My New Found Love!

If any of you are like me...sometimes getting the right amount of water each day can seem like a chore. I have always struggled with the "getting enough to drink" battle. So I have tried a few tricks to make this battle a bit easier to win.

1. Buy cute re-usable cups with straws that are easy to re-fill and keep one with me at all times stocked with ice cold water
2. Buy lemons and limes and slice them in my water
3. MY NEW FOUND LOVE....sliced cucumbers. They add a really fresh summery flavor to the water. I even mixed a lime and cucumbers today...it was pretty good!!
4. If I drink ANY soda, I have a rule for myself that I have to pound a giant glass of water before and after the soda!
5. Last but not least...stay close to a bathroom...you are going to need it!!!

Things I loved to eat Today!!

Medifast has a vast array of yummy shake flavors. A friend gave me a packet of the banana cream to try. I didn't order any of the fruit flavors because sometimes in diet food, fake fruit flavors can get sketchy...however...this was so yummy!! Here is what I did!

1 packet medifast banana cream shake mix
1 cup water
1cup ice
1 TBL sugar free caramel flavoring syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon

This shake tasted just like banana bread! It was delish!

From my couch to a 5k!!

About this time a year ago I challenged myself to begin running. It took me 5 months to get to get up to running a 5k distance and then...I injured my knee...actually, I injured my entire left leg. My soft tissue therapist told me I had one of the worst I.T. band injuries he had ever seen. The depressing thing is, I never had any reason for an injury, one night I went out for a run and BAM, my knee gave out, and I was benched. This was so hard for me and so depressing. I had worked so hard and had accomplished things in my fitness I NEVER thought possible and in one day it was all taken away. Well, this sent me into a spin and I have never been as dedicated to working out since then. BUT now, my knee is better, I know how to keep it healthy, and I have decided to start anew! I want to be able to run in the St. Luke's Women's Fitness Celebration at the end of September! This is a 5k fun run/walk/stroller/wheel party! I have always wanted to do it and I think this year is a perfect time! So to help me I have enlisted the help of my iPod and a fun little app called C25K. This is a running coach right on my ipod! Tonight is the kick off and I am so excited! Wish me Luck!!!

Something New and Fun!

Yesterday while I was loading my car after a trip to Target I heard someone calling my name. I turned around and it was an old friend from my home town! It was soooo good to see her and chat and it just so happens her daughter is an amazing coach for TSFL. So naturally our conversation turned to food, and tips and tricks, and since she has been doing the program longer than me, she had some great advice. Lucky for me I was right next to Costco, because one of her golden nuggets of wisdom pertained to the Kirkland brand of salmon burgers. I happen to be slightly picky when it comes to salmon and was praying these were good....so tonight for my lean and green, I fried one of these up with some Mrs. Dash garlic herb seasoning, and ate it with some baby cucumbers from Costco(which happen to be my FAVORITE!!) and the remaining fritters I had from last nights meal! It was DEEEEEEELISSSHHH! I loved these, and they are so quick to make!! Try them out and let me know if you have any other preparation suggestions!

Things I loved to Eat Today!!

I started out my day with a shake...sounds awesome right??? WELL IT WAS! And I will tell you why! I took a little trip to Cash and Carry on Wednesday and purchased 5 bottles of Sugar Free flavoring syrups! One in particular helped make my breakfast shake amazing...Pumpkin Pie! So I blended up my shake, added 1 TBL of the syrup and then tossed in some pumpkin pie spice blend from my spice cupboard, added some ice and cha ching...one of the tastiest shakes I have ever had! This recipe could work with any vanilla based protein shake you choose!

Then for dinner, I tried a new recipe, Zucchini Fritters. I was nervous because I had no idea what to expect but they were so yummy!

1 cup grated zucchini
2 whole eggs
4 egg whites
1 tbl onion finely chopped
onion powder to taste
garlic powder to taste
black pepper to taste

fry these up in a frying pan 1/4 cup at a time. They have a runny consistency so keep an eye on them. These turned out more like a pancake so I put them on a cookie sheet and put them in the oven for a few minutes to crisp them up. This recipe made 7 fritters and I ate 3 dipped in a tiny bit of low calorie sun dried tomato dressing and served them along side the leftover pork chop I had in the fridge! They were delish, and I could totally see eating them for breakfast with cinnamon and nutmeg in them instead of onion and garlic!

I am back!

By now most of you who read this blog know that we were pregnant and that unfortunately we lost the pregnancy about 3 weeks ago. I have been through the gambit of emotions this last three weeks, but as a family we have been comforted and we know that we are being prayed for, and watched over. We have given ourselves a three month break before we start trying to get pregnant again. I felt like I needed the time to clear my head, get our lives back, get my husband into school, and for me, get some weight off!

So that is why I am back again so soon! This time, because of our shorter time line, I have chosen to do Medifast through Take Shape For Life. I am on day five and can I just say...A-FREAKING-MAZING! I feel so good, the food is good, and drum roll paaaleeeeaase, I HAVE LOST 9 LBS IN 5 DAYS!!!!! Now, I know that this won't be the case for the duration, but it is one heck of a jump start! I had put on about 20 pounds since April...one, I was pregnant for four months, and two, I have spent the last three weeks eating my sorrow. I had given myself the green light to eat whatever I wanted and however much of it I wanted...and it showed...on the scales. So here I am once again, blogging my feelings, tracking my success, and hopefully, helping someone else along.

HERE is a link to the Take Shape For Life site...if this sounds interesting to you...let me know! I was one of this plans BIGGEST skeptics, and I have been proven wrong, VERY wrong. It took the first few days for me to become a believer, but the first time I stepped on the scale and saw a 4 lb loss...I WAS SOLD! There is an amazing book that the company just released called "Dr. A's Habits of Health,". I have been reading this book as I go along with the program. It is one of the most amazing health books I have ever read...and I have read a ton of them! Even if you don't think this plan is for you, if you read this book, you will be convinced! Well, I am glad to be back! I won't have as many recipes or product suggestions for this first little while because I am eating one cooked meal a day, but I will try to share my tips and tricks, and mostly journal. If you have any questions about the program...feel free to email me at majohnson10@hotmail.com!!

Farewell...For Now!

Well for those of you who don't know...we are expecting another baby!! I am due around the end of December. We are so excited and can't wait to meet the newest member of our little family! Luckily, I have felt pretty good so far, I don't really get sick like other people do, but I surely don't feel my best all the time!

After much debate, I have chosen not to blog about weight during my pregnancy...as I am sure you have noticed by now! See, I am not one of those women who enjoys what pregnancy does to my body. I get a lot of flack when I say this, but hear me out...I do not get cute when I am pregnant. My belly does not round out, I carry wide and I really just look fat. I have struggled with what I see in the mirror my whole life, and the idea of getting bigger is very very hard for me.

It has been a lot harder for me this time around because I thought since I had lost so much weight that I would maybe look cuter, but I am showing the same...two big rolls, one on top, one on bottom. It is very difficult to see that in the mirror after working so hard for so long. The week before I got pregnant I felt like I was on top of the world. I was the thinnest I had been since we got married, I fit into my "goal" clothes, I had a new found confidence, I felt amazing. When I found out I was pregnant, a switch went off in my head and all of the insecurities I had about my pregnant body from my last pregnancy came flooding back. It has been very emotional to say the least. I feel like I have lost all of that hard earned reward, and I have lost the control I had worked so hard to gain.

This week, I had a bit of a meltdown...okay, so it was more that a bit of a meltdown. I locked myself in the bathroom and cried...hard. The positive thing that came of it was that I have decided to buck up and try harder to maintain my health and my fitness and not let my demons rule me. I CAN DO THIS! I am reading this amazing book called, "Does This Pregnancy Make Me Look Fat?". It has helped me so much to recognize my issues and feel more at ease about them!

So with all of that being said, this is a farewell...for now! Be looking for me to return some time early next year. I am signing up for a 10k next summer so I will be blogging all about my journey to get there! Thank you all for your comments and support and I encourage you to keep up your good work and I still love to hear all about your victories! You inspire me!

Healthy Beauty Pledge

I was talking to my trainer today about my challenges with weight loss. It occurred to me that my challenge is not really food, or exercise...I can be, and have been a Nazi about those things...my challenge is my brain, my emotions, my psyche. Sure, I can eat well, I do it all the time. Yes, I can exercise, I get up at 5:40 some days to do so. I have will power, I have a lot of will power over my BODY. Not the case with my head. I cut myself down, I get on mental trips, I stumble over myself. One of my biggest pitfalls is comparing myself to others, and getting down about my shortcomings. I also punish myself for things that are out of my control...things I have no way of changing.

So after our conversation, I sit down to eat, and open up this parenting magazine that has been sitting on my table for days. One of the articles was about celebrity moms, and how we are lied to about how easy it is for them to look good after having babies. At the end of the article was THIS pledge. I thought the timing of me reading this could not have been more perfect! I copied and pasted it here for you to read, but if you follow the link you can sign the pledge and pass it on! I am going to print this and put it on my bathroom mirror!

I PROMISE TO:

• Acknowledge that there is no such thing as the "perfect" body—or the "perfect" mommy.
• Never define my self-worth according to the number on the scale or the size of my clothes.
• Make decisions that are right for me. They don't have to be right for everyone else.
• Take care of myself and take time for myself, even if some days I can only manage one-minute increments.
• Work on developing a relationship with food that is about health, nourishment and enjoyment, not deprivation, indulging and punishment.
• Stop all body-bashing talk with my friends, my colleagues, my partner, my family, and myself.
• Ask for help when I need it. I'll make a phone call, write an email or send a text—whatever it takes to reach out for support.
• Separate the re-touched, made-up beauty fantasies in the media from what matters most to me in reality.
• Give up the mission to get my "pre-baby body" back and start focusing my energy on moving forward in my new life.
• Remember that, one person at a time, healthy beauty is a revolution—for ourselves and for our children.

Protein Pancakes!

My sister in law shared this recipe on her blog and I thought I would pass it along! Can't wait to try it!

1/4 cup egg whites (I used the whites of 2 eggs)
1/4 cup fat free cottage cheese
1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1 tsp. vanilla

Blend in blender or food processor and pour onto a WELL-greased pan/griddle on medium heat. This makes about 3-4 pancakes. Add any toppings you would normally. OR, if you want a healthier version: use cut up fruit (bananas,strawberries,blueberries), cocoa powder, butter spray (instead of the real stuff ...boooo!), Agave nectar or honey.

The total nutritional value:
135 calories
15 grams protein
1.5 grams of fat
2 grams of fiber

i am in Love

I know this may not seem like a proper post for a weight loss blog...hear me out. I for one feel that when you find tricks to help you look thinner, you feel thinner. If that means you found the right outfit to shave off ten pounds visually, or you secretly wear spanx under your clothes to look thinner, or in my case you get a tan...that is what makes me feel thinner.

I got my very very pale skin from my grandma...who never spent a day in the sun, in fact she carried an umbrella with her if she was going to be in the sun for too long, and she she still got skin cancer. So as a responsible adult, I have given up tanning, something I used to LOVE. For a while I was getting spray tans, but seriously, I just don't have the time.

One of my friends introduced me to Sally Hansen's airbrush legs. I use it on my arms and my legs, and a bit on my chest. This stuff is seriously amazing. Once it dries it is water resistant, and it doesn't transfer from your arms to your friends white shirt! I even sat in a hot tub with this stuff on and it didn't budge! I bought it at Walgreens next to the other Sally Hansen products. Give it a try, it is super easy to use, and I love the results!
ENJOY!

Turkey Burgers With Sweet Red Onion Relish

Just made these tonight for my family...plus one guest and they were a huge hit!! I love ground turkey, I use it in just about every meet dish that I used to use beef for. I have struggled to find an amazing turkey burger recipe. I think after tonight, my search may be over! I served this with broiled asparagus and fresh pineapple. Delish!!

1 tbls. e.v.o.o
2 1/2 c finely chopped red onion
3 tbls. balsamic vinegar divided
1 tsp fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried
1/4 chili sauce
2 tbls grape jelly
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
lettuce
buns ( I used sandwich thins )

1. Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, saute 10 mins or until lightly browned stirring occasionally. Add 2 tbls. of the vinegar, and the thyme; saute for 30 seconds, or until liquid evaporates. Remove from heat, keep warm

2. Combine remaining tbls of vinegar, turkey and next four ingredients in a bowl; stir until blended. Divide mixture into 6 equal portions, shaping into 1/2 inch thick patties.

3. Prepare grill. Place patties on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 mins on each side or until done with no pink.

4. Place on bun and ad 3 tbls. of relish and lettuce.

TIP ALERT:

Since I used lower calorie buns instead of hamburger buns, I put one thin slice of Swiss cheese on mine, and 1 tsp of fat free mayo. I also put pickles on it!

Love This Site!

Check out THIS link. I get weekly emails from this site with amazing recipes! You will love it!

Temporary Vacation From the Band Wagon

Well, I may not have gone too far, just to SLC, but let me say, I had a REAL vacation... a vacation from stress, from kids, from laundry, from worrying about keeping anyone else happy, and mostly, I took a vacation from eating sensibly. One good thing that comes from eating like a race horse all weekend, is that you swear you don't want sweets for the rest of your life. My sister and I helped ourselves to all of the amazing food our hotel and surrounding restaurants had to offer! And, after taking 4 days off from will power, I could not wait to come home and have a salad! So, back on the wagon...and look for a killer recipe soon!!

Breakfast of Freaking Champions

Once again, the most amazing things I eat are usually suggestions of my Weight Watchers Queen Sister...this one took me a while to try for some reason. This is not an actual picture, because I housed it before I could get a picture, so this is the closest thing I could find on the internet!! You will love this...I PROMISE! And for only 4 points!!

1 Double Fiber English Muffin (Oroweat)
1/2 banana
1/2 tbls. Nutella

Toast, spread, slice, ENJOY!

I paired this with a cup of honey nut cherrios and some soy milk....mmmmm! If you have never tried Nutella before, it is in the same isle as the peanut butter. This recipe would be amazing with strawberries, on on crepes instead of the muffin, the possibilities are endless.

It's not me...it's you

Well, it has been two solid weeks since we parted, and I have to say, I am happier...less bloated...more hydrated and just all around feeling better! I knew this would be hard, and I have been so tired, but it just was never going to work out between us. Try to understand, if I see you and I must look the other way, it is just too painful sometimes. And don't take it personal when you see me and Fresca hanging out, she is only helping me transition I promise. Good bye my love, you will be missed!

Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler!

Well, I promised a killer recipe, and I believe I have delivered...I can't take too much credit for this one though, it came from the WW website. Either way, it is amazing! And summer is a great time to utilize this odd little plant known as rhubarb. I hope you enjoy this one!

	16 oz unsweetened frozen strawberries, thawed for 15 minutes
	14 oz frozen rhubarb, or fresh, cut into 1-inch pieces, thawed for 15 minutes if frozen
	1/3 cup(s) sugar
	1 Tbsp cornstarch
	1 1/3 cup(s) all-purpose flour
	3 Tbsp sugar, divided
	3/4 tsp baking powder
	1/4 tsp baking soda
	4 Tbsp reduced-calorie margarine, cut into small pieces
	1/2 cup(s) fat-free sour cream
	1/4 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
	1 large egg(s), lightly beaten

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375º F. Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.
  
  
• In a large bowl, combine strawberries, rhubarb, sugar and cornstarch. Mix well and spoon mixture into bottom of prepared pan.
  
  
• To prepare dough, in a large bowl or food processor, combine flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Add margarine and mix with your fingers or process in the food processor until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.
  
  
• Add sour cream and milk and mix until dough comes together.
  
  
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead 5 times, until blended.
  
  
• Divide dough into 16 equal pieces and roll each piece into a small ball. Place balls on top of strawberry-rhubarb mixture and gently press down to flatten. Brush the surface of dough with egg and sprinkle remaining sugar over top.
  
  
• Bake until filling is bubbly and top is golden brown, 45 minutes. Cool 15 minutes before serving. Yields about 1/2 cup fruit mixture and 2 biscuits per serving.

TIP ALERT:

For some reason mine took almost a full hour and 15 mins to cook all the way through, so even at 45 mins, check the cobbler part, it will looked browned because of the sugar on top, but the insides were all gooey. Other than that, this is a pretty easy and yummy recipe!

I Have Been Slacking

We have all been so sick at my house...which for me means a couple of things. 1) I am not in the mood to blog. 2) I am not in the mood to cook, let alone try anything new and exciting. 3) I have not gone to the grocery store to buy anything new and exciting. 4) I am not loosing weight, because all I want are carbs. So there you have it, I am slacking, and sick, and tired, and I will be back after the weekend! I promise. I will come back with some amazing tip, or recipe, or new product or something! Wish me luck!

Taking a Day off, and Being Ok With it!!

Well, yesterday was mothers day, and in honor of being a mother, I did what any mother would do...I ate, and ate...and well, ate! Ok, maybe not thaaaat much, but I did have plenty of treats, and you know what??? For the first time in a long time, I did not feel guilty about it!! Today, I am back on track, watching what I eat, getting plenty of water, and despite the rain, and planning for a short jog later today. That is the joy of changing your lifestyle, not just your diet. I can see the big picture, and in the grand scheme of things, one day every now and again, is NOT the end of the world! So, to a new week, here we go...oh, except for moms night out tomorrow night, that one won't count...but after that, back on to the new week!

Pear Breakfast Tart

This is my own little creation and I must say, it was AMAZING! I love love love pears, and this is a fabulous little breakfast that truly celebrates this suculant little fruit! And amazingly, this will only cost you three points. I added two slices of Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon for a grand total of 4.5 points!!

1 Bagel thin
1/2 of a pear thinly sliced
1 Laughing Cow Lite Swiss wedge
1/2 tsp Splenda Blend Brown sugar
Dash of cinamon

Spread the cheese wedge on the bagel
Arrange pear slices around bagel overlapping each other
Sprinkle brown sugar blend and cinnamon over top of pears
Place in a preheated over set at 350
Bake for 10-15 mins depending on how soft you want your pears

ENJOY!

If You Have a Daughter...or if You are a Daughter...Listen UP!

I am reading this book called "My Mother My Mirror Recognizing and Making the Most of Inherited Self Images". I saw it on Amazon last week and felt compelled to order it. I am only to page 30 but I have already cried and have already felt inspired. So, if you have a daughter, or are a daughter, you may want to check THIS book out. I promise, you will be amazed!

Can we Talk!?!?

I was standing at the checkout line the other day for like 20 mins...it was a busy night being Cinco De Mayo and all. I had been feeling pretty good about myself all day, feeling happy, feeling fit, feeling hopeful...until, I looked over at the magazine rack, and I kid you not, EVERY magazine had a weight loss title of some sort. Try this, eat that, cut out this food, only eat that food...look good in your bikini FAST, look good naked FAST, life after plastic surgery, did she have too much plastic surgery...I MEAN SERIOUSLY???? And really, very few of the celebs on the covers of the magazines looked A) healthy and B) natural. Please don't preach to me about loosing weight by shoving an overly airbrushed picture in my face. I will NEVER look like that no matter what I do, because I don't have some one touching up my flaws as I walk around.

How are we as women ever supposed to overcome self image issues if all we see, hear, and read tells us we aren't doing enough?? It occurred to me that we are a society SO obsessed with the "perfect" body, that we have trained ourselves to hate anything else. I have flipped through many a magazine while thinking to myself, oh how I wish, and then being mad at myself for not having enough self control to look like the models and celebs I see.

I wish I had an answer to this, I wish I could say that I had come up with a solution for this world wide epidemic...I don't. All I can say is as women, we can stop this from affecting us anymore. I can choose to be inspired by REAL women, women whose images are not controlled by a highly paid PR person. So, who inspires you? I want to know. Share inspiring stories, if you want, I will post them for all to read...let's evolve past the superficial and get really, truly inspired!!

Your Welcome! Seriously...You will be thanking me!

I am always looking for some way to use leftover pumpkin puree after I make this spice cake that I love so much! I couldn't bare eating another bowl of oatmeal today, so I found this amazing recipe...tweaked it, and VIOLA!!!! It is amazing! (husband and 3 year old approved!)

I am calling these PumpCran Muffins
Here is what I came up with!!

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tbls. Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
1/4 apple sauce
2 tsp. baking powder
1tsp. baking soda
1 tbls. pumpkin pie spice
3/4 cup Craisins
2 cups pumpkin puree
2 egg equivalent in egg beaters
1 tbls. vanilla extract
1/4 cup water

Mix wet ingredients together

Mix dry ingredients together

Combine wet and dry and mix until just moist.

Divide batter into 18 muffin tins by using 1/4 cup batter for each.

Bake at 350 for 20 mins.

Each muffin is ONE point!

ENJOY!!!

I miss you.

So for those of you who live where i live, you know what I mean. I saw this image and it made me happy. I miss the sun...I am so tired of this overcast, windy, rainy, hell we are living in. I have felt really unmotivated to do much of anything this week...I haven't tried new foods, I haven't blogged, I haven't even wanted to get off of the couch. I wish I knew a way to get over this funk? Maybe today, I will force myself to try something new for dinner, and that will inspire me. I do love finding food that tastes amazing and is amazing for your body! So, keep a weathered eye on the horizon...I promise tonight you will see a mind blowing recipe from me!

For those of you who answered the poll question about snacking...HERE is a great link for some tips! I read a couple of different articles about snacking and this one had the best tips...if you ask me!!

The Winner of My Kernel Seasons Giveaway is............ANDREA LASLEY!! OK Andrea, Check out THIS site, and email me your choices to iluvmycurves@gmail.com! CONGRATS!!

Crab Quesadillas with Pepper Cream

I have no image of this recipe because we ate it too fast! I tweaked this recipe a bit for my mild taste buds! For the pepper cream, you could use just about any kind of pepper you prefer. The recipe calls for fresh Poblano peppers, I couldn't find them at Albertson's or Win-co, so I used Gypsy peppers that have a mild and sweet taste.

2 fresh poblano peppers ( about a half pound)
3 ounces lite cream cheese softened
1/4 fat free sour cream
1 tbls. lime juice
1 teaspoon bottled minced roasted garlic
1 pound lump or imitation crab meat
1 1/4 cup reduced fat Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 tsp. coriander
1/4 tsp. salt
6 8-inch low carb flour tortillas
butter flavored cooking spray
1 1/2 cups chopped tomato

1. Cut chilies in half lengthwise and discard stems, seeds, and membranes. Place chili halves on a foil lined baking sheet skin side up and broil for 15 mins or until chilies are blackened. Remove from sheet and place in a ziplock baggie and let sit for 5 mins. Peel chilies

2. Place roasted chilies, cream cheese, lime juice, garlic and sour cream in food processor and blend until smooth. Reserve 6 tbls. for topping.

3. Combine remaining cream, crab meat, mozzarella cheese, green onions, coriander and salt in a bowl and mix until coated with cream.

4. Spread about 1/3 cup crab mixture on a tortilla fold and place over medium heat until hot.

5. Cover each quesadilla with 1/4 cup of chopped tomato and 1 tbls. cream.

TIP ALERT:

I used fat free sour cream to top mine instead of the cream mixture, I also cut down on the amount of cheese I put in mine. With my modifications each quesadilla was about 4 points! Enjoy!!

Sherri, I hope you read this.

Do you ever have light bulb moments that come to you so clearly? Have you ever known someone for so long only to learn something new about them...and that something new changes your life? I am blessed in my line of work to get very personal with people. My clients tell me of their joy, their pain, their secrets, their deepest desires. I have laughed, and cried with them. In my 9 years of doing hair I have been so blessed to know some of the most amazing men and women. I have been inspired and encouraged, and have learned so much from some of these people. I feel like it has really shaped my life. I look up some of these people with the up most admiration.

Yesterday one of these people shared her light with me and I know God had answered her prayers, and by so doing, answered mine. Sherri and I had the most enlightening talk about this whole weight loss game. She has been a client of mine for almost 7 years. We have shared our struggles, and our victories MANY times! Weight loss has been the topic of our conversations during many of her hair appointments...but never like it was yesterday. A switch has flipped in her, and by sharing it with me, a switch flipped in me.

It is hard to put feelings into words, but I am going to try. What I learned yesterday, is that I have been going at this the wrong way my whole life. my motivations have been wrong. My mental state, my spiritual state has never been healed along side my physical state. My focus has always been on the physical results...all the while ignoring the most important part...my soul. I have never asked God to heal me...I have never asked God to take this from me...I have never stopped to ask him what his will is. Sure, I have prayed long and hard to see results and to feel better about myself. But, I have never once asked to be healed. With over eating and weight issues come a lot of scars and wounds. For me, I have a life time of them. How could I, a spiritual being, have forgotten entirely to ask for healing for my spirit? How could I expect the help I desired so much if I failed to ask? How could I expect to be guided when I wasn't giving the glory to God. Sherri reminded me that we are to glorify God in all things, and give him the credit. I have taken it all for myself.

Just like any other addiction, or trial, or pain, we are told to turn it over to God, let him heal you...prove him. Sherri mentioned the scripture "Seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you," what does this mean? Pray, and you will get it?? NO, it means turn it over to the Lord, and HE will show you what HE is capable of.

I hope that in some way this all makes sense. I hope Sherri reads this, and knows that her desires of being a witness have been met. Sherri, your wisdom has struck me. I am changed, thank you for sharing. I hope you know how much I love and appreciate you! I pray that those of you reading this will feel the change I have felt. I know this may seem a bit deep for a weight loss blog...but I want to share every aspect of this journey I am on. I hope someone else can be healed from it.

A Worthy Substitute!

I am a big fan of just about anything that Fiber One makes, so I decided to try their pancake mix. It is pretty good. A bit chewier, but all in all not bad. I skipped the syrup and topped it with fresh strawberries and lite Cool Whip! A little side note, and this may be TMI, but be selective about how often you eat Fiber One products, I was eating their chewy bars every day until I realized they were the reason I was having such bad gas. I had these pancakes this morning and had no trouble today.

I would sell my soul for this salsa....ok...maybe not?!?!?

On a whim today, I bought THIS mango peach salsa at Albertson's to take to a play date. Trust me, you will love this stuff. Salsa is such a great diet food because it is packed with veggies! This salsa may be slightly higher in calories since it has fruit in it, but a little goes a long way. I found it in the refrigerated section where they keep the cheese and bacon.

So tonight I made a chicken dish with the rest of it to take to a friend who just had a baby...I didn't try it, but it looked and smelled amazing, and as soon as I get back to the store, I will be making some for myself!

I made this for a family of seven, so the portions were large. This could easily be made to fit any family. I didn't really measure, I just kind of tossed and estimated!!

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper
In a large frying pan brown chicken breasts for about 3 mins each side.
Place browned Chicken breasts in a large baking dish
cover breasts with salsa
sprinkle with light mozzarella cheese(I used about 3/4 cup for a large casserole dish of chicken)
Place in 350 degree oven and bake for 25-30 mins
Serve with veggies or Quinoa

ENJOY!

TIP ALERT:

Check out the link for more wonderful recipes!!

Stuffed Sweeeeeeeet Potatoes!

Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE sweet potatoes. I love them in any shape or form they make them in!! I found this recipe tonight in my WW cook book, and it is s HUGE thumbs up! This was a real treat. If you like sweet potatoes, you will LOVE this!

6 small sweet potatoes
1 15 oz. can pear halves
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup pecans chopped

1. Preheat oven to 375

2. Wrap potatoes in foil; bake at 375 for 50 mins or until done. Let cool slightly. Cut a slit in top of potato; carefully scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4 inch shell.

3. Drain pears, reserving 1/4 cup juice. Place pear halves and reserved juice in a food processor; process until smooth. Add potato pulp, sugar, and salt; process until blended. Stir in cranberries and 4 tbls. pecans.

4. Stuff shells with pulp mixture; sprinkle tops with remaining pecans. Place potatoes on a baking sheet and return to the oven for 10 mins.

TIP ALERT:

I used Splenda brown sugar blend instead of regular brown sugar.

Also, I tossed my potato in the microwave for 3 mins first and then cooked it for 30 mins in the oven.

I hadn't eaten all day so I had a chicken breast along with mine, but alone this recipe is 5 points!!

Enjoy!

Double the Fiber...I Say Double the Flavor!

Once again my amazing Weight Watchers Queen Sister told me about an amazing product! I already LOVE Oro Wheat Double Fiber Whole Wheat Bread, but THESE new English Muffins are AMAZING! My sis told me she spreads a little bit of Nutella on them and tops that with a sliced banana! I made a breakfast sandwich with one last night and they are super moist, and super tasty! I even liked them better than regular English Muffins!

ONLY 5 DAYS LEFT TO ENTER!

If you are a reader of my blog...don't forget to enter THIS giveaway. I will be picking the winner on May 1st...so make sure to sign up!!

Love Your Salads Again!!

This salad was AMAZING! I bought this WW cook book at Savers the other day, and this is the first recipe I have tried out of it...may I just say...MAJOR success. My husband ate 2 huge bowls of it!

SALAD:

12 c Spring Mix Lettuce
1 Green Pear Chopped
1 Red Pear Chopped
3 oz Blue Cheese
1lb Chicken breast
1 can Chicken Broth
1 c White cooking wine

In a large skillet bring the broth and wine to a boil
add chicken and boil for 15 min, or until cooked through. Slice chicken into diagonal pieces and combine with other ingredients.

Warm Bacon Vinaigrette:

1/3 cup chopped red onion
3 slices turkey bacon choppped
1/2 c chicken broth
1/3 cider vinegar
1 tbl Splenda brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp celery seeds
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp pepper

Coat a non stick skillet with cooking spray, and place over medium high heat until hot. Add chopped onion and bacon adn saute' 10 mins or until bacon is crisp and onions are tender. Remove skillet from heat and add remaining ingredients. Stirring until sugar is dissolved.

To serve:
6 servings
2 c greens
3 oz chicken
4 pear slices
1/2 oz blue cheese (1/8 cup)
2 1/2 tbls. vinaigrette

5 points

TIP ALERT:

I added about 1/3 cup chopped onion to the chicken as it was boiling in the broth and wine.

Smart ones..mmmm mmmm

A lot of freezer meals taste like salt, or have horrible food particles trying to pass themselves off as vegetables...but I must say honestly, the Smart Ones meals are pretty good. My two new favorites are the calzones, and the cranberry turkey medallions. The calzones are pretty darn yummy, and the veggies in the turkey dish, are actually pretty fresh tasting and even on the crisp side! I buy about 5 of these at a time and throw them in the freezer at work when I don't have time to make a fresh meal. They are great and HERE is a link for you where you can get more info and a COUPON!!!

Let me know which ones you try and love! Good Eating!

Skinny Cow, Skinny Cow I love You...Yes I do!!

Some of you may think I am a bit late to the game on this one...but last night I discovered what may be my new favorite thing on the planet...Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich's. I tried the mint chocolate chip flavor, and was in love. At Winco there are at least 4 other flavors for me to fall in love with! HERE is a link where you can sign up to get coupons for other products. The cool thing about their site, is you can see all point values for Weight Watchers right on the site! LOVE IT!

Here is a little tip...from me to you!

So when I got married, one of the many amazing things I learned from my mother was to plan meals out for the week, and then only grocery shop for the items needed to make those meals. This is a great money saver and it cuts down on rotten food being thrown out, it saves time each day, and for me, it eliminated last minute binges like ordering pizza the other night because there was "nothing to eat" (allegedly!)

I have gotten away from this little habit, and this week decided to start it back up! I found this amazing Weight Watchers cook book at Savers for $2 in brand new shape...and I can't wait to try out the delicious recipes! So, HERE is a link where you can download this adorable meal planner. I will probably laminate it and use dry erase markers so I don't have to print a thousand!

What I do is sit down on sunday nights and grab all of my favorite cook books. I try to have a mix of old faves and some new recipes. I write the meal down on my planner plus which cookbook it is in and the page it is on...sometimes I forget which book I found it in. Then, as I am picking the recipes, I have another piece of paper next to me that I write down the ingredients that I need to buy to make those recipes. Trust me..this will save you from EVER having to say...so what shall I make tonight!

I Startin' with the (Wo)man in the Mirror

I have spent most all of my life on the "chubby side". My first memories of being made fun of for my weight start in 3rd grade. My first memories of feeling uncomfortable with my weight start before I can really remember. I found an old diary of mine from 1st grade a while back and sat crying while I read it and looked at the drawings I had made of what I thought my body looked like. How can such a young girl have such hatred for her body? Where did this come from in me? I have no idea...I really don't. It seems as though I have spent the last 27 years fighting this demon within me that I have not been able to prevail over. I can HONESTLY say that for as long as I can remember, my poor body image has consumed my mind most of the day. Any new situation that I walked into was fraught with feelings of anxiety about my looks, my body, my make up, my hair, my choice of clothing, but mostly my body. As sick as it sounds, I always tried to find someone in "worse" than me, and if I couldn't do that, then I would try harder to be the loudest, the funniest, the one with the craziest hair, or the most make-up. This is a vicious cycle that has haunted me my entire life.

I think this had a lot to do with my decision to become a hair stylist. It is easy for me to make other people feel beautiful...I don't want this to sound braggy, but it comes easy to me, I have always been good at making others look and feel amazing. I love that part of my life. I love helping other people feel good. It seems ironic that I would have a natural talent in making others look good, but I have always struggled with what I see in the mirror. It is a joke with some of my clients that I have learned how to stand in front of a mirror all day and not see myself in it. I have become a master at avoiding my reflection.

Here is my dilemma...that girl is being forced out of the building...I am evicting her...she is literally melting away...and...I am not sure that I know how to be anyone else. I struggle with becoming the kind of person that I always felt I had to hate. I don't know how to be a truly confident person...it has always been a show...a facade...a fraud. Several times this week my mind jumped into its old habits and I caught myself adjusting my shirt, and checking out the room, and making sure my reflection was sucking in...only to realize, I don't need to do those things ANYMORE. I am no longer that person. I HAVE LOST A LOT OF WEIGHT. I have earned every ounce and I should be proud of it. My husband and I had a little staycation right here in Boise and for the first time in a long time, I felt proud of my body, and the feelings of being stared at and the feelings of insecurity weren't there...but it felt weird...I realize now that I have a lot of things to re-learn.
1) I can no longer tell my reflection how much I hate it. NO MORE.
2) Learn to take a compliment...no more deflecting or self trashing
3) Enjoy the spoils, learn to love my new body and my new lifestyle
4) See what other people see...and accept myself
5) Enjoy where I am at and what I am doing...get my mind in the game and focus on the people I am with. Clear my mind of self centered body image issues.
6) I have to stop hating other woman who are thin, or who look better after babies than before, or leave the hospital in their skinny jeans.
NO MORE HATING!

This all seems so daunting. I found myself wondering the other night if I would ever be able to do it. Will April Johnson ever love herself? Will I ever feel like the person other people think I am? As my mind went over these thoughts, I noticed my heart racing...kind of like it is racing right now. I truly don't know if 27 years of feelings and fears and anxieties can be undone.

I felt the need to write this...whether people read it or not, I don't care. It has been cathartic for me, and hopefully, someone who reads this can relate...and feel less alone. I know that with a lot of practice, prayer and support, I can become the person I am meant to be. Along with all of my worries, I have found liberation. I now have the freedom to become someone better, someone happier, someone more connected. My family and my friends will move up on my priority list, I will become a better listener...I will live in the moment. Look out world...I am about to arrive!

Healthified Chocolate Lava Cake

Here is a picture of a Molten Lava Cake...well, thanks to my amazing sister, we have a healthified version to share with you!

1 can diet cherry coke
1 box devils food cake mix
1/2 plain yogurt
sugar free dark chocolate Jell-o pudding snack pack
lite Cool Whip

Mix the Cherry Coke with the Cake mix and bake according to box directions

While still warm put the pudding and cool whip on top! Add berries if desired!

This recipe is about 3 points each!

ENJOY!

Here They Are!! Before and Kind of After!!!

After a year of dieting and working out I have lost 30 pounds are here are the pics I took tonight. It was bath time for little man, so my shirt is kind of a mess! I am far less horrified to post these pics than I was to post the first ones!!
I am getting there~ I call these my kind of after pics because I am hoping for at least one more set where I will be another 10 pounds lighter!