How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

Since we are alive and healthy and looking forward to living, it must be a jolly day. Attitude really matters, so keep a cheerful outlook and you will succeed with your lifestyle goals. If this sounds too Pollyanna for you, here is evidence: “In 2019, a review published in JAMA Network Open by Alan Rozanski, a cardiologist at Mount Sinai Morningside hospital in New York City, compared the results of 15 different studies for a total of 229,391 participants. Rozanski’s meta-analysis showed that individuals with higher levels of optimism experience a 35 percent lower risk of cardiovascular events compared to those with lower optimism, as well as a lower mortality rate. Rozanski pointed out that the most optimistic people tend to take better care of themselves, especially by eating healthily, exercising, and not smoking. These behaviors have been found to a much lesser extent in the most pessimistic people, who tend to care less for their own well-being. But the damage produced by pessimism is also biological: The continuous wear and tear caused by elevated stress hormones like cortisol and noradrenaline leads to heightened levels of body inflammation and promotes the onset of disease. Moreover pathological pessimism can lead to depression, considered by the American Heart Association as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.” [excerpted from The Reader by MIT Press.

Starting the day with an omelette and ending with a flavorful chicken meal will surely add to your enjoyment of the day. Make it a jolly one.

Cheese Omelette: 203 calories…  13 g fat …  1 g fiber… 15 g protein…. 8.4 g Carbs…179 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage.  PB GF  It is no wonder why this omelette is such a classic — high in protein and Calcium, low in carbs AND a delicious way to start the day.

1 ½ two-oz eggs]    HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a  glass measuring cup. Beat up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. ++++ salt, pepper, thyme ++++ 1/2 oz cheese such as Cheddar or Gruyere ++++ 1 Tbsp Greek yogurt, 5% fat ++++ 2 oz unsweetened applesauce +++ Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [75 calories] 

Whisk the eggs with yogurt and seasonings to taste. Grate the cheese. Put the eggs into a hot pan spritzed with cooking spray. Once the bottom of the eggs are set, sprinkle with cheese, fold and plate. Spoon out the applesauce, prepare your beverage of choice.

Chicken Provincal: 252 calories… 12.5 g fat… 4 g fiber… 25.4 g protein… 15 g carbs… 57 mg Calcium…  PB GF This recipe is from the Culinary Institute of America, with a few tweeks by me. It glows with the warm tastes of Provence.  HINT: This recipe serves two [2] diners.

++ 6 oz chicken breast, boneless & skinless ++++ 1½ Tbsp white whole wheat flour ++++ 2 tsp olive oil ++++ 1 garlic clove, minced ++++ 1 anchovy fillet ++++ 2 Tbsp dry white wine ++++ 1 c tomatoes, chopped, juice retained ++++ ¼ c. chicken stock ++++ 5 cured black olives, sliced ++++ pinch salt ++++ 2 pinches rosemary ++++  per person: 2 oz broccoli florets ++

Fillet the chicken breast meat by cutting it along the thin side [parallel to the cutting board] to create 2 slices each ½” thick. These will cook faster, and look like more food on the plate! Sprinkle flour over the chicken to coat it lightly on both sides. Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet and cook the chicken on one side for 3 minutes. Turn to cook the other side, remove from pan. Put the garlic, anchovy, tomatoes, and wine in the pan, then add the chicken stock, olives, and rosemary. If there is flour left over from coating the chicken, stir it into the sauce. Cook until the sauce thickens. Return the chicken to the pan to heat it briefly. If the sauce is in danger of cooking off, add some tomato juices or water or more stock. Cook broccoli and enjoy your meal from southern France.