People who are new to Fasting often pose the question: “Can I really eat ‘anything I want’ on a Slow Day?” and “What should I eat on Slow Days?” To answer those questions, I have decided to add some blog posts to show some of the foods we eat on what the world calls NFDs [non-fast days] but which, in our house, we call ‘Slow Days.’ This feature will appear sporadically. Now for the answers. Can you really eat ANYTHING you want on a Slow Day? Not really. If you eat too many calories every Slow Day, you will not lose weight. There are many questions asked on the FastDiet Forum which tell the tale. But once in a while your can splurge, as long as it isn’t every day. For what to eat on Slow Days, Dr. Mosley recommends a Mediterranean Diet. As for how we eat, an example follows.
We had arrived back home after a few days away, and needed a quick meal. A trip to the local fish market gave us the idea of stuffed haddock, always a favorite. There were odds and ends of items in the ‘fridge: some snap beans, a little lettuce, some pickled vegetables [see SPICY, posted 12 Sept, 2018], and some leftover artisan bread. Herbs from the garden and a nice Rossignol Estate Winery‘L’Acadie Blanc‘ rounded out the meal.
How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Monday, eat the meals that will be posted on Sunday. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.
According to the ancient calendar of northern European “pagan” culture, we are now 5/8 through the solar year. Those worthy sun observers noticed 4 major astronomical events: 2 solstices and 2 equinoxes. Those were ‘Quarter Days’ and deserving of a festival. Split those in two, and you have the 4 Cross-Quarter Day. There were calendars in most of the pre-Christian cultures, based on the sun and/or moon, marked often by the location of the sun over standing-stones. The parts of the year therefore have different names in different cultures: Thorri, Goa, Einmanudur, Harpa, in Iceland. Imbolc, Beltain, Luignasa, and Samhain to the Irish Celts. Candlemas, May Day, Lammas, and Martinmas to the Christian peoples of England. Lammas is the harvest festival, marking the gathering-in of wheat or other cereal crops. Despite its Christian associations, it is steeped in pagan traditions: baking special breads, crafting corn dollies, feasting and dancing.
Baking bread with sprouted grain is part of a Lammas festival, so we will have sprouts in our eggs at breakfast. The yield of the field will be evident in the dinner, made with fresh vegetables, wrapped in a grain-based crêpe.
Sprouted Bake: 270 calories… 5.6 g fat… 3.7 g fiber… 13.8 g protein… 36.6 g carbs… 226 mg Calcium… PB GF Time to get the sprouts out of the sandwiches and into the breakfast.
++1 two-oz egg ++++ ¼ c radish sprouts ++++1/2 oz avocado ++++1 Tbsp low-fat cottage cheese ++++¼ cup blueberries++++optional: blackish coffee or blackish tea ++++ optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie, green smoothie or natural apple cider
Mash the avocado and mix with the cottage cheese. Heat the toaster oven to 350 degrees F. Spritz an oven-proof dish with cooking oil or spray and put the sprouts in it. Whisk the egg with the avocado mixture and pour over the sprouts. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Portion the fruit and pour the beverages.
Crêpes with Chicken Ratatouille: 249 calories… 5 g fat… 6 g fiber… 27.6 g protein… 32 g carbs… 190 mg Calcium… PB Galettes/Crêpes are wonderful to have on hand for use with a variety of fillings. If you had the crêpes and the filling previously-made, then the meal goes together in no time.
+++2 buckwheat galettes** ++++ 1.5 oz chicken breast ++++ ½ cup Mediterranean Vegetables++++1/2 Tbsp goat cheese ++++ 1 Tbsp low-fat cottage cheese ++++ herbes de Province OR tarragon++++ 3/4 oz carrots+++
If making galettes from scratch now: prepare the batter and let stand 30+ minutes. If using frozen galettes, put them in a plastic bag on the counter and let them thaw. Turn on the oven to 250 degrees. Cut the chicken into <1/2” pieces. Put into pan with the Med.Veg. and heat enough to warm the veg, reduce the liquids, and cook the chicken. Take off heat. Prepare the crêpes: either cook them now from batter or finish the thawing process by putting them in a warm oven. Add cheeses to mixture in the pan, and stir to combine. Toss in lots of herbes de Province or fresh herbs to taste. Arrange the crêpes on a cookie sheet and divide the filling among them. Fold over, pressing down gently. Heat in the warm oven and serve with the happy crunchy carrots. **BUCKWHEAT GALETTES: 1 batch makes 20 galettes, each using 3-4 Tbsp batter each galette = 50 calories … 0.5 g fat … 1.4 g fiber… 2 g protein… 8.5 g carbs… 6 mg Calcium…TIP: Keep some cooked galettes in the freezer for ‘instant’ use.
++ 1 cup unbleached flour ++++ ¾ cup buckwheat flour ++++ scant 2 cups water ++++ 2 two-oz eggs ++++ ½ tsp sea salt ++
Whisk the flours and the water until batter is smooth. Add the salt, then the eggs one at a time. Whisk vigorously. When you lift the whisk, the batter should fall off in ‘ropes.’ Let sit for 2 hours or over night. HINT: batter could be divided into 1 cup or ½ cup portions and frozen.If using frozen batter, whisk it vigorously after it thaws, and add a bit of water. Heat an 8” cast-iron pan or ceramic saute pan. Lightly spritz with oil. Dip a ¼ cup measure into the batter and let the extra drain off. Grasp the handle of the cook pan with one hand as you slowly pour the batter into the center of the pan. Tilt the pan quickly in a swirling pattern to let the batter form a circle roughly 6” in diameter. Don’t get hung up on perfectly round or perfectly flat. Watch the galette cook and look to see when the edges start to dry and curl a bit. Using a heat-resistant but non-scratching tool [I use my fingers], lift the galette and turn it over. Cook the other side until done. Time will vary, depending on the heat of your pan. Lift the cooked galette out, put it aside, and cook the next one. HINT: if storing them for later today or tomorrow, let them cool on a tea towel, then stack and store in a plastic bag with waxed paper between them.
Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion
How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Monday, eat the meals that will be posted on Sunday. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.
On 11 July, 911 AD, we find ourselves in the region of Eure in the lower Seine valley. The Viking Rollo [Hrolf to his family] and his merry band of mauraders had made a sweet deal with the locals: you French give us the lands around the lower Seine River and the coastline, and we’ll stop raiding you. King Charles the Simple and his advisors agreed to the deal, and Rollo, a giant of a man who was so large that no horse could hold him [hence his nickname “The Granger” or Walker], became Duke of Normandy. The day almost ended badly. The haughty King Charles told his new vassal to kiss his foot. The unbowed Rollo refused but told one of his henchmen to do it for him. The henchman, unwilling to bow to honor the king’s foot as he sat astride his horse, instead grabbed the foot and raised it to his lips, almost tipping the king over! Rollo was generous to his followers, and gave much land to his half-brother, Bernard, called ‘The Dane’ [even though he was from Norway]. Bernard is my direct ancestor and he settled the town of Thury which is named after his battle cry: Thor-aie! The family name became ‘Harcourt‘, also a place name in Normandy and a well-known name in England. Rollo’s great-great-great-grandson became William the Conqueror, but that’s for another day. Once in France, these Vikings became known as “Normans”, short for “North-men”, and the land they were given became “Normandy”.
Since Rollo and Bernard woke up on July 11 as Norsemen, we will enjoy marinated herring for breakfast. Since they went to bed on July 12 as Frenchmen, we will dine on crêpes made with Jarlsberg cheese, because Rollo and Bernard’s father was ‘Jarl’ [earl] of Møre, Norway. Enjoy your Fast Day, and shout ‘Thor-aie!!”
Herring Plate: 292 calories 8.4 g fat 4.9 g fiber 12.6 g protein 32.8 g carbs 199 mg Calcium PB If you like herring, this is the breakfast for you. It makes a nice change from morning eggs and this is prepared in no-time-flat. Get your doctor’s OK to eat herring if you are taking a MAOI antidepressant medicine, as herring is high in tyramine.
+++3 Finn Crisp crackers +++ 1.25 oz herring marinated in wine [not sour cream] ++++ 2 Tbsp whipped cream cheese ++++ 4 Bing cherries OR ½ cup strawberries, sliced ++++ 3 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider ++++ optional: blackish coffee or tea or lemon in hot water +++
Do I need to describe this preparation? Spread the cream cheese on the crackers and pile on the herring. Delicious and so satisfying.
Crêpes w/ Ham & Cheese, home version: 283 calories 13 g fat 2.8 g fiber 15 g protein 27 g carbs [21 g Complex] 125 mg Calcium PB Not the street-food version of the crêpe, the filling is more like a Croque Monsieur.
++2 crêpes/buckwheat galettes ++++ 1 oz ham, diced or ground ++++ ½ oz Jarlsberg cheese, grated ++++ 3 Tbsp Béchamel sauce, no cheese ++++ 5 oz asparagus OR 2 oz tomatoes + 1 c. lettuce, shredded ++++ dressing: ½ tsp olive oil + 1 tsp cider vinegar + ½ tsp Dijon mustard
If the crêpes are in the freezer, thaw draped with a tea towel. If the crepe batter is frozen, thaw it, then cook the crepes, keeping them warm in a tea towel. Dice or grind the ham and grate the cheese. Combine ham, cheese, and Béchamel sauce. Divide it between the crepes and warm in a slow oven until warmed through and the cheese is melty. Cook the asparagus OR Whisk the salad dressing, then toss with the lettuce and tomato. Simple and good to eat.
Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion
How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to Jasmine Eclipse who is now Following.
Is there a connection among the atom bomb, swimwear, and the Fasting Diet? Yup. On July 1, 1948, the US detonated an atom bomb on its test site named “Bikini Atoll” in the Pacific Ocean. On July 5, 1946, Louis Réard debuted a novel 2-piece bathing suit in Paris. He had been beaten to the punch by a designer from the Riviera who called his skimpy suit “L’Atome” since the atom was the smallest particle known. Réard dubbed his version “le Bikini”, after the site of the nuclear test. The suit, made from 4 tiny triangles of fabric, was daring in its brevity and that it showed the wearer’s navel. The name stuck but Réard, a mechanical engineer by training, had difficulty making many sales at his mother’s Paris lingerie shop because of social reaction. There was a popular song in 1960 about bikinis, but not until Ursula Andress rose from the sea in a white bikini did the look really take off. The rest is history.
It is Summer in the Northern Hemisphere and people are going to the beach. Are you going in a muu-muu or a bikini? The Fast Diet will help you to get into a slimmer body better than any diet I’ve ever tried. What you wear after you achieve your target weight is entirely up to you. Today’s breakfast is delicious and easy to prepare. The dinner is full of the rich flavors of the French Riviera. Both are perfect for getting you onto the beach for a trim swim.
Citrus Breakfast: 290 calories 1.6 g fat 3.6 g fiber 21 g protein 48 g carbs [38 g Complex] 289 mg Calcium PB GF Is this the breakfast you imagine when you think ‘go on a diet’? Does it look like starvation rations? Banish those thoughts! Delicious, nutritious, and filling, this is a great breakfast for anyone, any day. And it has tons of Vitamin C and A and D.
½ cup reduced-fat cottage cheese 2 Tbsp fat-free French Vanilla1 clementine, peeled and sectioned 2 Tbsp black currants 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural apple cider blackish coffee, blackish tea, or lemon in hot water
Combine all the dairy and fruit [or combine the dairy and garnish with fruit after plating]. Knowing that I would have a busy morning, I did this the night before and refrigerated it. Great for a grab-and-go meal. With the hot beverage and smoothie, it is a vitamin-blast.
Feta-Tuna-Bean Salad: 306 calories 14.6 g fat 5.3 g fiber 19.3 g protein 24 g carbs [23 g Complex] 230 mg Calcium PB GF This salad has a lot going for it. Perfect for a hot summer evening.
1 oz canned tuna, drained 1/4 cup white beans, drained and rinsed 1 oz feta cheese, crumbled 2 oz tomatoes, cubed 1.5 oz red bell pepper, cut as large dice 1 pitted ripe olives, sliced 1/2 hardboiled egg, in wedges or chopped 1-1/2 cups baby greens OR full-sized leaves sliced cross-wise 1 tsp olive oil + 1 tsp lemon juice + lots of herbes de Province + pinch garlic powder
Prepare the vegetables as described above. Whisk the oil, lemon juice, herbs and garlic in a 2-cup bowl. Add the greens and toss gently but thoroughly. Place the greens in the serving bowl and nestle the tuna in the center. Arrange all the other ingredients on top in a manner that pleases you.
How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Monday, eat the meals that will be posted on Sunday. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to mencanmakehomes who is now Following.
Tomatoes are such a ubiquitous food that it is hard to imagine a time when they were absent from world-wide cuisine and even feared as poisonous. Tomatoes are native to South America, where they might still be growing wild in Peru. They were introduced to Europe in the 1500s by Cortès. Botanically, they are members of the Nightshade Family, which includes the known poison deadly nightshade. Due to that association, this untried fruit was viewed with suspicion. But a few intrepid biologists/physicians/cooks were convinced that they were safe to eat, and their use caught on in Europe. On July 28, 1820, Robert Gibbon Johnson in Salem, New Jersey made a rash announcement: he would sit on the courthouse steps and eat tomatoes!! A crowd gathered, thinking/fearing/hoping [?] that he would die. He didn’t and thereafter, tomatoes grew in gardens and in popularity.
Our meals today feature the famed ‘love apple’, with eggs and enchiladas.
Broccoli-Olive-Tomato ScrOmelette: 291 calories 8.6 g fat 4 g fiber 18 g protein 38 g carbs [36 g Complex] 252 mg Calcium PB GF Sometimes things in the ‘fridge say, “Put us in eggs for breakfast.” Who am I to deny their urging?
1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. 1 oz broccoli 1 Tbsp cottage cheese 1 oz tomato 1/2 black olive ¾ tsp Parmesan cheese pinch of basil 2 oz strawberries black coffee or black tea or lemon in hot water 5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie
Dice the tomato and drain in a strainer, overnight if possible. Drain the cottage cheese overnight if it is very liquid. Steam the broccoli and chop it finely. Chop the black olive. Into a hot saute pan spritzed with non-stick spray, add the tomato, broccoli, and olive. Stir until warmed. Whisk the eggs with the cottage cheese and pour over the vegetables in the pan. Scramble or fold as an omelette, hence ScrOmelette, and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Prepare the beverages and plate the berries. Bliss.
Enchiladas Suizas: 293 calories 9.9 g fat 11.2 g fiber 31.6 g protein 43.4 g carbs 261.7 mg Calcium PB GF Rick Bayless relates this recipe in his book Mexico One Plate At A Time. Delicious and easy to prepare. Avoid assembling too far in advance, lest it turn to mush.
2 six-inch corn tortillas [50 calories each] 2 0z [½ cup] shredded cooked chicken breast ½ cup enchilada sauce*** ¼ cup grated Cheddar or Monterey jack cheese 1 oz broccoli florets + 1 oz cauliflower florets + ½ oz carrot
***Enchilada Sauce 1 cup = 75 calories two 28-oz cans whole tomatoes 2 jalapeno peppers 3 tsp vegetable oil [canola] 1 cup chopped onion 2 cups chicken broth
Roast the peppers in a dry skillet over medium heat about 5 minutes until splotchy with black areas. Put in a blender with the tomatoes and whirr until smooth. Cook onions in oil until golden, about 7 minutes. Raise heat and add tomato puree. Cook 10-15 minutes until thickened like tomato paste. Add broth, cover partially and simmer 15 minutes until slightly soupy. Season with ½ tsp salt.
Heat oven to 350 F. On an ungreased heavy skillet, place the tortillas and cook them until they begin to brown on one side. Flip in the pan and continue until each tortilla is pliable and slightly fragrant. Remove to a cutting board or baking sheet. Distribute the chicken between the tortillas, then roll up the tortillas, and place each in an oven-proof dish, seam-side down. Spoon the sauce over and around and between the enchiladas. NB: you don’t have to use all of the sauce. Extra could be frozen or added to eggs or soup. Sprinkle with cheese and put into oven for 20 minutes. Cook the vegetables, drain and dress with salt and a splash of red wine vinegar. So good!
Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion
How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to 2020 Cooking Adventures who are now Following.
Some people just don’t like eggs — don’t want to see them, don’t want to taste them. Not for breakfast, not for dinner. So while we are delighted to eat eggs for breakfast on both Fast Days, that idea is repugnant to others. If you are one, I have some breakfast ideas for you.
Bannock & Bacon: 284 calories 3.8 g fat 3.2 g fiber 18.7 g protein 43.6 g carbs [33 g Complex Carbs] 176.5 mg Calcium PB For years we have enjoyed this on Slow Days, only to find that it fits for Fasting, too. See 15 April 2018 for recipe.
Citrus Breakfast: 290 calories 1.6 g fat 3.6 g fiber 21 g protein 48 g carbs [38 g Complex] 289 mg Calcium] PB GF Is this the breakfast you imagine when you think ‘go on a diet’? Does it look like starvation rations? Banish those thoughts! Delicious, nutritious, and filling, this is a great breakfast for anyone, anyday. And it has tons of Vitamins C and A and D. See 28 March 2018 for recipe.
Herring Plate: 292 calories 8.4 g fat 4.9 g fiber 12.6 g protein 32.8 g carbs 199 mg Calcium PB If you like herring, this is the breakfast for you. It makes a nice change from morning eggs and this is prepared in no-time-flat. See 30 July 2017 for recipe.
Oatmeal Pudding: 301 calories 3 g fat 3 g fiber 15 g protein 16.3 g carb 198.6 mg Calcium GF PB A riff on a recipe found in Marion Cunningham’s Breakfast Book,this can easily be prepared the night before. NB: THIS MAKES ENOUGH FOR TWO [2] SERVINGS. Make them both, as two are as easy as one, and freeze the other.See 15 Nov 2017 for recipe.
10-Grain Pumpkin Pudding: 277 calories 7.6 g fat 6.8 g fiber 12.8 g protein 41 g carbs 249.4 mg Calcium PB The delicious, nutty grains in the cereal seemed to call out for pumpkin and spices, and here’s the result. This recipe is easily prepared the night before and refrigerated for a quick and delicious breakfast. See 21 March 2018 for recipe.
How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to kmwhitaker who is now Following.
Philadelphia, The City of Brotherly Love. In 1682, William Penn received a charter from English King Charles II to establish a colony in the American wilderness. Penn envisioned a haven for his fellow Quakers who were distrusted at home because they would not adhere to the Church of England. The new colony became Pennsylvania [‘Penn’s Woodland’] and the initial settlement was on the banks of the Delaware River. True to his peaceful principles, Penn made a treaty with the local native people instead of treating them with contempt. [Depicted in Edward Hicks’s famous Peaceable Kingdom.] Quakers and other religious dissenters flooded to the colony, and by 1787 Philadelphia was the largest city of the new land. Few cities are so tied to the emergence of our nation, and today tourists flock there to see Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and the Franklin Institute. Modern attractions include the Philadelphia Museum of Art [Rocky ran up the steps], the public parks, the colleges and universities, the sports franchises, and the long list of locals of movies filmed there.
When the topic is food, two things come to mind: scrapple [a mixture of cornmeal and pork which is sliced and pan-fried] and Philly Cheese-Steak. Our breakfast eggs will be flavored with scrapple, a simple treat. The Cheese-Steak, a favorite since the 1930s, is always served on a hoagie roll often with Cheese-Whiz. But the roll has got to go on a Fast Day, and Provolone was the original cheese in the meal, [besides, I wouldn’t have Cheese-Whiz in the house!] so we cook it in the traditional way and serve it en casserole with a cut-out of famous Pennsylvania bread on top in the shape of the even more famous Liberty Bell.
Scrapple Bake: 290 calories 7.4 g fat 6 g fiber 14 g protein 39 g carbs 220 mg Calcium GF Scrapple is one of the specialty foods of the “Pennsylvania Dutch” people of South Eastern Pennyslvania. Excellent for breakfast, served as a side dish like sausage or combined with eggs in this bake.
1 two-oz egg 1/2 oz scrapple, baked until cooked ½ oz scallion, chopped ½ cup raspberries + 1 Tbsp fat-free vanilla yogurt blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water 5-6 oz fruit smoothie, green smoothie or natural apple cider
The night before, bake the scrapple in the oven until firm. Dice it and combine with the scallion. In the morning, set the toaster oven at 350° F. Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray. Scatter the scrapple and scallion in the ramekin. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper and pour over the scrapple. Bake 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile, portion the berries and dollop the yogurt on top. Brew the hot beverage and pour the smoothie. A fine, homey breakfast.
Philly Cheesesteak en Casserole: 264 calories 11 g fat 1.2 g fiber 33.7 g protein 11.3 g carbs [8.9 g Complex] 263 mg Calcium The iconic street food of Philadelphia has been made over for Fast Day. Goes together in minutes.
1 oz onions, sliced 2-1/2 oz rare roast beef, shaved by the deli 0.8 oz Provolone cheese [2 thin slices] 1-1/2 oz broccoli florets 1 slice 80-calorie whole-grain bread, from which you will cut a 3-4” bell
In a small skillet sprayed with non-stick spray, cook the onions in a little water until they are limp but not browned and set them aside. Take a slice of Martin’s potato bread and cut out a bell shape using a 3-4” cookie cutter. Lightly toast the bread. Add the beef to the pan and cook the meat while chopping at it with a metal turner. Add the onions when the beef is grey-colored and soft. Boil/steam the broccoli while the meat cooks. Lay the cheese over the meat and take off the heat. The cheese will melt onto the beef. Make room in the pan for the broccoli and top with the bread bell. Enjoy your taste of Philadelphia while you hum the theme to Rocky.
How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Monday, eat the meals that will be posted on Sunday. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to Yummy-ciouss who is now Following.
Have you ever heard of Charles Babbage ? NO?!? The fact that you are reading this on a computer should give you a clue… On June 21, 1822, Babbage proposed his Analytical Engine, Difference Machine II which eventually lead to the development of modern computers. The inspiration for his machine came from a weaving loom developed in France in 1804 by Joseph Marie Jacquard. The loom required cards with holes punched in certain locations to “program” where the threads would cross over or under. So Babbage designed a machine with ‘punch cards‘ [those of us of a certain age will remember those with distaste]. It was not actually built until 1991. If you watch the video about the Analytical Engine, you might see a similarity to the machine in the film The Imitation Game about WW2 code-breakers. Interesting coincidence: Babbage was also a code-breaker.
When dieting, there are several numbers that are worth computing. Using the calculations below, you can tell if your weight is in the ‘normal’ range, and how many calories to eat each non-Fasting day to achieve the weight you want to be.
Fun Fact: There are 3500 calories in one pound of fat. But I’ve read that you need to burn 7000 calories to lose one pound. What do we need to know to do that? Read on:
BMI = Body Mass Index, according to the NIH, is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to adult men and women. This is a rough way to calculate if you are obese, over weight, or normal weight. It works less well for people with a lot of muscle [athletes or body builders] and those with less muscle [older people with sarcopenia]. To Calculate: divide your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared; then multiply the result by a conversion factor of 703. The formula is: BMI = weight in pounds / [height in inches x height in inches] x 703.
BMR = Basal Metabolic Rate which says how many calories your body uses up by simply existing. When you sleep or sit down to read, you are still burning calories, and that is what this measures. To calculate it for males: BMR = (height in centimeters x 6.25) + (weight in kilograms x 9.99) minus (age x 4.92) + 5. For females: BMR = (height in centimeters x 6.25) + (weight in kilograms x 9.99) – (age x 4.92) minus 161. Do the calculation twice: once using the WEIGHT YOU ARE and once using the WEIGHT YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE.
TDEE = Total Daily Energy Expenditure This looks at how much energy your body uses [BMR] and your physical activity level [PAL] to calculate how many calories per day you could eat in order to lose weight. It is better to be conservative in your activity level. For weight loss, use the BMR number based on the WEIGHT YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE.
My TDEE = 1450 calories for Slow Days [our droll little name for Non-Fast Days] Do I ever exceed that? Sure I do! Holidays, birthdays, other celebrations. But then there will be a Fast Day to correct for it. Do I obsessively count calories every day? No. By now I pretty much know what and how to eat to stay on track: wholesome, home-made, locally-sourced, real food in sensible portions.
Sedentary
Little or no Exercise/ desk job
TDEE = 1.2 x BMR
Lightly active
Light exercise/ sports 1 – 3 days/ week
TDEE = 1.375 x BMR
Moderately active
Moderate Exercise, sports 3 – 5 days/ week
TDEE = 1.55 x BMR
Very active
Heavy Exercise/ sports 6 – 7 days/ week
TDEE = 1.725 x BMR
Extremely active
Very heavy exercise/ physical job/ training 2 x/ day
TDEE = 1.9 x BMR
Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion
How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to SmartDiet who is now Following.
Jacques-Yves Cousteau — you know who he is. If you are part of my generation, your interest in environmentalism and the ocean are probably due to him. Back when I was teaching Oceanography, every student knew his name. He was born on June 11, 1910 in South-Western France. While growing up, he loved swimming and mechanical tinkering. During WW2, Cousteau was in a spy ring as part of the French Resistance and during that same time, developed the ‘Aqua-Lung‘ with Émile Gagnan. It was debuted in 1948, when the two engaged in the first underwater archeology project involving divers using what is now called ‘SCUBA’ gear. He, his team, his mission, and his ship Calypso were popularized in the hit TV series The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau, which opened the world’s eyes to the wonders beneath the waves.
In sea water, one is nearly weightless — but not so on land. Hélàs, out of the water, we are well-aware of our weight. If you want to do something to transform your body, join me in Fasting 2 days each week. It can make a big difference. The featured breakfast uses flavors popular in Southern France: salt cod and garlic. Put them in eggs for a taste of the sea from Marseille, Cousteau’s home port. Dinner puts the fish in a ‘boat’: a tip of the hat to finned sea creatures and to Cousteau’s famous ship.
Marseille Omelette: 297 calories 8 g fat 2.6 g fiber 22 g protein 33 g carbs [29 g Complex] 231 mg Calcium PB GF Garlic, tomatoes, salt cod, and lavender: all flavors of Marseille on your breakfast plate.
1 ½ eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume, into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week 1/3 oz salt cod, soaked 1 clove garlic, minced large pinch dried lavender OR herbs de Province 2 oz sliced fresh tomatoes Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie[88 calories] Optional:blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]
The night before: Soak the salt cod in water for 30-40 minutes, until softened. Mince and combine with the garlic and lavender. Next morning: Heat a cast iron or non-stick pan and spritz it with oil or cooking spray. Whisk the eggs with the flavorings and pour into the hot pan. Instead of scrambling it, allow it to cook until the bottom is cooked and the top is firming up. Gently flip it to the other side to cook briefly. Plate with the tomatoes. Serve with the beverages of choice.
Cucumber Boats with Salmon: 258 calories 12.4 g fat 3 g fiber 20.4 g protein 19 g carbs 162 mg Calcium PB GF So easy for the summer or anytime.
one 3.5 oz cucumber, of which you will use half to serve one person 1/2 Tbsp watercress sauce, optional 2¾ oz cooked salmon 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1/8 oz leek ½ cup 4-bean salad
Slice the leek and blanch until soft in a little water in the microwave. In a bowl break up the salmon and combine with the sauce, mustard and leek. Slice the cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out most of the seeds with a melon-baller. Mound the salmon into the cucumber boats and plate with the 4-bean salad.
How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to healthybodysupport who is now Following.
Do you have those days when things seem all mixed up and normal tasks don’t seem normal at all? With luck, those are infrequent, although those who study the brain counsel us not to get in a rut. Learn a new skill; go home a different way; eat with the other hand. Shaking up the routine can build new neural networks in the brain, which is good for brain health. Fasting is also good for brain health. One study showed that mice who ate a calorie restriction diet actually grew new neurons! I’m all for that.
Today’s meals mix it up a bit. The eggs are flavored with the green chiles of New Mexico — but instead of rolling it in a tortilla, we’ll use a French buckwheat crêpe. The dinner is a sushi which is not in rolls and does not contain raw seafood. The word ‘sushi’ really means ‘sour-tasting rice’ and we do serve rice here with lots of delicious toppings as an Edo-style scattered sushi.
Green Chile-Egg Crêpe:PB The bite of the green chiles, the nutty taste of the crêpe, the rich taste of egg: what a remarkable flavor combination. Eat with a fork or pick it up in your hand.
1 crêpe [see SIDEKICKS I, Sept 17, 2017 for recipe] one 2-oz egg 2 Tbsp roasted green chiles 1 oz pears blackish coffee, blackish tea, or lemon in hot water 5-6 oz smoothie or natural apple cider
Whisk the egg with the chiles and pour into a 6” cast iron pan or small saute pan spritzed with non-stick spray. [If serving two, pour egg mixture into a 4×6” oven-proof dish spritzed with non-stick spray. Bake at 350 F. for 12 minutes] Cook the egg by gently lifting the edges to allow un-cooked egg to flow underneath. Meanwhile, gently heat the crêpe: wrap in a tea-towel and put in the microwave for 1 minute OR put in an un-greased saute pan over low heat for 1 minute, then turn over for another 30 seconds. Plate the crêpe with the fruit, put the egg on top of it, then fold over. Pour the beverages and put some zip in your morning.
Mixed Sushi: 286 calories 8.5 g fat 3.6 g fiber 18.8 g protein 33.7 g carbs 39 mg Calcium PB GF Our younger son introduced us to this recipe. Imagine: ‘Sushi’ without raw fish. Good use for leftover beef and avocado. HINT: This serves 2 [two]. Invite a friend or save for lunch/dinner another day. Made to be served at room temp.
1 cup brown rice, cooked and cooled HINT: Make the day before and refrigerate or use leftovers from a meal 1 tsp rice wine vinegar 1 egg 1 tsp soy sauce + pinch sugar [sugar is optional] 3 oz avocado, in long slices 1 oz grilled beef, in long strips OR substitute grilled chicken breast 2 oz smoked salmon, in long slices 2 oz cucumber OR zucchini in long slices
Combine the rice with the vinegar and let sit. Whisk the soy sauce with the egg and cook the egg as a flat omelette in a lightly-spritzed non-stick pan. Remove from the pan and cut into long strips. Slice the avocado, beef, salmon, and cucumber in long strips, but not longer than the diameter of the bowl in which you will serve it. Put the rice into two bowls with a wide diameter. Distribute the rice evenly over the bowl. Lay the other ingredients on top of the rice in what ever arrangement pleases you. Serve with extra soy sauce and enjoy a quick meal.
3.2 g fiber 18.7 g protein 43.6 g carbs [33 g 
7.6 g fat 6.8 g fiber 12.8 g protein 41 g carbs 249.4 mg Calcium PB The delicious, nutty grains in the cereal seemed to call out for pumpkin and spices, 
Eating well, with creative recipes, to follow the Fasting Lifestyle according to Michael Mosley's "Fast Diet." 
