Book Review & Food Pics

I'll save the book review for the last half of this post.  I've had a good, happy weekend so far.  Dwayne came up Friday night.  We got a little snow here, just an inch or two.  I went out on the front porch Sat morn and took a few pics.  We celebrated Valentine's Day on Saturday night, and had dinner at a restaurant called the Marietta Fish Market.  We won't even get into the calorie slaughter I committed....I just let the guilt go for the night, and enjoyed a tremendously delicious dinner with my honey bunny.  We had a great time together!

I had lunch with Billie on Friday, and then hit the gym for a good workout.  I made Sat one of my rest days (used to be Fridays), and Billie and I met at the gym this morning for another great workout.  We even did Mountain Climbers on our own.  I know, unbelievable, right?  Voluntary torture.  I've progressed so far from when I first started exercising, I really have.  I like looking back on things like that, especially on the days that I feel like I may never get there.  Sometimes I have to look behind me to remind myself of how very far I've come.  For anyone new to my blog, my highest weight used to be 340 lbs. a few years ago.  I've lost over 100 lbs so far.  That's progress, and progress feels good, no matter how much further I have to go.  :)

I'll show you some snow pics and then some pics I took of a breakfast casserole I made today.  I sauteed some yellow squash, onions, mushrooms, red & green bell peppers, and spinach.  I put that in the baking dish (sprayed with Pam), then added 3 slices of Canadian bacon that I chopped up, 1 c. of seasoned home fries (bought them on sale at Publix this week), and 1/2 c. of 2% cheddar cheese.  After that, I whisked together 10 egg whites & 1/2 c. of lowfat cottage cheese and poured it on top.  Then I baked it in the oven on 350 for about 40-45 minutes, until the egg whites firmed up and it was nice and brown on top.  I added all the calories and it came to 200 cals per piece (I cut the casserole into 4 equal squares).  Breakfast for the next 4 mornings!! 

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Now for the book review. 

The publisher for this book emailed me a couple of weeks ago and asked if I would read this book and review it on my blog.  I replied and told him I didn't mind reviewing it all as long as he was prepared for an HONEST review, no matter what that meant.  He said that's exactly what he was looking for, so he mailed

me a copy.

I enjoyed this book very much.  It was a quick read...only took me about 3 hours to read it from cover to cover.  The premise of the book is to educate you on cutting sugar and hidden sugars out of your diet in order to lose your weight.  The author lost 100 lbs. with this approach and has kept it off for 5 years.  His wife has lost 70 lbs.  I have to admit I was pretty shocked to learn just how much sugar really is in food.  He gives you a chart with a LOT of food items listed and the equivalency of teaspoons of sugar in that food.  It's really astonishing and qutie eye-opening.  This information is very useful for everyone, so I recommend anyone and everyone to pick up a copy and read it. 

Mr.  Varrieur did his research before writing this book, and gives a very simple, easy-to-understand version of the science behind his approach.  He also lists several different links directing you to where he found some of the information that he provides in his book...something that really impressed me.  This way, it's not just one guy's opinion on something.  What he has to say is based in facts that he has found and believes to be true, and as with anything, it's up to you to check out those same facts and decide if it's something that's right for you.  One little snippet that I had to chuckle over is that we both use the same natural sweetener...raw Stevia, and that we both refuse to use aspartame, because it gives us headaches. 

He has before and after pictures of both he and his wife within the pages that are really quite impressive.  And while I was a bit apprehensive when I read "lose weight...without exercise" on the cover, once I got into the reading I realized that he is a big advocate for exercise, as long as you're doing it for the right reasons.  In other words, don't eat a bunch of high-sugar, high calorie foods and then kill yourself doing cardio 8 hours a day just to work it off.  Do it for fitness, the mental benefits, endurance, stamina, etc.  The right reasons.

He also happens to be a chef and has listed a ton of fantastic-sounding recipes towards the end of his book. 

Matt, the publisher, has offered to mail a copy to 3 different blog readers in a giveaway.  If you're interested in reading the book, leave me a comment telling me so and why.  I'll probably have my roommate Shane randomly pick 3 names, since he doesn't know any of you and it keeps it fair.  You don't need to mention it on your blog and link it back here, and you don't need to say anything on Twitter, because quite frankly, I don't twit.  :)

I'll announce the winners in a couple of days, when I get back from Hell....I mean, my sister's house....on Tuesday.  Hope everyone has a super duper week full of GREAT choices!  :)

Quote For the Day:

Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish."  -John Quincy Adams