Candice Craves

Photo Card

2012-02-07T19:13:00.001-08:00

Hand Drawn Hearts Valentine's Day

Find unique birthday and Valentine's cards at Shutterfly.

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Project 52:3 Jada 19 Weeks

2012-01-26T19:31:00.001-08:00

Jada & Granny 1/14/11 (18 Weeks)

2012-01-17T11:58:00.000-08:00

Project 52:2 Jada at 19 Weeks

2012-01-17T11:49:00.001-08:00

Not much has changed this week with Jada. She is still enjoying baby food and getting better with eating every day. She is sleeping fairly well. Some nights are better then others. We have been working on getting her to use her hands and hold toys. She is very resistant to this for some reason but we are working on it.

Project 52:1 Jada 18 Weeks Old

2012-01-10T17:33:00.000-08:00

Sits up with minimal support
Sleeps 6-7 straight hours most nights
Starting solid foods: peas, pears, sweet potatoes, banana rice cereal, carrots
Smiles all the time
Starting to laugh
Loves her swing and takes naps in it all day
Very curious about the world around her. Like to watch little kids
Has fussy periods at night between 7pm-8pm
Weight: 10lbs 12ozs
Height: 23 inches
Cries during tummy time. Does not want to hold head up

My favorite pic of the week:

My Favorite Tuna Salad Recipe

2012-01-10T17:30:00.000-08:00

Tuna Salad:

One can of tuna packed in water
One hard boiled egg
One tablespoon yellow mustard
1/8 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

Spread laughing cow cheese on Townhouse crackers and top with the tuna salad

One Week Old 9/13/11

2011-09-13T14:40:00.000-07:00

My very first picture 9/6/2011

2011-09-06T14:24:00.000-07:00

Food Rules

2010-04-24T15:26:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading this great book. It is short and to the point which I loved. It's all about good, quality eating and not depending on fad diets to loose weight and stay health. Some of the food rules that I am following or plan to follow:

#2 Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food
#4 Avoid foods with high fructose corn syrup
#6 Avoid foods that contain more than 6 ingredients
#12 Shop the peripheries of the supermarket and stay out of the middle
#13 Eat only foods that will eventually rot
#20 It's not food if it arrived in the window of your car
#25 Eat your colors
#34 Sweeten and salt your food yourself
#46 Stop eating before you're full
#40 Eat Slowly

GREAT BOOK!!!! Check it out!!

Lunch at Ruby Tuesdays......

2010-04-24T15:23:00.000-07:00

DELISH!!!!!!!

Sorry for the poor quality picture. Restaurant lighting =D

Cheesy Chicken Parmesan

2010-04-20T12:11:00.000-07:00

Last night for dinner we had chicken parmesan! Grilled of course =D

To make it. I dredged chicken tenderloins in egg whites, then a mixture of onion powder, garlic powder and italian seasonings. I heated an iron skillet and sprayed it with zero calorie spray. I then cooked the chicken in the skillet until done. I then poured marinara sauce on the chicken (homemade) and topped it with plenty of fat free shredded mozzarella. Put a lid on it and cook until sauce is heated and cheese is melted. YUM! I served it with a side of broccoli and corn on the cob.

For 3 servings:

1 Pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup marinara sauce

3/4 cup shredded fat free mozzarella cheese

Calories per serving : 272

Calories of Olive Garden chicken parmesan: 1090 (per the OG website)

Hummus, Salad & Pita

2010-04-19T11:03:00.000-07:00

For lunch today I made myself a plate of salad, pita, and home made hummus. My pita was 100% whole wheat. For lunch this week I made myself a huge bowl of salad to split. My salad consists of tomatoes, cucumbers, hearts of palm, and lemon juice. I also made a big bowl of hummus for this week. To make the hummus I used:

2 cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

2 cans artichoke harts

the juice of 3 lemons

2 garlic cloves

3/4 cup EVOO

I put all the ingredients except for the EVOO in a food processor and blended it until smooth. Then I drizzled in the EVOO while blending. You can also add tahini paste or red pepper if you like.

Loaded Waffle-tastic Yogurt

2010-04-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

This morning for breakfast I had some loaded yogurt. My bowl included:

2 Nutri-Grain Waffles

1 Banana

1 package strawberry 100 calorie cupcakes

1 6oz Dannon light and fit vanilla yogurt

Great way to start a Monday!!!

The Cookie Jar Cafe

2010-04-16T18:18:00.000-07:00

Tonight for dinner me and my DH headed over the mountain to a place called the Cookie Jar Cafe in Dunlap, TN. It is a local cafe set up on a dairy farm. It serves fresh, home made, meats, sides and desserts daily. I had the meatloaf with white beans, creamed corn, and deviled eggs. Delish!! I also might have had half a piece of cornbread =D

If you live nearby and you haven't tried this place, GO! The food is amazing as well as the scenery.

Check it out at:

http://johnsonfamilyfarm.com/cjc.htm

Slush Puppy Pineapple Lemonade

2010-04-16T11:58:00.000-07:00

What's better on a hot afternoon than lemonade?!? I was craving a cold treat today so I decided to try the Slush Puppy Pineapple Lemonade out of the Hungry Girl 3-2-1 cookbook. Here's how to make it:

Blend 5-8 ice cubes, 1/2 cup crushed pineapple, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 2 no calorie sweetener packs and 1/2 cup cold water. Blend until desired consistency.

YUMMY!!! This made the BEST lemonade! Bonus: Entire recipe is only 87 calories. Score!!!

If you don't have this cookbook yet, run out and buy it!!!

Chicken Cordon Bleu for One

2010-04-15T07:42:00.000-07:00

Tonight I was feeling very under the weather so I wanted something comforting and easy for dinner. I decided to make easy chicken cordon bleu. Sounds so fancy! So fancy it only took 3 ingredients =D I used:

1 4oz piece of chicken breast, pounded like a cutlet

1 serving fat free honey ham

1 Laughing Cow Light wedge cheese

I pounded the chicken breast into a cutlet, heated a skillet, and cooked it in the skillet until done. I then added the ham and cheese on top and put a lid on until it was all heated and melted.

As you can tell from the picture, I got a little impatient and ate it before the cheese melted. I have to say this simple chicken creation was so delicious! By far one of the best ways to make chicken. I am really craving this again tonight it was so good =D

Calories for 1 serving (4oz chicken, 1 serving fat free ham, LC light cheese): 190!!!!

Pizza-licious Chicken

2010-04-13T14:54:00.000-07:00

Here is how I made this easy pizza chicken recipe:

I took one pound of chicken breasts, put them in a gallon ziplock bag, and pounded them into cutlets. I then heated a skillet, wiped it with EVOO, and added the chicken. I sprinkled onion powder, garlic powder, and salt on the chicken and cooked it until done. When it was done, I smothered each piece of chicken with pizza sauce from jar and topped them with light string cheese. I put a lid on top, turned the heat down to low, and let them simmer until the pizza sauce was heated and the cheese melted. Delish!!!

I had mine with a side of broccoli and Jody had his with a side salad =D

For one chicken:

5oz chicken

1/2 cup pizza sauce

1 light string cheese

296 Calories!!!

Week 14 Results

2010-04-13T13:08:00.001-07:00

Week 14 results are in and I lost 3 pounds this week!!!! YAY!!! That puts me at 44 pounds lost so far.

ALSO, still keeping up with the fast food boycott. It has not been 103 days since I have ate fast food!!

Boring looks but tasty treat

2010-04-13T13:06:00.000-07:00

Today's breakfast looked boring on the plate but it was oh so tasty! I scrambled 3 egg whites with a pinch of salt and a laughing cow light wedge cheese. I had a side of turkey bacon with it. Great way to start the day!

Hungry Girl 1 2 3 Cookbook

2010-04-11T18:39:00.000-07:00

I picked up this cookbook this weekend at the store. It has some amazing recipes!!! Very simple and low in calories! I can't wait to try out some of the recipes this week =D

Top 8 Worst Snacks

2010-04-09T20:05:00.000-07:00

Today WebMD compiled a list of the 8 worst snacks. Check ‘em out and see if anything you eat made the list!

8 Worst Snacks:

Chocolate-coated doughnuts and mini doughnuts (Entenmann’s Pop’ems)
Snack pies (Hostess fruit pies)
Movie-theater butter microwavable popcorn (Pop-Secret Extra Butter)
Lunchables by Oscar Mayer
Regular chips and Cheetos
Packaged frozen snacks (Jimmy Dean biscuits, Hot Pockets)
Tyson Fun Nuggets
Cheese crackers (Ritz Bits, Cheez-Its)

Chef Salad

2010-04-06T13:15:00.000-07:00

Today for lunch I fixed myself a yummy chef salad. It consisted of:

2 cups Hearts of Romaine lettuce

3oz Ham

3oz Turkey

2 Hearts of Palm

1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese

2 tbsp honey mustard

DELISH!!

Breakfast Sandwich

2010-04-06T05:11:00.000-07:00

For breakfast this morning I made a simple breakfast sandwich. It consisted of: 1 whole wheat sandwich thin, 2 turkey bacon, and 3 egg whites. With a side of banana =D

Easter Sunday Dinner

2010-04-04T18:51:00.000-07:00

I decided to pass up the fried chicken, fried okra, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, cornbread, pinto beans, etc, etc, etc and made my healthy food. Boy that was not easy! But I did it. For dinner I had teriyaki chicken, broccoli, brussel sprouts, and a sweet potato! yum

Applebess New Under 550 Menu

2010-04-02T07:30:00.000-07:00

For dinner last night, we decided to eat out and I had heard about Applebees new under 550 menu so I wanted to try it out. I decided to get the Spicy Shrimp Diavolo. It was....eh....ok. I wasn't impressed. The sauce was good, a little on the spicy side but not too bad. It just ended up being way to much pasta for me. Not something I would order again. According to the Applebees webite, the dish is 500 calories.

Dinner on the Fly

2010-03-31T17:01:00.000-07:00

This is a hectic week so meals need to be light and quick! Tonight I threw together a salad with a sweet potato. My salad consisted of: lettuce, cheese, strip steak, and honey mustard dressing. I cooked my sweet potato and had it with a wedge of light cheese. Voila! Dinner in under 10 minutes =D

PB is Love

2010-03-30T12:14:00.000-07:00

Today's afternoon snack!:

1/2 Sandwich Thin

1 tbsp natural Peanut Butter

1 tbsp Peanut butter / chocolate chips

Week 12 Results

2010-03-29T22:08:00.000-07:00

Week 12 Results!!!!

I lost 2.5 pounds this week! That puts my total at 41.1 pounds so far. I'm very excited to be over the 40 pound mark, however, at the weekly weigh in I weighed the exact same as last week. I think this was because I had a big lunch during the day. I go by my morning weigh ins anyway.

I think the biggest challenge this week will be EASTER. Dinner at Grannys house!! =)

Today is Day 89 of the Fast Food Boycott!! Still going strong!!! 89 days down, 276 days to go!!!

BBQ Chicken Wrap

2010-03-29T19:03:00.000-07:00

Tonight for dinner I had a BBQ Chicken Wrap with Roasted Veggies.

To make the wrap: I cooked boneless, skinless, chicken breasts in some stock in the crock pot all day. About an hour before dinner, I drained the stock out and shredded the chicken with a fork. It shreds very easily after being in the crock pot all day. Then I added a bottle of BBQ Sauce. I let this cook for about another hour. To assemble the wrap I simply took a Joseph Lavash 100 calorie wrap, put 3oz of the chicken in it, rolled it up, and cut it in half. I served this with a side of 1tbsp fat free cream cheese which I meant to spread on the wrap but forgot =D

To make the roasted veggies: I took brussel sprouts, carrots, and cauliflower. Added 1tbsp EVOO and kosher salt and cooked them in a 425 degree oven for about 20 minutes.

Strawberry French Toast

2010-03-28T05:32:00.000-07:00

Nothing better on a Sunday Morning than French Toast. I was feeling creative today so I decided to try and make my own syrup! It was so easy to do and turned out yummy.

To make the strawberry syrup, I put about 1 1/2 cups of water in a pot. I added 4 packs of Splenda and 6 large strawberries. I turned the stove on high and let it boil away. In about 20 minutes it was syrupy with just a few small chunks of strawberries left so I took it off the stove, put it in a bowl, and set it in the fridge to cool while I fixed the french toast.

To make the french toast I added 3 egg whites, a dash of skim milk, and a dash of cinnamon in a bowl and stirred it up. I took half of a sandwich thin, dipped it in the egg mixture, and cooked it in no calorie spray in a skillet. When it was done, I cooked the other half.

To assemble the dish I put the french toast on the bottom, coated it with half the syrup, added a ton of Cool Whip Free, the rest of the syrup, and 3 sliced strawberries to the top.

Delicious!!

This version has only 275 calories!!

Loaded Yogurt Part 2

2010-03-26T05:43:00.000-07:00

This morning for breakfast I fixed myself a big bowl of loaded yogurt. Of course =D To my bowl today I added:

1 Dannon Light & Fit Vanilla Yogurt

2 Jumbo Strawberries

1/2 Banana

1 90 Calorie Oatmeal Raisen Granola Bar

1 100 calorie Reese's Snackster Package

Cheeseburger Pizza

2010-03-25T15:16:00.000-07:00

For dinner tonight I was craving an ol' fashioned cheeseburger so I decided to make one into a pizza for a healthier version. Assemble the following:

For crust: Joseph Lavash Bread Wrap

For Sauce: mix 1 tbsp light mayo, 1 tbsp mustard, 1 tbsp ketchup and 1 tbsp relish together and spread on crust

Brown extra lean ground beef, drain, and add to the top of the sauce.

Cook 2 pieces of Turkey Bacon, dice, and sprinkle on top of the ground beef

Sprinkle 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese on top of the bacon

Put the pizza in a 450 degree pre-heated oven on Broil. Broil until cheese is melted. About 5 minutes.

Take the pizza out and top with plenty of lettuce and tomatoes

Total calories for the whole pizza: 412

In comparison, total calories in a SMALL Dominos Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza: 1560 Wowzers!!

Strawberry Granola Waffles

2010-03-25T05:07:00.000-07:00

I had a carb craving this morning so I decided to make some waffles. I toasted 2 NutriGrain waffles, topped them with Dannon Light & Fit Vanilla yogurt, sliced strawberries, and a 90 calorie chocolate granola bar. Yum-o!!!

Loaded Yogurt

2010-03-24T13:06:00.000-07:00

I was craving some good loaded yogurt this morning for breakfast. I am a texture and flavor fanatic so this is right up my alley! In my yogurt I used:

1 Dannon Light and Fit Vanilla Yogurt

2 Jumbo Strawberries, sliced

1 90 calorie chocolate granola bar, sliced

1/4 cup Fiber One Cereal

1 tbsp peanut butter/ chocolate chips

1 package 100 calorie strawberry cupcakes, cut up

Put it all in a bowl, stir, and enjoy DELISH!

Easy Crock Pot Pork Chops and Apples

2010-03-23T16:09:00.000-07:00

Tonight for dinner we had pork chops, cinnamon apples, and roasted veggies.

To begin, I put pork chops and cut up apples in a crock pot with a small amount of water. I added splenda, cinnamon, and unsweetened applesauce to the crockpot. Mixed it all together and cooked it on high for 4 hours. Turned out great!!! Pork chops tend to get a little dry so cooking them in the crockpot with juicy apples helped keep them nice and juicy.

To make the roasted veggies, I simply took: brussel sprouts, green beans, carrots, and cauliflower; added a small amount of EVOO and kosher salt, and roasted them on a cookie sheet in a 450 degree oven for about 25 minutes.

Fat Free Tuna Salad

2010-03-23T10:35:00.000-07:00

I picked up this at the grocery store to try for lunch. It was actually pretty good!! Something I would for sure eat again. I had it for lunch today. It came with white crackers but I dis-carded those and had some Graduate cheese puffs instead =)

Running Late = Quick Breakfast

2010-03-23T07:45:00.000-07:00

This morning I was running late so I had to throw together a quick breakfast!! I just used:

1 Sandwich Thin

2 tbsp Natural Peanut Butter

2 large Strawberries

1/2 banana

and made me a couple of open face sandwiches! It was quick and tasty!! Peanut butter always fills my belly!

Week 11 Results!

2010-03-23T07:22:00.000-07:00

Well Week 11 has come and gone! I was a little worried this week because I decided to give my body a break and I didn't workout not ONCE this week but boy did I get a surprise. I ended up losing 3.5 pounds according to my at home weigh in!! At the Biggest Loser weigh in I lost 5.4 pounds and won the weekly weigh in!! WOW! I'm very excited. That puts my total weight loss at 38.6 pounds in 11 weeks.

This week I can tell I am losing in my clothes. Nothing fits anymore! Which is a good thing but also a bad thing. I don't plan to spend very long in a size so I will not be spending a lot of money on clothes. The wardrobe will be scarce in the next few months but it will be worth it =D

The fast food boycott is going good! Today is day 82 since I have had any fast food (not even Subway) and it feels great. I don't even crave the junk anymore. Some people have asked me what I consider to be a fast food place and basically if they don't have waiters, it's fast food. I don't even do Subway right now. 82 days down! 283 days to go!

The plan this week is to get back into working out. I have actually missed it. I plan to do some cardio everyday and weights 3 or 4 days this week.

I also will be on a retreat this weekend. I have no idea what kind of food they are planning to serve so I plan on bringing my own just in case.

Nutritional goals this week are the same: try to keep my daily calorie intake around 1200 calories and NO eating after 6pm!!

Sunday Morning Yogurt

2010-03-21T05:36:00.000-07:00

I LOVE to add different things to my yogurt. I love the different flavors and textures it gives. Today for breakfast I had a 6 oz cup of Dannon Light and Fit vanilla yogurt with the following add-ins:

1/2 banana, sliced

3 strawberries, sliced

1 90 calorie granola bar, cut up

1/4 cup Graduate banana puffs

1 package 100 calorie Hostess Strawberry Cupcakes, cut up

DELISH!!!

Chocolate Pancakes

2010-03-20T07:51:00.000-07:00

What's better on a Saturday morning than yummy pancakes?!? So this morning I decided to whip up a batch of protein pancakes. To make the pancakes I used:

1/3 cup oatmeal

4 egg whites

1 scoop 100 calorie chocolate protein powder

1/2 banana

Blend the protein, oatmeal, egg whites, and banana in a bowl. Make sure the banana gets smashed and mixed in evenly. You can add a touch of Splenda and Cinnamon for some extra sweetness. Cook in a skillet with cooking oil like regular pancakes. Makes approx. 4 pancakes

I topped my pancakes with a container of Dannon Light and Fit Vanilla Yogurt and sliced, fresh strawberries.

Total Calories for the pancakes: 268

Total Calories w/ yogurt and strawberries: 369

In comparison, 4 chocolate chip pancakes from IHOP without syrup or extras is 900 calories!! (according to myfitnesspal.com)

Sweet & Satisfying Afternoon Snack

2010-03-19T14:35:00.000-07:00

1 Golden Delicous Apple

1 slice 100 calorie bread

1 tbsp natural peanut butter

1 tbsp chocolate & peanut butter chips

Cheesy Shrimp Pasta

2010-03-19T14:25:00.000-07:00

One of my all time favorite dishes is Shrimp Pasta from Red Lobster. And I had a craving for it tonight. So I tried to re-create it as close as possible but a little healthier. I used these ingredients to make 1 serving:

3oz Shrimp, pre-cooked without tails

1oz Healthy Harvest whole grain spaghetti

10oz bag of frozen steamfresh broccoli florets

1 Laughing Cow Light Cheese

1 tbsp Fat Free Cream Cheese

.25 cup Italian Shredded Cheese

To assemble: I cooked the steamfresh broccoli in the microwave. Then I boiled water on the stove. I added the spaghetti to the boiling water. The last 5 minutes of the spaghetti cooking time, I added the shrimp to the pot. When it as done, I drained the spaghetti and shrimp. I put the spaghetti, shrimp, broccoli, laughing cow cheese and cream cheese in an oven safe bowl. Mixed it together until the cheese melted. Then I sprinkled the shredded cheese on top. I put the bowl in the oven and heated it until the cheese as melted and the whole dish was piping hot!!

It was delicious! I was very satisfied!!!! The whole bowl came to 412 calories!!!

In comparison an order of Shrimp Linguini from Red Lobster is 1100 calories! (Per the R.L. website) WOW!!

Chicken Veggie Pizza

2010-03-18T15:18:00.000-07:00

PIZZA NIGHT!!!!

I had my normal veggie pizza but I added chicken this time. I haven't had meat in 2 days so I needed to fit some in. My pizza consisted of:

1 Joseph Lavash Bread

3 cups roasted veggies

3oz chicken breast

1/2 cup marinara sauce

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.

I crisped the Lavash in the oven. Then I cooked a piece of chicken and cut it up. I roasted brussel sprouts, carrots, and sugar snap peas in olive oil in the oven until they were crispy and blackened. I added the chicken, veggies, sauce, and cheese to the Lavash and cooked it in the oven until the cheese was melted.

This chicken veggie pizza was 536 for the whole pizza

A medium thin n crispy veggie pizza from Pizza Hut has 1440 calories. Yikes!

My Top 3 Tips to Curb a Craving

2010-03-18T15:15:00.000-07:00

When the craving strikes:

1) Drink a full glass of water

2) Start a 30 minute teeth whitening treatment

3) Chew a really minty piece of gum

Works everytime =D

10 Ways to Start a Healthy Eating Plan

2010-03-18T13:51:00.000-07:00

Thank you to girlmeetshealth.com for the info:

10 Ways To Start A Healthy Eating Plan
1. Write down your goals.
Although this list is in no particular order, I would recommend doing this step first. Do you want to lose weight? Increase your energy? Avoid future health problems? Writing these things down will give you the motivation you need to stick to your new plan. These goals will probably change over time, but make sure to always have them in the back of your mind to remember why it is you want to eat healthy. I’m sure you could just think about your goals, but I find that writing goals down turns them into more of a reality.
2. Find what works best for you.
I personally do not believe that there is one right way of eating for everyone. For some people, vegetarianism or veganism is the way to go. For others, it’s low carb, gluten free, sugar free, etc. Do some research and/or take a few days to experiment, and see which form of eating is best suited for your preferences and lifestyle. This might include all of the above or none of the above! I’m not at all saying that you have to label yourself as one thing or another. In fact, I personally would advise against that. But try to get an idea of how different ways of eating make you feel – both physically and emotionally.
3. Visit blogs.
Finding and following healthy living/food blogs was paramount in helping me take that next step when it comes eating healthily. You’ll find tons of great advice and recipes for healthy eats.
4. Eat more fruit and vegetables.
Sorry kids, there’s no way around this one. Whether you are a vegan, a rawist, a low carber, or a Weight Watcher – you haveto eat veggies! They are quite arguably the main component of any healthy diet. Fruits and veggies are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. If you’re not a fan of them, check out this article for easy ways to squeeze more fruits and veggies into your diet.
5. Eat what tastes good.
I think what makes people most hesitant when it comes to eating healthy is they think it means living on iceberg lettuce, celery sticks, or (in the blogging world) chia seeds. Just because something is considered healthy or even “trendy,” don’t eat it if you don’t like it! Find foods that you enjoy and look forward to eating. Once again, I’d suggest checking out as many healthy living blogs as you can to see that eating healthy doesn’t have to mean compromising taste.
6. Try new things.
With that being said, you have to be willing to try new foods and experiment with recipes. For example, a lot of people are hesitant to try Green Monsters. Don’t worry – I was too. But if you’d be willing to give it a try, you’d find that it tastes just like delicious a banana smoothie!
7. Learn the basics.
Take some time to learn basic nutritional facts regarding nutrients, calories, etc. I suggest checking out SparkPeople.com. The nutritionists over at SparkPeople have set up some great articles explaining the in’s and out’s of nutrition in simple terms. Not to mention there are active message boards where SP users and the nutritionists themselves will answer questions and provide advice. The more you know about what’s actually going on in your body, the more proud and motivated you’ll be to continue with a healthy lifestyle.
8. Take it one step bite at a time.
To some people, any form of change can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to an everyday task such as eating. If you think you have to completely transform your diet overnight, you may be setting yourself up for failure. Change one or two things at a time. For example, maybe decide to cut out soda and sugary drinks. Or even start by keeping your diet the way it is, but add more servings of veggies here and there. Eventually your new habits will stick, and you’ll be ready to move on to the next step.
9. Go easy on yourself.
To me, some of the main components of a healthy eating plan is balance and moderation. Newsflash: eating a doughnut, or even 2 doughnuts, is not going to kill you! Don’t get it in your mind that you’ll never be able to eat not-so-healthy foods again. Life is too short to deprive yourself! Instead, aim for healthy choices most of the time. Don’t think of food in terms of “good” or “bad/forbidden” because that will also set you up for failure. Instead, enjoy everything in moderation, and focus on the good, healthy choices you’re making for yourself.
10. Get Excited.
Hooray!! You’re in the process of making one of the best decisions of your life. Eating healthy will help you look and feel better as your get older, and in my opinion it greatly improves overall quality of life. That’s an exciting thought! Spread the news to your friends and family, and maybe you’ll inspire them to start eating more healthily as well. I truly believe that eating healthy should not cause any sort of stress in your life, rather it should be something that adds to your happiness and quality of life.
There ya have it! Hope you all enjoyed those tips =)

Apple Granola Oatmeal

2010-03-18T05:01:00.001-07:00

Sorry I haven't been posting much lately. I still haven't been to the store so my meals have been pretty boring. Today's breakfast was simple:

Dannon Light & Fit Strawberry Yogurt

Small Apple

Chocolate Chunk 90 Calorie Granola Bar

Mix all together and enjoy

Week 10 Results

2010-03-16T18:59:00.000-07:00

So Week 10 has come and gone! This week I lost 2.5 pounds. I am very happy with that since I was out of town 3 days this week. That puts my total at 35.1 pounds in 10 weeks!!

My fast food boycott is going good as well. I had to buy a couple of drinks this weekend at some places but I did not eat a thing from them. I brought all my own food with me. So now it has been 75 days since I have ate any fast food. My goal is still a whole year....

This week my goal is to catch up on some rest! I got a total of maybe 5 hours of sleep all weekend so I think my body deserves a rest this week. I'm not going to push it.

Ready for Week #11!

Quick Pasta!

2010-03-16T18:55:00.000-07:00

So I realize I make a lot of these but they are just so darn good and easy to make!! I have not been to the grocery store since we came back from being out of town this weekend but I had everything on hand to make a quick pasta bowl for dinner tonight. My bowl consisted of:

5oz Broccoli, steamed

3oz grilled chicken breast

1/2 cup marinara sauce

1/2 cup cheese tortellini

1 light laughing cow cheese

My bowl cost me a cool 300 calories!!

Herb Stuffed Chicken

2010-03-10T14:16:00.000-08:00

Tonight for dinner I had Herb Stuffed Chicken. Sounds fancy-shmancy huh? Well not really. All I did was put a little garlic powder on a chicken breast and bake it in the oven. When it was done I split it open and put a piece of light Laughing Cow Cheese inside. Then I sprinkled a little parsley on top. Voila! Herb stuffed chicken. It was really yummy.

With the chicken I enjoyed 5 Monterey Spinach Ricotta raviolis and roasted vegetables.

To make the vegetables I sliced carrots and brussel sprouts, laid them on a baking sheet, sprinkled a little EVOO and salt on top and baked in the oven until done.

Strawberry Banana Waffles

2010-03-10T04:41:00.000-08:00

Waffle Wednesday!! I made strawberry banana waffles today. I used:

2 Nutri-grain waffles

1 Light and Fit Strawberry Banana Yogurt

1 Banana

I toasted the waffles until they were nice and crispy. Then I cut up the banana and sprinkled cinnamon and sugar on it. I toasted it in the toaster oven. Then I layered the waffle, yogurt, and bananas on top. Yum!

Mexican Pizza

2010-03-09T17:27:00.000-08:00

Tonight was mexican night and I decided to turn mine into a pizza. Of course!!! My pizza consisted of:

1 Joseph Lavash

1/2 cup fat free refried beans

3 oz ground beef, browned, seasoned

1/4 cup salsa

1 Laughing cow light cheese, crumbled

4 Roma Tomatoes

1 cup lettuce

1/4 cup black olives

I crisped the lavash for 5 minutes in the oven. Then layered the refried beans, ground beef, salsa, and cheese on top. I put that back into the oven till it was hot and the cheese melted. I topped it off with lettuce, tomato and black olives.

Calories for the whole pizza: 424!! In comparison a Mexican Pizza from Taco Bell has 540 calories!

Apple Cinnamon Waffles Take 2!

2010-03-09T04:54:00.000-08:00

This morning I made apple cinnamon waffles again, just a little different. This time I used:

2 nutri grain waffles

1 medium red apple

2 tbsp fat free cream cheese

1 tbsp unsweetened applesauce

I toasted the waffles until they were crispy. This is important so they don't get soggy (unless you like soggy!). Then I chopped up the apple, sprinkled cinnamon and splenda on it, and heated it in the microwave for 3 minutes. I spread 1 tbsp of fat free cream cheese on each waffle and topped it with apples. I topped the whole thing off with a big tbsp of unsweetened applesauce.

This was like eating a decadent dessert at a restaurant! Very good and my belly fills happy and full.

By the way, this version is 332 calories. Yesterdays version was 278 calories

Week 9 Results

2010-03-08T21:42:00.000-08:00

Week 9 is over and the results are in!

I lost 1.6 pounds this week. That puts me at a total loss of 32.6 pounds! =D

Beef Ravioli Bowl

2010-03-08T15:24:00.001-08:00

Sorry for the blurry picture! I was hungry =D

I made myself another pasta bowl tonight. I could eat these every night. They are so yummy and filling.

I put the following in this bowl:

2oz extra lean ground beef, crumbled

1/2 cup marinara sauce

1 cup broccoli

5 Monterey spinach ricotta raviolis

350 calorie bowl of yummy goodness!!

Cinnamon Apple Waffles

2010-03-08T04:17:00.000-08:00

What a great way to start off a Monday. With a big stack of waffles! I chopped an apple, topped it with splenda and cinnamon and heated the pieces up in the microwave for 3 minutes. I toasted 2 Nutri-grain waffles. When everything was done I put it all together: a waffle, a smearing of Dannon Light and Fit Vanilla yogurt, and topped it with apples. Then repeat! So easy and yummy!

Happy Monday!

2010-03-06T17:29:00.000-08:00

I found this new flavor of tea at the Greenlife grocery store today. On a scale of 1-10 it is for sure a 10!!! I loved it! My favorite it still the Cocoa Mayan Spice and Aztec Sweet Chili! But this one is right there with them. It tastes like apples and pears with a little bit of spice and tea. Yummy!

The ingredients are: Black Tea Leaf, Cinnamon, Ginger, Rooibos, Nutmeg, Clove, Black Pepper and Stevia

Monterey Pasta Co

2010-03-06T16:22:00.000-08:00

This is the ravioli I used in my pasta bowl tonight. I found it at Publix today. They have other flavors as well but this one sounded the best. And it was very, very good!! The calorie and carb content for these are very reasonable! Of course you have to eat a very small portion. I had 5 raviolis in my bowl tonight and felt very satisfied!

Here's the nutritional facts:

Pasta Bowl

2010-03-06T16:18:00.000-08:00

For a quick dinner tonight I made a pasta bowl for myself. It included:

3oz chicken breast

1 cup broccoli

5 Monterey Raviolis

1/2 cup Marinara Sauce

"Dusting" of Parmesan Cheese

YUM!! I LOVE pasta.

Steak n Eggs

2010-03-06T05:08:00.000-08:00

1 Thomas Bagel Thin

1 Fried Egg in 0 calorie veggie spray

1oz Tyson Seasoned Steak Strips

= 1 great tasting, filling breakfast sandwich!!

Chili Salad

2010-03-05T09:49:00.000-08:00

Are you getting tired of seeing chili yet? Today I had my cup of chili on a bed of salad lettuce with a wedge of light laughing cow cheese. Very good and filling!!!

Sweet Breakfast

2010-03-05T04:22:00.000-08:00

I had a sweet tooth this morning for breakfast. I toasted two Nutri grain waffles and top them with a container of Dannon Light and Fit 60 calorie vanilla yogurt. I took a few strawberries and heated them up in the microwave for a little bit of syrup. Topped the waffles with the strawberries and ate up. A yummy, sweet breakfast!

Freshwater Dinner 3/4

2010-03-04T14:53:00.000-08:00

Dinner tonight was really yummy! I had some boiled broccoli and brussel sprouts, half a sweet potato with a pinch of parmesan cheese, and a piece of freshwater tilapia.

To cook the tilapia I sprayed it with no calorie vegetable spray and tossed it with kosher salt, black pepper and lemon pepper. I heated up a griddle to 350 degrees and cooked the tilapia for 5 minutes on each side.

Food, Inc

2010-03-04T09:11:00.000-08:00

Very, very interesting documentary

BEWARE: Some things are hard to watch!

Chili Roll Up

2010-03-03T09:12:00.000-08:00

Lunch today came in the form of a wrap! I took a cup of the turkey chili I made on Sunday, heated it up in the microwave and drained the juices. I took a Flat Out 90 calorie wrap and spread some light Laughing Cow cheese on it. Spread the chili on the wrap and rolled it up! Very delicious and satisfying lunch

Pizza Buffet!!!

2010-03-02T16:52:00.000-08:00

BBQ CHICKEN PIZZA:

1 Joseph Lavash Bread

1 cup BBQ Sauce

2 shredded chicken breasts

1/2 cup fat free cheddar cheese

The entire pizza has 627 calories

PEPPERONI PIZZA:

1 Joseph Lavash Bread

1/2 cup marinara sauce

10 Pepperoni slices

1/2 cup italian blend shredded cheese

This entire pizza has 420 calories

Veggie Pizza:

1 Joseph Lavash Bread

1/2 cup marinara sauce

broccoli

carrots

brussel sprouts

snap peas

1/2 cup italian blend shredded cheese

This entire pizza has 426 calories

Pumpkin Cheesecake anyone?

2010-03-02T16:41:00.000-08:00

So today I had a craving for pumpkin cheesecake so I went to the kitchen to experiment! I came up with this little "recipe" which turned out pretty good. Cured my cravings =)

Pumpkin Cheesecake:

1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese

2 tbsp canned pumpkin

2 equal or other sweetner packs

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Mix all the ingredients together then blend with an electric blender until creamy. Refrigerate for 1 hour if desired before serving.

Calories: 91

Comfort Lunch

2010-03-02T09:16:00.000-08:00

Today was so cold and snowy outside. I came home from work early because of the icy roads and worked from home today. So I was in a comfort food mood for lunch! I made a huge crock pot of chili on Sunday to eat throughout the week this week so I heated up a big bowl of eat. I ate it on Natures Own Thin 100 calorie bread with a wedge of laughing cow cheese. It really hit the spot. I love chili and make it a lot. Seems I never make it the same way twice. Here's the way I made it this time:

1 chopped white onion

1 pound ground turkey breast

15 oz can pinto beans (rinsed and drained)

15 oz can black beans (rinsed and drained)

28 oz can diced tomatoes

3 cups chicken broth

chili powder, to taste

garlic powder, to taste

salt and pepper, to taste

I browned the ground turkey then added all the ingredients except for the chicken stock in a crockpot. Then I added the stock, just enough to cover all the ingredients, about 3 cups. Added the seasonings and tasted until I like it. Then I cooked it on low in the crock pot for 8 hours. One cup of chili is around 150 calories.

Week 8 Results

2010-03-02T05:54:00.000-08:00

Last night was the weigh in for Week 8! Hard to believe the competition is now half way over!

I lost 2.2 pounds in Week 8 which I was very excited about! That puts my total weight loss so far to 31 pounds. I am ecstatic to hit the 30 pound mark in just 8 weeks. I've also gone down 2 dress sizes.

Nutritional Goals for Week 8: I don't have any big goals for this week. I plan to keep with my eating 1200-1300 calories per day of well-balenced, "clean" foods

Workout Goals for Week 8: This week my goal is to do at least 1 hour of cardio every day and 30 minutes of weight training on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

Fast Food Boycott Update: I'm still going strong on my boycott of all things fast food! Today is day 61 without having any fast food. My goal is to go a whole year! Only 304 days to go :) I actually had a bad dream last night that I accidently went to McDonalds! It was more like a nightmare!!

Special K Fruit Crisps

2010-03-01T15:41:00.000-08:00

A friend told me about these Special K Fruit Crisps so I decided to try some. Pop tarts is one thing I miss. These are a little like pop tarts but both crisps have only 100 calories. They come in blueberry & strawberry flavors. The upside is they can cure a pop tart craving with only 100 calories. I love to dip these in my yogurt. The downside is the LONG list of ingredients including fructose. Here's the nutritional info:

PizZA BurGER!!!!!

2010-03-01T15:38:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite meals right now!! A pizza burger with broccoli. I browned 96% lean ground beef and added homemade marinara sauce. I ate it on a whole wheat bread bun that I scooped the middle out of with italian cheese on top. Here is the recipe for the marinara sauce (courtesy of the Biggest Loser recipe book):

Spray a medium nonstick saucepan and place over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until just becoming tender. Reduce the heat to low and stir in tomatoes, water, tomato paste, honey, oregano, and pepper flakes. Cover and cook for at least 1 hour.

Makes 7 (1/2 cup) servings, about 3 1/2 cups sauce

Each serving has 43 calories!

Morning Snack

2010-03-01T10:35:00.000-08:00

Snack today was fruity again. I must be in a fruit mood today! I had a blackberry Dannon Light & Fit Yogurt. It only has 60 calories, however, the sugars are a little high so you have to be careful with it. I also had a Special K 100 calorie Fruit Crisp bar. A friend told me about these and I picked them up at the grocery store this weekend. They are really good! Will post more about them later...

Breakfast 3/1

2010-03-01T08:34:00.000-08:00

Breakfast today was a great way to start off Monday. I had a Thomas 110 Calorie wheat bagel, toasted, with 1 tbsp fat free cream cheese. With it I enjoyed a bowl of fruit: pineapple, grapes, and canteloupe. Yummy start to the day!!

Thomas Bagel Thins

2010-02-27T05:43:00.000-08:00

I LOVE a good bagel in the morning for breakfast. I came across these last night in the grocery store. I found them in the deli section. The whole bagel is only 110 calories! I got the whole wheat brand.

I made a bagel this morning for breakfast with banana and peanut butter. I love peanut butter in the morning. It seems to fill you up all day.

Here are the nutrition facts for the bagels from the Thomas website:

Red Lobster A++++++++++++

2010-02-26T18:35:00.000-08:00

(Please excuse the sad looking picture, I had to take it with my camera phone) We made it to Red Lobster tonight and I have to say it was amazing!! We ended up having to wait 45 minutes but it was so worth it. I started with a side salad and the fat free raspberry dressing. I had one BITE of a cheese biscuit. Then I ordered the create your own feast: grilled shrimp, crab legs, salmon, and broccoli. I was a little concerned at first because the shrimp and salmon said it came with a buttery sauce on top. I asked the waiter and was able to get my food grilled with no butter! Score!!! It was an awesome dinner. Seriously the best crab legs I've ever had. According to the RL website my whole entire dinner was 530 delicious calories =)

It cut me off!!

2010-02-26T14:33:00.000-08:00

In keeping with my SWEAT goal this week, I came home from work, popped in a DVD and got on the treadmill. I didn't have a specific time in mind, I just wanted to go for as long as possible. Before I knew it, I had set a goal to walk the whole way through the movie!! I got to the very end, walked 99:99 minutes. At this point I was curious what would happen when I got to 100 minutes since there are only 4 spaces for times on my treadmill. Well when I got to 100 minutes, the treadmill shut off!! It beeped at me a few times and turned itself off! Oh well, I almost made it through the whole movie. And of course I was sweating like a pig so goal reached!!! Now it's time to shower and head out with the DH on a date. I got my Red Lobster menu picked out! Shrimp and crab legs here I come...

Red Lobster Website Rocks

2010-02-26T10:25:00.000-08:00

Red Lobster Smart Meal Calculator

Friday Lunch

2010-02-26T09:36:00.000-08:00

Friday's lunches are usually a hodge podge of whatever I have left in the kitchen. Today was no exception. I had a chicken sandwich, cheese stick, mild cheddar lil'crunchies (best flavor!!!), sugar free jello and a sugar free hershey's dark chocolate.

Now I'm off to research some local restaurants websites. Going out to eat tonight and need to figure out where to eat the healthiest...

BBQ Crockpot Chicken

2010-02-25T15:06:00.000-08:00

I love BBQ chicken!! And cooking it in the crock pot is one of the easiest ways. This morning I put three chicken breasts in the crock pot and covered them with low sodium chicken broth to cook on low all day. Then I drained all the broth out and used a fork to shred the chicken. It shreds so easily when cooked all day in broth. Then I added some BBQ sauce and put the lid on to finish cooking.

While the chicken was heating back up, I sliced some brussel sprouts and a small sweet potato. I sprayed them with calorie free vegetable spray and added a little kosher salt. I baked them in the oven for 15 minutes, turned them over and baked them for another 10 minutes. I like my sprouts on the blackened side =) Turned out to be a great dinner!!

BBQ Chicken Pizza!!!

2010-02-24T14:46:00.000-08:00

I had planned on having Tilapia for dinner tonight but couldn't get pizza out of my head so I decided to make me a nice BBQ Chicken pizza. I started with a Joseph Lavash bread that I crisped in the oven for 5 minutes. I boiled a chicken breast until it was done enough to shred. I shredded it and added bbq sauce. I topped the lavash with the bbq chicken and sprinkled a little cheese on top. Popped it into the oven just enough to melt the cheese. It was so tasty!!! Best part is, the ENTIRE pizza had 420 calories. According to Papa John's website, one SLICE of their bbq chicken pizza has 440 calories! Holy cow! =D

Morning Fuel

2010-02-24T07:21:00.000-08:00

I indulged a little high carb snack this morning since I had a small breakfast and a workout coming up at 11am. I took a bowl of Chobani Greek Strawberry Yogurt, added a Larabar Peanut Butter Cookie bar and some Banana puffs for a great mid-morning snack!

Dessert Coffee

2010-02-23T16:02:00.000-08:00

I found this coffee in the grocery store today and knew I needed to try it since it was Cinnamon Crumb Cake. I brewed myself a cup as soon as I got home and boy was it good!! Hit the spot on a chilly afternoon

Joseph Lavash Bread

2010-02-23T15:53:00.000-08:00

I found the Joseph Lavash Bread next to the Flatout Wraps at the grocery store in the deli section and thought PIZZA crust!! You can't tell from the picture but the squares are huge! The bread is made out of flax, oat bran and whole wheat flour. Here's the nutrtion facts for 1/2 a Lavash:

Yummy, Yummy, Yummy, I Got Pasta Love in My Tummy

2010-02-23T15:32:00.000-08:00

I had MAJOR pasta cravings today!! This morning I put chicken breasts in the Crockpot with some fat free Italian dressing to cook all day. The house smelled AMAZING when I got home from work today. I steamed a bag of Birds Eye frozen vegetables (broccoli, carrots, water chestnuts, and sugar snap peas) in the microwave. To satisfy my pasta craving, I boiled just 1/2 cup of cheese tortellini pasta. Put it all in a bowl with a little parmesan cheese and called it dinner!!! So yummy and I satisfied my pasta craving with only 100 calories of pasta =D

Grocery Shopping 101

2010-02-23T14:37:00.000-08:00

1) Assess your pantry and fridge - Go to your pantry and fridge and make a list of things that you have and need to be used. That way you never buy something then come home to find you already have it. Keeping a running pantry / fridge inventory list is also helpful if you update it everytime you use something.

2) Put it on the List I keep an on going list throughout the week that I can add to anytime I run out of something. For instance, if I use the last of the peanut butter, I go ahead and add it to my list right then so I don't forget.

3) Make a weekly menu - Organize your coupons, sales ads, and what you have on hand into a weekly meal plan. Add things you don't have to your list

4) Rethink Quantities - Do you really need that huge bunch of bananas or a whole pound of deli meat? Buying in bulk is not always the most cost effective option if the food is never eaten! Instead, I buy what I need for the upcoming week. For instance, I buy 1/2 pound of deli meat, which is usually more than enough for my husband and my lunches for the week. Plus, if we run out, we can always pack something else for lunch, which is much better than throwing away spoiled deli meat.

Warm Afternoon Snack

2010-02-23T14:00:00.000-08:00

The chilly, cloudy day had me craving something warm and comforting for snack this afternoon. I sprinkled some cinnamon and splenda on a cut up golden delicious apple and microwaved the slices for 3 minutes. I put 1/2 tbsp of natural peanut butter in the middle. Along with this I had a nice big mug of Cinnamon Crumb Cake coffee!! Now my belly is full and warm!

Morning Sweat and Randomness

2010-02-23T05:44:00.001-08:00

In keeping with my SWEAT MORE mantra for the week, I woke up this morning, put on some warm clothes, and jumped on the treadmill. After warming up I set it on the highest incline and started walking. I walked on the incline for 25 minutes. Felt like a great workout. For breakfast I was craving an unusual combo of foods. I cut a Flatout wrap into triangle "chip" shapes, sprinkled cinnamon and sugar on them, and baked them in the oven. With that I had a banana, a grapefruit, and a Babybel light cheese wedge. Strange but it was yummy and my tummy is good and full!!

Weigh In - Week 7 - 2/22/10

2010-02-22T17:03:00.000-08:00

Week 7 is over! It was a great week. I stuck to my goal of working out more than I had before and I think it really helped me this week. I was nervous since I would be out of town on the weekend but I think the extra workouts before I went really helped. According to my home scale, weighing in first thing in the mornings, I lost a total of 3.1 pounds this week. At the weigh in tonight I came in at 2.4 pounds lost. Of course, I go with my morning weigh ins =) That puts my total weight loss in 7 weeks at 28.8 pounds! I hit a very big milestone tonight and moved down a decade. Very exciting! I also tried on a pair of jeans this weekend that were 2 sizes smaller than what I normally wear and they fit perfect!! I was shocked!! So all in all this has been a fantastic week!!!!

FAST FOOD BOYCOTT STATUS: I still have yet to visit a fast food restaurant! Even with being out of town for 2 days this weekend I was able to pack my own food and only ate 2 meals out at restaurants, however, they were not fast food. Today is day 53 since eating fast food!!! My goal is one year =)

NUTRITION GOALS WEEK 8: This week I don't really have any new nutrition goals. I want to keep my calories per day under 1300. I really want to get a little more creative with my meals. Tonight's pizza was a great start.

WORKOUT GOALS WEEK 8: SWEAT!!!! This week my goal is to SWEAT as much as possible. I don't sweat very much even though I drink lots of water. Instead of doing several small workouts during the day I am going to focus on 2 more intense, longer workouts. One before work and one after work. I plan on wearing pants and sweatshirts to hopefully bring out the sweat more!

Chocolate Cake w/ Cool Whip Icing

2010-02-22T16:39:00.000-08:00

So I tweaked the chocolate cake recipe a little to get the calories down even more. The cake plus the cool whip comes in at an amazing 100 calories. Here's the recipe:

In a microwave safe cup mix:

1/2 scoop 100 calorie chocolate protein powder

1 tbsp cocoa powder, unsweetened

1/4 tsp baking powder

3 packets Splenda

1 tbsp applesauce, unsweetened

1 egg white (NO YOLK!)

Heat it up in the microwave for 60-70 seconds. It will bubble so keep a good eye on it. If it starts to bubble over the cup stop it and wait for it to go down then finish heating it up. I add a hefty scoop of Cool Whip FREE for icing.

Veggie Pizza

2010-02-22T16:25:00.000-08:00

This veggie pizza was oh so good and after not having pizza in 8 weeks it tasted like heaven!!! I used Joseph Lavash bread for the crust. I baked the bread in the oven for about 5 minutes to get it crispy. Roasted brussel sprouts, broccoli, and green peppers in EVOO, salt, and pepper for about 30 minutes. To assemble the pizza I smeared 1/2 cup marinara sauce on the bread, topped it with all the veggies and added 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese on top. Put it all back in the oven to melt the cheese and heat the sauce up! The whole pizza weighs in at 364 calories!!! A Pizza Hut veggie pizza is 230 calories A SLICE!!!

Even Better

2010-02-18T16:07:00.000-08:00

For an even better potato chip flavor and texture try the Gerber Graduates Lil Crunchies!!! I've had the mild cheddar and veggie dip. They are simply amazing. Like little cheetos. Party in my mouth!! They're made with whole grain corn. They also come in zesty tomato and apple cinnamon. Check this out:

One Serving (18 pieces)

35 Calories

2 Fats

4 Carbs

0 Sugar

Embrace your inner child!!!

2010-02-18T15:59:00.001-08:00

Craving a snack? Potato chips? Snack on some baby food!!! That's right these containers of graduate puffs from Gerber are one of the healthiest snacks around. They have several different flavors. Sweet potato is my favorite. They are perfect for munching on during a movie or while watching TV. I like to put a few on my sandwiches for some crunch in place of potato chips. They are made with whole grains and real fruit. They come in flavors: strawberry-apple, banana, sweet potato, sweet corn, cherry, peach, and apple cinnamon. And check out these stats!!! You can't beat this:

For one serving (1/2 cups or approx. 68 puffs)

25 Calories

0 Fat

6 Carbs

1 Sugar

AMAZING!!!

Dinner 2/19

2010-02-18T15:52:00.000-08:00

Don't let the crummy picture fool ya, dinner was awesome tonight! My sweet hubby brought home a pound of bison meat from the Earthfare store. I mixed it up with some mozzarella cheese, turkey bacon, and BBQ Seasoning and fried it up. Very good! I also roasted some sweet potatoes, tomatoes and brussel sprouts to go along side it. I had forgotten how good brussel sprouts were!

Chocolate Cake?? Yes Please!!!

2010-02-18T13:28:00.000-08:00

A little afternoon snack pick me up! big piece of chocolate cake. The picture does not do it justice. I mixed chocolate protein powder, cocoa, egg white, applesauce, and baking powder together. Heated it up in a microwavable mug. The whole thing only took about 5 minutes. It was amazing!!! and only around 110 calories!!! WOW!

BBQ Lunch! Yum Yum

2010-02-18T09:41:00.000-08:00

I have been looking forward to lunch all day! I knew my favorite BBQ Chicken sandwich was waiting on me. I took the picture of my lunch here and realized something. I forgot a veggie! BAD!!! Oh well, guess I will double up for dinner tonight =)

Bowl Full O Goodness

2010-02-18T04:58:00.000-08:00

After 30 minutes on the treadmill this morning I fixed myself a big bowl of yummy goodness for breakfast. Something about oatmeal and peanut butter in the morning sticks with me all day. I cooked 1/2 cup oats in 1 cup almond milk. Topped it off with 1/2 banana, 1 tbsp peanut butter, and 1/2 apple pie Larabar. Great start to the day!

Herbal Teas

2010-02-17T17:15:00.000-08:00

I have an obsession with herbal teas. I drink at least one cup of herbal tea every day. I love all different flavors but my favorite is Yogi Tea Mayan Cocoa Spice. It has cocoa shells, cardamom, clove and cinnamon bark. The flavor is amazing!!! I just have to be really careful what time of day I drink this one. It gives me energy =)

My Favorite Dinner

2010-02-17T15:09:00.000-08:00

Okay I have to admit, my favorite food EVER is BBQ Chicken. Simple right? I could eat it every single night!! I heart BBQ Sauce and Chicken. But BBQ Sauce is very high in sugar and HFCS so I try not to eat it very often. I came across a KC Masterpiece BBQ Rub today at the grocery store. I boiled a chicken breast, shredded it, then cooked it with some of the BBQ Rub. It was a winner!!! I piled it onto a Natures Own Select Thin Sandwich, spread some Laughing Cow Light Cheese on it and called it a BBQ Chicken Sandwich. It was like a party in my mouth. I also, of course, ate a big serving of veggies with it. I sprayed some Salad Spritzers Ranch Dressing on the veggies, hence, the white color. This is so good, I made an extra for lunch tomorrow =)

Lunch and Afternoon Snack Today...

2010-02-17T14:09:00.000-08:00

Well I made it through the Biggest Loser Last Chance Workout this morning plus 2 30-minute power walking intervals later on in the day and I am pooped!! I planned on doing more today but my body is yelling me to stop so I think I'm going to call it a day at that.

Lunch consisted of: a sweet potato, laughing cow light cheese, Flatout wrap with chicken, spinach, and salsa, a sugar free jello and a piece of Dove dark chocolate!

For afternoon snack I had an apple creation. It was so good. I microwaved a cut up apple for 2 minutes. Chopped up some natural almonds and a small piece of 70% dark chocolate. I sprinkled that on top of the apple and heated it up for another minute.

Mid-Morning Fuel!!!!

2010-02-17T07:47:00.000-08:00

I just got done doing a 30 minute interval jog. Now for some fuel! A Dannon Light & Fit Vanilla Yogurt and Larabar. Yummy!

Gaining Weight after Exercising??

2010-02-17T05:51:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I stuck with my more exercise plan for this week. I did 3 seperate 30 minute jogs, 30 minutes strength training, sat on my exercise ball the whole time I was at work (around 5 hours) and a 30 Minute workout with the DCC On Demand (Love it!) I ate a modest 1,481 calories. So I feel fairly confident that Week 7 is off to a great start. Got up this morning and I was so sore! My thighs especially. I stepped on the scale at the usual time and weighed 2.9 pounds more than yesterday morning! What in the world?!? So I of course starting googling. Turns out this is very common after an intense day of exercise and if you are sore. According to run4change.com, sore muscles are retaining water to help in the repair process. Most sites agree that if you are properly hydrating during workouts, it is possible to weigh as much as 3-5 pounds the next day. So this makes me feel a lot better. I am going to keep up with my intense workouts today - Saturday. No exercise Sunday or Monday for the weigh in.

Also Day 3 on the Exercise Ball at work!! I didn't sit on it much Monday, everyone wanted to try it out and I really didn't have that much time to even sit down. However, yesterday I sat on it almost all day long as I was glued to my computer all day. I think that is a big reason why my thighs are so sore today!