TESTIMONY OF THE DAY

If you need a little encouragement to start the year off right, please read this testimony from a client who travels about 3 weeks out of the month, has a wife and a toddler and still finds time to prepare meals. He lost 35.5 pounds in 45 days just by changing a few things.

“Maria,

Many of those that have posted have struck a chord with my situation before starting with you.  The “dark” side of my story was intentionally left out because I’m not at my goal yet.  For now, I just keep myself focused on results and not how or why–especially since it’s difficult to exist in the “what if I didn’t have a friend that helped me?”

It is humbling to see how much trust you place in your clients and how much hope and faith they have in you!  There were some posters that touched on similar concerns to mine, so I wanted to clarify in the hope that others may see how working with you can simplify, not complicate; can be cheap not expensive.

1.  I did NOT cook for most of my progression.  I suck at cooking.  I had to ask my wife how to hard boil eggs.  Seriously.   So MY weight loss was not dependent on baking or cooking skills.  Your recipes  impacted my enjoyment and spare time, but my weight loss was not dependent on a magic recipe.  And I built up to them.  With that said, I can see how some people would see immediate benefit from substituting your healthified stuff.  But for someone that is on the road, eats out or just can’t cook–don’t worry.  Maria’s plan works incredibly well in that reality that so many of us live in.

2.  When my son and I cook, it’s often easy stuff like fried eggs or my new hard-boiled egg recipe (egg + boiling water).  I thought I’d be late to work, but it literally takes 15 minutes start to finish.  Okay, sometimes longer if we decide to sing.  My waffle maker was $50.  Made that back in one skipped trip to Sunday buffet.  Your pancakes are like $2.50 and were breakfast for 3 days.

3.  My progress and your plan for me was 100% INDEPENDENT of source of food.  Eggs were eggs.  Chicken was chicken.  I did NOT need to find cage-free, organic DHA ratio’d eggs from Chickens that did yoga every morning.

4.  I took the past 1.5 to 2 months to learn WHILE doing.  You have now recommended 4-5 books that I read while exercising.  And youtubes and postings.  But if I waited to learn, I’d still be where I was.  Maybe even more depressed.  I imagine a lot of people are like how I am in many many ways but chose not to be with this.  I would read to find fault or problems.  To blame an industry or a food.  I came to realize that even if all of that is true, so what?  It’s not about them, it’s about me.

5.  I did not try to change anyone but me.  We had meals where son, wife and me all ate different things.  So what?  Is that ideal–no.  But who cares?  You know what–son started asking for what “papa” was eating.  Salsa (Pace) over ketchup.  Then mustard over salsa.  Then eggs over toast.  Now mustard on eggs.   And mustard on waffles.  Eventually that’s where the baking and recipes helped…and that was key for me.

6.  Your plan SAVED me money.  I saved on snack foods not because I chose to not eat them–but because I did not need to snack.  I have a $8 bag of almonds in my pantry that I bought 2 months ago–and am only now down to the bottom.  I used to spend $15/day on snacks throughout the day.

7.  It was far easier for me to use your system of basic meal first, then build.  I didn’t focus on what I couldn’t eat–just on what I could.  I built a meal only from known things–especially helpful when on the road.  “When in doubt, leave it out.”  I was stunned that I would get full and satisfied throughout the day so I didn’t even feel like I missed anything.

8.  Here’s a true story–I started to pass on airline meals.  I’ve had two flight attendants tell me “Good for you” in a very sincere way.  One explained how she fasts while flying.  This WILL happen to anyone that does your plan–you will find camaraderie in the oddest places.

9.  I have an ego and associated my willingness to try any local food with business success and whatever.  That was totally in my head.  There are just as many, if not more, people that I work with that have endeared themselves to me because I opted to jog along the oceanside rather than eat a local potato.

10.  Mentally, it was important for me to paint a picture quickly.  After a couple days of seeing the mental shift and energy level, I tried consciously to act as though I was already there.  What you helped me focus on was things like sleep, stress and reading.  I was therefore making decisions from a positive place and not out of victim, sufferer, tired/cranky, etc..

Anyway, Maria thanks for all your help and I’m looking forward to my own home stretch to my goal.  Looking forward to trying even more of the recipes with my son who’s already asking me for your chocolate donuts!  ‘Papa, Nutritious AND Delicious!’   He’s one smart low-carb cookie!”

Click HERE to start your journey to a keto-adapted diet!

Curry Coconut Chicken and Cauliflower Rice

NOTE: For Advanced Keto, use MIRACLE RICE, not Cauliflower Rice 

RICE:
2 TBS coconut oil
1 TBS minced garlic
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 TBS ground cumin, or to taste
1 TBS ground curry powder, or to taste
1 TBS chili powder, or to taste
1/2 cup chicken bone broth
1 TBS wheat free tamari soy sauce
4 cups cauliflower, pulsed into rice (or MIRACLE RICE)

Place the cauliflower into a food processor and process into “rice.” Heat oil in a medium saucepan over low heat. Sweat the garlic; when the garlic becomes aromatic, slowly stir in pepper, cumin, curry powder and chili powder. When spices begin to fry and become fragrant, stir in the broth and a little water.

Increase heat to high and add the soy sauce. Just before the mixture comes to a boil, stir in cauliflower rice. Bring to a rolling boil; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.

CHICKEN:
2 lbs chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tsp Celtic sea salt and pepper, or to taste
1 1/2 TBS coconut oil
2 TBS curry powder
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
2 red peppers, sliced
1 (8 ounce) can Cantadina thick and zesty tomato sauce
1 tsp stevia glycerite)

Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat oil and curry powder in a large skillet over medium-high heat for two minutes. Stir in onions and garlic, and cook 1 minute more. Add chicken, tossing lightly to coat with curry oil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in center and juices run clear. Pour coconut milk, peppers, tomato sauce, and stevia into the pan, and stir to combine. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, approximately 30 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Chicken Curry = 609 calories, 20g fat, 49g protein, 53.4 carbs, 2g fiber
“Healthified” Curry = 400 calories, 20g fat, 47g protein, 7.7 carbs, 3.1g fiber

CLICK HERE TO FIND THE FOOD PROCESSOR I USE TO MAKE “CAULIFLOWER RICE”