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...