Archive for June, 2009

Congratulations to Sarah, who has won our Day 20 contest by telling us about how she finds time for breakfast each day.

Sarah says:
"I’m really bad for sleeping to the last minute and only giving myself a half hour to get ready in the morning. What I have done instead is set my alarm 20 minutes fast. This way I think I’m getting up at 8 but in reality it is 7:40. The extra twenty minutes allows me to grab a breakfast of cereal, toast or yogurt and some type of fruit (whatever we happened to buy that week!)."

Way to trick yourself into having time for breakie! Sarah has won a ‘Daily Dose of Breakfast’ prize pack from Kellogg’s.

Have you entered our Day 32 contest yet?

Congratulations to Jeannine, who has won our Day 26 contest by telling us her hair removal horror story.

Jeannine says:
"Here’s my horror story: I’m of European descent…that’s a horror for hair removal in itself! I still remember being in my late teens and living at home (mom & dad’s). I was in the shower shaving…leaning over, shaving my right shin, and then suddenly noticing that a big chunk of my shin went white…. and then red! I had literally taken a chunk of flesh out of my shin! I must have passed out because next thing I know my mother was tapping my face to wake up. I was in bed, wet, wrapped in a towel and yes, bleeding! My mom was downstairs and heard a huge thump and ran upstairs to see what had happened. I suppose I had gotten out of the shower and tried to reach for the door to yell for my mom’s assistance and must have fainted…my mom said she found me on the bathroom floor with my head one inch away from the bathtub! Yikes. Oh yeah, the horror was also that my dad had to help pick up my naked body and take me to my bed. Yay…fun!"

That is truly horrifying! Jeannine has won a terrific prize pack from Nair, which hopefully will help her stay hair-free and safe.

Have you entered our Day 32 and Day 33 contests yet?

Oh my gosh.

I'm so full.

Even though I'm (usually) sticking to the super-healthy Bikini Boot Camp Six-Week Menu, I must confess that sometimes I may be eating way too much.

I may be eating so much that after some meals, I emit a series of sighs. I have to undo my pants. And all I can think about is napping.

I know I’m not the only one. So why do we eat so much, even when we're trying our hardest to be on our best behaviour?

In his new book, The End of Overeating: Taking control of the insatiable North American appetite, Dr. David A. Kessler cracks the code of overeating by explaining how our bodies and minds are changed when we consume foods that contain sugar, fat and salt. He says that food manufactures create products by manipulating these ingredients to stimulate our appetites, setting in motion a cycle of desire and consumption that ends with a culture of overeaters.

The book seeks to explain why it's so difficult to resist certain foods and why it's so easy to overindulge.

For a chance to WIN a copy of The End of Overeating, just Subscribe To This Blog and post a reply telling us about the food you're most likely to binge on. Maybe you set out to have just a few chips and end up emptying the bag every time. Perhaps you serve yourself a slice of pizza one minute, and the next minute, you discover that half the pizza is gone. (This happens to me all the time.)

You have until Friday, June 12 to let us know. I'll announce the winner here on Saturday, June 13.

Villamere. That's my last name. It's French, but apparently I'm not. If I was, maybe I wouldn't be such a chub-o.

We've all heard that French women don't get fat. But is it true? And why? (And if it is, I'm adding it to my list of reasons to move to France, right below 'Gilles Marini'.)

To find out the answer, I did a little Q&A with Laura Calder, host of the Food Network's 'French Food at Home', member of Chef Network Inc., and author of the cookbooks French Taste - Elegant everyday eating and French Food at Home. She's lived in France for the better part of the past decade, so I tasked her with confirming or dispelling the rumour that France has no fatties.

Q: We've all heard that French women don't get fat. Surely, that's not true. I mean, during your time in France, you must have come across a hefty French lady or two, non?

A: "One or two, yes. But it's not a blanket phenomenon like it is in North America today. The reason is, I suppose, that they are still eating the way we did two generations ago, to some degree:  good quality ingredients (nothing fancy, just meat and potatoes, apples and cheese, etc.), cooked in homey ways (stews, roasts, sautés, etc.) and eaten at meal times sitting down. The French are not snackers.

Really, there's no secret. It's just good eating. And it's guilt-free eating.  Our downfall is that we eat too much packaged food or food that's pumped full of chemicals and hormones, we snack like crazy on junk, and we don't move around enough."

Q: How do you keep your figure? You must be forever tasting things as you cook.

A: "How do I keep my figure? I eat like a farmer from the 1920s. No, seriously, I eat meals and don't snack and I eat really good food: organic meats from a butcher I know and trust, a lot of vegetables. I eat sweet things, too, but all homemade so I know exactly what's in them.  I also walk everywhere I go and I do a lot of yoga.

I think if we put pleasure first, we're healthier. Pleasure equals the best-tasting (and therefore healthiest) ingredients, plus taking the time to enjoy eating with people we love. That's the best healthy-eating program I can think of for anyone."

Q: Oh my gosh, can it be true? Guilt-free eating? Tell me about some of your favourite recipes from your new book, French Taste.

A: "I love the savoury swiss chard tart in the first-courses chapter. I love the craggy chocolate cake in desserts, and all the apple tarts. I love the beef and carrot stew. See . . . all the granny food. That's my bag."

***

None of that stuff sounds like diet fare. All of that stuff sounds delicious. Can it be true - can we eat deliciously decadent foods and stay healthy and slim?

I don't know, but this is definitely worth investigating. I've got a copy of French Taste and I'm going to start cooking. Maybe I am French after all . . .

If you're ready to eat like a French lady and see what happens, just enter for a chance to WIN a copy of Laura Calder's latest book, French Taste.  To qualify, just Subscribe To This Blog and post a reply telling us about a weight loss myth you've debunked or found to be true. Do you eat quality, homemade meat, potatoes and pies like a French person and still stay slim and trim? Does green tea really help you to lose weight? Did you lose weight when you started eating breakfast? Is cabbage soup really the answer? What about detox diets? Or grapefruits?

You have until Thursday, June 18 to let us know about your weight loss myth trials and tribulations. I'll announce the winner here on Friday, June 19.

Bon chance!

Congratulations to Kara B, who has won our Day 23 contest for telling us how she rewards herself for reaching a healthy-living goal.

Kara B says:
"My favourite way to reward myself when I reach a healthy living goal is to have a “me” night. I have a luxurious bubble bath and relax with a glass of red wine and a good book. While in the tub, I put in a deep conditioner in my hair as well as a nice face mask. After that, I give myself an at home manicure and pedicure while watching a movie and indulge in popcorn and 85% cacao dark chocolate (my favourite! I always have some on hand). This process makes me feel even better about myself and ready take on even more."

Kara B has won a copy of Willie Harcourt-Cooze’s new book, Willie’s Chocolate Factory Cookbook, which shows you how to use the ultimate luxury ingredient in a collection of over 60 recipes. What a great reward!

Have you entered our Day 26 contest yet? Check it out. The entries so far are both fabulous and hilarious. Good luck!

Can't there be a meal *between* brunch and lunch?

Since Bikini Boot Camp launched on May 4, you've probably rethought your diet. You may have cut out junk food. Maybe you're forgoing your daily double-double. You could be making your portions smaller. Or perhaps you've stopped snacking whenever you feel hungry.

Hunger. It's something that many dieters grapple with. You're forever tempted to satisfy your hunger with just a bite of chocolate. Just a half a banana. Or, in my case, just a half a dozen doughnuts.

And although weight loss is a struggle, hunger really isn't as serious an issue for most of us as it could be. We're tempted by the goodies stashed in the cupboard. But what if the cupboard was bare?

What if your hunger struggle had less to do with willpower and more to do with cash flow?

Today is National Hunger Awareness Day. This year, the need to help Canada’s hungry is more urgent than ever. In 2008, more than 700,000 Canadians were assisted by community food banks each month and more than a third were children. This year, Food Banks Canada is reporting a 20 per cent increase in the number of Canadians using their services.

With this steep increase in demand, food banks are finding it tough to keep their shelves stocked.

But you can help.

Did you know that if you donate to your local food bank between now and June 12 (that's next Friday), the Kraft Hunger Challenge will match your donation, dollar for dollar? Across Canada, they'll be matching donations up to $150,000.

Over the past five years, the annual Kraft Hunger Challenge has raised more than $2.5 million for food banks across Canada.  This year, Food Banks Canada is hoping to surpass the over $500,000 raised through the Kraft Hunger Challenge in 2008.

Here's how you can donate:

• Online at www.foodbankscanada.ca (Online? Really? That's so handy!)
• By phone by calling 1-877-535-0958
• In person at all participating food banks
• By mail - send your donations to:
  Food Banks Canada
  c/o Kraft Hunger Challenge
  2968 Dundas Street West, Suite 303
  Toronto, Ontario
  M6P 1Y8

A tax receipt will be issued for all donations over $10. And the warm, fuzzy feeling you'll get from helping a fellow Canadian will satisfy you like no doughnut ever could.

So many contests, so many winners during Bikini Boot Camp! 

Congratulations to roxy, who has won our Day 14 contest by telling us about her bad habits with salt.

roxy says:

"Well I think I’ve always had a thing for salt. I remember being a child out for dinner and shaking some in my hand and licking it and I did this many times it was a habit (like I was a horse?). This seems really silly right and I’m sure I’m the only child who did this but now I see why I used to get yelled at! I know why it was so bad but still this salt craze continues. Anything salty I want. Feta cheese, chips, popcorn, fries etc. I will put salt on everything I have been shaking less these days but its so hard not to just think the meal needs it!"

roxy has won a great prize pack from Mrs. Dash, containing all 12 flavours of Canada’s favourite salt-free, flavour-full seasoning plus a step counter and a jump rope.

Have you entered our Day 26 contest yet?