Archives for May, 2009

Metabolism slowed down in middle age? Helen Phillips showed America that losing weight — Can Be Done!!! Comments

May 24, 2009 | Weight Loss

Congratulations Helen Phillips!! This 48 year old beat out contestants half her age on NBC’s weight-loss competition, “America’s Biggest Loser” for couples. Helen is living proof that even when your metabolism slows down, you can lose weight.

Helen said “No matter how old you are, you CAN make the change IF you have the dedication and the drive. Helen lost 140 pounds since the competition began in September, 2008 – to win $250,000 grand prize. She overcame a sluggish metabolism by proper diet and exercise.

She praised her husband, Russell, a Chrysler auto worker, for his support. And credited celebrity fitness coach Jillian Michaels for helping her lose the weight during the 18 weeks of the show. Wow!! That’s darn near 10 pounds a week!

I assume NBC provides doctor supervision. For I wouldn’t recommend you try to lose 10 pounds a week – unless you are extremely obese.

I’d also like to praise Helen Phillips for continuing to lose weight after she got home. An additional 32 pounds. She did have a personal trainer in Sterling Heights, Michigan named Shauhen Tahrebandi. Helen said “I couldn’t have done it without him at home.”

Phillips went from 257 pounds to 117 pounds!!

The reason she could lose so much weight – and most of us can’t. Dedication. Total dedication. She worked out six hours a day!! That was two hours in the morning, two hours in the afternoon and two hours in the evening. (I don’t think any of our sport jocks work out that much). Helen is showing us that exercise AND diet are important. Of course, the $250,000 incentive was a huge factor also.

Some weight loss tips for the all of us from Helen Phillips:

Be prepared. Pack your food so you don’t fall into bad habits like stopping for fast food.

Never make Excuses. “It’s a priority now to go to the gym or do some kind of physical exercise every day,” she said.

Believe you CAN do it. “I was tired of doubting myself, she said. “Stop saying you can’t and start saying you can.”

First Published: http://www.squidoo.com/weightlossHelenPhillips

How to Hard-Boil Eggs without Cracking Comments

May 24, 2009 | My Recipe Favorites

Here’s how to hard boil an egg – and have it come out perfectly cooked … without cracking the shells.

Try this very simple method.

Start with eggs that are a bit older. The eggs should be stored in your refrigerator for as little as a week.

* Place the eggs in a pan just big enough to hold them in a SINGLE LAYER.
* Cover the eggs with cold water.
* Bring to a rolling boil.
* Cook for 1-4 minutes (depending on size of egg, and number of eggs in pan.)
* Remove from heat – but keep the eggs in the very hot water.
* When the water has cooled enough that you can put your hand in it
(About 20-25 minutes), the eggs will be perfectly cooked.

What is a perfectly cooked egg? Perfectly cooked eggs are when the yolks are moist and orange (not pale yellow with a dark ring – that’s a classic sign of overcooking). When sliced, the egg will look different that you are used to – because it will NOT be pale and it will NOT have a dark ring around the edge. But trust me — that is a good thing.