Raspberry Loose Leaf Tea: No Calorie Drink for your Clean Eating or Slow Carb Diet

Raspberry Leaf Tea

I don't know about you, but I get tired of drinking plain water.  I like adding different, natural things to flavor my water, but sometimes I really want something besides water.  Raspberry leaf tea is one of my favorite teas.  It doesn't taste at ALL like raspberry, its just the leaf, which I appreciate since I hate fruity teas.

I started drinking Raspberry Leaf tea with my 4th pregnancy.  I fell in love with this tea like you wouldn't believe.  I would make gallons and gallons of it and my family loved it, too.  Its supposed to help with female issues, period issues, pms, etc.  You have to be careful with it in early pregnancy (if I recall... its been 12 years, please check with your doctor/midwife before drinking it), but in later stages, its supposed to help make labor more efficient.

Anyway, I just bought a bunch from an online friend who just never got around to using it, and we're enjoying it again!

You'll Need:

Cheese Cloth or a Legit Tea Strainer.

Boiling Water

Loose Leaf Tea

Pot/Jar with a lid

Our Raspberry Leaf Tea

Directions:

First I add two scoops of tea to about a gallon and a half jug.*  (you'll need to find your own proportions, but I would suggest making it strong and adding ice/water to dilute it once you decide you like it... that just means you have to make it less often!)

Then I pour hot/boiling water over the leaves and put a lid on it for 3-5 minutes (Some people say you should never pour boiling water on your leaves, I'm too scattered to catch the water before it is boiling.  I'm lucky to catch the tea pot before its boiled dry, because the spout thingy is broken and it no longer screeches at me like a monkey caught in a trap, so we'll just go with what I actually do... feel free to create your own routine, dependent on your own OCD or ADD needs)

Then, unravel about 2-3 layers of cheese cloth and tie them down to a container (preferably glass, but sometimes, you just use what you have available).  Oh, and be sure to use an official tea straining rubber band for affixing your cheesecloth aka a head band from your daughter's room that she's never bothered to use, even though you bought them at her request.

Pour the tea through the cheesecloth, capturing what looks like a baby's dirty diaper in the cheese cloth.  Squeeze out the excess tea if you can get past the looks of this, and either toss out the whole tea 'diaper' or toss the tea and rinse the cheesecloth.

Fill a glass or pitcher with ice and pour the sweetened (Stevia or Xylitol are my choice) or unsweetened tea over it for a nice change of pace and a healthy drink!

What is your favorite no calorie drink?

Results & Weight Loss Quick Tips: Pre-Made "Convenience" Foods for Clean Eating or Slow Carb Diets

After Week 1 of the 90 Day Challenge, I had some ideas to make things easier on myself.  Yesterday I posted the recipes and my thoughts from the first week in this blog post.

My biggest challenge has been remembering to eat.  My appetite is non-existent, but once its time to eat, I need to eat and I don't want to put much time/thought into it.  I tend to get busy during the day and I want something convenient.  Sunday I took the time to make my family's bulk breakfast burritos, and while I was at it, I made my own precooked eggs as well.  *All of my calorie counts are from sparkpeople.

I used my itty bitty pan to cook egg "patties" = 2 egg whites, 1 whole egg = 100 calories*

I used my small skillet to make "Omelettes" = 3 egg whites, 1 whole egg = 120 calories*

I then put them all in a big ziplock bag in the fridge, so now I can just grab and go, and I don't have to mess up bowls/pans every day.

I also made chicken breast filets ahead of time with McCormick's Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning.  I weighed these and they were about 1.2oz or 2.2 oz.  I just take a small or large piece and I know its within that weight range.

I also bought a bag of ready to eat spinach (tastes great as a salad with a boiled egg or cut up chicken tender with a little sprtiz of balsamic vinagrette.)  I also like munching on celery for the crunchiness and lack of calories:)

Now, for the results!

My scales are wonky.  They are old and garage sale valued at $2.00 about 6 years ago.  I know they're not great, but for now... They show somewhere between a 2-4 pound weight loss (they just kind of bounce from pound to pound, about as indecisive as me:).  For my sanity, I'm going to go with the least amount.  I'd rather be pleasantly surprised later than super depressed!

I am really glad I measured!  You NEED to measure, people, the scales aren't going to show everything.  From my years of working at the gym, I chose these measurements.  There are a lot of spots to measure, but  its good to see where you're dropping inches, especially if the scale isn't showing a lot!

I Lost 10 Inches in my first week!

This week I'm adding more exercise to my schedule.  My goal is to do PiYo at least twice, walk the dog at least 3 times (around our neighborhood) and go to the gym with my husband/PT at least twice.

Oh!  And to drink MORE WATER!!!  I'm SO bad at keeping up my water intake!

Week 1: 90 Day Challenge & 30 Day Diet Supplement Review & My Recipes.

Recipes of the week & Monday 30 DayDiet Review

Clean Eating, Slow Carb Meat Loaf

So last Tuesday, I started my 90 Day challenge.

The biggest challenge was taking photos and measurements.  Seriously.  I was incredibly depressed after seeing those pictures.  I have never been this big before.  I've been close... especially after the last few babies... but my youngest "baby" turns 12 this month!  I can't use that as an excuse!

Summer 2011 I was still comfortable in a bikini, for heaven's sake.  After gaining 50 pounds in about 7 - 8 months, I started with the doctor and the tests once everything else failed to show results.  I gained another 20 over the course of taking tests and being repeatedly told that "everything is normal!  You're fine!"

This is me LAST AUGUST... after gaining 20 pounds in 3 months, I was still OKAY with myself... but definitely didn't think it would keep creeping up!

I've since gained ANOTHER 50 pounds and I can't even LOOK at the photos I took last week.  I want to get back to a weight I can be comfortable at.  I want to be able to look in the mirror without cringing.  I want to be able to sit without feeling my rolls.  

After 4 very long months, I FINALLY found a doctor willing to look past the test results and let me try Armour thyroid.  Ups and downs (ran out of my prescription and had issues getting it refilled/they filled it with the wrong prescription), but I finally feel like a somewhat normal person!  I can get out of bed in the morning and have at least some energy.  I am getting things done around the house, I'm having far less bouts of tears and depression, my constant itchiness is down and I've actually started going on walks with my husband in the evenings.

These are the supplements I take every morning.  I am adding my 30 Day Diet supplements to this stack.  I find that my mood and energy PLUMMET if I don't take my Ionix and B12 daily.

All of this gives me hope that I am finally ready for a change for the better. 

Day 1: Anyway, off topic (what a surprise)... Day 1 wasn't hard.  I was busy with stop motion animations for Bean's Monkey Business, and when I'm busy, my biggest challenge is remembering to even eat.  I felt a bit on edge, something that I tend to have when I'm taking any type of dietary supplement.  I'm majorly affected by supplements of just about any type.

So, grocery day isn't until Friday, and money is tight.  Thankfully, we already had some foods in the freezer that are acceptable.  It is kind of pushing me into the "Paleo" diet, though, because most of it is beef from a bulk package of meat we bought last month.

I finished off the last of our eggs, had a T bone steak and a chopped steak.  I also had 1/2 of an onion, some spinach, and because we have no "acceptable" vegetables in the house, I had an Isagenix meal replacement shake.  All in all, not an ideal nutrition day, but I have limited resources until Friday.

Day 2:  This stuff really curbs my appetite.  I didn't think I had much appetite before, but this is crazy.  I find myself kind of forcing myself to eat.  Of course it helps that I can't feed my carb addiction!

Day 3:  This is really easier than I thought it would be.  I'm making my grocery list for next week.  I plan to bulk cook up some of the recipes from this week and the ones I'll be blogging this week and freezing/refrigerating them in portion sizes so I don't have to think about it too much.  I find I'm looking forward to not having to try and figure out what to eat each day.

I'm feeling really down about my weight.  Yeah, I'm shallow, whatever, I feel really unattractive and its depressing.  I thought doing this weight loss challenge would make me feel instantly hopeful or something, but I just am more depressed from having to take photos.  That, and being blindsided by photos of myself from the wedding.  I hate this.

Day 5:  I'm taking Saturdays as a "cheat" day ala "Four Hour Body Slow Carb Diet" so that my metabolism doesn't plummet from the low calorie diet during the week.  These supplements REALLY curb your appetite.  Dang.  I thought I was just lacking appetite because my diet was so restricted, but even today, when I can eat anything I want and I'm supposed to be eating a LOT... I can barely force myself to.  I went and bought some of my favorite things and its just... not... I'm forcing myself to eat PIZZA for heaven's sake.  I think I'm going to have to go drink a shake.  I feel stuffed and I've not eaten that much today.  Huh.  I didn't expect that.

Day 6:  STILL not hungry.  I have to force myself to eat.  I have never had a supplement curb my appetite so completely without ALSO making me feel jittery, anxious and honestly, pissed off at everything.  Anything else I've tried has me biting everyone's heads off.  Before you get too excited, I AM more snappish than usual, but its not overwhelming like it has been with other things.  I'm hoping that part levels out for me.  I'm thrilled with the controlled appetite.  I'm wondering if I should measure this week or not.  I'm also thinking that I might do a weekly vlog review.... What do you think?

Next week I'll do another measuring session as well as pics and posting my progress.

Disclosure: I will be receiving product as a participant in the 90 Day Weight Loss Challenge. All opinions are my own. 

Green Beans with Sesame Seeds

90 Day Diet Challenge & Supplement Review: The Beginning

My supplements came Friday!  (WOW, that was FAST!!!)

I'm planning to start using the supplements today for the 90 Day Diet Challenge.  I chose the "30 Day Diet" option.  I'm going to "clean" up my diet again, hope the kids have finished off their (far too tempting) Halloween candy, and re-read Timothy Ferris' "Slow Carb" diet book... until my Paleo books show up on the library hold shelf.  It never hurts to refresh your memory... and I know that grains tend to affect me negatively, especially wheat, with bloating, cramps and just overall fatigue... so I'm going to try and keep those out completely, even though they're allowed.  I also absolutely can't handle artificial sweeteners, so I'll stick with Stevia and Xylitol as I have for the past couple of years.  I'm already used to using herbs without MSG or sugar, so that'll be easy enough.

**See my Week One Results Here!

My husband and I are starting to take our energetic 4 year old dog, Diva for walks around our neighborhood in the evenings after dinner.  I'm hoping that this helps get me in at least a little bit better shape... and if nothing else, it will be great for developing a new habit, and getting us both ready to hit the gym again by the end of the month when its probably going to be too cold for outside walks in the evening!

Now... for the before photos.  *gulp*  REEEEEAAAAAALLLY don't want to do this part.  Maybe I'll post before photos when I'm already losing a little bit, so its not quite so depressing.   I'll take the photos and hide them in a vault.  Yeah, that's it.  Then I can post at the end of the month to see how much of a difference I'e made!

At any rate, I can be incredibly sensitive to supplements (which can be a really good thing, or a really bad thing!), so I'm curious to see how this goes.  I'll be seeing my regular doctor on Monday, so I'll hopefully remember to bring up these supplements when I go.

I'll post some of my favorite recipes as I go, including what I find for Thanksgiving!

Here are some of my Top Five favorite past recipes that will fit this protocol 

(*some will need a slight tweak, but its doable!)

Super Easy Chicken w/Onion "Noodles"

Protein Smoothies:  A Quick Tip!*

Super Quick & Easy Mexican Eggs

Cajun Tilapia

Orange Tilapia*

What are your favorite healthy recipes?  Please share!  Include a link to your own blog recipes if you have one, I love finding new blogs!

I believe that planning can take the edge off.  I plan to have figured out serving sizes and plan with a list of available options for my breakfasts, lunches and dinners.  I'll have my grocery list ready to go and some serving size meals ready to heat and eat for those times (you know everyone has them) when I'm going to have a time crunch and need to eat RIGHT NOW.  Mostly, though, I just want to plan to get back to my healthy habits.  The fact that I let the stressful events in life get me down so much that I gave up on my emotional and physical health is very disappointing to me.  I'm going to give up the guilt and let myself move on and have hope that I can make the change a permanent one.

What are your no fail healthy eating tips?

Disclosure: I will be receiving product as a participant in the 90 Day Weight Loss Challenge. All opinions are my own.