Cross Fit Mamas

I came across this site on..what else..Pinterest!  I think I am going to give it a whirl!  Last year I made a promise to myself that I would no longer do ANYTHING in a workout that I didn't enjoy!  I actually love to workout, but I hate mindless cardio.  I miss running outside like crazy, but my knee just won't cooperate.  I have heard a million people say they love CrossFit, so I am going to give it a try.  I may not have all of the equipment, but I am going to do my best to keep up!  Who wants to join me!?!?!  I think it would be fun to keep up with each other on this!  Comment if you are in!

Click HERE for details!

Also, check out my new RECIPES tab at the top of the page.  I have compiled a list of all the recipes I have posted on this site! 

Enjoy!

Product Review

So yesterday went really well.  I am happy to report that the food tastes SO much better than I was expecting! My favorite from yesterday was the Creamy Alfredo!  I did try the Chocolate Chip Pudding, and while the flavor was good, it was kind of lumpy, so I think next time I will blend it up in the Ninja! This morning I had a shake and a Cinnamon Pastry Tart.  I was expecting a more flaky consistency, but instead, it basically tasted like the Oatmeal Cookie.  I toasted it for a few minutes and it was pretty good.  In my shake I did Hot Cocoa mix, 1/2 cup Almond Milk, 1 cup water, 6 cubes of ice, 2 C baby spinach, and 2 tbs. sugar free Kahlua syrup.  I skipped the frozen banana so I could have fruit with my morning snack.

I was a bit hungry yesterday, but because my shipment didn't come till afternoon, I wasn't on plan during the morning.  Today, I already feel great and full!  I just feel so encouraged with the taste and the variety of the food!  

Had some help blogging this morning!  Isn't my little assistant so stinking cute!

Today is the Day of Reckoning

Reckoning (NOUN)

(rk-nng)

* The avenging or punishing for past mistakes or misdeads

It is no coincidence that this horrible picture of me was taken yesterday and today my order of meal replacements showed up.  I have known for a while now that eventually, I would return to this kind of plan. 

If you have been a reader of my blog, or you have known me personally in the last 2 years you would know that I lost 50 pounds between a miscarriage and getting pregnant with my daughter about 18 months ago.  I used a program called Medifast.  I actually really didn't mind the program, and for a short time was a health coach with the company.  I tried multiple times to get back on the program since the birth of my daughter and for some reason just couldn't get there.  I think because I used their products for so long, the taste began to kind of freak me out, and they got rid of one of the only products I actually looked forward to eating, and I just felt like I needed to find something new.  I found Wonderslim online and ordered a few samples.  I was blown away at how much better they tasted.  They do have a higher calorie content than Medifast meal replacements and the plan allows you to eat one fruit serving per day, one fat free dairy serving per day, plus one starch serving per day.  I am a big believer in meal replacements for myself at least.  Because the actual food and counting numbers is such an issue with me, I found that taking the food and its caloric damage on my body out of the equation for a while helped to clear my head and take the pressure off of eating the exact amount of calories each day that the app on my phone tells me to.  I think that getting pregnant so soon after getting to my goal weight and not taking some time to really solidify my new way of eating is what caused me to leave those good habits behind and spiral back into the self abusing behavior I currently find myself in. 

Soooo, here it is, my shipment of Wonderslim.  I will still be posting recipes just as I did when I was on Medifast.  I am excited to get started and start seeing results!

{ This is me after I finished a 90 day Medifast program }

Pull The Trigger

     What is it about stressful situations that puts me into an instant downward spiral?  Today I was at Target shopping, and the place was a zoo.  It was hot, there were a million people, the checkout stands were a nightmare, my 5 year old was cranky, I forgot my Target debit card so I didn't even save the %5 I was counting on, the guy at the food court screwed up our order, and my son spilled Icee all over the place. Before we even got out of the store, I ingested a cheese pizza, half of my sons fries, and a Diet Coke (which I gave up a month ago).  Then. as I sat there feeding the demon inside, two moms sat across from me with babies about the same age as my baby, but they had flat stomachs, and perfect bodies.  Cue the self hatred. So then I felt entitled. I felt like I deserved, nay, NEEDED to cheat.  I felt like the only way to calm my nerves was to eat something sinful all the while telling myself in my brain how disgusting I am.  

I have always chalked up my stress response of eating to the fact that it is the only vice I have.  I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't do drugs, I don't take sleeping pills, or any pills for that matter, I don't cheat on my husband...but I do have a very, very unhealthy relationship with food( oh, and I kind of have a potty mouth...oops!).  So when the stress comes, the only way i have learned to cope is by stuffing myself.  In all of the years I have dieted and studied weight loss, I have never been able to master the cycle of addiction.  I know without a doubt that is why I have never conquered my weight long term.  I  have an emotional trigger like stress then instantly I crave food, I go through the ritual, I use it to soothe me, then I hate myself, which then leads to a trigger and we are right back on the roller coaster.  

I was watching the Today show a few mornings ago and they had a male guest who spoke about binge eating.  He said in his past he had always focused on controlling the food.  If only I can control the food, I will get a handle on this.  He went on to say that until we learn to control our emotions, we will get nowhere in the battle with our weight.  I am not even sure where to begin with that.  I read THIS websites information about emotional triggers which suggests that emotional triggers stem from an earlier trauma.  In the last few years I have really searched myself trying to figure out what if any trauma brought me to this place with food.  I can't think of any one event, but there are a lot of little things that I think contributed.  My mother battled with food her whole adult life.  I  remember her portioning my food differently than other kids.  I remember once at a birthday party she cut me a much smaller piece of cake than the other kids got.  I cried of course not understanding.  She took me aside and told me i had to be more careful about how much cake I ate than the other kids.  I remember being called fat by some boys at school.  I remember struggling to find clothes that fit me even at a young age.  I got put on Phen-Fen at 14. I had a very thin, popular, beautiful sister who I looked up to, but never looked like.  I felt like I was always compared to her, and we couldn't have been more different...at the time anyways!  But as adults, her and I have come to realize we both struggled with food.  If there was some sort of trauma, I either don't remember it, or my mind has chosen to forget it for me.  

There are times when the thought comes to me that I in fact have an addiction and therefore in order to overcome it, I must treat is as an addiction.  Just as a recovering alcoholic must learn to cope with life without using alcohol, so must I learn to cope with life without using food.  If there is anyone reading this who relates, or has a trick they use, or has learned to overcome, or hasn't learned to overcome and wants to learn, please, share.  I  have no idea who reads this, like I have said in the past, I do this for myself.  But I also hope, someone, somewhere can read about my struggles and feel less alone.

Asain Lettuce Cups

These were a HUGE hit at our house the other night.  They were easy to make, and even my hubbs loved them! I served them with a side of steamed sugar snap peas tossed with the tiniest bit of butter and salt. It was a fantastic meal!

Filling

1 lb Lean Ground Turkey

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 Clove Garlic, minced

1/8 tsp ground ginger

2/3 cup thinly sliced green onion (about 4)

1 8oz can Water Chestnuts

Sauce

3 Tbsp Hoisin sauce

2 Tbsp lower sodium Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp rice vinegar

2 tsp roasted red chili paste (I used hot chili sauce cause I had it on hand)

1/8 tsp salt

12 Boston Lettuce Leaves (I used Butter Lettuce)

Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the turkey, garlic and ginger to the pan.  Cook for about 6 minutes or until turkey is browned.  Add the water chesnuts and onions and mix well.

Whisk together the sauce ingredients and toss to coat with the turkey mixture.  Add about 1/4 cup turkey to each lettuce cup. 

Serving size 2 lettuce cups with 1/4 C mixture in each. (I actually used less mixture in each and had 3 or 4 cups instead of just 2)

Total Calories: 205

Enjoy!

One Ingredient Guilt Free Ice Cream

{photo courtesy of www.thekitchn.com}

Can you tell it has been crazy hot here??  I am all about creamy yummy cold deliciousness!  Did you know you can make amazing tasting ice cream with just ONE ingredient??  Frozen bananas!  Check out THIS blog for all kinds of fun ways to jazz up this little dish of gold!  The best part is that you are only indulging in 105 calories!  Even if you add some nutella, or peanut butter, the calorie count on this dessert is still crazy low!  I like to add a bit of cocoa and some PB2 to mine! My husband and my son go crazy for this stuff.  I even let my son have it for breakfast once....he thought I was the coolest mom on the planet! 

Enjoy!

Almond Milk Ice Cream

May it be said now that I am a Pinterest JUNKIE!  I love it, and I actually use it a lot.  I cook from Pinterest at least once a week, if not more.  One of my family's favorite Pinterest finds would be baggie ice cream.  My husband loves ice cream and this way, he can have it whenever he wants and the bonus is, there isn't a bunch of garbage packed into it!  We have tried it with half and half, whole milk and almond milk.  Of course the half and half makes the best ice cream, but for a sweet treat that is low in fat and calories, the almond milk did the job!  Here is what I did

1 C Almond Milk (Unsweetened)
1/2 C Coarse Salt
3 Truvia Packets
Vanilla Extract (I use a few drops)
2Tbsp Sugar Free Chocolate Syrup
Ice
Big Ziplock Bag
Small Ziplock Bag

In your small bag, mix your "milk", truvia, extracts and syrup.

Fill your large bag about 3/4 of the way with ice.Cover with salt.

Place your small bag of "mix" into the bigger bag and give it a good shake for about 5 minutes.  I actually cover mine with a towel so my hands don't freeze!

You could add all kinds of other flavors or fruit!! Enjoy!

Total Calories 55

Mashed Loveliness!

In my mission to enjoy vegetables, I came across THIS great blog, I Breath...I'm Hungry.  It is full of all kinds of great recipes.  She came up with a great way to enjoy mashed cauliflower.  Cauliflower is one of the few veggies I actually like...but NOT cooked.  I have tried mashed cauliflower in the past and literally gagged so hard I almost lost the rest of my dinner.  I thought I would give it a try because she seemed to address a lot of the issues I have with the cooked version of this veggie, and I have to say they are amazing!!  I did make a few changes just to make it a bit more calorie conscious.  My son and my husband LOVE this side dish, and I think you will too!

Mashed Cheesy Cauliflower

1/2 Head cauliflower (3 cups once it is all chopped up)

1tbs heavy cream (I use 1/4 c greek yogurt)

1/2 tbs butter ( I skipped the butter)

2 ounces sharp cheese (the sharper the better)

salt and pepper to taste (I use Johnn'y Seasoning Salt)

Wash and cut the cauliflower into small pieces. I have found that the more of the stem you remove, the creamier your texture will be.  The stems tend to make it more grainy.

Place the cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl and coat with the cream and butter.  Microwave uncovered for 5 minutes.  Stir to coat and microwave for another 4 minutes.  You want your cauliflower to be tender but not soggy.  If you over steam, your dish will end up soupy.

Place all remaining ingredients into a blender or food processor and whip until smooth.  

If you make it the way I do with greek yogurt and no butter, you are looking at about 101 calories per serving.  This makes about 3 servings. If you take a smaller portion and serve 5 people, you are looking at 61 calores.  

My Morning Routine

I am a big BIG fan of hiding healthy food in other foods that maybe don't taste so healthy!  I stumbled upon this morning shake about 6 months ago and have been drinking it every morning since.  A few weeks ago, I was reading a friends blog, healthconfessions.com and I saw a link to a product called PB2.  This is a powdered peanut butter that you can either ad to shakes, or reconstitute with water.  I ordered the original and the chocolate variety! It is wonderful and only 45 calories per 2 tbs!!  I swear in the 6 months that I have been doing this, my nails are stronger and they grow faster, my skin looks better, and my hair is shinier!  Check out THIS site to read more on the amazing benefits of eating spinach!  You might be blown away!

The Big Green Giant

1.5 cups Almond milk (unsweetened original) 53 calories

1 banana (sliced and FROZEN) 105 calories

2 TBS PB2 45 calories

 Fill the rest of your blender with baby spinach 20 calories

1 tbs Torani Sugar Free vanilla syrup

Blend Blend Blend!  I don't like any chunks of spinach left at all, so I obliterate my shakes!

TOTAL CALORIES

223

TIPS:

I buy 2 bunches of bananas at the store every week.  Once bunch I use to feed the kids and the other one I let sit out until it just starts turning brown.  Once it is just a bit over ripe, I slice each banana into 8 segments.  I then put them all into a gallon sized baggie and freeze them.  Trust me, you want your bananas frozen, and you don't want to try to slice them up after they are frozen!

In my experience, baby spinach tasted better...or I guess didn't taste at all!  I tried buying a large bag of regular spinach because I go through it so fast, but the spinach taste and texture was much more dominant in the shake and I really didn't like that!  So, stick with the baby variety!

ENJOY!

I'm About to Blow Your Mind...Seriously!

For anyone who knows me personally, you know I HATE most vegetables.  I am famous for my skills when it comes to picking veggies out of my food.  This has been a battle with me since I was very small.  I spent many, many nights asleep next to my plate at the dinner table because I refused to eat my veggies!

 Over the last few months I have embarked on a journey to discover new ways to fall in love with the dreaded vegetable.  I can not take too much credit for this recipe, I found it on Pinterest! But, I have added my spin to it, and seriously...I crave and I mean drool over...drum-roll please...BRUSSEL SPROUTS!  I know what you are thinking.  Brussel sprouts are like the most hated vegetable of all time.  But, with this recipe, you too will come to love...nay CRAVE these yummy little beauties!

This recipe is not super precise.  Depending on the size of your sprout, you may need more.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

cut stems off of 6-8 large sprouts

quarter the sprouts lengthwise

toss sprout quarters and leaves that fell off during cutting process on a cookie sheet

spray with Crisco Butter Spray (this is important, I have tried other sprays and the Crisco butter spray tastes the best)

sprinkle with seasoning salt, I use Johnny's (be careful, the sprouts will shrink up during cooking therefore concentrating the seasoning, you don't want your sprouts too salty!)

Toss on the cookie sheet and place in the oven

every 5 minutes use a spatula to re-toss the sprouts and leaves

once the leaves are crisp and brown and each side of the sprouts is browned you are done!

I like mine pretty brown.  The outer leaves that get really brown and crispy are the BEST part!  

 Enjoy!!

I'm a Rough and Tough...Nothin's Gonna Knock This Girl Down

I do this really, for myself.  I don't know who is reading this.  I don't know if it has ever helped anyone.  I have no idea if people think I am nuts.  But I do know this...I miss doing it.  I have let my life get me down.  I have given up lately.  Resigned to the sadness of loosing so much.  I  was on a walk tonight and realized just how much of myself I have lost.  There is so much missing from my life right now, and not because we moved away from everyone and everthing, and not because I have gained all of my weight back, but because I have let it go.  I used every excuse in the book to justify flushing myself down the drain.  Yes, depression can be so binding and some days I have felt like no matter what, I was never going to be myself again, never be fully happy again.  I have wondered if my lot in life is to always feel like I am half of the person I know I have the potential to be. See, I have tasted it.  I know my potential.  I have seen the light...briefly...very briefly.  And just when I thought I had it all figured out, the rug was pulled out from under me.  I lost my footing and began the downward spiral that has been the last 2 years of my life.  Today, as I had others in my life struggle with real problems, I realized something.  I have the power.  It is in me.  I can overcome.  And not just overcome and survive but I can thrive.  I can become that woman who, in my mind has been sitting on a really high shelf unreachable...unattainable.   I love this song becuase it really speaks to me.  I am a rough and tough!  I have been through things most people will never ever go through...and I have been through a lot of those kinds of things.  I have punched through walls, fallen flat on my face, lost it all, and somehow, I am still here.  I may have lost my fight for a while.  I kind of got tired of fighting.  I let the battle beat me...really, really beat me.  But, nothin's gonna knock this girl down...for long! I know it sounds corny to be so inspired by a pop song, but when you are out sweating and really working your muscles and this comes piping through your earbuds, you can't help but feel a bit lighter, a bit stronger, a bit more...I dunno...bad ass??!?!?!  Am I right?  So anyway, here I am, once again spilling my guts on the world wide web.  Things are going to get better.  I just know it!

Mango-licious Tilapia

I swiped this recipe from Allrecipes.com...and it was AMAZING!!  I don't have a picture, but, trust me, it was beautiful to behold!   Instead of making my own mango salsa, I used Chachie's brand from Win-co.  Makes 2 servings and is about 330 calories per serving.

Ingredients

• 4 tilapia fillets
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated orange zest
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• crushed red pepper flakes to taste
• 1/2 cup mango salsa

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C.)
2. In a shallow baking dish, combine the olive oil, orange zest, orange juice, salt, pepper and chili flakes. Rinse the fish fillets and pat them dry. Place them into the baking dish and turn to coat with the seasonings.
3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until fish can be flaked with a fork.
4. Place fillets on a platter and spoon the salsa over them to serve.  

I'm Back in the Saddle..AGAIN!

 

Well, I have had a very eventful few months!  We have a new addition to our little family!  Miss Jovie Noel arrived on 12/12/11 and we are so so very in love with her!  She is about 7 weeks old now, and I am feeling like my C-section is healing well, so I feel ready to get back to my healthy self!!

I had a pretty rough and miserable pregnancy, hence the lack of postings.   I was in pain most of the last 2 months and really struggled with my cravings and my eating habits the entire 9 months.  I was never overly hungry with my first pregnancy, but this time, I felt starving all the time.  I really lost control, and in the end, I gained 30 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight, and I am up 45 pounds from my thinnest weight back in December of last year.  I have decided to use Medifast again, but this time I am doing a hybrid program.  3 medifast meals per day, and 3 healthy eating meals per day.  I am using Myfitnesspal.com and the my fitness pal app on my phone to track what I eat.  The phone app has a new barcode scanner that is AMAZING.  I am feeling so ready to be healthy and fit again!  

There is so much I want to journal about, but I will do that more as the days and weeks go by. For now, I am going to leave you with an amazing recipe!  I hope you enjoy it!  Share this blog with anyone who you feel needs a lift, some inspiration, or just a place to read about another human being going through her own weight loss battle.  I appreciate comments, suggestions, criticism, whatever!  I want this to be a safe place for people to feel like they aren't alone!  

I am so glad to be back!! Here we go!

Starting Weight 1-30-2012

176

Cafe Rio Chicken

 

I found this amazing recipe on Pintrest, and swiped the photo from Chef-in-training.com. I used a fat free Italian dressing and it still tasted amazing!  Now, if you make this recipe and divide it into four equal portions with about 3/4 cup of the quinoa, you are looking at only 218 calories for this part of your meal! 

CAFE RIO CHICKEN

found recipe at: Mandy's Recipe Box

• 2 lbs chicken breasts
• 1/2 a small bottle of zesty Italian dressing(I used Kraft Free Italian)
• 1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 pkt ranch dressing mix (mixed with 1/2 cup of water)
• 1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin

Place all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on High 5-6 hours OR on Low 8 hours. Shred with fork and serve in salads, burritos, tacos...etc. You can also double or triple this to make extras for freezing. Then simply thaw and reheat for a fast and delicious meal.  I served mine with quinoa that had been cooked in half chicken broth, half water, and with fresh fruit salad!

Enjoy!

The Big Trade Off

 

For the last 4 1/2 years, my son and I have had a ritual.  As a new born, he wouldn't go back to sleep after his 5 am feeding unless I was holding him.  As the years have progressed, our little morning ritual has remained and just about every morning of his life, he has crawled into bed with me and cuddled for an hour or so before he is ready to get up for the day.  This has been my most favorite part of my day and this morning he actually fell back asleep next to me and I laid in bed and watched him sleep for almost an hour.  I couldn't help but be overcome with love and awe for this little person next to me.  Call it the pregnancy hormones, but I feel especially appreciative of just what my body can accomplish.  I have one fully formed, growing, living, breathing, amazing person next to me, and one growing, developing, miracle inside of me.  Laying in our bed, with these bodies I have, and am creating, I am brought to tears over how amazing my body really is.  We are literally Goddesses.  We, in partnership with God, create life. I carefully examined every lash, his perfect skin, his rising and falling chest in perfect time.  His adorable little chubby fingers and his fuzzy shoulders.  All of it is a miracle, and he has it all because of what the female body was designed to do.   God entrusted us women with the most sacred duty there is.  Only He can out do our gift.  No other creation on earth or in Heaven shares such a special bond with our Father in Heaven.  

So, how does this all relate to a weight loss blog?  Well, I am about to tell you!  There are trade offs.  Along with the joy and majesty of being a Goddess, there are physical, and mental consequences that sometimes in our mortal world threaten to overshadow us.  I find myself getting caught up in the trade off.  I feel ripped off that my body doesn't snap back to a size 2 after a baby.  And most recently, I feel jaded by the fact that I am not round and cute like "everyone else" and I just look fat.  This morning it occurred to me that no matter how horribly my outside looks during and after pregnancy, that doesn't change how amazing and beautiful the inside is.  I need to give credit where credit is due and thank my body for giving me my family.  

I will trade a perfect stomach for a stretched out one because that means life was created in there.  I will trade perfect perky boobs for saggier ones because that means I was able to sustain a life with my body alone.  I will trade the 9 months of feeling fat and bloated for looking slim and fit because that means that is less than one year, I created LIFE!!!  Really ladies, it IS so amazing! We should try harder to glorify what we can do, and not make it sound like some short lived plague we must endure.  We are in partnership with GOD!!!  And from us, life is given.

Tastey Breakfast in a Pinch

I promise soon I will have a post that is not about pre-packaged food, but I haven't had a lot of energy lately to cook and it has been so hot at night I just can't bring myself to turn on the oven.  So bare with me, this one you will be thankful for! 

I recently discovered Jimmy Dean D-Lite breakfast bowl.  I only bought one just in case it was horrible.  Eggs are such a tricky thing to get right outside of your own frying pan at home and I have had plenty of bad eggs in my day.  I was so plesantly surprised with these, I bought four more boxes and have them at the salon for lunch.  230 calories and 23 grams of protein.  These little bowls are wonderful and the eggs are just right!  I just thought I would share them with you!

Skinny Cow Skinny Cow...I love you! YES I DO!

How delicious does this picture look?  It is  hard to make low calorie candy that tastes real, feels real, and is in a portion size that doesn't make you feel ripped off.  Well, once again, the angels at Skinny Cow have won my heart.  HERE is a link for a coupon so you can try these bad boys on for size.  I loved them!  And I know you will too!!

I...AM...IN...LOOOVVEEE!

 

How would you like to be in pure Heaven for less that 150 calories?  Sounds unthinkable right?  WRONG!!  I may be a genius...jusssst maybe.  I have a new found love for Coke Zero Cherry...it might be the hormones, I don't know, but I love it.  I had a stroke of lightening hit me today when making dessert for dinner at our niece's house.  Now, I think I may even be able to get this recipe down to less than 150, but I used what I had on hand, so I will make tweaking suggestions as we go.  Prepare yourself...your mind is about to be blown!

Cherry Coke Cake From Heaven

1 box chocolate cake mix(I used Betty Crocker double fudge cake, but devil's food would work great too)

1 can Cherry Coke Zero

1 6 oz container Lite Cherry Yogurt any brand will do

1/2 cup water

Topping

1 pint heavy whipping cream

(fat free topping or lite whipping cream would save you on calories)

1/4 tsp almond extract

4 tbs. powdered sugar

(if you buy Cool Whip, omit powdered sugar and save the calories)

1 can Lite Cherry Topping

(I used Comstock brand, you could also use the no sugar added variety and ad your own Truvia to it)

Directions

In a large mixing bowl add Coke to the cake mix.  I do not recommend using an electric mixer since the carbonation makes the cake mix expand.  

Pour in the yogurt and the 1/2 cup water. 

I baked my cake mix as 24 cupcakes to make the portion sizing easier.

Bake at 350 for 20 mins.

These cupcakes do not get tall and fluffy, this is a fudgier consistency of cake.

Whip the cream to soft peak.  Once it is to soft peak stage add almond extract and powdered sugar and continue to whip to firm peaks.

Take 1 cupcake and top it with about 2 tbs. of cherry topping and a dollop of cream.

24 Servings
141 calories per serving

ENJOY!!

Recipes Re-Visited

 

A few months back I posted THIS recipe.  I had all good intentions to make it tonight, but when it came time to gather ingredients, I was missing the all important apricot jam.  So, I took what I had on hand and made a new recipe!  I call this one Gingeryaki Turkey meatballs.

Meatballs

1 lb. Ground Turkey

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 dried onion or 1/2 cup diced onion

3 garlic cloves minced

1 whole egg

1/4-1/2 tsp. ginger(i used powdered ginger)

1 tbs. teryaki sauce

salt and pepper to taste

Sauce

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 tbs. teriyaki sauce

1/4 tsp ginger

1 tbs. brown sugar

Combine all ingredients for meatballs in a bowl and form into balls.  This recipe should make about 20.  Place in a greased baking dish and bake @ 400 for 15 mins.

Meanwhile, whisk together sauce ingredients in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil and let reduce for 15 mins.  

Pour sauce over meatballs and cook for 5 mins.

I served this over quinoa and had asparagus on the side.  I wish I would have had some green onions to chop up in the sauce...next time for sure!  This would also be good with some crushed pineapple!  

Enjoy!

salt and pepper to taste

Pregnancy Brain

 

I KNOW I am not the only woman on the planet who feels this way.  I also know these feelings aren't exclusive to being pregnant...but...with that being said, I feel like I am loosing my ever loving MIND.  I have this strong STRONG urge to eat, and to eat everything in sight.  I have always struggled with an addiction to food and I have always had an unhealthy relationship with food, but this pregnancy is bringing out a side of this addiction I have never dealt with before.  I feel like I am constantly battling within myself day in and day out.  I know that not too long ago I had the lifestyle I have wanted my whole life.  I wore a size 6-8, I worked out 4-5 days a week, I had control over what I ate and had a healthy understanding of what my body needed.  I was fit, happy, and healthy.  I have said this in an earlier post, but as soon as I knew I was pregnant, something just flipped in my head.  It is almost like that fit healthy happy girl was an impostor and this food crazed, fat, tired, angry person I am now is the real me and I had been locked away in some basement and I have finally escaped.  I worry that this is the real me.  I worry that I will never again have the control I had not too long ago.  I am soooo sick of hearing,"give yourself a break, you are pregnant".  NOOO giving myself "a break" is exactly how I get myself into messes like this.  I find, the only way I am ever, EVER the least bit healthy, is by treating myself to a Nazi dose of control.  I am so nervous to go to my OB appointment in two weeks and have her lecture me on how fat I am getting.  Do you think it is possible to loose weight during your second trimester??  I doubt it!  Well, either way, I am determined for the next two weeks to work on myself.  Lots and LOTS of prayer.  Lots of self repair and lots of counting calories.  I am hoping that I can find a comfortable way to sleep so I can get some rest during the night and feel good enough to work out again.  I really do miss that girl...even if she was an impostor.  At least she kept the crazy me quiet, and I would LOVE to have her back.

YUMMMMMMMMM!

 

Don't you just love the way facebook makes the world so small!  It never ceases to amaze me how people from your childhood who you haven't seen in years can become a daily part of your life again! A long lost good friend of my family found me on facebook and she made a post on her blog the other day about homemade fruit paletas! I will be going to the store to buy just about every one of these ingredients!  HERE is the link!  

ENJOY!!

I'm Back...AND....PREGNANT!!

 

Well, it has been since April 22nd my friends.  I have not posted a darn thing since April 22nd.  And, there is a very good reason for that.  I can't exactly post about saltine crackers and umm...well...PIZZA on a weight loss blog.  

I am not going to lie, because I never do on this site, but I went a little street rat crazy during my first trimester.  I had gone back on the Medifast 5&1 program to loose the 7 pounds I had put back on, and I was STARVED and most importantly NOT loosing any weight.  I was totally freaked out because I had such an easy time before on the 5 &1.  Well, after feeling like puking for a few days, and noticing my hunger and cravings getting stronger, I took a pregnancy test.  And yup....BIG FAT POSITIVE!!!  I was elated...and in my brain...liberated!!  Something in my head switched back to the mode of entiltlement, and I felt like I could, and SHOULD eat whatever I wanted because for Heaven's sake, I was hunnngggry.  So after three months of CRAZY eating, and a bit more rapid weight gain than I had hoped for, I had this horrifying dream Monday night where my Hubby told my OB/GYN that he was grossed out by my body and wished I would slow down with the weight gain.  I woke up MORTIFIED.  My husband would NEVER, ever say that, but I think it was a sign from the food Gods that I needed to reign it in!  So with joy, I am back!!  I have posted a few new recipes below that I hope you enjoy!  

I am still using medifast bars, shakes and puffs as snacks 2-3 times per day.  I will be using the 5&1 after the baby to get back down, so I just wanted to keep them in my diet.  Plus, there are so many vitamins in the meals that it can only help this baby be extra healthy!!  I do however have a calorie counting site I am using instead of the medifast site, I find this one much more user friendly, and I can use it on my ipod and computer!!  Check it out! MyFitnessPal.com!!  

I am excited to be back!  I hope you all enjoy these recipes!  Let me know what you think!

Things I Loved to Eat Today!

First, one of my all time favorite breakfast recipes that has been a standby for years.  I am sure I have posted it before,  but just as a refresher, I will re-post my breakfast parfait recipe. I don't have a picture of this one, but since you can alter it is so many ways, just use your imagination!!

1/4 cup lowfat cottage cheese(50 cal)

1 6oz. Light and Fit blueberry yogurt(80 cal)

3/4 cup frozen unsweetened blueberries(70 cal)

1/4 cup Original Uncle Sam cereal(63 cal)

TOTAL CALORIES 263

You can make it pretty and layer it, or just dump it all in a bowl, mix it up and enjoy!  Imagine the possibilities with this, any type of yogurt, any type of fruit!  I prefer frozen berries because they kind of freeze the yogurt around them and it tastes a bit like ice cream! 

Another breakfast recipe that I had this morning that I believe may become a favorite is this yummy pic you see above.  I am calling it English Banana Nutty Goodness!  I happen to LOVE Orowheat Double Fiber English muffins.  I like them much much more than even regular muffins.  So here is what I dreamed up this morning for breakfast!

1 Double Fiber English Muffin toasted(120 cals)

1/2 medium banana sliced(53 cals)

1/2 tbsp peanut butter divided(50 cals)

2 egg whites and 1 whole egg scrambled(104 cals)

1/2 tsp Spike Seasoning Original

TOTAL CALORIES 322

I really, REALLY enjoyed this breakfast.  If you wanted to tweak it even more, buy fat free peanut butter, I didn't have any on hand so I used regular peanut butter.  I have also done this with Noella which would save you about 3 calories.  You could also save about 40 calories and use all egg whites.  I don't know what it is about eggs, but I have just got to see some yellow in there!!

 

Now, last night I was thumbing through my emails and to my pure excitement, I had received a recipe from the Hungry Girl.  She does these great recipes where she teaches you how to swap high calorie favorites for healthier options.  I love love LOVE Waldorf salad and when this swap came to my email, I couldn't wait to have it for dinner.  I did make a couple of changes from her recipe because I didn't have light bread and just kind of felt like having it in salad form.

1/2 apple chopped(36 cals)

2 celery stalks chopped(11 cals)

2 tbs. crushed almond(64 cals)

1/2 cup red grapes sliced(25 cals)

1/4 fat free mayo(33 cals)

4 oz. chicken breast cubed(87 cals)

2 cups lettuce(20 cals)

 TOTAL CALORIES 276

Mix all ingredients except lettuce in a bowl.  Make sure the mayo is evenly spread.  Scoop on top of a bed of lettuce and ENJOY!

Okay, so on Sunday, I was really feeling like cooking amazing food.  I managed to have the energy to make TWO fantastic meals that day.  They both were fairly healthy, but I have modified them even more for this post! 

Blueberries and Cream Breakfast Panini

 

We gobbled this one up so fast I forgot to take a picture!  I promise, you will too!!! I am posting the 4 serving recipe, but the caloric values will be per serving.

8 slices light bread(45 cals per slice=90cals)

1 cup lowfat cottage cheese(50 cals)

2 cups blueberries fresh(45 cals)

1/2 cup  powdered sugar(56 cals)

2 eggs(35 cals)

TOTAL CALORIES PER SERVING 262

Preheat waffle iron.

In the food processor whip cottage cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.  I also added a touch of vanilla.

Beat eggs until smooth

Soak one side of your bread in the egg mixture and place egg side on waffle iron. 

Spoon cottage cheese onto bread and top it with blueberries. 

Soak one side of the second piece of bread and place it egg side up on top.

Close waffle iron and cook

remove from iron and top with a bit more cottage cheese and remaining blueberries.  

4 servings

Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce

This next recipe will surely become a Johnson family regular. I found it on Framed Recipes.  I did tweak it a bit, but even my super duper picky four year old was ALL over this!  He horked it down so fast!  You can tweak this a bit by having less sauce or a smaller chicken portion. By having a 4 oz. portion instead of a 6 oz portion, you would save yourself 44 cals!!  If you prepare it exactly how it is here, each serving ends up being 303 calories.  I served it with red potatoes but in the future I will serve it with asparagus and drizzle a bit of the sauce on my veggies!! 

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 ounces each)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup fat free chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  

1. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; saute until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, turning once. Transfer to a baking dish and place in a 400 degree oven on lowest rack while you make sauce.
2. Pour broth into hot skillet; cook, stirring, until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Whisk in cream, mustard, and thyme. Cook, whisking, until thickened, about 2 minutes.
3. Pour any accumulated chicken juices into sauce. 
4. Pour sauce over chicken in the baking dish and place back in oven for 5-7 mins.

ENJOY!

Things I Loved to Eat Today!

 

 I am trying sooooo hard to come up with some new lean and green dinners.  I feel like I have been eating the same 5 things forever.  The last time I went grocery shopping I went out on a limb and bought some Ahi Tuna Steaks.  I have never had much luck in the past with tuna, but I thought I would give it one more chance, and I am sooooooo glad I did!!

Honey Lime Tuna Steaks

(or sweet lime tuna steaks)

1/4 cup light olive oil

1 tbs Old Bay seasoning

1 tbs lime juice

1 tbs Honey or Truvia (hence sweet lime instead of honey lime!)

1 1/2 tsp basil

1 lb. Tuna steaks

Mix first five ingredients in a shallow dish and whisk well.  Add tuna and turn to coat.  Marinate in fridge for 20 mins up to an hour.  Turn occasionally.  

Grill or Broil 8-10 mins per inch of thickness or until fish flakes easily with a fork.  Baste fish with marinade a few times to keep it moist while cooking.

NOTE: I took my fish off of the pan while there was just a bit of pink left in the center.  The fish continued to cook and ended up not being too dry, it was perfect!

I served this with some rice for my family and a giant salad with some broiled asparagus on the side!  It was so so yummy!!

ENJOY!

Things I Loved to Eat Today!

 

I love a good crock pot meal.  I especially love the smells that waft through the house the entire day.  I don't know what it is about having my dinner all taken care of by noon that makes me feel like a more productive person! Today, I experimented with a beef roast.  It turned out really good!  I am trying to branch out and try new veggies, so I started with my husbands favorite, mushrooms.  Here is what i did.

1 can reduced fat reduced sodium chicken broth

1 tbs. olive oil

1 tbs. sea salt

1 tbs. Spike Gourmet Seasoning

1tsp. Garlic powder

1 Beef Roast

1 container mushrooms

First I heated the olive oil in a skillet.  Then while that was heating I pierced the roast with a knife all over.  Next, I took the sea salt, the Spike seasoning, and the garlic powder and rubbed it all over the roast making sure to get it into the holes in the meat.  Then, I browned each side of the roast in the skillet.  Pour the chicken broth into the crock pot and add the roast.  I poured the drippings from the pan into the crock pot as well.  I let this cook on low for about 3 hours.  During the last 20 mins, I dumped the mushrooms in the crock pot whole.  Let those cook and soak up all the yummy flavors.  I don't like overly cooked veggies, so I took them out once they felt al dente.  

I served this with a large salad and it was amazing!  One other thing I loved about this meal was it was so easy to make it husband friendly.  I made a baked potato to go on the side and used the rest of the drippings to make a gravy.  I am a big fan of only cooking one meal and making it work for all of us.  This was amazing and very satisfying!

Important Tips

 

So my first week of the Cardio Free workout is complete.  I have come to a few conclusions of my own about the program.

1.  The most important and different thing about this method is the speed of your reps and sets. The contraction of the rep should take 2 counts, then hold the contraction for 2 counts, then take 4 full counts to release.  He uses a bicep curl as an example.  2 counts on the way up, 2 count hold, 4 counts on the way down. 

2. One of the biggest "Aha" moments for me was when Jim Karas, the inventor of the "Cardio Free Diet" teaches us that a set of reps should never be more than 10 reps.  He breaks it down into phases.

Reps 1-5 are your working reps, these should be pretty easy

Reps 5-8 should be your fatigue reps, you should start to feel the burn during these reps

Reps 8-10 should bring your muscles to failure.  

IF YOU ARE NOT BRINGING YOUR MUSCLES TO FAILURE, YOU ARE WASTING YOUR TIME

This was a big change for me.  I have always felt like a wuss if I couldn't bust out 10 or 15 reps with ease.  Well Jim Karas tells us, that you must fail to succeed.  

3. I was most definitely using enough weight in the past.  In order to bring my muscles to failure in 10 reps, I had to really up the weight I was using.  Today, I mostly used 15 and 20 pound hand weights.  There were a few of the exercises in the book that required lighter weights like 3's or 5's, but for the most part, I was up in the higher numbers. 

4. A conclusion I came to on my drive home today was this...there is no magic program.  The exercises outlined in the book are not magic.  It takes work to get results.  I am doing the plan in the book, just to get used to this program, but I think the rules he lines out could apply to any strength training exercises.  I do feel like I am getting more of a workout and next week I am going to up the ante by adding a bosu ball to the routine.  

I will keep you informed!

Tell Me What You Think!?!?

So today I started day one of my new workout. It was much more of a challenge than I thought it was going to be. Since I have been working out so much, I decided to add all of the extra phase 2 and phase 3 workouts. I thought for sure I was going to be able to do 3 sets of all of the workouts, but, I was WRONG. I only did one set of about 14 workouts and my muscles were a shakin'! I will make some modifications next time I do the workout, I know which exercises to ad more weight to and which ones I need to do with less weight. The trick here is that you lift very slowly and hold for two counts before releasing very slowly. By the end of 10 reps, you can definitely feel the burn! Another observation I made is that calling this a "Cardio Free" workout is misleading. I was really sweating by the end of the workout and my heart was pumping. I can see how once you get these moves down that this could be a great cardiovascular workout. I enjoyed it and felt very challenged, which I love! Do yourselves a favor and buy this book, you can pick it up for so cheap on Amazon.com

I really want to know what you think of this video, and if you try the workout, let me know!

Things I Loved to Eat Today!

 

I have been adding new foods to my plan as I enter the maintenance phase of TSFL  Today, I invented a recipe from a craving I have been having for something sweet and salty and glazed and yummy.  So here you go...April's Apricot Teriyaki Glazed Tofu Turkey Meatball Extravaganza.  That is the official name ahhahaaa!

8 oz Firm Tofu

1 lb lean ground turkey

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1 egg

1/2 cup chopped onion

salt and pepper to taste

garlic powder to taste

Form the meatballs and bake in a 9x13 baking dish at 400 for 20 mins.  Meanwhile, make the glaze

2 tbs. Apricot preserves

1-2 tbs Teriyaki sauce depending on how salty you like it

1 tbs brown sugar

1/3 cup water

salt to taste

Bring glaze to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer till reduced and thickened.

Pour the glaze over the meatballs in the oven and cook 10 more mins.  I even put the oven on hi broil the last 2 mins to crisp it all up.

I served 4 meatballs over 1/3 cup  Quinoa with a side of asparagus and about 1/3 cup sweet corn. 

ENJOY!!

Fun Little Site!

 

My amazing big sister told me about THIS site and this morning I decided to check it out.  SO FUN! The site has tons of fun recipes, tps, videos and much more!  Check it out, you will love it!

Ready to Have Your Mind Blown??

 

So I got this book in the mailbox today and I was pretty excited to start reading it.  I am on chapter three and have already had my MIND BLOWN.  Now, I know that there are millions of claims out there regarding health and weight loss and it seems like all of the "experts" have different methods and different scientific proof to back up said claims.  I for one am a huge believer in doing what you enjoy, and doing the things that make you want to work out.  This book has an eight week program.  I will let you know if I decide to do it, and if so, I will be sure to keep you updated.  I have been intrigued by this book for a while, so when I saw it on Amazon.com for .99, I had to bite!  I will let you know what I think. If you just can't wait, and want to investigate for yourself, check out Amazon.com.  At this point, I really recommend it.  I thought I would hi-light the points I found interesting and share them with you on this blog, but I ended up hi-lighting entire pages and I am sure there are laws about me publishing large portions of the book on my blog, so check it out for yourself, you won't be disappointed!