The Parisian Diet - Before you begin

5:45 PM AirplaneFoodCritic 1 Comments




The book/diet was written by Dr. Jean-Michel Cohen who is, among many things, a nutritionist in France. The first chapter of The Parisian Diet book is about how you got to the point where you want to lose a bit of weight. Dr Cohen believes you must understand the reasons behind why you struggle with weight loss before you can begin to adress and modify your behavior. He explains how numerous variables impact our eating habits from unrealistic messages in the media to the marketing tactics of the supermarkets and product manufacturers to physical and psychological factors. He gives many reasons for weight gain and I am sure everyone falls into at least one of the categories. Mine is Medication but he also mentions Menopause, Physical Activity Level, Quitting Smoking, Life Changes, Daily Temptations, Stress and Microstresses, Family Dynamics, and much more.

After that he gets right into the diet. There is a cute little calculation he has to find your "Right Weight":

A How much did you weigh when you were 18 w/o dieting?
B How much did you weigh at your heaviest not including pregnancy?
C How much did you weigh at your lightest after 18 diet or no diet?
D What is your current weight?

Add A+B and divide by 2 = Y
Add C+D and divide by 2 = Z
Add Y+Z and divide by 2 = Your Right Weight
Mine is 158

This is cute and fun but it is also a bunch of malarky to me. I don't want to be almost 160!! I am looking to be 140. That is what I am when I go to Hawaii every November. I do it every year so I am sure I can do it again soon. I believe age should be a factor somewhere in there as well but whatever. The number you get from his calculation is supposed to be your "stable weight" I have higher hopes is all.

Ground Rules

  • Remember this diet is about you. No one else can make it happen.
  • Start the diet at your own pace, free of guilt and frustration (haha good luck)
  • Accept that you must change your eating habits (duh)
  • Do not let yourself get discouraged. Take all the time you need. This isn't a race.
  • Focus on the positive, not the stumbles you may make along the way. YOU CAN DO THIS
Guidlines

  • Embrace your desire to lose weight - Write down your goals and revisit them often
  • Define realistic target weight - your Right Weight number should be a reasonable goal
  • Go at your own pace - You don't have to follow rigid guidelines, do what feels best
  • Allow yourself a treat - Keep away the frustration
  • Redefine your habits - This one is a tough one imo. Rediscover the taste of food.
  • Find a balance and manage hunger - Eat your proteins and veggies.
  • Own your diet - Manage food yourself
  • Keep it simple - Stick to the meals you really like.
  • Go easy on the eyes - Make the food more appealing
  • Make healthy choices - We are faced with multiple choices every day.
  • Set your own schedule - time your meals to your own rhythm 
  • Don't change your lifestyle - this book helps in situations like dining out
  • Track your food intake - Post your meal plans on your fridge
  • Weigh in and Measure up - Weigh yourself regularly, take body measurements 
  • Reward yourself!! - Give yourself a little treat every now and then.
More about the diet to come....



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The Parisian Diet

10:33 PM AirplaneFoodCritic 2 Comments





I have looked at my stats and it appears that most people love my recipes. That makes me thrilled and I shall post more now that I know what I make interests people. I never thought I was that special. The BF always tells me that whatever it is I make is the BEST of whatever that is that he has ever had. I believe him too. I know he isn't the type to lie like that for no reason. I am coming to realize that I am a good cook. A damn good one. And I don't mean one that cooks recipes well, but rather one that makes up stuff and it tastes really really good. So I promise to make up more recipes.

Along those lines, I also have some popular views about my diets. My made up healthy recipes and more so, the blogs I post about fad diets are also hella popular. So, I am going to begin another diet, but here's the twist sorry, had to post a link to my favorite show there. I digress....I bought the book and I dislike most of the things in it. I will be changing the diet to meet my needs and likes. I need less carrots, broccoli and fish and more chicken, green beans and corn. This is how I roll.

I bought the book because I love Paris and I love all things French, aka, I am a die hard Francophile. The title sang to me. The obligatory three stages are titled The Cafe Stage, The Bistro Stage and The Gourmet Stage. How cute is that?? I will share more about the actual diet and my changes in following blogs. I just wanted to begin here to get ready. I begin on a Monday, which is tomorrow. I leave for Europe in 25 days from tonight. I am not looking to lose all kinds of weight, but I am always looking to lose weight. Thank GOD I am not on prednisone anymore. That stuff was like the wall of Berlin to my health. I could not do anything to help my health while on that poison. Although, it DID help my pain greatly, it made me a monster. Yes, the actual side effects are, besides ruined bones and organs, is a hunch back and fat face. I, once again, digress. I am not on that stuff anymore, but for anyone who is looking to me for help losing weight while on prednisone, I can not help you. Oh how I tried to find a way, to no end. If YOU know of a way to keep healthy while on steroids, PLEASE let me know. Message me. I tried my heart out to write a health book for those of us on the stuff and I would love love love to actually write one. I already named the book: The Prednisone Diet.  Message me, really.

Back to The Parisian Diet. It is a cute book. It looks like a good book. It has the usual because dieting is always the same stuff in the end; lower calorie intake, less refined carbs, more vegetables and some fruit blah blah blah. This one, I can tell you, had more yogurt than most. The French love yogurt. I am not as huge a fan but there is a difference too. French yogurt is totally different from American yogurt. If I find a place or store that sells French yogurt, I will for sure share with you, but as it stands, I will be using Kiefer instead of American yogurt. The rest of the diet is the same old same old as I said.

I have to get to bed right now, but I will share the exact diet as well as my twists with you in the blogs to come. Get ready, for tomorrow, I will begin The Parisian Diet with you.

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European Vacation Itinerary Part 3 - Mittenwald & Meersburg with Neuschwanstein and Linderhof Castles

12:14 AM AirplaneFoodCritic 0 Comments

I lead off from Salzburg, Austria in the last post about my trip. From Salzburg we drive to Mittenwald, Germany. Along our drive we will stop at the Swarovski Museum in Austria. I am super ooper excited to go here. It is not just a showroom by ANY means. It is like a little, crystal Angkor Wat and a museum MADE of crystal in one. I will post a few pictures just from the museum website and more below:





The Giant's Head - Picture of Swarovski Crystal Worlds (Swarovski Kristallwelten), Wattens
This photo of Swarovski Crystal Worlds (Swarovski Kristallwelten) is courtesy of TripAdvisor

The Giant's Head - Picture of Swarovski Crystal Worlds (Swarovski Kristallwelten), Wattens
This photo of Swarovski Crystal Worlds (Swarovski Kristallwelten) is courtesy of TripAdvisor.

There is a crystal forest, music performances, massive art galleries and amazing objects made of the purest crystals. I look forward to the gift shop as well!! I could spend this whole blog on this one stop but there is much more for us to see.

After I tear myself away from the museum we will drive to our hotel in Mittenwald, Germany, home of the violin. The town is famous for manufacturing violins but also for the beautiful painted buildings. Our hotel is not excluded.

Mittenwald Photos
Our hotel  This photo of Mittenwald is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Mittenwald Photos
This photo of Mittenwald is courtesy of TripAdvisor

(I love that I have discovered TripAdvisor as a wealth of photos)

Mittenwald Photos
This photo of Mittenwald is courtesy of TripAdvisor

We will walk the beautiful town and go to the violin museum. Mostly I want to shop here and buy cute little Alpine and Black Forest objects. After our stay in Mittenwald we drive to Meersburg, Germany which I am exceedingly excited to visit with the one I love for reasons I will share below. First, on our route there, we are stopping at the VERY famous Neuschwanstein Castle. This castle may look familiar to everyone who has been to Disneyland or Disney World. It is the castle that the sleeping beauty castle was fashioned after. I have been there before and I can testify that it is like a fairytale. You can even take a horse drawn carriage to the top. I bought one of my cuckoo clocks at this castle. They have an area that sells only cuckoo clocks. These are not cheap but they are so well made. You can choose what size and shape you want as well as two traditional songs to play at the hour and half hour. There are all sorts of things you can have going on when the cuckoo sings like man chopping wood, man drinking beer, people dancing and much, much more.

One of a million views of Neuschwanstein.

More Schloss Neushwanstein.

Here is an inside view. You are not allowed to take photos of the interior so there are more pics on this website.

The castle was one of (I am not sure but I think) seven castles. King Ludwig II preferred seclusion to the party/social life of Munich and royalty. He had an active imagination and lived in his fantasy mind. As a result he built many amazing castles. After Neuschwantstein we are visiting another of his castles immediately following, Schloss Linderhof. I like this castle more than the first because the exterior is much more subdued but the interior, believe it or not, is far more elaborate.

King Ludwig II


Linderhof from the outside

This castle has a large area to explore outside the castle as well. There is a beautiful hunting lodge made of animal pelts and hunting, manly things. It has a tree growing in the center as well if I recall correctly! We will spend pretty much the entire day looking at these castles. I am sure we will find lunch at one of them and I am guessing it will have a spectacular view.

The view from my last visit to Neuschwanstein. See it up there?

More of the path up to the castle. Yes, the horse pooped along the way. 

 After our castle fun we will head to the town of Meersburg, Germany. We are staying in a tiny hotel that only takes cash! The hotel is pictured below.
We chose to not stay on the water this time to save a little money. I love the town of Meersburg because I have visited before. I went in the year 2000 with my then husband. At that time our marriage was beginning to be on shaky grounds so I did a lot of wandering alone. I went to this one spot overlooking the Bodensee or Lake Constance, depending if you are in Germany or Switzerland, respectively.

Meersburg (Bodensee) Photos
This photo of Meersburg (Bodensee) is courtesy of TripAdvisor Here is a view of Meersburg from the water

The overlook was simple, but the sun was setting and behind me was a massive pink building. I stood there as the sun set. I had a little wine in my blood and I was feeling giddy. It was so beautiful. I had a picture taken of me standing there because I wanted to someday go back there with someone I love and share that moment with him. 

Here I am in 2000, 13 years before my dream comes true.


I am so excited for this particular leg of our trip. Who am I kidding? I am excited for every moment of this trip!! The next two days will be posted soon. xo








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Just A Little Summer Note - Fun way to manage pain & Happy me.

12:35 AM AirplaneFoodCritic 0 Comments



Happy gal

My doctor told me I need to get full spectrum light as part of my therapy. My other doctor told me I need to swim more. These are fantastic things. I have been laying out naked as directed by my Pain manager. I do it for about 20 minutes with no sunblock on. As a result I have been getting a wonderful tan. No surprise, I'm sure. Everyone around me is telling me how fantastic I look. I am no longer bothering to wear makeup when I go out because my skin is so freaking nice.

I went to see my Primary Care Physician to get my disability extended. The first thing he told me was how beautiful I look. Ha! This is actually NOT what I want to hear from someone whom I am trying to convince I am too sick to work! But he knows I am unable to do any physical activity and he extended it through May. I will be on my trip then. I explained to my doctor that I don't have much to do besides sit around and put moisturizer on.

Me, no make-up

Another great compliment I got was from a close friend of the bf's who came over to hang out as he does on most weekends. He didn't realize that I am almost ten years older than the bf apparently. He was talking about a woman he wanted to hook up with when he goes to Hawaii with his work next month. He wasn't all that sure because she is 40 and he is 24. I said, "Hey, I'll be 40 next year!". The look on his face and the gasp of disbelief felt mighty good.



Two weeks ago I started driving again. That has changed my whole life. I am free to go where I choose. I spend my days at the beach with my dog, at the park with my dog, shopping for treats to bring home and cook for the bf.

What I am trying to say is I am HAPPY. I am truly truly happy. I love my life. I love my dog. I love my family. And my relationship with the bf is like newlyweds every single day of my life. We are like teenagers the way we act towards one another. I know some of my friends who may be reading this will agree wink wink @ G. I really have a charmed life.

I just thought this is funny even though I don't know what it means!

I wake up staring into the eyes of the man I love and I see how much he loves me as he looks back. I lay in bed, yes, in pain, but happy, appreciative of my beautiful home, my fancy stuff. I have no worries. My job is paying me full pay. The bf wants to completely support me and he certainly could but I love to work. I love that my job is still there so I have no worries about losing it. That leaves me laying in bed at 10am, knowing I have nothing to do but to get better. I spend all day focused on me. I buy clothes, I shop, I eat frozen yogurt. Mom and I go out and play all day. I am so fortunate she is retired so we can be like girlfriends and have fun. I go out on lunch dates with my other friends. At night, I no longer have to get up at 4am the next day, so I stay up with the bf. We snuggle on the couch. We never stop telling each other we are in love. He opens the doors for me every time, even the car....after over five years!! Never in my life, even when I was married, have I been so certain that someone unconditionally loves me and puts me before everything like I do with this fella. (family not included). My mom is there for me, my brother is there for me, my dad is always there for me. I am one loved individual. I have not even mentioned all that my Aunt, uncle and cousins do for me.

This was over 5 years ago but I'd day we look the same now.

I spent this evening literally dancing in the moonlight after what my friend said was "a perfect day" and I agree. We went to the beach, flew kites, splashed, built sandcastles, read books, tanned (need my full spectrum!) then played basketball in downtown Stinson. We picked up frozen yogurt (can you tell how much I love that stuff??) and came back to our house. I cooked a FANtastic dinner. (love to cook!) Then we used the telescope after watching a movie. The rest of the night was spent dancing under the stars. What could be better in life?

A rendition of us tonight...seriously, it looked a lot like this.

I go to sleep every night and thank the cosmos for...or maybe I just take stock of....the wonderful things in my life. I am free. Free of money worries, looks worries, relationship worries, free of drama and cares. I can do anything I want. And I want to go to Europe and spend tons of money and hike in the Alps and make out with my boyfriend and eat lots of cheese and walk cobbled streets, drink beer, get lost in a cute village because I was reading the map upside down, kiss in the rain (or the mist from the Rheinfals), sleep in castles, surround myself with art, architecture, music ...sorry, run-on there....but yeah.
A little town in Alsace I was in a couple years back.

I just want to share how sensational my life is. I am walking on air. Sure, I have chronic pain, but that is part of who I am and it has given me the opportunity to spend this time (I have not worked in over half a year) with the ones I love. I have cared and been cared for. I have the time to travel the world, go camping, practically live at the beach....I don't want this to be bragging and I do not believe it comes off that way. I want people who are in pain to read this, I want people who know me to read this and read "THANK YOU" and read "GOOD FOR HER" and read "THIS CAN BE ME TOO"
Hooray for everything!!!!

Cheers, friends. Here's to you and here's to me. A little toast I have always made when sharing a drink is:

"Here is to being attractive and intelligent".
I appreciate every second of it.

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Europe Itinerary Part Zwei - Austria's Salzburg and Hallstatt

12:52 AM AirplaneFoodCritic 1 Comments

Salzburg, here we come!

I thought people might like to see more of what I have planned for next month's trip. I mentioned my first few days that will be spent in Munich. I have such great memories of the last time I was in Munich. Some memories are a little blurred, thanks to that darned Hofbrauhaus. Just to say a word or two about that famed restaurant/beer house, I recall visiting there multiple times.

Hofbrauhaus
The way it is laid out is with huge wooden tables. I never ordered food there although there is a kitchen. What you do is walk in and find a seat anywhere you can. You have no choice but to sit with strangers but that is what is the best part about it. I met people from not only Munich and other parts of Germany but American soldiers stationed in nearby Bamburg, British travelers, Muslim adults (not THAT Muslim I guess if they were drinking, but I don't judge), and more, too many to name I realize now.
Here is a big pile of friends we met. Try to spot the ex-husband.

I have a great story and a series of photos, that I can not find at the moment, of me ordering a dunkel (dark) beer. It comes in a big glass that I do not recall having control over if I could have a large or small. I believe it is a litre in size. If there are other options, I was too into the moment to ever notice and no one ever thought to buy me smaller. Is there a sign on my forehead? Some English folks sat across from us and bought me, "the lady", a hefeweizen, basically the other option to order, you get light or dark. I have a photo of me, casually smiling and drinking the dark beer, then a huge smile holding two giant beers. Next, a photo of me with both those empty and another bought by some German friends we made. The final photo is of me dancing on top of the table, arm in the air as I rock out to whatever modern song the band turned into umpapa. Good Times Had By All. UPDATE, I found the pictures. Please find below the series in question:

Here is one of the friends we made. Notice how many beers are sitting around? Pheww!

Here I am, so innocent with my first two beers...

NOW it's time to party!! Notice how NO ONE even notices me?

After our time in Munchen (German for Munich), we are renting a car and heading to Salzburg. On our way to the city we are stopping at a highlight of an earlier trip I have been on which is Castle Hellbrunn. This castle was built by the archbishop of Salzburg who also built the Salzburg Castle.  While the Salzburg Castle is a proper castle, this castle is his masterpiece of hijinks. In 1612 he built this castle as what I assume is a summer home. He rigged the whole place up to trick his friends with several clever waterworks. An example is an outdoor dining table made of stone that is jimmied up to squirt water up the bottoms of his distinguished guests. I just love it. All the waterworks still function and on a warm Spring or Summer day, it is a delight to explore the grounds. The tour guides are kind of like a disneyland guide which makes the experience all the more fun in my opinion.
A view of Schloss Hellbrunn from the fountaining dining table

After lunch and checking in, we will do the must-do touristy things. This is the town of Mozart's birth so we will visit his birthplace and residence. I am thinking about even catching a concert. The weather should be mild so an outdoor symphony sounds devine.
Mozart's residence.

Silly man in front of Mozart's birthplace.

For dinner we are going to this wonderfully inventive restaurant that, to put it simply, serves all their food in cones. Yes, cones. It is called Carpe Diem. I have not been there but I know people who have and I am dying to try it out because I have never heard of anything like it. We are staying in Salzburg for two nights and as such, we are dining at two different places so we made it so one is super modern, Carpe Diem, and the second night is super traditional at the Hotel Goldener Hirsch.

Everything is in cones at Carpe Diem

A bit more traditional, and fancy, at the Goldener Hirsch for dinner.

The second day in Salzburg we are driving over to one of my very favorite and most visited by me towns in all of Europe, Hallstatt, Austria. This town is so perfect and, dare I say, quaint. It is situated on the side of a very steep hill and fronts a gorgeous lake. It's unique proximity between the lake and hillside gives it it's charm. It is bunched up right aside the water so most hotels and restaurants are right one the lake or very near.
My beloved, Hallstatt, Austria.

There is a church there that has very little land so the cemetery is used to bury the dead but then the bones are later dug up to make room for the next. The bones are given to the family to decorate and then the decorated bones are put on display at the church on an altar. It is not a grim scene to visit. I find it lovely.
An image of the altar of bones in Hallstatt.

There is also  a nearby salt mine that is a ton of fun to visit. You get a little white jumpsuit that has a padded bottom. You get into the depths of the mine like they used to when it was in working order, by massive wooden slides. You straddle the slide and zoom down at a good enough speed that your bottom heats up. I recall my mother jumping up and down patting her butt because it was too warm for her.
An example of the wooden slide into the abyss!

There is more to the mine, much more. I recall being in a boat underground in a mirror-like lake of mostly salt. It is well worth the trip if you are not claustrophobic. Another thing I love to do in Hallstatt is paddle boat. I try to paddle boat in every town I have a chance to. It is so soothing. I am out there, alone, on the water, looking back at a view of the town not every one gets to see. I get sun, exercise and the silence of the lake. I am typing this and it is bringing me back already.
A paddle boat in Lake Hallstatt, waiting for me to take it out for a spin.

When we return to Salzburg we will shop the old town which is where our hotel is. It is, as the name implies, the oldest part of town where cars are not allowed. The shopping in Salzburg is wonderful because they have a wide selection of very modern and high class shops mingling with the more traditional Austrian wares. 
A shopping street near our hotel.

Some other things we will do is eat a Sacher Torte which is the pastry/cake of Salzburg. We will try to have it at the place of it's origin, Cafe Sacher.

The Sacher Torte

Cafe Sacher, Austria

We will wake up the next day, have what I know will be a beautiful breakfast and head to Mittenwald. I will share more later of our planned trip. I hope this is informative for anyone planning a trip in the same area. Cheers.





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