VEGGIE CHILLI

So yesterday was interesting. I felt majorly bloated, perhaps because my womanly visitor is on her way, which will also make me crave chocolate- but that's for another convo- So I was not feeling much happen in terms of weight loss. I didn't feel deflated, defeated or frustrated, I know how weight loss goes. After all, if you have been following my blog you would have read, I battled the bulge many years ago.

I'll keep it real with you, it's not like I started the gym or have been doing any activity out of my comfort zone to the lose the weight. My comfort zone is dancing in front of the mirror at home to my tunes that I LOVE, and I do my own thing, in my own space, in my own head, with not distractions. 

Sometimes I may break out the cardio videos and have them play on mute in the background just for some workout material ideas, but most times I just dance for 40-45 minutes, just medium speed. 

Okay, so back to yesterday. Due to the fact that I was feeling 'thick' for the lack of a better word, I made some homemade veggie chili and I'm telling you I felt the effects right away. The plum tomatoes are such an awesome source of fat shrinking goodness, it's amazing. Okay, so here are the ingredients so you can try it. 

VEGGIE CHILI

1 can of plum tomatoes

1 can of crushed tomatoes

1 can of red kidney beans

1 can of black beans

2 small cans of corn , or 1 large can

1 large onion

half of Garlic (three six cloves)

1 can of small tomato paste

1 or 1/2 cup of water

1 generous handful of spring mix

1/4 cup of brown sugar

ADD THE INGREDIENTS INTO THE POT ALL AT ONCE. 

BRING TO A BOIL AND THEN LET SIMMER UNTIL DESIRED LIKENESS. 

YOU MAY WANT TO ADD YOUR OWN TOUCH OF HERBS AND ADD MORE VEGGIES LIKE CAULIFLOWER, BROCCOLI, CELERY... IT'S ALL UP TO YOUR TASTE BUDS.

BEANS HEALTH BENEFITS

"Chronic conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease all have something in common. Being overweight increases your chances of developing them and makes your prognosis worse if you do, says Mark Brick, PhD -- which means that trimming your waistline does more for you than make your pants look better. Brick, a professor in the department of soil and crop sciences at Colorado State University, is investigating the ability of different bean varieties to prevent cancer and diabetes.

Beans are comparable to meat when it comes to calories, says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, a registered dietitian at Northwestern Memorial Hospital's Wellness Institute in Chicago and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. But they really shine in terms of fiber and water content, two ingredients that make you feel fuller, faster. Adding beans to your diet helps cut calories without feeling deprived."

CORN HEALTH BENEFITS

TOMATO HEALTH BENEFIT

Intake of tomatoes has long been linked to heart health. Fresh tomatoes and tomato extracts have been shown to help lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. In addition, tomato extracts have been shown to help prevent unwanted clumping together (aggregation) of platelet cells in the blood - a factor that is especially important in lowering risk of heart problems like atherosclerosis. (In a recent South American study of 26 vegetables, tomatoes and green beans came out best in their anti-aggregation properties.) But only recently are researchers beginning to identify some of the more unusual phytonutrients in tomatoes that help provide us with these heart-protective benefits.