After weeks of planning, I was finally able to get family and friends together last weekend for my "The Fast Metabolism Diet" book party, thanks to the folks at MommyParties and Random House, and we had a blast. Because of the recent events in Boston, I had to reschedule so that guests from that area could attend my party. It was only fitting to have a celebratory type party as a way of bringing closure to the events that jolted our lives for a week.
I have had the pleasure of throwing MommyParties for the past few years, but have never been asked to throw one to promote a book release, let alone one for weight loss. I thought it would be hard to find 10-11 people to attend the party, and go home with a copy of "The Fast Metabolism Diet" by Haylie Pomroy. I know many of us struggle with our weight, and as we get older it is much harder to lose the weight. I have been trying to lose the baby weight that I gained with the girls since 2010 and 2011. I can't tell you how many diet books and programs I have tried, only to lose a few pounds and then put them back on. I have been working on losing 20 pounds since January and have lost 10 pounds so far, that have stayed off. It was 15 for a long time, but then with the recent holidays, especially Easter with the candy and dinner I had our my house, I ended up putting on weight. :-( So, I have been looking to find another weight loss program to help me finally lose the extra weight once and for all, and that wouldn't break the bank with foods, etc.
As part of the MommyParties and Random House sponsored "The Fast Metabolism Diet" party, I was a dozen of the books to hand out to guests (and keep one for me), along with a bag full of goodies, which included samples of Celestial Seasonings peppermint tea, Artisana 100% organic raw cashew butter two FREE coupons for Applegate products (I ended up picking up a package of their bacon and one of their sausage for guests to sample), as well as recipe cards with some of the meals and smoothies that you are supposed to make during your four week, 3 phase weight loss plan. Then, a few days after receiving party supplies, I came home to a brand new Crock-Pot® Slow Cooker with Smart Cook™ Technology. I usually make 2-3 crock pot meals a week, but have been wanting to pick up a larger crock pot so that I could make and freeze meals. So, I was so excited to try out this new and improved crock pot with smart cook technology.
Prior to the party, I began reading the book, and seeing how I could not only incorporate this weight loss program into my current diet, which I have doing since the 1st of the year, but also be able to share what I had learned with guests during my party. At the end of the book, there is a whole section of recipes to use with the 4 week program. All looked easy to prepare, and sounded good. While a handful of them called for ingredients either I never heard of, or that aren't available in my local grocery store. Take for instance the Strawberry French Toast recipe...it called for sprouted grain bread. After searching 3 of my local markets, I ended up having my husband stop by Whole Foods to pick up loaf of this bread. I wanted to make this recipe to show guests that it is worth visiting health and wellness stores to find unique ingredients like this, as it pays off when you can create such an amazing and tasty dish.
When I started talking up this book with family and friends to see who would be interested in coming, I was amazed at how everyone was excited about trying out this new diet, and wanted to come and gather for great (healthy) food and conversation about our struggles with diets and weight loss. Before the Boston events, I had 25 people (both male and female) who had RSVP'd to my party. And, by the time the party rolled around last week, 14 people were able to make it.
Because people were coming for 11:30-12:00PM, I decided to do a brunch. Dishes I made for sampling from the recipes I found in this diet book included the Strawberry French Toast, Steak and Spinach Salad, along with a handful of smoothies and finger sandwiches with Applegate meats I had picked up earlier. I couldn't resist trying out the NEW! Crock-Pot® Slow Cooker with Smart Cook™ Technology I was sent and made a delicious Italian Chicken with wild rice dish (recipe is found in the book). The chicken and rice dish was a hit, especially with busy moms like myself, as they rely on the crock pot to make meals when they are pressed for time each week. Not only was it delicious, but they could see their children eating it. One of the big concerns guests had when it came to dieting, was having to make something for their family, while also having to make a separate meal for themselves. I don't know about you, but I am lucky enough if I can whip together a meal for the family in under an hour each night, let along two. So, this chicken and rice recipe was folded down in everyone's book they were taking home, so that they could make again.
A few guests talked about seeing the author, Haylie Pomroy on Dr. Oz, and how they were intrigued by her fast metabolism diet. Unlike other diets, Haylie asks you to eat a lot -- 3 full meals a day, along with at least 2 snacks. The best part -- there is no calorie counting no weird fad foods, or the need to deprive yourself of food. The Fast Metabolism Diet is made up of three phases:
Phase 1: Monday-Tuesday -- Eat lots of carbs and fruits
Phase 2: Wed.-Thursday -- Eat lots of proteins and veggies
Phase 3: Friday - Sunday -- Eat all of the above, plus add healthy fats and oils
Not sure where to start with foods? Don't worry as this book is filled with great tips and recipes, making it an easy diet to follow. In addition to the 3 phases, this book also covers do's and don'ts like no alcohol or caffeine (I still haven't been able to give up the coffee and soda, two of my weaknesses), as well as using organic foods and nitrate free meats in your diet. Another hard "do" for me is to eat within 30 minutes of waking. With two little ones, my days (especially my mornings) are unpredictable. There are times that I don't get a shower in until mid afternoon, and breakfast, lunch?....where did those meals go? The girls keep me going and going, that I find myself missing these crucial meals some days, and then looking for foods to snack on.
And, like any diet, you have to be committed and follow it to a "T." This is on one of the problems I face when trying to commit 28 days to it, as I know with my mommy schedule right now, that there may be days that I will not be able to eat first thing in the AM, that I will not want to make smoothies or other meals because of time constraints, or heck, I may even want a glass of wine after dinner to unwind. If I want to lose up to 20 pounds in 28 days, I have to be committed. Would you be able to commit? Even though I can't do a full 28 days, I have been incorporating some of the phases and recipes into my current diet regime, and have seen 3-4 pounds in less than 2 weeks.
I checked in this past weekend with guests who attended my party to see how they were doing, and 8 out of the 14 who attended had started and stuck with their 1st week. The others had hoped to start the diet this past week, but either found themselves pressed for time or having other commitments, and couldn't get their meal plans in order, or get caught up with the reading prior to starting the 4-week diet. But, these folks plan to start soon, and will hopefully be able to commit the full 28 days. We all agreed to check in via a Facebook page I set up, to track our weight loss progress, share feedback on recipes and meal plans we set up for ourselves, as well as to talk about our successes and struggles, as we complete our 28 Fast Metabolism diet. I can't wait to see not only results, but my family and friends'...and, hopefully at the end of the 28 days, we will still want to maintain this new lifestyle, and stick to the meal plans, etc. We will see...:-)
In the meantime, we are all enjoying the new book, samples and coupons we received as part of this unique, yet fun sponsored party thanks to the folks at MommyParties and Random House. If you have struggled to lose weight, and are looking for new diet program to try out, why not pick up a copy of "The Fast Metabolism Diet" by Haylie Pomroy today? What do you have to lose...besides inches off your waistline? :-)
Disclosure: This party was sponsored by MommyParties & Random House. However, all views shared are mine and mine alone.
i dont think i could commit enough to lose 20 pounds, although i wish i was! i have just started doing sensa and my friends say it takes a couple of weeks to start working - i hope they are right cause so far, i dont feel full!
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