Pumpkin-Hazelnut Tea Cake Great deasert!

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons canola oil3/4 cup homemade or canned pumpkin puree1/2 cup honey3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar2 eggs, lightly beaten1 cup whole-wheat (whole-meal) flour1/2 cup all-purpose (plain) flour2 tablespoons flaxseed1/2 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon ground allspice1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg1/4 teaspoon ground cloves1/4 teaspoon salt2 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts (filberts)


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly coat an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on low speed, beat together the canola oil, pumpkin puree, honey, brown sugar and eggs until well blended.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flours, flaxseed, baking powder, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and, using the electric mixer on medium speed, beat until well blended.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the hazelnuts evenly over the top and press down gently to lodge the nuts into the batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn the loaf out of the pan onto the rack and let cool completely. Cut into 12 slices to serve.
For more Great Healthy Recipes GO HERE

What is Your Body Type?

The second thing you need to do after changing your mindset, is to determine your body type. This will help you determine what to eat to make your body burn fat. There are three body types. You may be a definite type or you may be a combination of two. The three main body types are: Ectomorph, Mesomorph, and Endomorph.

Ectomorph

You know an Ectomorph, that's the one who can eat whatever she wants when she wants and how much she want without gaining and ounce. They are long and lanky. Its hard for this type to gain fat or muscles. They have a very high metabolism. If you are trying to lose weight, you are probably not a definite ectomorph.

Mesomorph

Mesomorphs are athletic. They have the ideal hourglass (for women) or rectangular (for men) shape. This type has lots of muscle mass, great posture, and thick skin. Mesomorphs gain muscle and fat easy. Its a good thing for this group that muscle burn fat.

Endomorph

Endomorphs have the hardest time. They have the slowest metabolism rate of all the body types. These are the people who have struggled all of their life with their weight. It seems that most of their weight tends to travel in that tire around their waist. But the great news for this body type is that they see faster, greater results!

Now determine what body type you are. You may have to combine two of the three types. For example: I am a Endo-Mesomorph. Although I build and maintain muscle easily, I have very slow metabolism. I just had a baby, so I have spread out quite a bit, but I have a small waist (in comparison to the rest of my body)LOL. I have muscular legs with lots of hips. I have big bones and gain fat easy. So I have a significant amount of characteristics from both endo and mesomorphs, I am a Endo-Mesomorph.

What body type are you?

By knowing your body type, you can now figure what foods you should eat to be your best! Foods will speed or slow your metabolism. So if you are Endomorph you would want to limit your intake of foods that slow your metabolism like sweet fruit, simple carbs, and sugars.

To find out more about the foods you should or shouldn't eat....GO HERE!

Chicken and White Bean Soup

I found this great recipe for chicken and white bean soup. I cooked it the other night and my family and I enjoyed it. Its only about 200 calories, only 4 grams of fat, and 10 grams carbohydrates. The recipe calls for a dutch oven, but i just used my regular stove.Try this dish, its great food that you don't have to feel guilty about eating.

Ingredients
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 each leeks , white and light green parts only, cut into 1/4-inch rounds
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or 1/4 teaspoon dried
2 14-ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans , rinsed
1 each 2-pound roasted chicken , skin discarded, meat removed from bones and shredded (4 cups)


Instructions
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in sage and continue cooking until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth and water, increase heat to high, cover and bring to a boil. Add beans and chicken and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Serve hot.

For more great low-carb recipes GO HERE

CHANGE YOUR MINDSET

The most important factor in losing weight is CHANGING YOUR MINDSET!!! There are many fad diets and "get skinny quick" regimens out there, you've probably tried them all. I have tried everything. It wasn't until I changed my thinking did I lose 70 pounds in 6 months.

You are probably thinking,"How in the world do I change how I think?"

Its not easy, and it takes time but it can be done.

For a little help in changing your mindset CLICK HERE, and read on...

The most important thing to do is to replace your negative thoughts with positive ones.The best example of this is when you think you can't, believe that you can! How can you do this? With a strategy. So its safe to say that u should turn self limiting thoughts into a strategy. Example:

"There is no way I will be able to fit that dress before the wedding" instead... "I can lose 10 pounds in two months by cutting back on sugar and carbs and parking farther away to walk the extra distance.

Don't complain! Notice yourself complaining, and change these thoughts. With a pet peeve, comes a solution to fix it. When you find yourself complaining, instead ask yourself what you can do to fix it. Example: "This party is dead." Instead of this think to yourself "I wonder what I can do to break the ice?"

Love what you are doing for yourself! Your GETTING HEALTHY! Fall in love with that. We cant always do what we love, but we can always learn to love what we do. Wonder how some people can get up at 4am and run three miles every morning? They must love it, or at least they like it. I'm sure when they began the routine they didn't want to get out of their warm bed to run. But the benefits out weigh the cons, and they would learn to love the morning routine. Find the good in everything you do. Example: exercise isn't boring, but it will teach patience, endurance,and not to mention weight loss!

Last but not least, you need to eliminate altering elements in your life. This can be anything from sweets in your house, to some of the people in your life. Whatever you find in your life getting you off track....eliminate it! If it's a friend or co-worker that always has something negative to say, eliminate them. I know it sounds harsh, but you need to love these people from a distance. Remember you are trying to change your mindset to succeed. Negative thoughts put in your head contradicts everything you are trying to do for yourself.

Changing your mindset isn't easy and takes time. Be persistent! Change the vocabulary you use when you talk to yourself. Notice when you have doubtful thoughts, and correct them. If you are consistent with these methods, you will find that the results you want aren't far fetched at all!

For more tips on losing weight GO HERE