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  

Life Lessons From A Dog Named Lava

This dog is amazing - and marines are particular suckers for dogs and kids - in that order! 

"Hap" Hadley, born Alvan Cordell Hadley in 1895, was an American artist who gained world-wide acclaim specializing in pen and ink representations of popular subjects - he was especially adept at movie poster art in the 1930's. But if you asked him what was more memorable to him than a career in the movie industry he would modestly say it was his service in the United States Marine Corps during WWI that meant the most. He enlisted in the same place I did, St. Louis, MO, 51 years ealier in 1917. He was just 22 years old.

I have spoken in this blog many times about my uncle, SSgt Jack Rice, USMC, deceased. It was while arciving some of his Marine memorabilia that I discovered a rare gem, hidden away in Jack's personal papers a cartoon drawn by Hapley while enlisting in the USMC at age 22. Although Jack didn't get to know "Hap" Hapley until the late 60's, he followed his career as a movie poster artist and often spoke with him on the phone from his home in Los Angeles.

Jack and "Hap" finally met just before his death in 1976 and it wasn't until Jack's death in 1982 that I was made responsible (Jack's sister was my Mother) for putting his affairs in order. Among his most valued possessions I was amazed to find this cartoon rendering of the Marine Corps Recruiting Station in St. Louis reproduced in the August 5th, 1917 St. Louis Post Dispatch, Sunday Magazine Section, the place where Hap enlisted as a private in the Marine Corps during WWI. I was even more amazed to discover the artist of this little bit of cartoon mischief was none other than Alvan "Hap" Hapley himself!

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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.

You can follow my sometimes hilarious, oft-times, heart-breaking journey to lose two-hundred pounds and attempt to fit back into that Marine Corps blouse hanging in the closet. I know I am crazy to try but it keeps me focused. Along the way I will talk about what I ate, where I got it, how it was cooked and how I was able to do away with sugar and bread. How I deal with alcoholic beverages (a Marine staple but I still can't drink Pabst) and about how I was finally able to change my eating habits for good. If you see any part of yourself in me then maybe I can help you.

Marines are no different than any other human beings when it comes to weight control, some never have a problem and some, like me, fight it all their lives. The Corps says you can't weigh more than they say you can or else and while you are on active duty PT keeps you from going over the top due to bad eating habits.

If you don't get the PT or if you get out and don't excercise trouble will be coming. Along the way I will share my story and the stories of other Marines that I admire - real hero's. I hope that you enjoy your visit and welcome your comments.

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