 |
| I can get this flavor and a couple others at Wal-Mart. |
 |
| YUM |
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| If you've never seen Fage yogurt the fruit is on the side which tips up so you can squeeze it onto your yogurt. |
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
A Quick and Easy Breakfast
My current breakfast of choice is a Luna bar and Fage yogurt. I like to have something that I can just grab and eat with no thinking involved. It isn't the cheapest thing I could eat but I like it and it keeps me feeling satisfied all morning. My local Wal-Mart has recently started selling Fage yogurt at the best price of seen it (other than one time when it went on sale for $1 each), prior to that the best price was at Trader Joe's. Trader Joe's and Wal-Mart both carry Luna bars for about $.98 each. (In Wal-Mart they are with the protein bars in the pharmacy.)
Wal-Mart carries S'mores, Nutz over Chocolate, Lemon and White Chocolate Macadamia. My two favorites are Blueberry Bliss and Chocolate Dipped Coconut. I have to get those at either Trader Joe's or a grocery store.
The calorie count varies on this depending on which yogurt you get but it comes in well under 400 calories. What is your favorite grab and run breakfast?
Monday, September 26, 2011
Menu Plan Monday
I had a really hard time planning this week. None of this is set in stone. :)
Monday: Chicken Tetrazzini (from The Freezer Cooking Manual)
(also making Simple Chicken Soup since I don't want tetrazzini)
Tuesday: Sweet and Sour Chicken with rice
Wednesday: Chicken Cacciatore with pasta (from 400 Calorie Fix)
Thursday: Tortellini Minestrone
Friday: Homemade Pizza and chips
Saturday: Very Veggie Lasagna
Sunday: leftovers
Link up with your menu plan or see what others are planning this week at orgjunkie.com.
Link up with your menu plan or see what others are planning this week at orgjunkie.com.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Slim Down Sunday
Goal: Continue losing weight at a steady pace. (My goal is to have lost 75 lbs total by the end of the year.)
Pounds Lost: 50.2 lbs (2.4 lbs lost this week)
How is it going this week? This was a great week. I finally lost over 50 lbs which was a major goal and really motivated me to keep going. I wanted to exercise at least 3 times this week and ended up exercising 5 times. I ended up doing a total of 15 miles with Leslie Sansone walking DVDs. I also blogged about How I Lost 50 Lbs.
My Plan for the Week Ahead: Just keep doing what I've been doing and exercise at least 3 days this week.
If you would like some encouragement or to encourage others in their weight loss join us at Heartfelt Homeschooling for Slim Down Sunday. You can link up here.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
BLT in a Bowl
I had mentioned in a previous post that I think half the battle of losing weight is figuring out what to eat. I plan to share some of my favorite recipes and quick fixes that I have used while losing 50 lbs (so far).
This is a recipe I've had for quite a while, but sort of forgot about it until Rob mentioned it the other day. It comes from the Moms' Guide to Meal Makeovers: Improving the Way Your Family Eats One Meal at a Time. Honestly, my kids prefer just the plain soup so I made them plain tomato soup. (Yes, from a can.)
I really had forgotten how good this was until we had it tonight. It's super fast and only 260 calories in about a 2 cup serving. (It made 8 cups and it serves 4 but I used 1 large can of soup instead of the 2 smaller cans and that makes for a little extra soup.)
B.L.T. in a Bowl
Two 10 oz cans less-sodium tomato soup (I just used the regular.)
2 cans water
6 to 8 oz. frozen cheese tortellini
one 6-oz. bag pre-washed baby spinach (about 4 packed cups)
4 tsp. real bacon bits (I bought some turkey bacon bits.)
2 T. grated Parmesan cheese, optional
Pour tomato soup and water into large saucepan and stir to combine. Cover and bring to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook, uncovered, according to package directions, stirring frequently. Do not drain. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Serve in individual bowls and top with bacon bits and Parmesan cheese as desired.
printable version
I highly recommend this soup and The Moms' Guide to Meal Makeovers. You'll find more recipes here.You might want to check the book out of the library first to see if you like it or better yet head over to their website. (or purchase it at Amazon.) They have a new book out, No Whine With Dinner that I haven't had a chance to look through but I'm going to see if it's at the library.
This is a recipe I've had for quite a while, but sort of forgot about it until Rob mentioned it the other day. It comes from the Moms' Guide to Meal Makeovers: Improving the Way Your Family Eats One Meal at a Time. Honestly, my kids prefer just the plain soup so I made them plain tomato soup. (Yes, from a can.)
I really had forgotten how good this was until we had it tonight. It's super fast and only 260 calories in about a 2 cup serving. (It made 8 cups and it serves 4 but I used 1 large can of soup instead of the 2 smaller cans and that makes for a little extra soup.)
B.L.T. in a Bowl
Two 10 oz cans less-sodium tomato soup (I just used the regular.)
2 cans water
6 to 8 oz. frozen cheese tortellini
one 6-oz. bag pre-washed baby spinach (about 4 packed cups)
4 tsp. real bacon bits (I bought some turkey bacon bits.)
2 T. grated Parmesan cheese, optional
Pour tomato soup and water into large saucepan and stir to combine. Cover and bring to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook, uncovered, according to package directions, stirring frequently. Do not drain. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Serve in individual bowls and top with bacon bits and Parmesan cheese as desired.
printable version
I highly recommend this soup and The Moms' Guide to Meal Makeovers. You'll find more recipes here.You might want to check the book out of the library first to see if you like it or better yet head over to their website. (or purchase it at Amazon.) They have a new book out, No Whine With Dinner that I haven't had a chance to look through but I'm going to see if it's at the library.
Friday, September 23, 2011
How I Lost 50 Lbs
As of yesterday, I have lost over 50 lbs since October of last year. I posted on Facebook, "Goodbye 50 lbs-I hope I never see you again." This set off lots of comments of congratulations and lots of questions about how I did it. I thought I'd share about my weight loss journey....
In October of last year, I had a Pampered Chef party, the consultant and my dear friend, Amanda had just lost 30 lbs on Prevention Magazine's Flat Belly Diet. I was inspired. I had taken the book out of the library several times but never really read it. I decided it was time to get serious. Everything I had tried over the past several years had ended in failure and I was at the end of my rope and ready to just give up ever trying again.
I can't remember if I bought the book right away or if I just used the library copy. At any rate, the diet starts with a 4 Day Jump Start plan. There is a special water concoction called Sassy water that you drink each day and there are specific things to eat each of the 4 days to transition you over to the diet. It also starts you out on 1200 calories a day. It's a diet designed to reduce bloating. I think it claimed you could lose up to 7 lbs the first week. I think I lost 2 or 3. It was kind of discouraging but it was a start.
I then began on the 1600 calorie a day plan. With the Flat Belly Diet each meal has to have a MUFA which is a mono-unsaturated fatty acid. This includes nuts, peanut butter, olive oil, avocado, olives (yuck) and dark chocolate (YES!) A diet that includes chocolate is definitely a diet I can get behind!!
It wasn't too long before I purchased some of the books in the series. I was steadily losing a lb or two a week. I bought the Flat Belly Diet, The Flat Belly Diet Pocket Guide, and the Flat Belly Diet Family Cookbook. Also available are the The Flat Belly Diet Cookbook and the Flat Belly Diet for Men.
It wasn't too long after that I discovered The 400 Calorie Fix. This book which is also by Prevention Magazine still recommends 400 calories per meal and not letting more than 4 hours lapse between meals. However, you have COMPLETE freedom to eat whatever you want. No MUFA's required. This is something I can do forever. It is the way I eat now. I can eat out, I can have birthday cake, I can do whatever I want...and if I flub up I can skip my evening snack or just start again the next morning with a 400 calorie meal.
For some reason limiting myself to about 400 calories per meal is different from planning to eat 1600 calories a day...that never worked for me. I really love this book! It has a section on what to eat when you're out (specific things to order at restaurants including Dunkin Donuts!). Also a section on pre-prepared meals and quick fixes. The remainder of the book is great recipes for "regular eating" not diet food. (There is a new 400 Calorie Fix Cookbook out that I can't wait to get a look at.)
One other thing is that I sometimes exercise. I am sporadic about it but when I am exercising I consistently use Leslie Sansone DVDs. My favorites right now are The Big Burn, Walk Off 10 Pounds and Walk Slim: Fast and Firm 4 Really Big Miles.
I hope to blog more about what I eat and continue participating each week in Slim Down Sunday. Would love to hear what you do to lose weight and if you'd like to read more about my weight loss journey, recipes etc.
In October of last year, I had a Pampered Chef party, the consultant and my dear friend, Amanda had just lost 30 lbs on Prevention Magazine's Flat Belly Diet. I was inspired. I had taken the book out of the library several times but never really read it. I decided it was time to get serious. Everything I had tried over the past several years had ended in failure and I was at the end of my rope and ready to just give up ever trying again.
 |
| Good to read but my least favorite. |
I can't remember if I bought the book right away or if I just used the library copy. At any rate, the diet starts with a 4 Day Jump Start plan. There is a special water concoction called Sassy water that you drink each day and there are specific things to eat each of the 4 days to transition you over to the diet. It also starts you out on 1200 calories a day. It's a diet designed to reduce bloating. I think it claimed you could lose up to 7 lbs the first week. I think I lost 2 or 3. It was kind of discouraging but it was a start.
I then began on the 1600 calorie a day plan. With the Flat Belly Diet each meal has to have a MUFA which is a mono-unsaturated fatty acid. This includes nuts, peanut butter, olive oil, avocado, olives (yuck) and dark chocolate (YES!) A diet that includes chocolate is definitely a diet I can get behind!!
 |
| Great book to start with. Lots of quick ideas for meals like Brown Rice Salad. |
It wasn't too long before I purchased some of the books in the series. I was steadily losing a lb or two a week. I bought the Flat Belly Diet, The Flat Belly Diet Pocket Guide, and the Flat Belly Diet Family Cookbook. Also available are the The Flat Belly Diet Cookbook and the Flat Belly Diet for Men.
It wasn't too long after that I discovered The 400 Calorie Fix. This book which is also by Prevention Magazine still recommends 400 calories per meal and not letting more than 4 hours lapse between meals. However, you have COMPLETE freedom to eat whatever you want. No MUFA's required. This is something I can do forever. It is the way I eat now. I can eat out, I can have birthday cake, I can do whatever I want...and if I flub up I can skip my evening snack or just start again the next morning with a 400 calorie meal.
For some reason limiting myself to about 400 calories per meal is different from planning to eat 1600 calories a day...that never worked for me. I really love this book! It has a section on what to eat when you're out (specific things to order at restaurants including Dunkin Donuts!). Also a section on pre-prepared meals and quick fixes. The remainder of the book is great recipes for "regular eating" not diet food. (There is a new 400 Calorie Fix Cookbook out that I can't wait to get a look at.)
One other thing is that I sometimes exercise. I am sporadic about it but when I am exercising I consistently use Leslie Sansone DVDs. My favorites right now are The Big Burn, Walk Off 10 Pounds and Walk Slim: Fast and Firm 4 Really Big Miles.
I hope to blog more about what I eat and continue participating each week in Slim Down Sunday. Would love to hear what you do to lose weight and if you'd like to read more about my weight loss journey, recipes etc.
Aletheia Writing Magazine Review
Aletheia Writing Magazine: Creativity for Christian Teens is a relatively new magazine, founded in August 2010. It is a 40 page, full color, magazine printed on high quality paper and published quarterly. It offers teens a place to submit writing and art work. They accept fiction, non-fiction, fiction book reviews, artwork and nature photography. Specific guidelines for each are available on the website.
So, what is Aletheia and how do you pronounce it? Aletheia is the Greek word for "truth" or "unveiling". It is pronounced Ah-LAY-thie-uh.
Those who have their work published do not receive any monetary compensation but they do get 3 copies of the magazine they are published in. This seems reasonable to me. They also have some fun blog buttons for those that are published (shown below).
However, I am not sure that the content lines up with what I consider to be Christian. ( I am a conservative Baptist.) The featured story in the issue I received centered around a wizard. They also list themselves as pan-Christian on their Facebook information page. I wasn't exactly sure what that meant so I did a Google search, asked them on their facebook page and asked my pastor. Aletheia responded by saying, "It means that the magazine is open to all Christians and not just Orthodox,or Catholic, or Protestant, or Non-Denominational." My pastor said, "Pan-christian is a philosophy that puts together all religions and churches that claim any connection to Christianity without any regard of separation or doctrine. " He then went on to explain that it was dangerous and should be avoided and shunned by the true church.
My personal feeling is that they are not necessarily promoting pan-christianity (I couldn't find it on the website, only on the Facebook page) but by accepting works from all types of Christians it is not what I would consider appropriate for my family. I would recommend checking it out yourself before getting this for your teens. You can read a sample copy here. (the link is at the top right corner)
I also encountered several grammatical errors and that kind of bothers me too considering it is a writing magazine.
disclaimer: I received a free print copy and a digital copy of Alethia magazine in exchange for an honest review.
From the website:
Aletheia Writing Magazine is a quarterly publication focusing on the literary and artistic works of Christian teens, ages 13 to 19.
We are excited to offer Christian teens a healthy platform in which to express themselves, especially in a culture that so definitively shapes and saturates their worldview with unhealthy imagery and values.
In addition to the literary and artistic expressions of Christian teens, each issue offers a variety of unique features: a Writer's Challenge, the Featured Contributor, a book review, Glory to God for the Beauty of Nature, Ancient Ink, and an interview or other feature for edification and enjoyment.
Mission statement from their facebook page:
Our mission is to provide readers with quality fiction stories, along with poems, that uniquely unveil or glimpse Christian truths in mysterious, beautiful, or wondrous ways, and to allow young writers, artists and photographers to fulfill this provision through submissions.So, what is Aletheia and how do you pronounce it? Aletheia is the Greek word for "truth" or "unveiling". It is pronounced Ah-LAY-thie-uh.
Those who have their work published do not receive any monetary compensation but they do get 3 copies of the magazine they are published in. This seems reasonable to me. They also have some fun blog buttons for those that are published (shown below).
I have mixed feelings about this magazine. I think it is a great idea to have a magazine that gives teens an opportunity to have their work published. I also find the website to be informative.There is a page of writing tips for fiction writers that would be a help to any young writer. They also have a writing blog for teens called Christian Teens Write. It is a beautiful magazine and I especially like the nature photos in the Glory to God: For The Beauty of Nature section of the magazine.
However, I am not sure that the content lines up with what I consider to be Christian. ( I am a conservative Baptist.) The featured story in the issue I received centered around a wizard. They also list themselves as pan-Christian on their Facebook information page. I wasn't exactly sure what that meant so I did a Google search, asked them on their facebook page and asked my pastor. Aletheia responded by saying, "It means that the magazine is open to all Christians and not just Orthodox,or Catholic, or Protestant, or Non-Denominational." My pastor said, "Pan-christian is a philosophy that puts together all religions and churches that claim any connection to Christianity without any regard of separation or doctrine. " He then went on to explain that it was dangerous and should be avoided and shunned by the true church.
My personal feeling is that they are not necessarily promoting pan-christianity (I couldn't find it on the website, only on the Facebook page) but by accepting works from all types of Christians it is not what I would consider appropriate for my family. I would recommend checking it out yourself before getting this for your teens. You can read a sample copy here. (the link is at the top right corner)
I also encountered several grammatical errors and that kind of bothers me too considering it is a writing magazine.
A one year subscription (4 issues) of Aletheia Writing Magazine is available at Aletheia for $26 (includes shipping) in the US and $29 in Canada.
You can read what others are saying about Aletheia Writing Magazine on the TOS crew blog.
disclaimer: I received a free print copy and a digital copy of Alethia magazine in exchange for an honest review.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Tuna Rotini Salad Toss for Lunch
I am hoping to write a series of posts about what I have been eating while losing weight. Sometimes I think half the battle is just figuring out what to eat and what a reasonable serving size is.
One of my favorite diet cookbooks is the Flat Belly Diet Family Cookbook. This recipe comes from this book and it's delicious. (It doesn't seem like diet food!) Actually, nothing I eat is "diet" food. I eat 400 calorie meals 4 times a day. That's really all there is to it. If you are looking to eat a healthier diet and lower your cholesterol then the Flat Belly Diet might be for you. The recipes are all heart healthy.
6 oz. multigrain rotini pasta
1/4 cup canola mayonnaise (I usually just use regular mayo)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (I like to just buy the frozen cubes at Trader Joe's...simple and always on hand!)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cans (5 oz ea.) water-packed solid white tuna, drained
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2" long strips
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 serving (1 1/2 cups) is 404 calories.
After I ate 1 serving for lunch I divided the remaining servings into individual containers for an easy to grab lunch. I used a glass container for one serving and the other two I put into trays that individual frozen dinners come in covered with Press N Seal. I make my own frozen dinners this way too. Often times my family is eating something that either has too many calories or I don't know how to count it so I eat something else. Pre-prepared meals are perfect for that.
Let me know if you try it and how you like it.
One of my favorite diet cookbooks is the Flat Belly Diet Family Cookbook. This recipe comes from this book and it's delicious. (It doesn't seem like diet food!) Actually, nothing I eat is "diet" food. I eat 400 calorie meals 4 times a day. That's really all there is to it. If you are looking to eat a healthier diet and lower your cholesterol then the Flat Belly Diet might be for you. The recipes are all heart healthy.
6 oz. multigrain rotini pasta
1/4 cup canola mayonnaise (I usually just use regular mayo)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (I like to just buy the frozen cubes at Trader Joe's...simple and always on hand!)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cans (5 oz ea.) water-packed solid white tuna, drained
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2" long strips
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 serving (1 1/2 cups) is 404 calories.
After I ate 1 serving for lunch I divided the remaining servings into individual containers for an easy to grab lunch. I used a glass container for one serving and the other two I put into trays that individual frozen dinners come in covered with Press N Seal. I make my own frozen dinners this way too. Often times my family is eating something that either has too many calories or I don't know how to count it so I eat something else. Pre-prepared meals are perfect for that.
Let me know if you try it and how you like it.
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