management, and he writes and lectures widely on nutrition-related topics. He helped publish two award-winning Mayo Clinic cookbooks.

About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is the first and largest integrated, not-for-profit group practice in the world. Doctors from every medical specialty work together to care for patients, joined by common systems and a philosophy that the needs of the patient come first. Over 3,600 physicians and scientists and 50,000 allied staff work at Mayo, which has sites in Rochester, Minn.; Jacksonville, Fla.; and Scottsdale/Phoenix, Ariz. Collectively, Mayo Clinic treats more than 500,000 patients a year.

For more than 100 years, millions of people from all walks of life have found answers at Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic works with many insurance companies, does not require a physician referral in most cases and is an in-network provider for millions of people.

What did I learn by reading this book? I learned again the importance of balance and how really eating healthy has to do with going back to the basics.  Drop the artificial processed foods – exercise and use moderation and in no time you will drop the bad habits and get on the right track.

For more information, please visit www.goodbooks.com/mayoclinicdiet and www.mayoclinic.com/diet.

See my reviews on Amazon here:

Mayo Clinic Diet Book Mayo Clinic Diet Journal


This book fits into the following challenges:

2010 100+ Reading Challenge

I received my review copy of these books from FSB Media

Challenge….. Accepted.

I love a good challenge…. the competitive edge in me is sharpened and in most cases I am only competing with myself.  So lets look at what Challenges I have accepted this year as well as the ones that are still in play.


The Gilmore Girl reading Challenge

(Jan 1 – Dec 31 2010)

Ok – I seriously love all things Gilmore.  This is my favorite show of all time… and well, dont even get me started…. just read my post if you want to know more.

This one is a challenge to read books that are mentioned in this popular show and there is A LOT.

Levels:

Emily: Read 5 books from at least two different categories.
Lorelai: Read 10 books from at least three different categories.
Rory: Read 20 books from at least four different categories

(I am trying for the Rory)

The Historical Fiction Challenge

(Jan 1 – Dec 31 2010)

Ooh I love historical fiction!  This one has several levels as well:

– Curious – Read 3 Historical Fiction novels.

— Fascinated – Read 6 Historical Fiction novels.
— Addicted – Read 12 Historical Fiction novels.
— Obsessed – Read 20 Historical Fiction novels.

It’s not to late to join!  🙂

YA Reading Challenge

Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2010
Oh yes!  YA was a huge hit for me in 2009 and this challenge really has my excited to be involved!
Levels are:

–The Mini YA Reading Challenge – Read 12 Young Adult novels.

–Just My Size YA Reading Challenge – Read 25 Young Adult novels.

–Stepping It Up YA Reading Challenge – Read 50 Young Adult novels.

–Super Size Me YA Reading Challenge – Read 75 Young Adult novels.

I am going for the Just My Size.  🙂

These challenges can still be signed up for.  Click on their title under the post and it will take you there!  You can also mix and match in the categories so say that you read a YA book that also happens to fall into the GilMore Girl Category – you can count that book in both spots.  🙂

The Christy Awards Challenge

This one is for all the great Christian Fiction Reads that won the Christy award in 2009.  As in the other challenges you choose the level you want to commit to.  This is a good challenge for me as I enjoy good Christian Fiction reads and am probably missing out on some authors I have never experienced before.

The Social Justice Challenge

I am super excited to take part in this one!  This challenge will focus each month on a different social injustice in the world.  Reading will be suggested and encouragement to get involved when you fill called to is also a part of the challenge.  This one is near and dear to my heart!

Support Your Local Library Challenge

This challenge will be my cryptonite…. my mount everest…. my…. well you get the point.  Would you belive that I am not a library frequenter?   Dont even have a library card?  It is true… I will go to their book sales but a book borrower I am not….  or wasn’t…

J Kayes challenge here reminds me that I need to support my local library and so – I am…. I will.  🙂

100+ reading Challenge

Uhhhh… lets just say I dont think this one will be a problem…..


Harry Potter Reading Challenge

Aug 1 2009 – July 31 2010

This one as you can see, is already in progress and I have really “muggled” it up so far by producing… nada.  BUT- I have not given up and as two of these books also cross into the Gilmore Challenge… count on seeing an amazing some back int the 2nd half of this challenge.  🙂

So that is what I have currently committed to.  In the next few days I plan to have these all on my sidebar so you can click on them anytime and see where I am at on each challenge.  **These challenges are all still available to sign on to.  Simply click on the link I provided under each challenge picture and learn more about the challenge itself.

Challenges are fun – a great way to push yourself into new areas of reading and meeting other book bloggers with like minded goals.  🙂


BLURT!

I love board games!  I have a large closet dedicated to just them…. we have played them as a family for years and enjoy the old ones as much as a new one!  This past weekend, Christmas Day actually, myself, hubby Al, out son Justin ,and Kinship Partner Chance all had a fun time playing a great game of BLURT!


The beauty of this game is that it takes all of 10 seconds to learn.  There are not pages and pages of rules and maneuvers…. it is simply a nice looking board game, a box of cards that hold your clues – all I had to do was add people.

I had people.


So you take turns being the reader and read a card clue something like this:  *A strip of leather or cloth that goes around your waste to hold clothes up…..

Then the first person to shout (well you don’t have to shout – but you would be surprised how many do!) the correct answer wins.  It sounds simple and in a way it is….  but there are harder cards, and sometimes you get so caught up in the excitement and the laughter of the game…. you forget what the word could be…. and then it really gets crazy!

This is a game that is wonderful to play with a mix of ages…. young or old… everyone really has a good time with BLURT!  I know I did.

*The answer:  A belt!

I received my review copy from BLURT creator and author, Tim Walsh

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading?

Thank you to J Kaye’s Blog for hosting this fun meme!  Well…  I will make this short and hopefully sweet.  🙂  I did not get through the books I had hoped to last week.  In fact, I temporarily lost my copy of The Heretic’s Daughter and I thought that maybe I had left it at the gym.  This caused me to complete the books that I did:


nightlight by Harvard Lampoon (I did laugh… I really did.  I had never heard of these spoof books before!)

Life On The Mississippi by Mark Twain (this was for the Newsweek Challenge that My Friend Amy was holding)

Horrid Henry’s Christmas by Fransesca Simon (this was my first adventure with Henry…. what a BRAT!  LOL)

Mrs. Claus Explains It All by Elsbeth Claus (this was a sweet book!)


None of these books were overly large, and the ones I was hoping to get to this past week just didnt happen.  So this is what I plan to read this week:

I am about half way through Heretic’s Daughter and 60 pages into hush hush.  The Heretic’s Daughter is not moving as quickly as I had hoped and hush hush had me from Patch.  (LOL)

I am listening to The Murder Of King Tut in my vehicle and while it is a bit hard to follow three different time periods, I am enjoying the story itself.

What are you reading this week?  I would love to know and stop by and link up to J Kaye’s Blog!

Morning Meanderings…

Its a snowy day here in central Minnesota.  I am sitting at my lap top this morning with Coffee Cup close by and a few Dove Chocolates.  Al is outside plowing out the driveway and Justin is still sleeping from our late night of watching Harry Potter movies, #5 and #6 back to back.  We went to bed about 2 am.

With Brad in the Navy we changed up our regular Christmas morning gift exchange to Christmas Eve.  We figured that way everyone could sleep in if they want to and have all day today to relax and enjoy.  It was wonderfully bitter sweet.  Al is always so hard to buy for but loved his laptop and played on it for hours after we were all done opening.  It was fun to see him so excited.

Justin received the camera he wanted and after I had spend painstaking hours trying to find the right one…. I was thrilled to see that he loved the one I picked!

Among the wonderful things I received was a Barnes and Noble gift card (My Mother Ship!) and two books – one I have been wanting really bad and the other I have never heard of but am excited to read it as it sounds fun!


About three things I was absolutely certain. First, Edwart was most likely my soul mate, maybe. Second, there was a vampire part of him–which I assumed was wildly out of his control–that wanted me dead. And third, I unconditionally, irrevocably, impenetrably, heterogeneously, gynecologically, and disreputably wished he had kissed me.


Oh my gosh – right?  Does this not sound funny???  I hadn’t heard of this book before I opened it last night, a gift from my son, and now I just want to start reading this sure to be a laugh out loud giggle fest picking on my beloved Twilight Series… and that’s ok!  🙂


There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.


I have been coveting this book for awhile now and my super sweet husband found it for me!   The cover is awesome….  I am anxious to see what it holds inside!

I am off to check on the turkey, shovel the deck walkway in front for us and in back for the dogs and then…. I am sitting down with a book.  Merry Christmas Everyone – I hope your day and your weekend is exactly what you had hoped it would be!


Oh yeah – I linked up these books so I need to disclose that I am an Amazon associate.  😉


Horrid Henry’s Christmas by Francesca Simon

A book that is sure to cause an outbreak of giggles… ~ Sheila

If you have a child between the age of 4 and 8, they are probably familiar with the shenanigans of Horrid Henry.  Author Francesca Simon has made Horrid Henry the #1 bestselling chapter book series for children in the UK.  With over 15 million copies of the Horrid Henry books sold,apparently readers everywhere are enjoying these tales…

This was my first time reading Horrid Henry and this book has 4 stories centered around Henry’s adventures over Christmas.  I have to admit, I really enjoyed the book.  The four short stories were witty and funny.  In the first story Henry is upset that he didn’t get the leading role in the Christmas play at school, however he takes his part as the Innkeeper to a whole new and hysterical level.

In the second story Henry battles over decorating the tree with his brother, Perfect Peter.  Henry had Christmas presents for people… but due to a series of events…. now he did not and he has to think outside the box of what to do….

In the third story it is Christmas Eve and Henry’s greed for gifts gives him the idea to ambush Santa.  Yeah… you heard me right.

And finally in the fourth story Christmas is here and by now I realize that Henry really is horrid!  Children would probably giggle themselves silly as this book is being read….  outrageous behavior, over the top horribleness…. Francesca has earned her way with these books that are sure to bring a smile to the most reluctant of readers!

This review copy came from Sourcebooks

Its Monday, What Are You Reading?

This weekly meme hosted by J Kaye’s Blog is one of my favorite book moments of the week!  Its the moment when Coffee Cup and I can go into my reading room and browse.   These next two weeks I have no real book commitments other than what I would like to read.  I still have reviews to catch up on posting so stay tuned for a few more Christmas reviews hitting yet this week.

Last week I finished:

A Blue and Gray Christmas by Joan Medlicott

Primal by Mark Batterson

The Ghost, The Egghead’s and Babe Ruth’s Piano by Larry Sweitzer

40 Loaves of Bread by C D Baker with a giveaway too!

I am currently putting the finishing touches on The Heretic’s Daughter by Kathleen Kent and last night I finished listening to Run For Your Life by James Patterson (which was so fantastic!)  Review will be up later today.

As for this weeks plan:

That’s the plan.  Two books I have heard wonderful things about that have been waiting on my shelf.  So this week I say Merry Christmas to me, and I have pulled them down to be the next stories I get to sink into!

What are you reading this week?  Be sure to link up your post over at J Kaye’s Book Blog!

Pondering Moment: How Do You Read So Many Books?

Not sure if this will become an occasional meme or not but there are a few questions that I get asked time and time again and this is one of them.


How Do I Read So Many Books?


Well, I am not a speed reader.  If anything I am a thorough reader.  By that I mean if I am reading along and suddenly something happens in the book that makes me go, “Wait a minute… I thought….”  I will actually back track through the book to make sure I am fully understanding.

The only way I can read what I do is that I feel I have an unusual life.  What do I mean?  Well, there are many things that take the place of reading time for others that I don’t have – such as:

  • We had our kids young.  Most of my friends still have kids at home.  We do not.  Our boys are 19 and 22.  The 19 year old goes to college 3 hours away and the 22 year old is in the Navy.
  • My work schedule is flexible.  We own our own business and I help out with payroll and invoices, but I can do that anytime, at midnight if I want to.  Other than that, we have office personal to handle the day to day stuff.  I work at our church office as the Office Manager 3 days a week from 9 – 2, Tues, Wed, Thurs.  I have long weekends.
  • My husband – works a lot!  He loves it!  He is out of the house by 5 am and back home usually around 6 – 8 pm.  He eats dinner, watches a little tv and is usually in bed by 9 pm.

All of these things factor into my reading time.  I prefer to read over watch tv so from the time Al goes to bed, until I do (about 1 am) I usually read.  If its a really good book… I have stayed up later!  🙂  I sometimes have a little reading time in the afternoon after work.  Weekends, if Al is working, I am usually reading once I have house work done.  If we travel to our cabin, he drives, I read for the 3 1/2 hour road trip…. if I drive, we listen to audio books.

There is an audio going in my vehicle at almost all times.  I prefer the story to music.  Sometimes, like the one I am listening to now, is getting so good – I will have to bring it in the house and listen to it while I prepare dinner.   Wherever I go, I have a book.  There is always a book in my car and/or in my purse.  Trains, long stop lights, waiting at appointments…. I am never bored.  When I work out on the tread mill or elliptical, I am reading.

I don’t read every day – but almost.  It is my absolute favorite pastime.  With winter here – I do not have the bike events like I do Spring thru Fall so I have even more time.

How about you – when and where do you read?

Do you have certain times of day or rituals to your reading schedule?

Do you read several books at once or do you have one going at a time?

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading

This is the weekly meme hosted by J Kaye’s Blog that takes a look at what is on on our reading agenda for the week….

I am pleased to say that in light of the mega reading I have been doing lately – I am taking this week to catch up on some reviews that seem to be piling up all around me and only working on reading one book this week – The Heretic’s Daughter by Kathleen Kent:

I know, right?  Me the person who strives for 5 or 6 books a week needs to take a step back!  I have plenty of reviews to get posted this week and with my son here for the month now from college and my other son having left for the Navy…. I am just going to slow down a bit.

In my car I am listening to James Patterson:  Run For Your Life and I am loving it!


Last week I read and reviewed:

The Secret Of The Christmas Box by Steven Hornby (a quick read and a good holiday story)

The Carpet Boy’s Gift by Pegi Deitz Shea (This book through me for a loop – a great read on child labor!)

Home For The Holidays by Rebecca Kelly (The book didn’t impress me, but the review did!)

Say You’re One of Them by Uwem Akpan (I had been listening to this on audio for the past week)

Gringos In Paradise by Malana Ashlie (A look into an area that I know well, it was fun to read about Honduras)


So that’s my plan…. I am doing a discussion next Monday afternoon here about The Heretic’s Daughter that I I hope many will join in.  If you have read it, let me know as I will be linking reviews here to those who join in the discussion of what I am hoping is going to be a fascinating read!

Word Verification Balderdash: My Thursday Thing

This is my weekly meme of the great word verification we that make comments on blogs have the annoyance pleasure of typing again and again….  (I have missed this the last couple of weeks but now I am ready to roll again)!

I know it is a necessity…  I get that.  You leave a comment, chances are you going to be word verified.  Yet being a comment junkie… it slows me down.  So to make this a bit more enjoyable… I came up with a plan.

I love word games (not as much as commenting).  To entertain myself and maybe some of you… I decided to share with you a little thing I do while I type in the verification.  I play Balderdash in my head.  Yup.  As I am typing in the word, I think if it was a real word… what would it mean.  Some come easy.  Others…. I really have to stretch the imagination.

The definition of Balderdash: An oft used strategy  to elect your own fake definition in an attempt to give it credibility in the minds of your fellow players.


Cercula:  Dracula’s half brother who has an inner ear infection which causes him to run in circles…. thus taking the fear factor away from potential victims as they can just…. well…… walk away.


Revent: When one becomes so upset about something they have to just get it out so they vent about it.  Then…. hours later, something triggers  this anger  again and causes one to revent.


Promila:  Godzilla’s sister who is obsessed with going to the prom.  Always worried about her breath and working on shining up her scales.


Gaspr: Casper the Ghost’s annoying cousin.  Due to Gaspr’s asma…. he is always trying to get in more air and creating breathy noises that really can ruin a good night of haunting.  Since Casper is the friendly ghost, he often is the one chosen to hang out with Gaspr.

Yes…. I know that for the most part they kind of theme today and I have no idea why… LOL.  Perhaps I watched too much tv as a child… 😉

Wanna play?  I hope you do!  Write your post, feel free to take the Balderdash meme and them comment here with your link to your post.  I will add your link here so others may stop by and see your words!

Check out others in the Blogespere who are playing along!

Laurel at Embrace The Whirlwind

Alexia’s Books and Such

Ryan at Wordsmithonia

Melissa at My World