Healthy Weight Loss Solutions Blog

I discover new, powerful, healthy weight loss solutions all the time. This blog gives you the scoop on these solutions, and how to use them to achieve your goals.

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Mar 14, 2008, Elena's tried-and-true recommended weight loss products.

I've spent thousands of dollars trying products that didn't work, but I finally found some real jewels. Here are my recommended weight loss products.

Feb 1, 2008, Omega 3 and Weight Loss: What's the connection between Omega 3 and weight loss?

The health benefits of omega 3 fatty acids are well known, but how about omega 3 and weight loss? Learn here.

Oct 25, 2007, How the Emotional Freedom Technique Ensures Lasting Weight Loss!

Emotional freedom technique (or EFT) is a highly effective method for addressing the emotional reasons for overeating. A new, unique program ensures lasting weight loss.

Jul 7, 2007, Here are testimonials for Elena Mauceri and Powerful Weightloss Solutions.

No one says it better than the people whose lives I've impacted. So read on!

Jul 7, 2007, A surprising weight loss secret that's revolutionizing dietary science.

The weight loss secret is actually very simple, but something that almost none of us do. Learn what it is.

May 14, 2007, Update on the "Miracle Noodle"

Ok, I tried the Miracle Noodle, and here are my impressions...

I liked them, but they're not like traditional "pasta"...they are a true "noodle". If you've ever had soba noodles in an Asian restaurant, you know what I mean. The texture is squishy, rather than "al dente" like wheat-based pasta. They come in little bags with liquid in them, which was a surprise to me. Once you open the bag, you strain and rinse them (the liquid has a bit of a fishy smell, so I rinsed them really well). I tried them with tomato sauce and parmesan, and they were ok, but I think that any time I put tomato sauce on something, I'm expecting a true pasta texture, so I don't recommend using them with Italian-type recipes. They were better with a white clam sauce, and in a chicken soup. Then I tried them in an asian sauce with veggies and chicken, and they were really good.

Bottom line? The texture was the biggest trade-off; like any pasta/noodles, they don't have much of a flavor on their own. But the fact that they are 0 carb and high-fiber makes the trade-off worth it for me. I still use "regular" pasta like Dreamfields occasionally (like with tomato sauce-based recipes), but the Miracle Noodles are good to have for more frequent use when I'm craving something starchy. It's nice to munch away on a bowl full of noodles guilt-free, knowing they're not gonna show up on my thighs next week!

If you want to try them for yourself, click here.

Mar 13, 2007, Does a low carb diet work? Learn the TRUTH about low carb foods.

Is a low carb diet effective? Read recent research, plus the hidden truth about low carb foods. Includes a healthy low carb recipe.

Mar 2, 2007, Here's an Easier Way to Sweeten Drinks

Several people have recently asked me about a way to sweeten their drinks more easily, rather than using the powdered version of stevia. There is an easier way, and that's with a liquid stevia supplement. Here's the brand I like the best.

This brand doesn't use alcohol or preservatives like grapefruit seed extract--both of which can create a bitter taste. This brand just uses water, stevia, and vegetable glycerin (another natural, no-calorie sweetener).

Feb 28, 2007, Can Vitamins Kill You?

I just had to address the latest study that was published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). This study claims that vitamins can actually increase your risk of death. You'll probably hear LOTS about this on the TV and radio as newscasters aim to induce panic to increase ratings. My take on this study? I think Mike Adams at www.NewsTarget.com speaks for me in this commentary.

Feb 23, 2007, New Research: No Need to Exercise to Lose Weight?

MSNBC today reported about a new study showing that dieting alone is just as effective as dieting plus exercise for weight loss. "For weight loss to occur, an individual needs to maintain a difference between the number of calories they consume everyday and the number of calories they burn through physical activity...it did not matter whether a reduction in calories was achieved through diet or burned everyday through exercise," said Dr. Leanne Redman of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center.
I say to keep exercising--and eating delicious, healthy, lower-carb foods. Life would be pretty miserable to just sit around eating celery and poached, skinless chicken breasts just to say "Gee, I don't have to exercise to lose weight!" Plus, the benefits of exercise are far too great to avoid it. And moving your body creates endorphins--"feel good" hormones that we all need. So find something that you enjoy doing--whether it's dancing, volleyball, bowling, sex (insert smiley face)--and do more of it! If you do that, you can actually eat sensual food and still lose weight.

Feb 20, 2007, A Chocolate Weight Loss Treat

Here's a wonderful, warm winter treat that's sure to delight! It's the classic hot chocolate recipe, but it's sugar free.

Cocoa has been shown to not only be a powerful antioxidant, but it also raises the serotonin levels in your brain. So it's a feel good food! And feeling good is critical to weight loss.

This treat will keep you from eating fattening foods, and you'll still be in heaven!

Elena's Hot Chocolate Kiss

2 TBSP unsweetened cocoa
1/8 tsp stevia powder (to taste)
1 cup of unsweetened almond (my preference), soy, rice, or cow's milk

Put the powders in a microwave-safe container or mug, or in a pan on the stove. Add a small bit of the liquid until you can make a paste. (This is the secret to not having any lumps!) Then add the remainder of the liquid and stir well. Heat in the microwave about 1.5 minutes, or on the stove 'til it's steaming.

Enjoy!

Jan 31, 2007, A Sensuous Peach Treat

I made the most wonderful peach "milkshake" last night. My pleasure sensors were definitely activated with this treat! It'll remind you of summer in the depths of winter.

Sensuous Peach Shake

This recipe is "loose"--that is, use this as a guideline, and play around with the ingredients to make the shake exactly how YOU like it.

Add these ingredients to a powerful blender in the following order:

• 4 generous tablespoons of full-fat yogurt (organic, preferably)
• 4 generous tablespoons of canned coconut milk (look for it in the Asian section of your grocery store)
• 3 tablespoons of water
• One handful of frozen peaches (organic, preferably)
• a pinch of stevia powder (taste before you add more--the peaches are sweet)
• a dash of dried ginger root, to taste

Blend thoroughly. Depending on how thick you like your shakes, you may need to add a little liquid (thin some coconut milk with water and use that). Makes 1 serving.

Now here's the important part:Drink it slowly, and savor each mouthful. Close your eyes if that helps you to really focus on the flavor. It's gonna rock your world!

Jan 29, 2007, I was duped! "Healthy" snack from the health food store isn't so healthy.

(This is a corrected version-I incorrectly called corn oil "omega-3", and it's actually an omega-6 oil.) In my last trip to the health food store, I had the munchies big-time. I spotted a bag of "Snapea Crisps". With a bright picture of fresh snap peas on the cover, I thought to myself, "hmmm...a crispy snack made from a vegetable...sounds like a healthy munchie killer". I glanced at the ingredients, saw that green peas were the first ingredient, and the price was good--so I bought 'em. I proceeded to eat the entire bag on the way home. They were delicious. Crunchy and salty--just what I was craving. But my hands were really greasy, and my stomach felt a little queasy, so I read the nutritional information. My delusions of a health food went out the window. They're as bad as potato chips! In a 1-ounce serving (which I certainly far exceeded), they have as much fat and carbs as potato chips. And they're made with corn oil--a pro-inflammatory, omega-6 oil that we should all avoid. The only redeeming quality they had was less sodium and more protein than potato chips. So I was duped by creative marketing (and the power of munchies, I suppose). Just goes to show that not everything in a health food store is healthy! As with buying anything, read the label and make the decision for yourself--not what some clever marketer says.

Jan 29, 2007, Discover powerful, healthy weight loss solutions quickly!

Healthy weight loss guidance from a knowledgeable medical researcher, providing you with proven, effective weight loss solutions. Guidance you can trust, results you can see!

Jan 24, 2007, Are there foods that increase metabolism? Find out here.

Is it wishful thinking that there are delicious foods that increase metabolism? Find out more about whether any foods increase metabolism.

Jan 24, 2007, A light, flaky BETTER pie crust recipe made with sprouted flour!

Sprouted flour is an amazing product: high in vitamins and enzymes, easier to digest. Here's a BETTER pie crust recipe!

Jan 19, 2007, A "Miracle" Pasta?

I've just learned about a pasta that actually helps you lose weight! (Dr. Atkins is probably turning in his grave hearing "lose weight" and "pasta" in the same sentence!) But all the research supports it...this pasta is made from the konjac root, which is rich in a fiber called glucomannan. From everything I've heard, it tastes just like regular pasta, too. I'm going to order some and try it, and I'll let you know what I think. If you want to give it a try in the meantime, you can buy it here. The thought of enjoying pasta guilt-free (AND with weight loss to boot) is VERY tempting, isn't it? Stay tuned.

Jan 8, 2007, Here's a great-tasting recipe to satisfy your sweet tooth WITHOUT the bulge!

In my most recent issue of my e-zine, I talk about how so many of us gain weight during the holidays. Eating sweets is one bad habit that many of us develop over the holidays. I wanted to share my recipe for a great-tasting shake that you can use to replace your dessert in the afternoon or evening. The shake includes several ingredients that are great for weight loss and overall health:

• protein from the protein powder and peanut butter (about 24 grams!)
• cinnamon, a fat-burning (thermogenic) spice
• antioxidants from the cocoa powder
• metabolism-boosting medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) from the coconut milk

Chocolate-Peanut Butter-Banana Shake

• 4 ice cubes
• 8 ounces water
• 4-5 TBSP coconut milk* OR organic yogurt
• 3 TBSP organic peanut butter
• 1 scoop protein powder (I recommend Goatein, but you can use any high quality protein powder)
• 1 TBSP cocoa (or carob) powder
• a few drops of banana flavoring, or 1/2 a banana
• a dash of stevia powder (if you use a banana, taste before adding any stevia--it may be sweet enough)
• generous dash of cinnamon

Add all ingredients to a blender, and blend 'til smooth. Adjust sweetness as needed (just add the stevia carefully--it's potent). Add water to adjust the thickness to your liking.

*You can find canned coconut milk in the Asian food aisle of your grocery store. The Thai Kitchen brand is good. It has a rich texture, and contains coconut oil, which is known for its metabolism-boosting abilities. I always keep a few cans in my pantry.

Enjoy!

Jan 4, 2007, Challenging my discount claims of Fresh Shores coconut oil vs. Nutiva

I want to thank a site visitor, Anita, for questioning my claim that the brand of coconut oil that I recommend (Nutiva) is 60% less than Fresh Shores. I should have said that Fresh Shores is 60% more expensive (see the semantic difference?)

Although ounce-for-ounce the difference in price between the two is only 38% ($.79/oz for Nutiva at the 15 oz size vs. $1.09/oz for Fresh Shores at the 16 oz size), when you factor in the shipping costs at most sites, the Fresh Shores can actually be as much as 67% more.

So, thank you Anita, for keeping me on my toes--and giving me the opportunity to point out how important it is to compare shipping costs when buying from any merchant.

Jan 1, 2007, Dangers of stevia revealed! Find out about any dangers of stevia to avoid harm.

Learn about potential dangers of stevia, the research about the danger in stevia rebaudiana, and the final conclusion about the dangers of stevia.

Dec 29, 2006, Looking for sugar free recipes that are healthy and low carb too? Get them here!

I searched for years for sugar free recipes that were also healthy AND low carb. Most had artificial ingredients that made me sick. Here are some great-tasting healthy sugar free recipes!

Oct 29, 2006, What are the effects of blue green algae? You'll be surprised.

Are the effects of blue green algae just hype? If you know what to look for, the benefits are great. Learn about the effects of blue green algae here.

Oct 29, 2006, Diet for Weight Loss: What's the BEST diet for weight loss? Find out here.

Elena discusses her recommended diet for weight loss, and effective diet and weightloss tools are presented. Note that this only applies to a weight loss diet for adult (not children or teens).

Oct 29, 2006, Here are quality resources for weight loss, fitness, and general well-being.

A selection of hand-picked resource sites providing quality resources for weight loss, health, and well-being.

Oct 13, 2006, Learn how weight gain and food allergy are connected.

Weight gain and food allergy are intimately connected. But there is a simple solution. Find out here.

Oct 12, 2006, An easy way to search the quality info about healthy weight loss solutions

There's a lot of free information on this site, and here's an easy way to find exactly what you're looking for!

Oct 7, 2006, Online Weight Loss Coach: Discover the benefits of an online weight loss coach.

Benefit from my wealth of knowledge about the most effective weight loss solutions. Discover these solutions by allowing me to be your online weight loss coach. I'll make sure you succeed!

Oct 7, 2006, Fast weight loss diets ebook--Get a FREE copy of a fast weight loss diets ebook!

Get my fast weight loss diets ebook recommendations here.

Oct 7, 2006, Weight loss from hypnosis: Can you achieve weight loss from hypnosis?

Many want to know if it's possible to achieve weight loss from hypnosis. Hypnosis for weightloss products say it works. Find out if the connection between hypnosis and weightloss is a sound one.

Oct 6, 2006, I wanted to increase my metabolism. Learn what I did to increase my metabolism.

Several years ago, I wanted to increase my metabolism. I found unique, powerful ways to increase my metabolism. Learn more here!