Not My Spot

My co-worker went to grab us some lunch on this past Sunday evening and although the food was good, I almost had a sugar rush. So calling all diabetics, if you order food from the Dragon Buffet on Pines Road, stay away from the Teriyaki chicken on the stick. The sauce is extremely too sweet for you.

I thought she was going to my favorite Chinese restaurant which is located directly across the street from LSU Health Science Center. I chose this as my favorite Chinese restaurant because the place is extremely clean and the food is excellent. Nevertheless, she called to ask me of my preference when she was already at her spot. I couldn't say, "Girl, I don't want that!" But I did inform her that I'd never eaten there before; she began to name off some stuff and I went with what was most familiar.

Why do we do that? We will go to different places to eat but we are always looking for the most familiar or foods similar to what we've already had. Isn't the joy of going to a new place....finding something different to eat? Well, I even sat back to think why haven't I ever gone to this restaurant before. The only thing I could come up with is maybe because of the name. Dragon is a symbol of the Satan and buffet says to me, "Stay Away". So in reality they already had two strikes against them as far as I'm concerned.

So if I had to rate the Teriyaki chicken, I would give it a 5 out of 10 and scream to someone dealing with diabetes, "YOU CAN"T EAT THAT!" Although I will say that the lomein was fresh and loaded with vegetables and although the strarch is never good for me, a little won't hurt. Happy Eating!

Good Snacks

So within the last year, we just found out that our mom was a diabetic. Here's a lady who was use to snacking and I finally realized now where my nack for snacks came from. Unfortunately, the snacks we use to eat are not healthy or safe for her or me. So now, I'm trying to help her by making sure when she digs in my bag for snacks.....she'll come out with a snack that's is healthy and good.

On that note, I'm now snacking on Austin's Toasty Crackers with Peanut Butter, bananas which also helps the potassium levels, frozen grapes (yes frozen)....freeze them and see how good they are, and baked chips but the small bag. Changing your snacking habits is just as hard as changing your eating habits but if you look upon the faces of your children and grandchildren, you'll have that many reasons to find healtier and better ways to snack.

Happy Eating, Danyelle

It's a lifestyle not a diet!

Loving Newk's!!!

My husband and I went to Newk's and we truly enjoyed our sandwiches. He had chips but I settled for a nice little cup of fruit.

The atmosphere was really nice and although the place was packed with other lunchers, the service was wonderful and completely not rushed! I said that because I expected the young ladies to rush our orders but they were friendly and courteous! We sat down next to the window and I'm delighted to say, "I could have stayed there all day!"

So if you are ever craving a good healthy sandwich and you're somewhere near Youree Drive, try Newk's!
I'll even make is easy for you their address: 7423 Youree Drive!

Lord Over My Flesh

Finally, I begun to loose weight and it has nothing to do with diet pills or extreme exercising. I finally started feeding me! It's like those plants on the Little Shop of Horror....I started eating enough.

Sometimes we feel like we eat too much and that's the reason we gain weight, but for me, I wasn't nearly eating enough. Now, that I'm eating more, I realize how much I was starving my poor body. We say it all the time, "Boy I'm starving", but really don't know how much our bodies is screaming this. Not because it has gone a long period of time without food to validate what starving really means, but instead that we are feeding it after we've gone all day without.

So now as I get this thing together, I'll hand my secrets to you because I love me some you :))!
First, you have to eat Break- FAST! I read this somewhere in one of the many magazines I come across and it really changed my life. If you want to get off to a good start, always eat breakfast. Whether it's a bowl of cereal or a cup of grits, eat something. I prefer a cup of oatmeal with one pack of sweet and low sugar, a small apple or orange, and one cup of hot green tea. Sometimes, I'll add one toast with no butter and if I do use butter, it's only a time slice. I refuse to use the butter in the containers because I can't measure what I'm using.

Then in between breakfast and lunch, I love snack time which consists of nuts, fruits, crackers, jello, yogurt, and other little things I've come to love. No matter how I cut it, I try to eat five times a day but nothing after seven and it's working for me. The hardest thing has been trying to eat while I work. So lately at this new gig I have, I've been packing away snacks in my purse and making sure I'm aware of meal-time. It hasn't been easy but it must happen....for me.

Believe me, changing eating habits is not easy but it's do-able! Challenge yourself to live a healtier life.
Signing Off....the Pastor who is learning to be lord over her flesh! Be Blessed!

Shreveport's Mongolian Experience

So I decided to go to  a little resturant off Youree called Genghis. I first ventured into a Mongolian experience in Yokohama Japan. It's where you collect the food you are going to eat and grill it at your very own table; well, at least that's how the experience went in Japan. Genghis on the other hand is different but has the same concept.

You collect your protein, vegetables, sauces, and spices in a bowl and then take it to grillers who cook your food and put it on top of your choice of noodles, rice, etc.

If you are like me, you really don't need the starches but what is a bowl of meat without rice or noodles. Anyway, I went through the line and almost got nauseated at the sight of the meat tossed together in the same bowl. I couldn't help but wonder was it good to mix all the uncooked meat together.

In Japan, at least you put your items on a plate that has space for separation. Nevertheless, after getting over that stomach hurdle, I handed over my little silver bowl and waited on my food. To my surprise, it really turned out okay but it's nothing I would do on a weekly basis. It's truly a place where I would take a couple of girlfriends who came to visit and we would buy the endless bowls and eat, chat, and enjoy the scenery.

Needless to say, I would rather have the grill in front of me like in Japan and cook my own food exactly how I like it. Maybe one day, we will get a Shogan/Mongolian type place in Shreveport where you can enjoy good food that you cooked yourself.

Rolls, Rolls, Rolls

I absolutely love rolls but since starch is a major problem for me, I have to make sure that my intake in very minimum.

I am one hundred percent sure that the best roll you can find in Shreveport is at Texas Road House located on the service road off of Old Minden Road. If you want good rolls, a nice meal, and a noisy atmosphere, this is absolutely your place.

It's always crowded but the waiting time is never too long.

I just happen to love their grilled chicken, which is always juicy and based in bar-be-que sauce. I absolutely love their sauce but my husband hates it. He would rather have the chicken hot off the grill without anything on it and I always ask for extra. I know bad, bad, bad, but at least I make sure that it's the only fat for the day.

You should also try their catfish! It's fried to perfection-not too hard, soft, or greesy. And who could resist the loaded bake potato and fresh green salad. I typically opt for the ceasar salad but have yet to find one better than Outback's.

So if you are looking for a place to hang out with the girls, or take the noisy kids who love peanuts and drops the shells everywhere, Texas Road House is your spot. Happy Eating!

So, I realize one thing. I love food and I am a very picky, ticky eater. It's hard to satisfy me and I'm tired of going into restaurants, paying my money, and leaving as hungry as I was when I entered.

Another problem is that I'm finding out that diabetes have tried to make a stance in my mother's life and mine. Everyone is ragging on Paula, but diabetes has no picks and chooses. She was doing what she loves to do and just because she has diabetes, doesn't mean that she can't stop cooking for the people who love her meals.

We are so critical and to all you vegetarians and people who don't eat meat...that's your choice. Some people just can't get with that and I for one and one of them. The only time I leave out meat is when I'm fasting and praying.

Yeah, yeah, yeah you can eat meat and be healthy and to all of you who think you can't, here's how you do it: Breakfast-  1 ounce of meat, 1 fruit, 2 starch, 1 cup of milk, and 2 fat- (in two small pieces of butter).

Lunch & Dinner- 2 ounces of meat, 3 vegetables, 2 starch, 1 cup of skim milk or snack, and 1 fat.

To someone that's still Greek, because for a while it was Greek to me, so let me break it down a little bit more....all of these = 1 starch
1 slice of white bread = 1 starch  but 2 slices of Sara Lee Light .
1/2 cup of grits or oatmeal or bran cereal
1/2 English muffin or bagel
2 small pancakes
1 small waffle

All of these = 1 fruit
1 medium fresh fruit like: pear, peach, apple, orange, or banana
2 small fruit like: kiwi
2/3 cup of unsweetened pineapple
1/2 cup of fruit juice
1 cup of berries like: blue, black, red, or strawberries
17 grapes
1/2 cup of unsweetened canned fruit
1/4 cup of dried fruit

This =1 serving of vegetables and you can have 3! Hooray!!
1/2 cup of cooked vegetables
1 cup of raw vegetables

You can have 5-6 ounces of meat per day and these = 1 meat
1 ounce of cooked beef, ham, fish, chicken, turkey, or lunch meat
1 ounce of cheese
1/4 cup of cottage cheese
1 tbsp of peanut butter
1 egg
1/4 cup of egg substitute

You can have 4 fat per day these= 1 fat
1 tsp margarine, butter, oil, mayonnaise, salad dressing
2 tsp. of diet margarine
2 tbsp of reduced calorie salad dressing
1 tbsp of reduced calorie mayonnaise
2 tbsp sour cream
5 olives
10 whole peanuts
1 tbsp sunflower seeds
1 slice of bacon

Thank God for free foods that can be spread throughout the day and you can have 3 servings per day....

sugar-free jello, popsicle, gum
1 can diet soda
1 glass or crystal light, iced tea, or sugar free koolaid
black coffee
mustard
pepper
2 tsp coffee creamer
2 tsp sugar free jelly

And what about the stuff some of us love?
Macaroni & cheese 1 cup = 2 starch, 2 oz of meat
Pizza any kind 2 slices= 2 starch, 2 oz meat, 2 fats
Potato salad 1/2 cup= 1 starch, 2 fats
Syrup 1 tbsp= 1 starch
Cookies 2 small= 1 starch, 1 fat
French fries small= 2 starch, 2 fats
Cake 2 inch frosted= 2 starch, 1 fat / unfrosted 2 inch= 1starch, 1 fat
Ramen noodles 1/2 block= 2 starch, 1 fat
Casserole 1 cup= 2 starch, 2 oz meat

I know it's a lot of information to take in at one time, but I promise you it's easy to do and I've already loss ten pounds since I started.