Recommended: Exotic Rice

Oooooh-Eeee! I love it when I find a new source for unique, flavorful foods. Check out this Chinese Black Rice from Urban Accents. Who knew rice came in exotic varieties like LaMancha Saffron, Himalayan Red, Wild Bayou, Siam Jasmine or Yunan Palace Bamboo? Trouble is, these all look as if they're temporarily out of stock online. I actually found mine in the gourmet section of T. J. Maxx.

Never fear, they're also available here in one pound bags for less than $3. How about Purple Sticky Rice or Brown Wehani Rice?

Even my picky eater DH liked the chewy texture and nutty flavor of the black rice, which I cooked in chicken broth. Wonders never cease! And at only 80 calories for 1/2 cup, it's a great fiber-filled treat!

Recommended: Bob's Red Mill Products

Most nutritionists agree we should incorporate more whole grains as well as high-fiber fruits and vegetables into our diets.

Although it provides no nutrients by itself, fiber benefits our bodies in several ways. Insoluble fiber (wheat bran, and some fruits and vegetables) assists the digestive tract by helping to push along other waste. And soluble fiber (fiber that dissolves in water) helps prevent cholesterol from being absorbed into the blood stream.

Bless my DH's heart; he's just not a high-fiber kinda guy. He'll take white bread, white rice and rolled oats any day over more substantial varieties because they "are too chewy" or "taste like cardboard." And he's not really keen on green, leafy vegetables, either. Unfortunately, that may be one reason why he had his gall bladder removed last week.

Of course, I've taken tips from healthy bloggers and learned to slip pureed veggies or wheat germ into other recipes to increase the fiber in his diet. (As I've said before, some of this lifestyle change is akin to training children.)

For the rest of us, high-fiber foods not only taste better, but also help to stave off hunger.

One of my favorite product lines is Bob's Red Mill, purveyors of old-fashioned stone ground whole grain products.

"Our slow turning millstones grind the bran, endosperm and germ (containing its nutritious wheat germ oil) into flour in a cool natural way, creating a more assimilable food," says Bob's web site, which is full of good recipes.

One of my favorite Red Mill products is Steel Cut Oats. Until I tried Red Mill varieties, I thought hot breakfast cereals were pretty "run of the mill."

Then! On the last press trip, one of the foodie journalists told me she BROWNS the entire package of oats - either under her broiler or in a cast iron skillet - before storing them. When cooked, she says, they deliver a delicious nutty flavor that's hard to beat. I agree! I agree!

And of course, I usually add chopped apple, raisins or dried cranberries to my breakfast delight - just because I like it!

How do you pump up the fiber content of your meals?

Do You Compensate for Cardio?

Fitness expert Craig Ballantyne admits cardio exercise is perplexing. In theory, it should work the same for everyone, he says. But it doesn't. Some people do cardio six hours, nine hours, or more per week, and still have belly fat to burn. It works just fine for others.

To get some insight into the reason for this, British researchers studied 35 overweight men and women who weren't previously exercising. Subjects did cardio five times per week for 12 weeks. On average, they lost a respectable 8.2 pounds. However, the variance between individuals was huge. One of the 35 subjects lost a staggering 32.3 pounds, while one actually gained 3.74 pounds. The scientists think they know why.

They classified the subjects into two groups: those who lost the least amount of weight (the "Compensators") and those who lost the most (the "Non-Compensators"). Turns out the cardio exercise made the Compensators hungry. As a result, they wound up consuming more than 250 extra calories per day... all but wiping out their weight-loss efforts. The Non-Compensators, though, did not experience an increase in their appetites (and therefore, did not compensate for hunger by eating more).

If your cardio program is not working for you, Ballantyne suggests you check your post-exercise appetite level and calorie intake to see if you are a "Compensator." If you are, you might be better off with a program of high-intensity resistance and interval training.

(Craig Ballantyne is the creator of the Turbulence Training for Fat Loss system. For a free online source of information, motivation, and social support to help you improve your health, lose weight, and get fit, sign up for Early to Rise's free natural health e-letter.)

***Ding, ding, ding! HYC Tuesday check-in: All things considered, it was a good week. I did figure out one day last week I had miscalculated my inches lost. It WAS 22.7 (not 24.75); now, 24. Average daily calorie consumption was 1268. Still, I lost only one pound (What’s up with THAT?!), bringing my total weight loss since Jan 15 to 26 pounds.

Because I ate right and exercised six days, I’m choosing to believe that as I’m losing fat, I’m also building muscle, which weighs more; consequently, the apparent “mediocre” loss this week.

The good news is I’m still two weeks ahead of schedule toward my goal weight planned for August 12.

Recommended : Frozen Breakfast Blend

Getting my husband to "eat healthy" is sort of like training a child. One of the hardest things I've tackled so far is
finding a way to boost his breakfast protein intake - especially since he's not
a real breakfast-eater, anyway.

Anybody familiar with a drink called an Orange Julius? Well, we lucked into a similar, protein-packed breakfast version that DH tosses back like no tomorrow.

Here's the recipe:

1 envelope Trim Advantage Sugar-Free Drink Mix /
Tropical Orange Flavor
1 scoop Nutralite Protein Powder
8 oz. water
6-8 ice cubes
Blend until ice cubes are totally mushed - like a frozen margarita!

If you drink the whole thing by yourself, here's what you get:
* 25 whoppin' grams of protein!
* Balanced amounts of nine essential and 11 non-essential
amino acids
* 35% of the daily value for 24 essential vitamins and minerals. including 100 mg of calcium
* No sugar, no fat, no cholesterol
* Only 155 calories

Of course, if you do as we do and split the drink, you still get half the amounts listed above. What a great way to start the day!

Share the love, Baby.

Whey Cool!

When I talked to my son on the phone last night, Wayne said, "Wow, Mom! The last thing I ever expected to be talking to YOU about is working out with weights. This is way cool!"

James B. LaValle, R. Ph., CCN, MSi - a licensed pharmacist, board certified clinical nutritionist, and doctor of naturopathic medicine, with more than 20 years of clinical experience in the field of natural therapeutics and functional medicine - says one of the things that bothers many of his patients about growing older is losing the strong, muscular body they enjoyed in their youth. There are lots of good reasons to want strong, healthy muscles. While "washboard abs" may not be a realistic goal for you, strengthening your abdominal muscles can play a big role in protecting your back against injury. Plus, a muscular body burns more calories than a fat body (Yay!) - even when you're not exercising (Yay!) - by simply raising your "basal" (resting) metabolic rate.

Muscle in your body is constantly being built up and broken down. That makes whey protein an excellent food to consider. Whey comes from the liquid that remains after milk has been processed into cheese, and there are very good reasons why it's so popular with body builders. In one study, published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, whey not only increased muscle more than casein (the protein found in cheese), but also contributed to loss of body fat. But whey can do a lot more than help you build healthy muscles. It can help you build a healthy immune system and boost your metabolism, thereby helping to keep your mood upbeat and sunny.

You can pick up whey at most health food stores or you can get it right here. Blend it into your favorite shakes or mix it into an eight-ounce glass of milk or water. If you're strength training, you'll probably find the whey protein not only helps energize your workout, but also helps to rebuild your muscles afterward.

[Jim LaValle is a contributor to ETR's free natural health newsletter and the author of 13 books, including Cracking the Metabolic Code.]

Recommended: Maple Grove All Natural Dressings

Thursday night, we're hosting dinner for out-of-town family and local friends, all of whom live in households where gourmet food and genuine hospitality are prized.

In my efforts to create a healthy menu with some pizazz in the taste department, I picked up Maple Grove All Natural Salad Dressings in three tempting varieties: Ginger Pear, Blueberry Pomegranate and Strawberry Balsamic. Other varieties include Champagne Vinaigrette and
Maple Fig.

Nutritional breakdowns like this make the products even more enticing. (Sugar-free , fat-free and gluten-free items are also available.)

The website is particularly informative, complete with some great-looking recipes. I'll keep you posted as the Thursday night menu evolves.

***In other news, it's Tuesday
Weigh-In time. This week I'm pleased to report another two-pound weight loss and a body reduction of an additional half-inch, for a grand total of 22 pounds/18.25" lost since January 15.

Here's where the inches are disappearing using the
BestLife program of nutritious eating and progressive exercise: bust, 5"; waist, 6"; hips, 3"; upper arms, 1.75"; upper thighs, 2"; calves, .5" (Last three categories are not doubled for right and left, which would make the total even more exciting!)

Thanks to each of your for your thoughtful words of support.
Rebecca

Recommended: Terrapin Ridge Salad Squeeze

Yesterday, while shopping at Tuesday Morning on an errand for my mother, I strolled the gourmet section and found a new product that has rocketed to my favorites list.

Terrapin Ridge Pomegranate Citrus Salad Squeeze is a gustatory delight! Sweet and tart with the fruity combination of pomegranate and citrus juices, it's loaded with flavor, antioxidants and vitamin C. You can squueeze it on greens, slaw, raw or cooked veggies, or noodles. It also makes a great marinade for fish, poultry, veggies, and tofu before cooking. My guess is that it might even add a tangy zing to fruit smoothies. I'll let you know!

Right now, it's on sale for $3.39, as is the Ginger, Carrot, Miso variety.

And they're only 40 CALORIES PER SERVING, compared with the usual 60 for low-fat variety salad dressings.

Get some. Squeeze a lot.

Recommended: Blue Emu

Who wouldn't want to work out with weights after reading this?

* Weight training is an excellent way to give those unwanted pounds a speedier heave-ho.

*Exercising with weights burns fat and preserves muscle while you're losing weight. (Nearly 100 percent of the weight you lose is pure fat if you weight train.)
It strengthens your muscles, joints and bones.
It decreases insulin levels so your body is in better hormonal balance. And it makes maintaining your weight loss a breeze.

* Each pound of body-firming muscle you add to your frame becomes a fat-incinerating furnace, allowing you to eat moderate amounts of food without worrying about gaining fat.

(Tips from 2 Book Set: The Ulitmate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom/The Ultimate Weight Solution Food Guide.)

What Dr. Phil forgot to say is how to get past the first few workouts when every muscle hurts.

Here's my recommendation: BLUE EMU!!

I first heard about Blue Emu at a birthday party for a woman of a certain age, whose friends made up appropriate lyrics about her favorite product to the tune of "Blue Bayou."

After the party, one of the hostesses gave me a jar of the mysterious turquoise gel, which I promptly put away...until I started weight training.

Believe me, it works. Now I'm a Blue Emu-ing Fat-Incinerating Furnace. And that's HOT, Baby!