Letting Go of Fried Food

Fried food was definitely one of those things I had to get rid of. To be frank, it was not as hard as I thought it would be to remove fried food from my diet. Instead of frying my food, I opt for other options such as steaming, baking or just cooking in olive oil. It is very important to maintain a low carb daily intake when incorporating a keto plan into your lifestyle. A keto diet is a very popular diet in relation to losing weight because it turns your body into a fat burning machine.

If you have never heard of the keto diet or know very little about it, you owe it to your self to read up on it. You can find so many great keto-friendly recipes all over the web or in books. But today, I am here to share one of my favorite keto-friendly recipes with you all. This recipe is one of my favorite “non” fried, fried chicken recipes. If you decide to try it, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Ingredients:

• 5 boneless Chicken Breast (dried)
• 1 bag Pork Rinds (crushed)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
• 2 teaspoons Pepper (divided)
• 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
• 4 Eggs
• 2 teaspoons Paprika

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350 F

1 – In a large bowl, mix your pork rinds, Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon pepper, Italian seasoning and paprika together.

2 – In a separate bowl, mix your eggs and 1 teaspoon pepper together.

***You are going to use both bowls to dip your chicken in.***

3 – Take each piece of chicken breast, one at a time, and dip each one into your egg and pepper bowl, ensuring your entire chicken breast is coated. You then want to dip the coated chicken breast into your pork rind and season bowl. Again, ensuring the entire chicken breast is coated.

4 – Once you have coated all of your chicken breast with both mixtures, transfer all your chicken to a baking sheet and bake the chicken for 30 – 35 minutes or until the internal temperature of your chicken reach 175 F.

My History With Carrots

Growing up as a child, I was always chubby. I often ate a lot of junk food because eating healthy and staying active was not a priority in my household. As a teen going through middle and high school, my mom eventually tried to enforce a healthier lifestyle for me. It wasn’t long before I graduated from high school, started working and started eating 3x as much as I did before. Not only was I overweight, but I was unhealthy and my skin was terrible. When I incorporated a healthier lifestyle, I bought myself a juicer and started juicing one vegetable in particular, CARROTS! Despite the countless benefits of carrots, I am going to outline the benefits I noticed in myself when juicing and drinking raw, organic carrots!

Hyperpigmentation On My Face

I’ve struggled with acne for years and as a result, my face was left with a lot of dark spots where pimples once were. Carrot juice is known for it’s beta-carotene and vitamin C properties. Both properties assist in the healing process of the skin. When I started drinking carrot juice, within three weeks, my hyperpigmentation started to improve. Not only did I start having a more even skin tone but I experienced less acne breakouts.

My Primary Care Physician Discontinued My Blood Pressure Medication

Although I am aware obesity can contribute to high blood pressure, it wasn’t until I started drinking carrot juice that my blood pressure decreased. I struggled with hypertension for over 5 years before I started living a healthier lifestyle. Even after losing my first 80 pounds, I still struggled with hypertension. Carrot juice was actually recommended to me by a man I met in a drug store. It wasn’t until I made the small change of drinking a glass of carrot juice every morning that I noticed my blood pressure started to normalize. Overtime, my primary care physician discontinued my blood pressure medication because I no longer suffered from hypertension. Please understand, I am not saying carrot juice cured my hypertension but it definitely was a key factor in normalizing my blood pressure along with my healthy lifestyle.

A Boost In My Immune System

While drinking carrot juice, I stopped getting sick with colds and the flu as often. There were times when I was in a house full of people whom were sick with a cold in which I didn’t catch. In addition, during flu season, I felt symptoms of the flu which lasted about two days and all was good after that. Colds and/or the flu can stick around for weeks at a time but for me, symptoms may last a day or two or not at all. Carrots help your body fight inflammation, cell damage and free radicals as carrots are full of antioxidants. Furthermore, the Vitamin C in carrot juice is beneficial for helping you get through the cold or flu sickness.

**IMPORTANT TO KNOW**

Carrot juice should be consumed in moderation. The beta-carotene found in carrots (the vitamin that gives carrots their orange color) has the potential to change your skin color orange or give you a yellow tint if you over consume. Please consult with your doctor if you have concerns about carrot juice and its benefits or side effects.

Normally, I like to work out twice a day, four to five days a week. I really try to focus on feeding my muscles now; as I have lost a large percentage of my body fat. Before my morning workout, I have an apple along with my “Morning Kick Start Smoothie. Below, I will like to share the recipe of my “Morning Kick Start Smoothie along with the ingredient benefits. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup of almond milk
1 banana
1 tbsp of peanut butter
1 tbsp of non-fat Greek yogurt (I normally buy original, with no flavor)
2 cups of spinach
1 scoops of vanilla whey protein powder
1/2 cup cherries
**Just blend all these ingredients up in a blender and you’re good to go!

**Benefits include but are not limited to…**

>> Almond Milk – Good source of vitamin D, vitamin E, low in calories and low in sugar
>> Banana – Good source of fiber, potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C
>> Peanut Butter – promotes growth in muscles, rich in antioxidants and fiber rich
>> Non-Fat Greek Yogurt – Great source of probiotics, protein, calcium, potassium, zinc, vitamin B6 & B12
>>Spinach – Good source of fiber, antioxidants and high in nutrients
>>Whey Protein Powder – Promotes fat loss, protect muscles and increase energy
>>Cherries – Good source of vitamins C and minerals

I never expected to actually lose 15 pounds in my first week of living a healthier lifestyle. However, I did lose more weight on a weekly basis when I was heavier versus now. I chose a specific diet when starting out and that diet was the “keto” diet. If you have not heard of the keto diet, I highly recommend you gather information on it. There is so much interesting information online and in books about the “keto” diet that is very educational. In short, the “keto” diet is a low carb, high fat diet. The goal is to eat more healthy fats such as avocado, cooking in olive oil, eating nuts, cheese etc while eating a minimum amount of carbs. In order for me to be successful at the “keto” diet, I literally ate the same thing, every day, for my first week. My meal plan is as follows…

Breakfast
1 cup of black coffee
3 boiled eggs
3 pieces of turkey sausage

Snack
1/2 cup almonds
1 apple

Lunch
1 chicken breast
1 cup of cauliflower rice

Snack
2 string cheese
1 cup of watermelon

Dinner
Grilled Salmon and shrimp with lemon butter sauce
1 cup of broccoli

Some people may think, “how can you eat the same thing for a week?” For me, it just worked out that way. When it comes to eating healthy and being active, you really have to find what works for you! I used to spend my Sunday evenings meal prepping for the week. When it was time to start cooking, all I had to do was gather my prepared meals and cook them. Once you determine what works for you and you become more advance in what to eat and what not to eat, you can then start removing and adding to your meal plan as you desire.