Blog – Page 10 – Elevation Medical Weight Loss

Posted on November 21, 2016October 26, 2020 by ElevationWeightLoss

Shrimp Cocktail (269 calories per serving)

To make an appt, please call us at (412) 304-2016 or schedule an appointment online here.

Elevation Medical Weight Loss
 2350 Noblestown Rd. Pittsburgh, PA 15205

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! 
OUR OFFICE WILL OPEN WEDS. 12-6P
CLOSED ON THANKSGIVING DAY, 
AND RESUME ON FRI. 12-6P & SAT. 10A-3P

Here is a delicious and simple shrimp cocktail recipe that takes little to no effort to prepare. After trying it, you may wonder why you would ever buy packaged or frozen shrimp cocktail again. We used large shrimp (21-26 shrimp per pound), deveined, with shell on. We have made this recipe several ways, and the taste does not change if you cook with the shell off; however, since the completely peeled shrimp is cooks more quickly, you have to cook it about 1-2 minute less.

2 lb of large deveined, shell on shrimp. Rosemary sprigs, bay leaves, whole peppercorn, celery seed, salt, lemon wedges and lemon peel.

Low Calorie Shrimp Cocktail (269 calories per serving) Recipe serves 4 Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes
Ingredient	Calories	Carbs
For the shrimp:
Large shrimp, deveined, 2 lb	960 calories
Water, 4 cups
Salt, 2 tbsp
Lemon juice, ½ lemon (2 tbsp)
Lemon peel, from 1 lemon
Thyme, 8-10 sprigs or 1 tsp
Black peppercorn, whole, 2 tsp
Bay leaves, 3-4 whole leaves
Celery seed, ½ tsp
Ice, 1 pitcher (½ gallon)

For the cocktail sauce:
Ketchup, ½ cup	116 calories	30 g carbs
Horseradish sauce, 2 tbsp
Worcestershire sauce, ½ tsp
Lemon juice, ½ tsp
Old Bay seasoning**, a dash (1/8 tsp)
Cayenne pepper, sprinkle as needed

RECIPE SERVES 4	269 calories	8 g carbs

Old Bay seasoning can be substituted by mixing equal portions of celery salt, paprika, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.

Lemon juice and lemon zest helps freshen up seafood and shellfish. Essentially, it reduces the amine compound that is responsible for the “fishy smell” in seafood (trimethylamine and dimethylamine)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large pot, pour 4 cups of water and add 2 tbsp salt, 2 tbsp lemon juice, lemon peel, thyme, black peppercorn, bay leaves, celery seed. Turn the heat to high or medium high.

2. In about 4-5 minutes when the water reaches a gentle boil, add the shrimp and stir every 45-60 seconds, submerging the shrimp. After 3-5 minutes when the water almost begins to boil with small bubbles rising, all of the shrimp should be a light pink. Stir again. Turn off the heat when you see a couple of bubbles rising, before the water boils. Cover the pot and let sit for 5-6 minutes.

You want the shrimp to be just done. Turn off the heat when the water is almost coming to a boil by watching for small rolling bubbles. If you have a food thermometer, the water temperature should be around 185 degrees F.

3. Prepare the cocktail sauce by combining the ketchup, horseradish sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, & Cayenne pepper. Mix evenly and place in the fridge for serving later.

4. The shrimp should be thoroughly cooked by now. You may try one to test. The next step is to add in the 1/2 gallon of ice to the shrimp, stir. Cover with a lid for another 4-5 minutes.

ice-elevation — The ice helps cool the water to allow the shrimp to soak up more flavoring without getting overcooked

5. Have a large colander ready in the sink. Pour the ice and shrimp into the colander to strain.

6. If you cooked deveined, shell-on shrimp, you will need some time to peel them, leaving the tail behind. Peeling the shrimp should take around 6-10 minutes.

7. Serve immediately with cocktail sauce, or refrigerate and serve within 3-5 days.

This recipe serves 4, but we won’t say anything if it all goes to one person. Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted on November 16, 2016February 23, 2019 by ElevationWeightLoss

Sermorelin Age-Management Injections

To make an appt, please call us at (412) 304-2016 or schedule an appointment online here.

Elevation Medical Weight Loss
 2350 Noblestown Rd. Pittsburgh, PA 15205

Sermorelin Frequently Asked Questions:

What are the benefits of Increased HGH Production via Sermorelin?

· Increased structural integrity on the bones with improved calcium retention

· Improved quality of sleep predicated by increased REM Sleep

· Boosted immune health

· Higher levels of stamina

· Improved muscular strength

· Thicker, fuller hair

· Enhanced emotional health with increased vitality and energy

· Improved cardiac function

· Speedier physical rehabilitation from surgery and injury

· Increased metabolism which burns adipose fat

· Smoother, tighter skin

· Increased muscle mass

· Enhanced libido and restored sexual ability

· Improved cognition

· Enhanced renal function

With Sermorelin Acetate Therapy, it is possible to restore youthful vitality and alleviate the effects of the aging process that result from Human Growth Hormone Deficiency. Sermorelin is a safe and effective hormone substitute which has the capability to naturally stimulate the Human Pituitary Gland in order to encourage the secretion of our own internal stores of Human Growth Hormone. To learn more about this anti-aging treatment, please visit our sermorelin page here.

Posted on October 14, 2016February 25, 2019 by ElevationWeightLoss

Warm Soup for Sweater Weather: Pork Sour & Spicy (Sinigang) w/ Hearts of Romaine

It’s starting to get chilly out, which means it’s time to warm up your kitchen and your stomach with a savory soup. This is a well-known Filipino dish that has a pleasant taste of savory and tartness.

If you are adventurous enough to try it out, you can get the ingredients at the international aisle of the supermarket, or at pretty much Asian grocery store. Amazon provides another resource for obtaining gourmet grocery items. This dish is very flexible in terms of ingredients. As long as you use a Tamarind soup base and romaine lettuce, you can substitute the other vegetables and switch to a different cut of meat if you desire. Typically this dish goes well with fattier cuts of meat, and there is also version where you can use salmon. If you like Miso soup served at local Japanese steakhouses, then you will like this dish.

Prep time: 10 minutes, Cook time – 35-45 minutes Recipe serves 12 (266 calories with 9 g of carbs per serving)
Ingredient	Calories	Carbs
Pork rib tips, 2 lb	2489 calories
Redskin Potatoes, 1 lb	327 calories	72 g
Hearts of Romaine Lettuce, 3, remove from stem	90 calories	17 g
Snow/Sugar Snap Peas, 8 oz	85 calories	17 g
Onion, chopped, 1 medium	44 calories	10 g
Portobello mushrooms, 8 oz	59 calories	11 g
Knorr Tamarind Soup Mix, 1 packet	80 calories	16 g
Fish sauce, 2 tbsp	20 calories	2 g
**Chili pepper, 2 (optional)

TOTAL	3203 calories	109 g

INSTRUCTIONS:

Slice the rib tips into 1″-1.5″ pieces between the bones. Turn on medium high heat and add in the chopped onion and 2 lb of rib tip pieces for browning, usually ~7-10 minutes. You do need to add oil since the rib tips are a fattier cut of meat.
Adjust to medium heat. Add in 12 cups of water and the potatoes, since potatoes take a while to cook. Bring the soup to boil. Add in the packet of the Tamarind Soup Mix and stir to mix. Add in the snow peas, mushrooms & Hearts of Romaine. Stir.
Add 2 tbsp of Fish Sauce, or salt to taste. If you are adventurous, add in chopped chili peppers for a little kick.
Recipe makes 12 servings. Usually a serving is around 8 oz of soup by volume. Serve in a large bowl.

Let us know if you get a chance to make this delicious soup and how it turns out!

Posted on October 5, 2016February 25, 2019 by ElevationWeightLoss

Banana Ice Cream: 1 Ingredient

Some have asked us if we allow a “loading phase” when starting the HCG injections diet, and our answer is that it varies. A “loading phase” is when you consume high calorie and high carb meals for the initial 1-2 days of the HCG plan before drastically reducing caloric intake. While we feel that it is not necessary to “load up”, you are allowed a couple of meals if you prefer. However, we encourage you to start your new diet right away, since from our experience you will feel and see the results much faster.

Another questions is whether or not we allow a “cheat meal” when you’re on the program. The answer is yes, as long as you do not consistently eat anything out of the ordinary during the course of your 30 days commitment. By that we mean that a treat or two is fine, but scheduling in frequent cheats will definitely slow any progress you hope to make.

So if you’re craving something sweet, you may give in to a small “treat” that hardly even counts as a cheat, like this easy to make 1-ingredient banana ice cream.

Pick out 3 ripe bananas to make 2 servings for this recipe. You can use a small food processor or just crush the bananas with a spoon.

Recipe serves two. 155 calories /serving (with 40 grams of carbs per serving)
Ingredient	Calories	Carb
Banana, 3 medium	310 calories	81 g carb

It’s chilly and you’re making ice cream? Otay, I will help

Instructions:

Peel 3 bananas and place it in a food processor to blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can transfer the bananas in a bowl and crush and blend them with a wooden spoon.
Transfer the contents to two small bowls or ramekins.
Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 3-6 hours until frozen.
Recipe serves two. The more you blended the bananas earlier, the smoother it is. The consistency is similar to sorbet ice cream. You may top off with some whipped topping, such as Reddi Whip, which is 15 calories for 2 tablespoon.

Enjoy this delicious, simple recipe!

Posted on September 26, 2016February 25, 2019 by ElevationWeightLoss

Grilled Shrimp on Skewers: 284 calories per serving

We know you’ve been working hard to achieve your weight loss goal, but we want to make sure that you know that food does not have to be boring. Since it’s still warm out for a few more weeks, you can light of the grill and give this recipe a spin. Grilled shrimp on skewers is great for anyone who likes seafood, especially those who are on the rapid weight loss HCG diet plan since you get 8 oz of pure protein with 3 cups of low calorie vegetables and tomatoes. No oil required for this lean dish.

Grilled Shrimp on Skewers 284 calories per serving. Recipe serves 2 Prep time: 15 min, cook time 6-8 minutes
Ingredient	Calories	Carb
Large shrimp, 1 lb raw	450 calories
Romaine lettuce, 6 cups	48 calories	9 gram
Roma tomatoes, 2 medium	70 calories	14 gram
TOTAL	568 calories	23 gram

*Large shrimp are usually made up of 26-30 shrimp per pound. Each shrimp is approximately 14 calories.

This 1 jumbo shrimp here is 26 lbs… and she loves tomatoes!

Seasoning

3 cloves of garlic, minced

½ tsp seasoned salt

2 tbsp vinegar

¼ tsp pepper

1 slice of lemon

2 sprigs of rosemary (optional)

Chop 1 Roma tomato into small pieces for the salad and set to the side.
Mince and crush the other Roma tomato with a spoon to make a sauce for the shrimp. Add in crushed garlic, seasoned salt, vinegar, pepper, lemon, and rosemary.
Combine the shrimp and stir in the sauce.
Turn on the grill to preheat the grates. Apply a small bit of oil with paper towel to the grates to prepare a non-stick surface.
String the shrimp on the skewers and set on a plate.
Transfer the skewers to the grill. Cook each side for 3-5 minutes on medium high heat or until pink. (Usually you would want to soak your wooden skewers, however the short cooking time for this recipe makes it unnecessary to do so.)
Place the skewers on a plate and serve with Romaine lettuce with chopped tomatoes. You can sprinkle a tsp of Basalmic vinegar as dressing with minimal calories added.

284 calorie meal with 56 grams of protein and 12 grams of carbs

Posted on September 21, 2016February 23, 2019 by ElevationWeightLoss

Vitamin B-12 Packages Now Available

Almost everyone has heard of the many great benefits of Vitamin B. Not just for fat loss, but Vitamin B has been shown to help:

Increase energy
Combat fatigue
Improve metabolism
Enhance mental cognition
Reduce inflammation
Facilitate recovery from exercise
Promote healthier skin and hair
As well as encourage an overall feeling of well-being

By popular request, we will begin offering the following 9 packages on the different Vitamin B weekly shots and combinations.

How it works

Purchase 1 of the 9 packages above to be used anytime during our office hours:

Wed.- Fri. 12p-6p
Sat. 10a-3p

Or take home up to 8 weeks of injections for self-administration (You must see the physician in person before your first time taking home any injections). Your remaining shots credit will never expire. Credit is non-transferable. Packages are available for purchase until 10/30/2016.

Posted on September 3, 2016February 23, 2019 by ElevationWeightLoss

Labor Day Hours

We will be closed on Wednesday, September 7 to take an extended weekend trip to the beach in North Carolina.

We will be back and maybe a little less pale on Thursday, September 8 at 12 PM. Have a wonderful weekend!

Posted on August 29, 2016February 25, 2019 by ElevationWeightLoss

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Here is another low -calorie and low-carb recipe that is great for any day of the week. The chicken based meal cooks up easily and stores well in the fridge for another delicious meal upon reheating.

Tray of Ingredients: Lettuce, mushrooms, chicken breast, onions, green onions, water chestnuts. Sauce mixture of: soy sauce, salt, ginger, garlic, rice wine vinegar, and ginger.

Chicken lettuce wrap: recipe serves 6 prep time: 20 minutes cook time, 15 minutes.
Ingredient	Calories	Carbs
Lettuce, ½ a head	55 calories	11 g
Chicken breast, 1.5 lbs chopped and diced	1123 calories
Onion, ½ medium	23 calories	5 g
Soy sauce, 4 tbsp	35 calories	3 g
Sugar, 2 tbsp	25 calories	25 g
Water chestnut, 6 oz, diced	160 calories	40 g
Mushrooms, 6 oz diced	44 calories	8 g
Green onions, 1 bundle chopped
Ginger, 1 tsp finely chopped or ¼ tsp powder
Salt, ½ tsp
Rice wine vinegar, 1 tbsp
Garlic, 2-3 cloves or 1 tsp
TOTAL	1490 total calories	92 g

It tastes so good we can’t keep our toddler away

Instructions:

Mince the chicken breasts into fine pieces, or as an alternative, you can use 90% lean beef or ground turkey or ground chicken.
Use a large non-stick skillet and put on medium heat, no oil required.
Mince the chopped water chestnuts and mushrooms.
Toss in the chopped chicken on the skillet.
After 5 minutes, combine the rest of the ingredients: onions, green onions, water chestnuts, soy sauce, salt, ginger, garlic, rice wine vinegar, and ginger.
Turn to medium high heat and cook for another 10 minutes or until done.
Lay the lettuce leaves open on a large plate, scoop in the chicken mixture on the lettuce and sprinkle on a bit of green onions. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

There is a lot of flexibility with this recipe. You may omit the water chestnuts to reduce the carb content if you choose. And it almost does not matter the timing of the added ingredients as you cook. As long as most of the sauce cooks off, the chicken and chopped water chest nut will absorb the flavor and you will have a flavorful and healthy meal.

Posted on August 23, 2016October 26, 2020 by ElevationWeightLoss

Answers to Some FADQs (Frequently Asked Dieting Questions)

At Elevation Medical Weight Loss we tend to take a somewhat relaxed approach to meal planning, as a result we are often asked a wide range of questions regarding the finer details of our recommended diet. I am going to address a couple of the more common questions that seem to come up at least once a week.

Does it matter when or how often I eat?

Yes, and no. Generally speaking, what matters most for weight loss is a consistent calorie deficit; however there are a few instances where timing your meals can be beneficial. If you have adopted an intense exercise routine, then you may find it beneficial to eat directly after your workout. Eating after exercise helps to limit the negative effect that carbohydrates may have on you, because your body will use them to replenish your muscles rather than to add to your stored fat. That being said, aside from affecting and being affected by your workouts, meal timing is a personal matter and your ability to mentally stick with you diet matters far more than any minor impact made by a poorly timed meal.

Do artificial sweeteners count as carbs?

Yes artificial sweeteners (AS) are processed by your body in a similar way to sugar, what makes them different is that a calorie worth of AS can be 2-200x sweeter than a calorie of sugar. That means that it takes a lot more AS to have the same impact on your body as sugar. Despite this, we do advise you to avoid AS where possible since not only can consuming excess AS cause you to retain water, but also because in some people merely tasting sweetness can induce an insulin surge, even in the absence of sugar (this is called a psychosomatic effect, and it is believed that as your insulin sensitivity improves you become less susceptible to this effect).

Posted on August 16, 2016October 26, 2020 by ElevationWeightLoss — 1 Comment

Troubleshooting Side Effects of a New Diet: Low Blood Sugar

For those who are not used to eating a low-carb diet consisting of 50 or fewer grams of carbs a day, you may occasionally experience hypoglycemia, or known as low blood sugar. Whenever this happens, it may be a little bit alarming if you haven’t experienced these low blood sugar symptoms in the past:

The first step to dealing with low blood sugar is to recognize the symptoms of hypoglycemia (low sugar):

Symptoms of Low Blood Sugar

Sweatiness

Clammy Skin

Nausea (sick to your stomach)

Shaking, jittery, or nervous

Unsteady, difficult to walk

Feeling “off”, but not a cold

Heart may beat fast

Feel like you are going to “pass out”

Feeling “sick in your stomach”

Remember that phentermine work very well to suppress your appetite, so if you’re used to eating every 4 hours, and suddenly you take phentermine and don’t eat for 8 hours stretches, you may be more susceptible to some unwanted side effects like feeling jittery, nauseated, or get sweaty since your body isn’t accustomed to fasting for longer than a certain amount of time.

However, if you’re used to regularly going 6-8 hours without eating a meal, you may not get these symptoms at all because you have trained your body to even out blood sugar spikes and falls over long stretches, that means you are quite the expert at regulating your own blood sugar level and won’t have any side effects.

What do you do when you think your blood sugar is running low?

Quick Treatment of Low Blood Sugar

A cookie

A handful of candy

A small cup of juice

A few big gulp of regular soda

Pictured here is MaiLan helping us get our blood sugar levels back up. No, not really, all that candy is for her.

Basically, eat anything with sugar to quickly get rid of your hypoglycemia. The recommend intake is 20-40 grams of simple carbohydrate. The fastest acting simple carbohydrates are sweet drinks, like lemonade or juices with sugar added, or even regular soda. Other options are just anything you can quickly grab in the pantry, such as crackers, candy, or a cookie. Often, sugary beverages or snacks will take roughly 15 minutes to work to correct your blood sugar issue.

Having low blood sugar is quite an annoyance, but at least it’s a decently fun problem to fix. Remember to recognize early symptoms of hypoglycemia, such as feeling jittery, shaky, nauseated, or sweaty, and consume a small bit of sweet food/beverages to rapidly bring your sugar level to normal.