Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Green Tea & Protein Bars
So I was at Wal-mart last night and finally remembered to buy green tea and protein bars. I'll let you know how I like both in another week after I've tried both!
Monday, April 23, 2007
158.2
This morning I got on the scale and I was 158.2 - let me tell you I'm getting that pedicure and manicure by this weekend. With the beautiful weather this weekend, my toes didn't look that great in sandals!
Tonight is my next spinning class and Wednesday I'm trying a body sculpting class. I'm also getting groceries tonight, with my meal plan in place so I'll know what to cook for the next two weeks.
In addition, I will be adding some working out, at home in the mornings - some push-ups and other exercises to start trimming the "overall" look!
Tonight is my next spinning class and Wednesday I'm trying a body sculpting class. I'm also getting groceries tonight, with my meal plan in place so I'll know what to cook for the next two weeks.
In addition, I will be adding some working out, at home in the mornings - some push-ups and other exercises to start trimming the "overall" look!
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
My First Dress Fitting
So I put my wedding dress on for the first time......and it was too big! They had to take it in about 1.5" on either side of my chest and ribs! The ladies in the dress shop were asking what I'd done to lose the weight - and my response was......eat breakfast and exercise!
My dress is ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!!! I told the seamstress that I had five more pounds to loose to my goal. She said I could do that before my June dressing fitting - then none after that!!
I am sooooooo happy!
My dress is ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!!! I told the seamstress that I had five more pounds to loose to my goal. She said I could do that before my June dressing fitting - then none after that!!
I am sooooooo happy!
Another great article:
Chicken Nuggets? by Leanne Ely, C.N.C.
Admittedly, it doesn’t take much to get my nutritional feathers ruffled.
I’ve seen a lot of things that have made me crazy over the years and
you’ve heard me harp on them—from “healthy” whole wheat donuts to
artificial sweeteners, Olestra and acrylimide. I’ve sang the siren’s song
about good nutrition and what I believe too, to be common sense nutrition.
Why would we drink something, in the name of quenching our thirst, that
looks like toilet bowl cleaner or antifreeze?
Anyway, today I stop singing and start sounding the alarm. We absolutely
must stop the madness that is fast food. We absolutely must stop the
stupidity and the obesity and the rise in degenerative diseases. We are
raising an unhealthy generation because we feed this crap to our kids!
PLEASE STOP!
I know there are attempts at some fast food places to do better. As Oprah
says, “When you know better, you do better.” Well, today you are going to
know better about chicken nuggets, because today, I am going to tell you
all I know about them.
First, McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets contain 38 ingredients. Yes, THIRTY
EIGHT ingredients! Some of those ingredients are things you wouldn’t give
to your DOG. Some of those things, you could use to start a fire. Tertiary
butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) is a derivative of petroleum that is spray on the
nugget or in the box that holds the nugget to keep it fresh. It is a form
of butane, also known as lighter fluid. It is also a suspected
carcinogen—cancer causing agent.
The batter is set in shortening (hydrogenated oils) and in turn, it is
cooked in partially hydrogenated oils at the restaurant. Some of the
additives in there are antifoaming agents, emulsifiers, leavening agents,
preservatives, fillers and binders. Sounds yummy, doesn’t it? Something
you’d want to feed your kids?
The nuggets themselves contain 53% chicken. You wanna know what that 53%
chicken is? I promise you it isn’t nice white chicken breasts! If you find
those nuggets spongy and watery it’s because the chicken meat and skin is
ground into a slurry, binders and fillers are added, plus lots of water,
then formed into neat little nuggets.
I don’t know about you, but I’m ILL. Why do we manufacture stuff like this
and then call it food? Where’s the value in it?
Please, for the children’s sake and for your own health’s sake, let’s stop
this craziness with the food. It’s time to get back to basics and only eat
food that is 100% identifiable. If you don’t know exactly what went into
what you’re eating, you’re making a mistake. Our bodies do not need to
contend with more pollution than what is already in our environment.
Admittedly, it doesn’t take much to get my nutritional feathers ruffled.
I’ve seen a lot of things that have made me crazy over the years and
you’ve heard me harp on them—from “healthy” whole wheat donuts to
artificial sweeteners, Olestra and acrylimide. I’ve sang the siren’s song
about good nutrition and what I believe too, to be common sense nutrition.
Why would we drink something, in the name of quenching our thirst, that
looks like toilet bowl cleaner or antifreeze?
Anyway, today I stop singing and start sounding the alarm. We absolutely
must stop the madness that is fast food. We absolutely must stop the
stupidity and the obesity and the rise in degenerative diseases. We are
raising an unhealthy generation because we feed this crap to our kids!
PLEASE STOP!
I know there are attempts at some fast food places to do better. As Oprah
says, “When you know better, you do better.” Well, today you are going to
know better about chicken nuggets, because today, I am going to tell you
all I know about them.
First, McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets contain 38 ingredients. Yes, THIRTY
EIGHT ingredients! Some of those ingredients are things you wouldn’t give
to your DOG. Some of those things, you could use to start a fire. Tertiary
butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) is a derivative of petroleum that is spray on the
nugget or in the box that holds the nugget to keep it fresh. It is a form
of butane, also known as lighter fluid. It is also a suspected
carcinogen—cancer causing agent.
The batter is set in shortening (hydrogenated oils) and in turn, it is
cooked in partially hydrogenated oils at the restaurant. Some of the
additives in there are antifoaming agents, emulsifiers, leavening agents,
preservatives, fillers and binders. Sounds yummy, doesn’t it? Something
you’d want to feed your kids?
The nuggets themselves contain 53% chicken. You wanna know what that 53%
chicken is? I promise you it isn’t nice white chicken breasts! If you find
those nuggets spongy and watery it’s because the chicken meat and skin is
ground into a slurry, binders and fillers are added, plus lots of water,
then formed into neat little nuggets.
I don’t know about you, but I’m ILL. Why do we manufacture stuff like this
and then call it food? Where’s the value in it?
Please, for the children’s sake and for your own health’s sake, let’s stop
this craziness with the food. It’s time to get back to basics and only eat
food that is 100% identifiable. If you don’t know exactly what went into
what you’re eating, you’re making a mistake. Our bodies do not need to
contend with more pollution than what is already in our environment.
Friday, April 13, 2007
For the upcoming week....
So I have discovered spinning classes - I am not a sweat"er" (i.e., a person who sweats profusely), but let me tell you it is dripping of me once I'm done one of these one hour classes! I am still struggling to get below 160 - currently at 161 and decided to change up the fitness abit, to see if that will be get me to my next goal!
I have a few goals for this week, and they are as follows:
- try to make it to two spinning classes and once weight training
- buy some jasmine green tea - to try and cut out the pop intake, great idea to make the jasmine green tea, cool it down and then add some honey/lemon to make iced tea
- I'm going to do some more meal planning this weekend - Sean was sick this week and I was travelling, so there is still a lot of groceries to eat up this week
- in anticipation of spring arriving some time soon, I'm going to look into local dog parks this weekend, that we can take Tonka to and let him run around with us off the leash
Only three days until my first dress fitting - let's see if I can drop that last pound before then!
I have a few goals for this week, and they are as follows:
- try to make it to two spinning classes and once weight training
- buy some jasmine green tea - to try and cut out the pop intake, great idea to make the jasmine green tea, cool it down and then add some honey/lemon to make iced tea
- I'm going to do some more meal planning this weekend - Sean was sick this week and I was travelling, so there is still a lot of groceries to eat up this week
- in anticipation of spring arriving some time soon, I'm going to look into local dog parks this weekend, that we can take Tonka to and let him run around with us off the leash
Only three days until my first dress fitting - let's see if I can drop that last pound before then!
Friday, April 6, 2007
Meal Planning
One of the things that my lifestyle coaching clients quickly discover is that without meal planning their weight loss goals are close to impossible to achieve. Here is an interesting article I received in a newsletter today that covers off why meal planning is so important.
Know What’s for Dinner! by Leanne Ely, C.N.C.
If you don’t know what’s for dinner today, welcome to the club—it’s a big
one! 90% of America will not know at 4:00 PM today what they will be
serving in just a few hours. Out of that 90%, some will opt for heating up
a frozen pizza or calling the pizza guy for delivery, some will battle the
crowds and snag a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store, others will
choose the drive thru or go out and the last few will try in vain to put
something together with the odds and ends ingredients in their pantries
and fridges. All of these options have STRESS written all over them.
I’m not saying you can’t do any of these things occasionally; it’s just
that when this becomes the way you do dinner, it’s more haphazard, less
nutritious and way more stressful than it needs to be.
The easy button is your pantry and fridge being properly stocked, your
grocery list being filled out and used when you go to the grocery store so
you can keep your pantry and fridge stocked and of course, having a menu
that reflects your week, so you know what days you can cook and what days
you need help (the days you’re schlepping kids to sports, dance, music
lessons, etc.)
Let me define “help”. Help to me comes in the form of my crockpot, a
frozen dinner that I’ve made thawing in the fridge for that night,
leftovers, sandwiches, breakfast for dinner and a last resort, take out or
the pizza guy. The rest of the time, I make dinner and although it rarely
takes me over 30 minutes to make a meal, the other options I just listed
take half that time and really save me on the busiest nights.
It is just as simple as I’ve outlined it. The very first place to start is
with a menu that reflects your needs, a grocery list to reflect the menu
and a trip to the grocery store!
Today is the day you turn from the world of fast food and repent! Become a
convert…a crock pot convert that is. Use this wonderful apparatus
regularly and watch what happens to that face of yours when your kids ask,
“What’s for dinner?” You will smile because you have an answer! Here is a
great crock pot dinner you will love, and so will the rest of your family!
Crock Moroccan Chicken and Veggies
Serves 6
4 skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 (16 ounce) cans garbanzo beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) diced tomatoes
1 small red bell pepper, de-ribbed, seeded, cut into 1 inch squares
1 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup raisins
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons water
3 cloves garlic, pressed
2 teaspoons instant chicken bouillon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons peanut butter
Hot cooked couscous or brown rice
Place garbanzo beans, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, raisins, tomato paste,
water, garlic, chicken bouillon and cumin in 5 quart slow cooker. Mix
until well combined.
Place chicken pieces on top of bean mixture. Cover and cook on low heat
setting 6-7 hours, or until chicken is tender.
Before serving, stir in peanut butter. Serve over couscous or brown rice.
Per Serving: 385 Calories; 10g Fat; 27g Protein; 48g Carbohydrate; 9g
Dietary Fiber; 49mg Cholesterol; 670mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 1/2 Grain
(Starch); 2 1/2
Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 1 Fat.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Add a green salad and some whole grain pita bread.
VEGETARIANS: Skip the chicken and add an extra can of garbanzos.
Know What’s for Dinner! by Leanne Ely, C.N.C.
If you don’t know what’s for dinner today, welcome to the club—it’s a big
one! 90% of America will not know at 4:00 PM today what they will be
serving in just a few hours. Out of that 90%, some will opt for heating up
a frozen pizza or calling the pizza guy for delivery, some will battle the
crowds and snag a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store, others will
choose the drive thru or go out and the last few will try in vain to put
something together with the odds and ends ingredients in their pantries
and fridges. All of these options have STRESS written all over them.
I’m not saying you can’t do any of these things occasionally; it’s just
that when this becomes the way you do dinner, it’s more haphazard, less
nutritious and way more stressful than it needs to be.
The easy button is your pantry and fridge being properly stocked, your
grocery list being filled out and used when you go to the grocery store so
you can keep your pantry and fridge stocked and of course, having a menu
that reflects your week, so you know what days you can cook and what days
you need help (the days you’re schlepping kids to sports, dance, music
lessons, etc.)
Let me define “help”. Help to me comes in the form of my crockpot, a
frozen dinner that I’ve made thawing in the fridge for that night,
leftovers, sandwiches, breakfast for dinner and a last resort, take out or
the pizza guy. The rest of the time, I make dinner and although it rarely
takes me over 30 minutes to make a meal, the other options I just listed
take half that time and really save me on the busiest nights.
It is just as simple as I’ve outlined it. The very first place to start is
with a menu that reflects your needs, a grocery list to reflect the menu
and a trip to the grocery store!
Today is the day you turn from the world of fast food and repent! Become a
convert…a crock pot convert that is. Use this wonderful apparatus
regularly and watch what happens to that face of yours when your kids ask,
“What’s for dinner?” You will smile because you have an answer! Here is a
great crock pot dinner you will love, and so will the rest of your family!
Crock Moroccan Chicken and Veggies
Serves 6
4 skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 (16 ounce) cans garbanzo beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) diced tomatoes
1 small red bell pepper, de-ribbed, seeded, cut into 1 inch squares
1 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup raisins
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons water
3 cloves garlic, pressed
2 teaspoons instant chicken bouillon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons peanut butter
Hot cooked couscous or brown rice
Place garbanzo beans, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, raisins, tomato paste,
water, garlic, chicken bouillon and cumin in 5 quart slow cooker. Mix
until well combined.
Place chicken pieces on top of bean mixture. Cover and cook on low heat
setting 6-7 hours, or until chicken is tender.
Before serving, stir in peanut butter. Serve over couscous or brown rice.
Per Serving: 385 Calories; 10g Fat; 27g Protein; 48g Carbohydrate; 9g
Dietary Fiber; 49mg Cholesterol; 670mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 1/2 Grain
(Starch); 2 1/2
Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 1 Fat.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Add a green salad and some whole grain pita bread.
VEGETARIANS: Skip the chicken and add an extra can of garbanzos.
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