That Doesn't Taste Like a Diet Drink

Here is a mouth-watering chocolate milkshake recipe supplied by our friends at South Beach Living. It's low-carb, low-calorie and low-fat. Since I have been making this I have managed to avoid countless calories from the carbs I would have consumed had I not been completely satisfied with this particluar substitution. I used Nature Sweet as my sugar substitute but otherwise followed their recipe. (the secret ingredient here is; a touch of vanilla extract). I have made the same shake using other flavors too: cherry, peppermint, almond and rasberry but I keep coming back to the one with vanilla.

Have this one for desert and savor it like you would a fine brandy or as a snack to ward off the sugar-monster. It's a guilt-free way of satisfying your cravings for sweets and it works for me. I have already lost over 120 pounds while enjoying recipes like this. The key to my weight loss success has been substitution - find a way to replace the bad with the good and if it don't taste good - forget about it!

Here is the actual recipe:

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons granular sugar substitute

Pinch salt

3 cups cold 1% milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ice cubes

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, stir together cocoa powder, sugar substitute, and salt. Slowly pour in 1 cup of the milk. Whisk until smooth, and then whisk in remaining 2 cups milk and vanilla.Fill 4 (8-ounce) glasses with ice. Pour Chilly Chocolate over ice and serve.

The bottom line: Per ¾-cup serving: 90 calories, 2.5 g fat (1.5 g sat), 12 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 95 mg sodium

For more mouth-watering recipes like this visit our friends at South Beach Living  

This story about a Caribbean cruise adventure, A taste of Europe while cruising the Caribbean is an article by Ken Brooks, well-known big-city radio personality, now Mr. Small Town himself found on (KMOG-1420/AM Payson) and a sometimes contributor to the Payson Roundup Newspaper. A newspaper serving a readership in and amongst the communities of Payson, Pine and Strawberry, Arizona, referred often to as "Rim Country," due to it's proximity to the Mogollon Rim. And now my new home town.

Retirement is a strange concept for me but I couldn't have picked a better place. Visiting here from Scottsdale, Arizona, (a mere hour and a half away) for past 25 years to camp, hike, fish, or just to sit on my Mother's deck enjoying cool mountain breezes and pine scented air (she moved here from MO in 2003).

To me, it seemed the day would never come. Over the years my wife and I would sit at a table in the Payson Airport restaurant (Crosswinds) with a gorgeous view of the rim, real estate brochures spread out among the remnants of biscuits and gravy. I always hoped I would be fortunate enough to actually live here someday. Well, here I am!

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Fit And Fat?

Yep, it's a proven fact. All you need to do is look at some of the bigger players on your favorite NFL team to know that while these big guys might appear to be fat they are actually fit as a fiddle! And most of these guys can sit down at the trainers table and test well within normal ranges for blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure! By the way, I would never call an NFL player FAT, not if I want to live, I refer to them as BIG and it seems to be ok.

Size Doesn't Matter

At least when it comes to fitness! And, it turns out that those skinny little wide receivers are more prone to heart disease than their blocking buddies! It's enlightening (and encouraging, in a weird way) to discover that almost 25% of thin people are more prone to heart disease than their overweight brethren.

Funny thing about the Marines. As much as you think you hate it when you are in it, you tend to only remember the good times when you are no longer a part of it and woe the person who says a bad word about MY Marine Corps! Then, when you first step that un-booted foot on the civilian shore again your new concept of freedom takes on a life of it's own. Suddenly you can eat what you want, stay in the rack as long as you want, grow your hair down to your butt if that's what makes you happy and all sorts of un-marine things.

Naturally, this sort of attitude has great potential for disaster - and brother did I ask for it! All of a sudden I turn around and I am a FAT 55 year old capable of being weighed accurately only by a truck scale out on the interstate! Seriously, at 5'-9" tall and close to 400 lbs. that is nothing short of blobsville.

Long story short, self-esteem goes down the tubes, depression leads to eating, eating leads to depression, a cycle you can ride straight to hell if you aren't careful - and on this hog a helmet won't help! At the point where I thought I had reached bottom I discovered the book, Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution and saw light at the end of the tunnel. If I had learned anything at all about my yo-yo battle with weight over the years since leaving the Corps I had forgotten it and then it hit me; everything I had put in my mouth up to that point had done absolutely nothing for me but make me unhappy, why not try something new?!

And when I went through my Mother's losing battle with cancer my stress relief was eating. I am paying for that now but believe me, it's never too late to change, no matter what your age or condition. I have already lost a 120 pounds but a guy as big as me can lose that in no time.

Chocolate really is addictive! Well, maybe not like alcohol or heroin is but there are definately some similarities. The same parts of the brain affected by chocolate are the same parts activated in drug addicts!

Blame it on dopamine, the hormone in us that is linked to the pleasure and motivation centers of the brain. If you have a problem with weight gain you may have fewer dopamine receptors and need more food to get that food "high."

I finally figured out how to describe, what's commonly known as the "angel and the devil on your shoulder" syndrome as it pertains to diet and weight loss. You know the one; you're trying to lose those extra pounds and inches when a temptation comes along, up pops the angel, advising you what you should do, and you know in order to reach your goal this is what you must do. But want overcomes right and you start listening to the dark side, "have some of that candy, darlin, you been so good you deserve it." "It's just that one piece," "just eat this donut now, you can make up the calories later" (with some exercise that never happens), etc, etc.

I heard somewhere that conscience is "internal dialog" and I immediately recognized it as the number one factor in my inability to lose weight, I would commit to dieting then almost immediately start telling myself it was ok to eat this and ok to eat that. No devil required, I was doing fine all by myself, thank you. Even though my internal dialog kept reminding me of past failures, falling off the diet wagon so many times even though successful at losing weight with plans like; Weight Watchers, Nutrisystems, Low-Carb, Low-Fat, Cabbage soup, Grapefruit Diet, I still didn't get it.

It wasn't until I could truthfully acknowlege the righteous voice in my head, a voice that allowed me to see the error of my ways and pointed me to the light of self-discipline and accountability that I was able to succeed in acheiving my weight loss goals.

Weight Loss Secrets Revealed!

#1 Watch Your Carbs

#2 Watch Your Fat

#3 Watch Your Portions

#4 Exercise

Simple, huh? What?, were you wanting a magic pill maybe? Tsk Tsk! 

Here is the last and final secret to weight loss success - obey the first four!

You Can Change Your Metabolism

That's the good news. The bad news is you may be one of those people who have to excercise to do it. If you are a skinny person and can eat anything you want without gaining an ounce, you have been blessed with a fat-burning metabolism. Those who are pre-disposed to gaining weight (like me) have to exercise regularly in some way to keep the fat under control.

Check with your doctor before starting any kind of exercise program, walking works best for me, and it doesn't cost anything!

Katie Couric did a nice job on this short video. The results will shock you!

Golfer Tees Off Near Spot Where Wounded As A Marine Over 40 Years Ago!

Now wouldn't that be an interesting headline and a passel of PR for Crystal Cruises? They could kick-off their first Golf-Themed cruise to Hong Kong and Singapore (with a stop in Vietnam) with a salute to Vietnam vets represented by yours truly. Be one of the fortunate few to sail on the luxurious Crystal Symphony accompanied by a former-marine, Vietnam vet, golfer and golf-oriented travel agent! An 11 day adventure by sea into Asia, transported in first-class style with a special group of people on a journey through Asia unlike any other. Pausing with a stop in a country that was once in turmoil, now on the list of places to see before you die, this cruise will be special. No doubt, the golf trip of a lifetime aboard the world's most luxurious floating caddy - the Crystal Symphony. Are you listening Crystal Cruises PR people?

More Like A Comfortable Small Town Than A Ship At Sea

A truly astounding ship, only 922 passengers and one of the most spacious cruise ships at sea. No worries of being hip-checked out of the desert que by an overeager youngster and the most spacious accommodations you will find at sea. First-class amenities are just too many to list but include: grand lounges, full-service fitness facility, Crystal casino, Feng Shui-inspired spa, 360° teak Promenade Deck, two pools, Jacuzzi®,award-winning cuisine and entertainment, in addition to, elegantly appointed staterooms most with private verandas. Make your reservation now and be one of the select few people to experience this once in a lifetime cruise aboard The Crystal Symphony - Departing April 20 - 11 Days, Hong Kong to Singapore, it's the "mother" of all golf cruises!

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