Protein

Here's a list of the amount of protein in certain foods, just a bit of useful info.

Beef

• Hamburger patty, 4 oz – 28 grams protein (remember to always purchase LEAN meats)

• Steak, 6 oz – 42 grams (never fried)

• Most cuts of beef – 7 grams of protein per ounce

Chicken

• Chicken breast, 3.5 oz - 30 grams protein (always skinless)

• Chicken thigh – 10 grams (for average size)

• Drumstick – 11 grams

• Wing – 6 grams (made in the oven)

• Chicken meat, cooked, 4 oz – 35 grams (if you buy the chicken already cooked it may have too much sodium)

Fish

• Most fish fillets or steaks are about 22 grams of protein for 3 ½ oz (100 grams) of cooked fish, or 6 grams per ounce

• Tuna, 6 oz can - 40 grams of protein (don't add too much mayo)
Pork (try not to eat this too much)

• Pork chop, average - 22 grams protein

• Pork loin or tenderloin, 4 oz – 29 grams

• Ham, 3 oz serving – 19 grams (try turkey ham)

• Ground pork, 1 oz raw – 5 grams; 3 oz cooked – 22 grams

• Bacon, 1 slice – 3 grams (try turkey bacon instead)

• Canadian-style bacon (back bacon), slice – 5 – 6 grams

Eggs and Dairy

• Egg, large - 6 grams protein (use egg whites only)

• Milk, 1 cup - 8 grams (buy 2% milk)

• Cottage cheese, ½ cup - 15 grams (low fta)

• Yogurt, 1 cup – usually 8-12 grams, check label (Greek yogurt has double the protein of regular low fat yogurts)

• Soft cheeses (Mozzarella, Brie, Camembert) – 6 grams per oz

• Medium cheeses (Cheddar, Swiss) – 7 or 8 grams per oz

• Hard cheeses (Parmesan) – 10 grams per oz

Beans (including soy)

• Tofu, ½ cup 20 grams protein

• Tofu, 1 oz, 2.3 grams

• Soy milk, 1 cup - 6 -10 grams

• Most beans (black, pinto, lentils, etc) about 7-10 grams protein per half cup of cooked beans

• Soy beans, ½ cup cooked – 14 grams protein

• Split peas, ½ cup cooked – 8 grams

Nuts and Seeds (try to get lightly salted or non salted)

• Peanut butter, 2 Tablespoons - 8 grams protein

• Almonds, ¼ cup – 8 grams

• Peanuts, ¼ cup – 9 grams

• Cashews, ¼ cup – 5 grams

• Pecans, ¼ cup – 2.5 grams

• Sunflower seeds, ¼ cup – 6 grams

• Pumpkin seeds, ¼ cup – 8 grams

• Flax seeds – ¼ cup – 8 grams

Got hunger?

Well, for some reason I don't. I am loosing my appetite. This happens to me when I'm about to get sick, I'm eating every 2-3 hours on point, or I'm just not hungry. Some may say, "thats' great". Sure, I guess. It's kinda weird though, becasue I just take a few bites of my sanwhich and I'm done. I just had a turkey sanwhich I made myself and I took about four bites and had to throw the rest away. I kinda feel a bit of nausea. Is that normal?

There's No Reason Why You Can't....

I was browsing MSN and I saw this article. All of these people were very unfit and they became fit the moment they stopped making excuses for themselves and got to it. You need to analize your habits (eating, sleeping, emotional, etc). Once you figure out what changes need to be made then you have accomplished the hardest part. When I started last June I made a list of all of the harmful things I was doing to myself and how I could improve or change them. Slowly I started changing the way I eat, the way I viewed life, and the amount of activity that I was lacking in my life. From last June to December I had lost 15-20 lbs. This was all due to the changes I had made. I had a set back in Febuary because of a surgery I had, but as soon as I could I got on it again. It may seem a bit unrealistic to think that I can loose 100lbs in a year and a half, but other people have done it why can't I? I can and you can too!!!!

Check out the article (thanks MSN):

http://health.msn.com/weight-loss/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100260063>1=31036

Beach Time

There’s no better place to hang out in the summer than the beach. How could you not love the sun glistening off the beautiful sea waters, the seagulls trying to eat your food, the annoying people next to you blasting unknown music. Ahh summer time. Living in Florida I go to the beach a lot. i decided to write about a few essential tips everyone should follow when going to the beach. For one, sunscreen is very important. If you do not wear enough you are exposing your skin to harmful UV rays, but if you wear too much you may dry out your skin or cause serious damage. For the most part you should avoid sun exposure between the hours of 10:00AM-3:00PM. Use a sunscreen that has at least 15SPF, the high number the better protection it provides. Children should use nothing lower than 30SPF and you should consult your pediatrician about baby sun exposure. Don’t forget to protect your lips too using a 15SPF lip balm. Also, always keep a bottle of aloe-based cream or gel to sooth your skin after being in the sun. it works wonders. Don’t forget to bring cover-ups such as sun glasses, hats, and protective clothing. A great investment would be a beach umbrella or a tent; many times these items go on sale at stores like Target, WalMart, ect. The sand gets hot too so bring a beach blanket or an extra towel to lie on. The most imperative tip of them all is to keep yourself hydrated. Drink plenty of water and keep your snacks healthy, such as, fresh fruit, cold sandwiches, carrots/celery, etc.


Also, be aware of your surroundings and keep in mind that around August and September its jellyfish season. Last year I had a terrible experience with that when I went to Key West. For those who don’t know, Jellyfish can be more harmful than they appear with long, spindly tentacles that can inflict red welts and severe pain. I even discovered that they don’t even have to sting you to release venom and harm you. Don’t clean the area with drinking water it will make you itch more, use sea water instead. If you have vinegar, rubbing alcohol, or baking soda use it. if you have any remove the tentacles with tweezers. Next, apply shaving cream and shave the area with a butter knife or tongue blade. Reapply vinegar or cortisone cream. Please contact your doctor if any of the following symptoms develop: nausea, vomiting, joint pain, headache, shortness of breath or a stumbling gait. I had to take antibiotics for a week and half and I wasn’t even stung directly. {Please note that the information I provided as a guide is not intended to be taken as medical advice.}

Snakes

I woke up in the middles of the night out of nowhere. Fear was upon me but nothing had happened to me. Not in real life anyway. I was out of breathe, heart racing, and shaking like I had been spooked. I looked around the room and just lay there for a minute. As I completely woke up and pulled myself together I realized I was having a bad dream. I usually have the same types of dreams, but this one was different. It was such an odd and vivid dream that I could have confused it for being real. I can’t remember it step by step as it happened, but I do remember there were snakes. I’m not sure if it was one snake or a few of them. I can’t even remember what they look like. There was a snake that appeared from under the bed and began attacking the people in the room. I know there were a few people in the room, but can’t remember who they were. The snake ate something or someone, that part is not clear to me right now. Someone grabbed the snake and through it in the bathroom. Everyone was scared and panicking. We all got on the bed. I was last to climb on the bed and then somehow the door came undone. The stupid snake came out and tried to attack me. I got on the bed and I was screaming and everyone was trying to get the snake away from me. I was terrified and the damn snake was looking at me with this evilness in its eyes. It was about to bite me, I think, but I woke up. Once I was fully awake I thought about what this could mean. I couldn’t figure it out so I just prayed myself to sleep. I had to look up what this means. I read it and I still can’t figure it out (you can click the link below to read the description about dreaming with snakes). I guess I need to sit and put more thought into it. I truly believe that our dreams mean something and they are a warning to things we don’t think about in our waking lives or don’t really notice.


http://dreammoods.com/cgibin/dreamdictionarysearch.pl?method=exact&header=dreamsymbol&search=snakes

Love

"A wise girl kisses but doesn't love, listens but doesn't believe, and leaves before she is left."


— Marilyn Monroe



I can see the whole don’t kiss and tell and read between the lines…but do something before it’s done to you? hmmm..yes! It makes perfect sense. No, actually I love this quote because when you are in an
I-hate-men mode it’s empowering. However, once you realize that trying to play games the way men do doesn’t work you go right back to feeling lonely. For those of us who are over it and want to find real love it’s not like that. We take risks no matter how crazy your friends and family think you are for dating that amazing guy you met online (lol). When love is found it is great. Sorry Marilyn, but If the guy you’re all of a sudden madly in love with kisses you, well, you want to tell the world. Not only do you listen to every word he says, but all the things he doesn’t say. You feel his words and believe in a thing called love. You’d never leave if you found the real thing. I know Ja Rule says, “Pain is love”; but that’s not true. Real love doesn’t hurt. When you are truly in love you are supposed to feel happy. For some reason throughout the years, we women have forgotten that. If he cheats on you, abuses you in anyway, or doesn’t treat you the way you want to be treated wake up! I personally know that it takes time and it’s a process, but it can be done. If you need help, get a friend, read a book, or seek professional help. Ladies let’s never settle for a man who isn’t giving us what we need/want. The moment I decided that I was done with the bs coming from the ex is the moment I had my moment of clarity. Your life will be so much better, I promise. You may feel lonely, but so what?! The amazing feeling you experience later is definitely worth it, especially if you’ve found your dream man. Just a little something until the next update on the weight loss…

An inbetween...

So, I have about two more weeks before weigh in and things are looking OK.They could be better, so I am increasing the intensity levels. This means zero whites (only whole grain products), fast foods, sweets, and anything else that will create more fat. I have not succeeded in establishing a bed time. Maybe Memorial weekend had something to do with it, lol. I've also been going out almost every night for the past few weeks and that usually involves drinking. Alcohol is bad when you are trying to loose weight. All of the stuff we mix in there are usually high in sugar and whatever alcohol doesn't leave our system turns into sugar which then turns into fat. For more specific info on this check out this website: http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-alcoholic-drinks-ic1401.  On to the next topic, I've been doing better with the eating schedule. I am eating smaller meals more frequently and monitoring myself very well. I noticed that I am making better decisions when ordering food. For example, the other day there was nothing to eat at my house and I was late for a class I was accompanying my mother to and we stopped at Wendy's because it was something fast. Instead of having a chicken sandwich i got a grilled chicken BLT salad, only used some of the dressing, and didn't eat the croutons. Little things like that make a difference. Even though you didn't eat perfectly that day doesn't mean that the little changes don't count. You might have slipped up during lunch and had a cheese burger with fries and soda and that's not good but it's OK. That's when you keep in mind that for dinner you need to have as much lighter meal that both puts nutrients in your body as well as satisfy your hunger. For instance, on Sundays I sometimes like to have pancakes, eggs, and chocolate milk for breakfast. It's not a healthy choice but i make it so. I make the pancakes with whole wheat pancake mix, non fat milk, and use Smart Balance butter instead of oil. I scramble my eggs with onions, peppers, tomatoes, and spinach (Idon't add salt or cheese). I make the chocolate milk with 2% milk and regular Hershey's chocolate syrup. Could i have chosen a different meal, yes, but sometimes you feel like eating a certain thing. We are human and we will stray from the plan every now and then, but always remember to make better choices and that will lead you to the road to success. On that note, eating on the weekends is a bit of a problem for me. I don't have a set time to eat on the weekends like I do at work. So maybe I'll work on that.  I am still going to the gym aalmost everyday actually. I do at least 4-5 days a week, so I'm very proud of myself for that. I workout about an hour to an hour and a half. I increased my cardio time, added classes to keep me entertained, and do weights twice a week to help the process. I find that the classes are very helpful so long as you give it your all. Classes are very helpful because it's something different to spice up your routine, they're fun, and they provide a great workout. I usually do lots of cardio, minimum weights and belly dancing twice a week. Like I said it keeps me entertained. This week I am going to try Yoga, so let's see how that goes. I'm doing good with the sweets and fried foods, but Taco Bell just calls me late at night. I wanted to mention that just because I am working on this cook book project doesn't mean I splurge on those days. I always try my creations in moderation. I know that if I made a fatty dish (which I try not to) I only eat a little bit of it. I mostly cook for my family and friends never really just for me. I've been doing a lot of research so I have lots of information coming your way. Also, i wanted to talk about this blog a little bit. My main focus right now is the weight loss, but this is not a weight loss blog. It's called a little bit of ice because I am sharing a little bit about me. Now and then you will find different topics, but like I said at the moment weight loss is my main focus. If you see something on my blog and don't see it another don't panic I save it all, so just email me and I will send you a copy of whatever you meed. Well, til next time...