Archive for the ‘Weightloss’ Category
Breakfast Muffins
My assistant is constantly bombarding me with stories about how long she is running (she’s training for a 5K), how great she’s eating, and how wonderful she feels after her boot camp work out (Boot camp? Seriously? Why would you do that to yourself if you aren’t actually in the military?). Blah… Blah… Blah… Don’t get me wrong, I love her dearly and very proud of the progress she is making, but now, she has crossed the line. That’s right, she has motivated me to get up and move and to stay strong with my new healthy lifestyle…. Can you believe her? I mean, who does she think she is to help me?? 
Ahh, I joke, it is really nice to have someone at the kids belts office to help hold me accountable and she is a pretty good cheerleader.
One of the really nice things is that we can share recipes. Breakfast is a hard one because it seems like we are always rushing to get ready and out the door for school so we grab something quick to shovel into our mouths which is not always the most healthy thing we can do. After talking to my assistant about it, she shared this recipe for these low calorie, super tasty, and very filling breakfast muffins. She makes them up on Sunday and then has them for the rest of the week to grab and go (only takes about 50 seconds in the microwave to reheat).
Breakfast Muffins
1 Can Reduced Fat Crescent Rolls
8 Egg Whites
8 Precooked Tennessee Pride Turkey Sausage Patties
1 Cup Diced Onions
1 Cup Chopped Spinach
1 Cup Chopped Mushrooms
1/2 Cup Skim Milk
3oz 50% Reduced Fat Cabot Cheese (Finely Shredded) Save a little to top each muffin
Black Pepper
Red Pepper
Preheat oven to 350. Line a muffin pan (not a cupcake pan) with one crescent roll per muffin hole. In a bowl, scramble the egg whites, milk, onions, spinach, mushrooms, peppers, and cheese. Once it is mixed well, pour equal amounts of the mixture in each muffin hole. Dice the turkey sausage patties and top each muffin with equal portions. Finish off by topping each muffin with the reserved shredded cheddar and then bake until the cheese on the top begins to brown.
I love the fact that once prepared these are super easy to heat up in the morning. They are great for busy mornings and so much quicker (and healthier) than running through the drive-thru. Plus each muffin is less than 200 calories!
Hope you enjoy!
Blessings,
10 Tips to Healthy Grocery Shopping
It’s a new year! 2012 already? That happened way too fast, but I am a bit disappointed because I was sure that by now we would all be driving flying cars and using teleporters.
But I digress, back to the new year and new resolutions. This year I resolve to have the best year in kids belts history! That should be easy because I only have to compete with 3 years and while they were great years, I am certain that this will be the best. That’s not my only resolution, like tons of people out there, I am making a resolution for health. Maybe I should be more specific, good health. I’m not looking to lose mounds of weight and be super model skinny thereby making my head look hugely disproportional to my tiny frame, I just want to be healthy. In my search for healthy-ness (shhh, I can make up words if I want…), I thought I would pass along some healthy shopping tips that I picked up.
- Shop the perimeter of the store. That’s where the good fresh stuff is located. The produce section, fresh meat section and dairy section are the best places to shop for clean eating.
- LIST LIST LIST Take a few extra minutes before you go shopping to plan out your weeks worth of meals and make a list. If you have a smart phone, there are so many free apps out there that are specifically for shopping lists. The really neat thing about those apps is that they will also organize your list for you into sections so in the long run it makes the shopping trip go much faster! (I like the ShopListFree app. It’s very basic, but also user friendly.) Some of the apps even include pricing, so you can keep it budget friendly!
- Focus on Fiber Officially, fiber is a type of carbohydrate that the body can’t digest. Most adult women should shoot for over 20 grams of fiber a day; men should shoot for over 30 grams. Some great sources are whole fruits and vegetables, whole grain breads and breakfast cereals, and all manner of beans. You should choose foods that list whole grains (like whole wheat or whole oats) as a first ingredient. Bread, cereal, crackers and other grain foods should have at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.
- Avoid Overly Processed Food Box mixes and canned food, while they are convenient, are riddled with sodium. Try to avoid boxed food altogether and if you must get canned food, always opt for low/no sodium choices.
- Buy Lean Cuts of Meat There are so many choices out there now with chicken and turkey (ground meats, sausages, cutlets, etc…) that it’s much easier to make substitutions. Beef and pork aren’t too bad in moderation, but you definitely should get the very lean cuts.
- Dairy Opt for low-fat items. Cabot has some really great low-fat cheese options (Cheddar, habanero, jalapeno and pepper jack). Skim milk is a good choice and if you are going for yogurt, opt for Greek yogurt. It packs more of a protein punch and has little to no fat. Plain Greek yogurt also makes a wonderful substitute for sour cream.
- SAY NO TO IMPULSE JUNK Resist impulse buys while standing in the check out isle. Don’t let those candy peddlers win! You don’t need the candy bar or that bag of chips. Put it back…
- Resist the Twinkies Ok, it’s hard to jump into healthy eating, so if you are going to pick up some not so healthy treats, limit it to what you can fit in the top of the buggy (you know, where a small child usually sits). Then when you get in line to check out, re-evaluate those choices and ask yourself again if you really want (NEED) it.
- Don’t Meander Shop with a purpose. When you aimlessly meander through the store, you open yourself up to more impulse buys. You also fall into the stores sales traps, the end caps. The end caps are where bad food goes to tempt you and the store pretends that they are “practically giving it away”. Usually, the deals aren’t that great anyway. Just walk away.
- Don’t Go Hungry A huge mistake is to shop when you are hungry. Everything looks good when you are hungry and when you are hungry your stomach is telling you that you NEED it all. So save yourself some trouble, eat before you shop. You will thank me later.
So, that’s it. That’s my miracle list for healthy grocery shopping. I know that its not an exhaustive list by any means, but it is a start. I hope you can use at least a few to make your 2012 the healthiest ever!
Blessings,
Target Weight App Review
I feel as though I am fighting a never ending weight loss battle. I also feel as though its not one I will ever win because when I do get down to the weight that will make me happy, I will then have a new battle, a battle to stay that coveted weight.
I have tried all kind of diets and a few years ago I got down to a weight that I loved, then life caught up to me again and kids happened.
This is not going to be a blog about dieting though (even though I could literally go on for hours about that). This is going to be a blog about a weight loss aid, the Target Weight App.
I think it goes without saying but I am a busy mom (who isn’t, I know). Mamapreneur, inventor, kids belt manufacturer by day and a loving wife, devoted mom and puppy wrangler (or is that devoted pet owner and kid wrangler?) by night so I don’t have a lot of time in my schedule to track my weight, BMI and my goals.
This app is great because it does that for me. The home screen shows me how many pounds I have left to lose as well as how many days I have left to lose them. It shows me my current weight, BMI and even a graph that shows my progress (which I love, because it makes me feel like I have actually done something). Another really neat function of this app is that it will show you how long it will take you to reach you goal at your current rate of weight loss. This app will also sync with the Withings Body Scale, but unfortunately, I don’t have one so I really can’t say how well that side of it works.
This app has become a great accountability partner for me. On the app thumbnail on my phone’s home screen it even has a little red circle with the amount of weight I have to lose to reach my goal. So, basically, I have a little red nag every time I need to use my phone, but that’s ok, I know I need it and hey, I’m down 18 so far! So I am on my way!
Now, if I could find an app that would give me all the nourishment I need without actually having to eat, I’d be set… Oh iPhone gods, where are the good apps when you really need them?
Blessings,
Creamy Chicken Linguini
I don’t know about you, but I love pasta. Smother it in tomato sauce, drench it in butter and garlic, or cover it in a rich, creamy, cheese sauce and I am all over it. There is something about pasta that is just comforting. It’s so hearty and filling, but with it’s heartiness and filling qualities comes calories, calories, calories and then with the sauces, even more calories. Which, by the way, seem to quickly find their way straight to my waistline and thighs…. ugh.
I came across this recipe and thought it was worth trying out. If you can make creamy pasta a little bit better for me, why not? The best part about this dish was that it was even great when I warmed it up for lunch the next day at the kids belt office.
Creamy Chicken Linguini Alfredo
1/2 Cup Green Onions (Chopped)
1/2 Cup Mushroom Pieces
1 Clove Garlic
2 Tbsp Brummel & Brown Butter
2 Oz Fat Free Cream Cheese
4 Tbsp Low Fat Parmesan Cheese
2 Oz Wheat Linguini
1 Cup Chopped Broccoli
4 Oz Chicken Breast
1/2 Cup Pasta water
Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions:
In a saute pan, sauté chicken, onions, mushrooms and broccoli. Add light salt and pepper to taste. Boil pasta according to instructions on box remember to salt the water. In a small bowl, add butter, cream cheese, garlic and Parmesan cheese. Place in microwave for about 20 seconds, until butter melts. Mix thoroughly. Continue to cook chicken mixture until it begins to caramelize. When the pasta is al dente, add to the chicken mixture. Take 1/2 cup (or more depending on how thin you want the sauce) of the water from the pasta and add to cheese mixture, whisk until creamy. Add to chicken and pasta and serve hot.
Servings: 2
Amount Per Serving
Total Calories: 326
Total Fat: 10.14 g
Sat Fat: 2.87 g
Cholesterol: 61 mg
Carbohydrates: 32.97 g
Protein: 28.77 g
Fiber: 3.70 g
Sodium: 1048 mg
It was very tasty! The cream cheese makes a very smooth sauce and the bite of the parmesan compliments it well. So, there we go, I satistisfied my hearty pasta craving, mmmm. Now if I could just find a way to feel better about eating chinese take out, I’d be doing great!
Blessings,
Pizza a Mom Could Love…
So, one of our favorite meals is pizza. I mean, really, who doesn’t love pizza? It’s one of the best comfort foods out there, but as such, it’s also a very fatty food loaded with calories.
That got me to thinking; how can we enjoy this super tasty meal with out adding inches to my waistline and artery clogging cholesterol to my children’s hearts? My friend helped me with the solution, Pepperoni Flatbread Pizza! This is a great alternative to “regular” pizza. You get all of the pizza flavors without all of the bad stuff. These pizza’s are very filling and super quick. The other plus side, the kiddos get to help out and make their own pizza. It’s so much fun to watch them get involved. After a day full of making toddler belts, a lot of times the last thing I want to do (really ever) is slave over a hot stove for hours and hours (yeah, right) on an uber-elaborate dinner. That’s why I love how fast this meal goes together. Here is the recipe, obviously you can cut a few more calories by opting out of the pepperoni, but really, what’s pizza without pepperoni?
Pepperoni Flatbread Pizza
¼ cup sliced Onions
2 medium Mushrooms
¼ cup chopped green peppers
2 La Banderita Low Carb Soft Taco Shells
2 tbsps Low Fat Parmesan
1.5 ozs Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese Shredded
¼ cup Ragu Pizza Sauce
12 pieces Hormel Turkey Pepperoni
Directions
Serving size is 2 pizza’s!
Pre heat oven to 425. Take 2 low carb soft taco shells and place them on a cookie sheet that you have sprayed with non-stick spray. Put the cookie sheet in the oven until the bottoms of the taco shells begin to brown. Take them out of the oven and flip the shells over (browned side up). Place half of the pizza sauce on each shell, spreading it out to the edges. Top with turkey pepperoni, onions, mushrooms, green peppers, parmesan and then the mozzarella. Place back in the oven and bake until the cheese browns.
Here’s the breakdown
Calories: 484
Total Fat: 19.6 g
Cholesterol: 72 mg
Total Carbs: 44 g
Dietary Fiber: 13 g
Protein: 32 g
My kids love the idea of getting to make their own dinner. We set it up like a pizza bar with all of the toppings set out for the picking. It makes for great family time and a super delicious meal!
Eat and enjoy!
Blessings,
Not Just Any Salad!
I made this salad last night and all I can say is YUMMMY!!! The complexity of the flavors is amazing. Give this a try and see what you think. Here’s what you’ll need:
Spring Mix of Lettuces: I used Publix Spring Mix Salad Blend: Blend of seasonal greens (may or may not include the following) - Baby lettuces (lollo rosa, tango, red and green oak, red and green romaine, red leaf, parella), Baby greens (Tatsoi, Minzuna, Red & Green chard, fresée), baby spinach, radicchio. Whichever lettuce you choose, even if it’s bagged, remember to wash it.
Balsamic Vinaigrette: I used Wish Bone Salad Spritzers Balsamic Breeze, a very low cal, tasty option. Add dressings to lettuce and mix before adding other ingredients.
Nicoise-Coquillos olives: Not bitter like Kalamata olives can be. Small, dark-brown, smokey-flavored, tender olive.
Tomato and Basil Feta – crumbled
Smoked Sun Dried tomatoes – julienne cut
Artichoke Hearts – marinated
Indian Cauliflower Soup
Indian Cauliflower Soup with Chicken
I got this recipe from YumSugar but I modified it just a bit to fit the program I’m on. Let me know what you think of the recipe in the comments!
Indian Cauliflower Soup
Directions
- In a large pan, heat oil and add carrots and onion. Cook 10-12 mins or until tender.
- In a frying pan, heat chicken with powdered garlic and curry (to taste).
- Stir in ginger, curry, and 3/4 tsp. salt into mixture, cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add broth, cover and heat to boiling.
- Stir in cauliflower and chicken.
- Cover and cook on medium 15-20 minutes longer, gently stirring until cauliflower is tender.
- Stir in chopped cilantro and yogurt.
Yes...she's picky...
Just look at our pickiest eater! She’s even eating it. It’s yummy!
The Program
Before & After just 4 months!
I started doing a program to help me lose weight and get healthy. I believe in it so much, that I’ve decided to become a Health Coach to help others do what I’m doing, losing 2-5 lbs a week while eating 6 meals a day!
If you are tired of the way you feel, want to lose weight, get healthy, and feel better, then email me at MrsCaz <at> Gmail <dot> com for details. Health Coaching is FREE!
So email me and get started on the new you today!
Update from the Wagon…
As I mentioned last week, I’m back on the weight loss wagon. It is day 8 and I am down 7 lbs!!! I feel much better. What a relief to know that I’m going to lose this weight and feel great again. Hubby has decided to join me. I don’t know how many lbs he’s down, but he only wants to lose 35 lbs which should take him all of 6 weeks…jerk…ok, not really. I just jealous.
My health coach is going to be much more involved in helping me get fit and meet my goals. I’m very excited. So much so, that I have decided to become a Health Coach. Becoming a Health Coach will help me remain accountable to myself. This will work out wonderfully in the long run.
So, if you want to lose 2-5 lbs a week, learn to keep it off, and get free health coaching to boot, let me know. I’m ready to get this party started! Join me!!!
Back on the Wagon
Well I did it again… I couch slouched and gained almost all the weight I lost last year back. I hopped off the wagon for so many reasons.
- I was down to a size 8 and I looked amazing, but I still wasn’t at my goal and I was getting discouraged.
- I went to my 20 year reunion. Hearing over and over that I looked the same as I did in high school made me feel like I got close enough to my goal to quit. What else was there to look forward to?
- I did not transition into a healthy lifestyle once I let go of the program.
- Business picked up dramatically and I spent most of my time working.
- Instead of taking a few minutes out of my day to plan my meals, I just grabbed whatever was convenient at the time. As a good friend reminded me once; A failure to plan is a plan for failure. Yes, yes it is…
- We moved from Oregon to Florida.
- I got depressed.
- I couldn’t fit in my jeans anymore and got more depressed.
I feel like I’m back where I started, and in a way, I am. I stopped taking responsibility for myself. I let myself go. So I’m getting back on the wagon again. I know I can do it right this time.
This is Day 1. I’m tired and hungry. It might help if I get my scale back from the shop (where we make Dapper Snappers) so I can at least see some progress in the first week.
Wish me luck! Send prayers my way!
So who wants to join me???