Category: Culinary

I had lost a lot of weight last year, but unfortunately, I have gained some back. I keep a scale in the house and fret about my weight often. I can’t allow myself to gain it all back and have to lose what I’ve put back on. I would say I’ve gained back about half. That’s not good. Having a spinal cord injury can make it easier to gain weight, and it does nothing to help with joint pain, back pain etc. Thus, there are many reasons why I have to keep my weight down.

This is the only meal I’ve had today so far. I am back on a 1.310 calorie per day only plan. You can see I carefully measured an 8 oz. cup of coffee and an ‘ounce’ of Colby Jack cheese. Unfortunately, this tedious work is necessary when you have an eating disorder of any sort. My problem is I’ll do well for a while, but my emotions can stop me up and cause me to eat more. I need to stop that.

I naturally follow a Mediterranean diet plan and mainly use extra virgin olive oil. I am sure to get in two to four 2-4 oz. meat/poultry/fish per day, usually. But today I’m fasting from meat due to my Catholic heritage and that’s ok. But I realize how good meat is for you and that we’ve basically been lied to about what to eat for years. I will share a podcast made by some food experts at the end of this article that will help you. Better yet, here is the link right here: https://youtu.be/OeajV1O2320.

This is a low calorie breakfast I had, and I more than likely will have two fish fillets for dinner. I had a banana as a snack and some wheat crisps. On a 1,310 calorie plan per day, I can’t afford to eat much. One thing I have learned about food is you cannot let it choose you, you have to choose it. A lot of the idea that we ‘need’ a pizza or need to eat right now is psychological.

Don’t get me wrong. We can be truly hungry. It’s important to realize when we are not hungry and just think we need to eat. I am mastering that. Going into a supermarket these days can seem anything but heathy with a majority of it having processed foods. But everything in moderation. It’s ok to snack or have dessert but we are not to over do it. Once I stopped using the My Fitness Pal app and stopped measuring I got myself into trouble.

I have a doctor’s appointment in mid May, and around this time last year my doctor had set me up with a dietician because he said I needed to lose weight. I took off about 40 pounds, but now I have gained some back. Well only half of it, anyway. But I am still not too happy with myself right now. If I don’t get my weight down by mid May I know my doctor will set me up with s dietician again. So I am going to be my own dietician starting now. I’ve learned so much!

As a matter of fact, the food pyramid needs to be flipped upside down. We are told to eat six grains per day and the least amount of animal food that we can. Just look at the food in our schools:orange juice, greasy pizza, fried chicken strips. This has all been FDA approved.

Dietary cholesterol in egg yolk is actually good for you. You need the protein. There are vitamins and nutrients in eggs you cannot get anywhere else. Apparently there’s a medicine that has ‘statins’ that supposedly gets your cholesterol down. I believe we are to eat real food, though. Cheese is dairy and an animal meal, also. Rather than snacking on chips or sugar, we should try to snack on something cheesy or even something like a slim Jim (meat instead). I think they call them a carnivore strip nowadays.

There have been ‘experts’ in the past who have taught and are still teaching that animal fat is bad for you, meat, eggs, and cheese can cause heart attacks, they say. Not true. On the contrary.

Think vegetables, low carbs, and meat/poultry/fish. Snack as little as possible. Do not eat every two hours. It is also a myth that it speeds up your metabolism it actually just keeps your insulin levels higher. Not good at all. Don’t believe that all low fat, fat free, sugarless products are better. Some are OK, but skinny meals, hmm… Not my thing. The alternatives to some of those ingredients can be worse.

2-3 meals per day, each well under 1,000 calories with protein, some veggies, eggs, etc. is part of my plan. Unsalted almonds or nuts are a healthier snack. I use unsalted butter also. Yogurt, Greek Yogurt is superb! Low fat cheese is ok. But it does not have to be ‘low fat.’ Don’t use vegetable or canola oil. If you’re going to have chocolate, go dark chocolate with cocoa. That’s all for now. I hope this helped you all!⚕️👩‍⚕️👩‍🍳

About Zina

Zina Hermez has authored the best-selling book(s), Not Without God: A Story of Survival and Not Without God: Hope In the Storm. She’s been featured in numerous articles, guest posts, podcasts, websites, newsletters, and magazines. She’s also been featured on The Neil Haley (media giant’s) Show, The Intuitive Edge podcast, and on ESPN’s ‘Solutions from the Huddle’broadcast as well as Grace and Truth Radio World!

Zina’s written several hundred articles and has taught thousands of students from all over the world from many different backgrounds and parts of the world. She’s appeared in Christianity Today, the Suite T blog, and the Southern Writers magazine among many other places. Last August she created the “Writing Because I Can’t Not Write Group” meetings and workshops where aspiring and seasoned authors can network and learn together.

Zina writes on faith, science, and overcoming adversity. She also likes to write about health and diet and loves to help others. Her latest book was just published last year.