Are you overweight and cannot seem to get a handle on it even though you have tried too often and seemingly forever? Are you stressed and not sleeping well only to wake up in the morning and wish it was the night before so you could try for another eight hours of sleep? Are you dependent on too many over-the-counter medications - heartburn, gas, pain, constipation, sleep aids? Are you a prisoner to aches and pains and maybe headaches? Do you wish you could make a change for the better and be able to look at the future with a more optimistically healthy (and slimmer)) being? "Reaching For 100" addresses all of the above issues and more in a very concise, sometimes humorous manner. If you do not know where or how to begin, this energetic, spirited, extremely informative book will put you back on track in your life so that you too can enjoy life without the constraints of ill health and/or overweight. This nifty little book includes a thirty day plan of healthy, easy to make meals including recipes, to start the reader on their own road to healthy, energetic, and slimmer living!

Reaching for 100

By Max Izenberg

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2009 Max Izenberg
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4389-9485-7

Contents

Foreward........................................................................viiDedication......................................................................ixAbout The Author................................................................xiIntroduction - No, This is Not Another Diet Book................................xvChapter One - The Foods We Eat..................................................1Chapter Two - Exercise..........................................................23Chapter Three - Water...........................................................33Chapter Four - Less Stress......................................................39Chapter Five - Do the Foods you eat Like you and Love you?......................47Chapter Six - Food For Thought..................................................55Chapter Seven - About Gluten....................................................71Chapter Eight- What's For Dinner (and Breakfast and Lunch)?.....................75Chapter Nine - Come On Over to My House (Into My Kitchen).......................103Chapter Ten - Recipes...........................................................109Conclusion......................................................................147Bibliography....................................................................159Lab Results.....................................................................161Author's Notes..................................................................165

Chapter One

The Foods We Eat

The following are four essential components to how I live my life and can work for you too! I talk about what "FEWLS" our bodies. The next four chapters are the following:

F = food

E = exercise

W = water

LS = less stress

So in Chapter One, let's look at food - what we should eat and how we should eat in order to affect that optimum health, and consequently, the weight loss that we all strive for. And keep in mind throughout this book; we are talking about extending the warranty on our body!

I like to keep the process of eating as simple and basic as possible. I believe people have busy lives and need to keep their menus uncomplicated and as effortless as they can due to time constraints Need I tell you that I "eat to live" not the other way around. Also keep in mind, we're talking about continuing good health and eating right almost guarantees that.

In Chapter Eight I offer you a sample menu of what I eat for a period of four weeks. However before reading my sample menus, you need to keep in mind a few simple rules and guidelines that should be followed for the maximum benefit. Throughout this book, we are talking about extending the warranty on your body - maximizing your life in the healthiest possible way with that wonderful side effect of WEIGHT LOSS!

So here are my "rules". These are what have worked for me and have allowed me to reap the benefits of my lifestyle change for the past twelve years.

I eat five small meals daily - 3 regular meals (although probably smaller amounts than you are used to and as you get into this program more, your portions will also become smaller) with snacks in mid-morning and mid-afternoon.

I eat slowly - slower than I ate in my previous life. This is because it takes your brain about twenty minutes to let your stomach know that it has had enough to eat. So if you rush through your meal, you will most probably eat far more than you realize and will get up from the table with that uncomfortable full feeling. Remember we are trying to avoid those over-the-counter medications that I see so many people taking.

Keeping eating slower in mind, consider that sitting down to eat a meal when you are absolutely starving is not a good option. Your body is so hungry that you will literally eat anything in sight. If you are in a restaurant, you will scarf down that basket of bread maybe even before the waiter takes your order! Waiting until the last minute to eat is also not healthy since it spikes your blood sugar. So to keep your body in good balance you should eat about five times daily - three regular meals and two snacks. I show that in my sample menu plan.

I practice portion control. By that I mean, my portions are probably smaller than those of the average person. You would be surprised how little an amount of food at any given meal can provide your body with the sustenance it requires. Very recent studies show that smaller meals are the key factor in not only weight maintenance, but longevity. And what happens very shortly after you start practicing my lifestyle, is that you will find smaller meals will totally satisfy you.

In nutrition circles, there is a law called "The Law of Portion Size". What this means is that the more food in front of you, the more you will eat. Countless studies have been done on this and it is so true. So if you see smaller portions, it only stands to reason you will eat less.

Since the foods I advocate in this book are so high in nutritional substance, your body will be full rather quickly. When you fill up (or try to) on the standard American diet (SAD) with its processed foods, added sodium, sugars, and fats, food colorings, preservatives, etc., you are ingesting empty calories. This is not what your body needs to "FEWL" itself on a daily basis, thus you are constantly looking for something else to eat!

Once you really get into this lifestyle change and experience the energy and health, you will crave only healthy foods - the ones I mention in this book.

Many times when eating out, I will either share a meal with someone or I will have the waiter wrap up half of my meal even before I start to eat. That way I will not be tempted to eat more than I need to, and also will have another meal for the next day.

As you will see, this is an easy routine to follow. I work with recipes that can be made and kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. I'm not advocating something on Mondays, something for company, and maybe something for your birthday. I'm trying to keep this very simple because you have more to do in your life than worry about what you should eat for the next meal.

During the week, I try to eat dinner at a reasonable time - around 5:30-6:00 p.m. On weekends, I may eat somewhat later. Eating earlier gives you time to move around at night especially if your evening may consist of watching television. Remember we are talking about good health here!

I also juice a couple of days a week generally for breakfast. On the other hand, juicing for dinner will really give your body a first-class kick start for weight loss. Juicing gives you those essential vitamins and minerals as well as those raw enzymes that are so beneficial for your well being. And it also fills you up very nicely! See the recipe section for some of my juicing recipes.

The foods I eat on a very regular basis are the following:

5-7 times weekly: 1. An apple 2. Salad for at least one meal 3 Handful of various types of nuts either with or without raisins 4 6-9 servings of fruits and vegetables 2-4 times weekly: 1. Sardines or similar Omega-3 rich foods such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies (I go into further detail on these beneficial fats later on in this chapter) 2. Hummus, guacamole, bean dip, or pesto with vegetables or good whole grain crackers (not potato chips!) See recipes. 3. Dishes made with brown or wild rice 4. Dishes made with beans 5. An avocado (you need those good fats)

Another absolute rule applies to breakfast. You need to eat well for that first meal of the day so as to get you through the day without starvation setting in. Since breakfast is considered the most important meal of your day, it must be taken very seriously. Too many people eat breakfast on the run or maybe not at all. Or heaven forbid a donut and big gulp! Remember we are talking about extending that warranty - and eating like that might cancel it! Let's take a look why breakfast is so vital to your continuing good health.

When you either skip breakfast or grab something less nutritious, your body starts to go downhill by mid morning and you will then eat anything available - generally speaking one of those "bad" foods I will talk about later on in Chapter Five. Avoiding breakfast is simply not a healthy option - it starts you off on the wrong foot and you will go downhill from there.

With my program, you will begin to see after a very short period of time an increased amount of energy in the morning - not that mid morning letdown because you have filled up on the second-rate mediocre foods that contain no nutritional value.

How in the world could your body get going on that kind of inferior fuel? Let's face it; we put better fuel in our cars than most of us do in our bodies. Eating a nutritional breakfast will help you get through the day smoothly without the tiredness and the cravings for that sugar.

A good breakfast prevents you from experiencing that mid-morning or believe it or not, that mid-afternoon malaise where you want to just put your head down and take a nap. It also fills you up sufficiently so that you will not feel the need to head for the nearest coffee house for one of those mixed coffee drinks that your body is calling for. Some of those drinks can contain as many as seven or eight hundred calories. Remember we're talking about that great side benefit of weight loss here. And it all works together.

Some of the other reasons why breakfast is so important are the following:

> maintenance of a healthy body weight;

> provides the foundation for energy to get through the day;

> affords you some of the fruits and vegetables that make up the 5-7 amounts needed on a daily basis;

> provides a heightened sense of well being.

I like to think of breakfast as setting the stage for the rest of the day. So if breakfast is the first act, it should be a strong one, so your body will follow the lead of good nutrition for the rest of the day. Your body will applaud you at the end of the day since you will have nourished it in a proper fashion. That applause will be manifested in better sleep, better energy, a feeling of well being.

Having set the stage with certain guidelines and rules, I will explain the reasons why nutritionists consistently mention the foods listed below and why you need them on a daily basis. If you are given the reasons why certain foods increase your health and well being, you will be more inclined to eat them on a daily basis.

Fruits and vegetables

Grains

Beans

Fish and poultry (meat - less often)

Nuts

Fats

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Fruits and vegetables are said to be "nature's medicine chest". Let's examine the reasons why they are known in this manner. They are considered so vital to continuing good health for some of the following reasons:

Enzymes - which help to digest the food in that they break down the nutrients in the food in order to nourish every organ in your body and they help to carry out the waste. These are the live enzymes that help maintain our health. Water - most people do not get enough water on a daily basis. Fruits and vegetables contain large amounts of this amazing liquid. Trace minerals - scientists admit they are not even aware of all the trace minerals & vitamins that are contained in fruits & vegetables. So although vitamins are good for you, you may not be getting all the important other trace elements unless you do consume those fruits and vegetables. Let's look at the tomato as an example. Nutritional scientists know that the tomato contains over 2,000 vital nutrients - so many, they do not even have names for them. Phytonutrients or phytochemicals - these awesome elements cleanse out your body - they are considered nature's antibiotics in that they attack the free radicals that exist in your body. As a matter of fact it is these phytonutrients that give the fruits and vegetables their color & the more colorful the better they are for you. So choose dark romaine or spinach lettuce rather than the iceberg type or choose dark red peppers over a lighter color one as examples. They do not contain any preservatives, food coloring, msg, or any other additives - another reason to eat these for your continuing good health. They are tissue selective in that they target various areas of the body - so when your mother always told you that carrots were good for your eyes - maybe she was right! And perhaps the best reason of all - if you fill up on fruits & vegetables you won't have room for the junk foods - so not only will you maintain your health but you'll obviously lose weight.

Countless studies have been done throughout the world relating to the positive effects that fruits and vegetables have on your body - way too many to go into here. However one study that stands out for me and hopefully will bring home to you the importance of eating these miracle foods from nature is this one. British researchers found over a thirty year period of study done in an area of Africa that they were not able to find one case of such common ailments as diverticulitis, hernia, or cancers of the colon or prostate. They could only attribute this to the difference in diet - mainly a reliance on fresh fruits and vegetables and no processed foods!

As an aside here, shortly after I first started my regimen of so many fruits and vegetables, I had gone to my dentist for a cleaning. After looking at my teeth, he asked me what I had changed in my diet. When I told him, he explained that fruits and vegetables have natural ingredients in them that actually help to keep the teeth clean and free of plaque build-up. So in addition to helping you to lose that weight and preserving your health, you can also count on healthier teeth.

You should eat at least five servings of vegetables daily as well as four servings of fruit. With my program, this really becomes quite effortless!

GRAINS

We need approximately 25 grams of fiber daily to keep in optimum health. Grains contain that healthy fiber. That translates to a minimum of three servings of vegetables and fruits daily plus some whole grains (a whole grain breakfast cereal perhaps) and maybe a sandwich made with whole wheat bread. What that fiber does is to make you feel fuller so you will not eat more food than you should. Fiber also moves the waste along in a manner that is so consistent with good health. (Say goodbye to that over the counter constipation medication) You will never be able to stay full by eating donuts for breakfast, sodas for snacks, French fries for lunch, etc.

Note here that only whole grains (not the refined kind) contain the fiber which is so healthy for your body. So check your labels to make sure that the very first ingredient is "whole grain" or "whole wheat". If it says "refined wheat", that means it does not contain the amount of fiber and some of the other essential nutrients you need.

Grains and fiber supply many health benefits including the prevention of constipation, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, helping with weight management and so many other healthy issues. The grains include whole wheat breads, brown and wild rice, whole wheat pastas, whole rye, oatmeal, whole cornmeal, and believe it not - popcorn (watch the butter though!).

Studies have found that the people who include a daily regimen of grains in their diet have a 49% lower risk for weight gain as they age. For optimum health, try eating at least three servings of grains per day including brown rice, cereals, and whole wheat bread and pastas.

BEANS

These proteins are very often overlooked as an excellent food source. Beans contain the fiber that again, our bodies need in order to move the waste products along in a timely manner and also include many other essential ingredients including folate as well as the antioxidants that are so necessary to keep the body in optimum health. Beans will also fill you up so that you will not have the need to eat more than your body will require.

See the bean dip recipes in my recipe section. Try these bean dips and you'll see that you can very easily cut out those sour cream dips that you have been used to.

There is a misconception that the body needs meat for protein in the daily diet. Beans have more protein ounce for ounce than meat and they do not contain the dangerous amounts of Omega-6 artery clogging fats that meats have. And look at it this way - beans are better on your pocketbook! So look at beans as a win-win situation! And considering that beans are one of the foods that are considered pivotal to your health, why wouldn't you include them in your daily regimen?

FISH, POULTRY, MEAT

Eat the good fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, herring, tuna, mackerel, anchovies, and trout. These fish contain the good Omega-3 fats which have proven to be heart healthy. And like the beans mentioned above, they are also a good source of protein which we need on a daily basis. Fish should be eaten at least 3-4 times a week, if not more often.

Turkey is considered one of the foods that is extremely good for you. One of the qualities of turkey is that it contains the tryptophan hormone which is a natural sleep inducer. Chicken as well as turkey is a good source of protein

(Continues...)

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