Fitness Tip Tuesday

I have had several questions via email about jump starting metabolism and many of you have had times where the scale just seems to stall ~ so here's an article I found about why our metabolism can slow and it means we may stay the same on the scale for the week even though we've been exercising! 

The bottom line is . . . . .

CHANGE IT UP! 

Don't do the same thing every day or several days in a row. 

Walk one day, do water aerobics the next, do an online workout

(go to http://www.fitbie.com/ and download one for free or try one of their awesome 15 minute step by step workouts -- personal favorite is Bob Harper's 15 minute Fat Burn)

just try something different and I think you'll see the scale budge for you!

3 Workout Mistakes That Slow Metabolism

Exercise is the single best way to torch more calories all day long. Don’t let these mistakes rob you of your postworkout burn.

Mistake #1: You're in an exercise rut
When you do the same activity day after day, week after week, your mind isn't the only thing that gets bored—your muscles do, too. Whether you take the same daily 30-minute walk around the neighborhood loop, or do a few sets of the same old strength moves, after a while your body stops being challenged and your results plateau.

Correct it: Change things up. Go for a hike on the weekend instead of doing your usual power walk. Find new strength moves that work the same muscles. Try a new type of exercise by slipping in a workout DVD. Any little way to mix things up and challenge yourself with something new is a step in the right direction.

Mistake #2: You're a slave to cardioWhile aerobic exercise is good for your body and soul, if you don't balance those workouts with some strength exercises, you're not only compromising your results but missing a key component of health and fitness. Resistance training—weight lifting, or strength training—is the only way to increase lean muscle mass and lose stubborn bulges. That's important on many levels, especially as we start to get older.

Starting in their 30s, women lose about 1/2 pound of muscle a year. (Men usually hold on to muscle longer, but the rate of muscle loss speeds up dramatically after age 60.) Because muscle burns calories even when at rest, losing it will noticeably slow metabolism. This is one big reason many of us see that "middle-age spread" beginning in our 40s.

A study from Skidmore College found that exercisers who combined cardio with a high-intensity, total-body resistance routine lost more than twice as much body fat—including twice as much belly fat—over 12 weeks as those who followed a moderate-intensity cardio plan.

Correct it: Substitute a couple of strength sessions for cardio days. Lift weights at least twice a week, hitting all your body's major muscle groups.

Mistake #3: You're stuck in a "fat-burning" zone
If you hop aboard a treadmill, elliptical trainer, stair climber, or other cardio machine at the gym, you may see a programming option that allows you to stay in a "fat-burning" zone. It's based on the fact that at lower intensities, the body uses a greater percentage of its fat stores for fuel. Sounds great! You don't have to work as hard and you're sucking some of that fat out of your belly, butt, and thighs.

But do the math and you'll see the problem. At a lower intensity level, your body will indeed burn a higher percentage of fat than carbs but still burn fewer calories overall. Here's an example. A 150-pound woman who walks on the treadmill at 3 mph (a 20-minute mile) burns about 112 calories in 30 minutes. At this moderate intensity, she burns about half of those calories from fat, or about 56 fat calories. If she were to take that workout into a brisk walk for 30 minutes at 4 mph (a 15-minute mile), only about 40 percent of her calorie burn might be from fat. But she'd be burning more calories overall—about 170 in those 30 minutes, or about 68 calories from fat.

Correct it: Burn more calories and make more of those calories come from fat by increasing your overall effort. A great way to achieve that is by doing intervals—periods of higher intensity followed by a slower recovery pace.

Fearless Friday

Our first graders awards ceremony was held this morning at Chanute Christian Academy.  He received several awards but the one that seemed the most fitting was the "Young Science Award". 

His face lit up and you immediately knew how thrilled he was with his name being called as the recipient of this prestigious certificate. I, on the other hand immediately had flashbacks of all the locust shells collected, dead bugs brought into the house in jars, the HUGE toad found in the sand box,  the foul smelling ran over snake, and the infamous live snail found in our washing machine (that's a story in itself ~ yep, Mrs. Clover it's been an interesting first grade year:)  I've learned to become fearless and I can say I definitely survived first grade!

I feel so blessed that Mike and I have a child that is so well rounded, that puts others first, and feels called to be a servant.  He volunteered this week down at the Armory with his dad to help sort the dropped off supplies that are heading to the tornado victims in Joplin, Missouri.  He has bought supplies, diapers, and bottled water to donate with his own money, he swept the rain out of the armory building that threatened to saturate the boxes of relief supplies (he was so proud to have his photo on the cover of the Chanute Tribune), and when we asked him what he wanted to do for summer vacation he told us he wants to travel to Joplin to spend time helping with the clean up.  He's only 7 years old and he knows the importance of helping others!

Each Meltdown participant is just like our 7 year old!  You are helping each other by sharing, caring, and passing along what has helped you and strengthened you each and every week of this Meltdown!  When you are feeling down or discouraged that's when someone else can lend a hand and lift you up and get you back on track.  When you're having a great week or have a new recipe to share that's when you are helping someone else who may be discouraged. 
When you lend a hand the gift you give returns ten-fold.

My challenge to myself and to all of you this week is to move a little more than usual! 
I know extra calories will be consumed due to the BBQ's and family/friends time and I don't want that to detour my goal for Meltdown.  Here is how I'm going to get extra minutes in . . . . 

Saturday morning  15 minute run before I start the day, 30 minutes of Zumba late afternoon, and 15 minute run/walk in the evening.

Sunday (same as above)

Monday (same as above)

If I have 10 minutes I am going to go for a quick walk.  

That gives me an extra workout or 2 over the course of those few days and it helps burn more calories plus keep my metabolism up even while I'm at rest!!

Have a great holiday weekend filled with fun, family, & friends!

Stephanie 

Thankful Thursday

I can't take my eyes off the television.  If you've been like the majority of us here at our office your thoughts, prayers, and mind has been on Joplin, Missouri and the countless stories on the television.  Just when I think I'm all cried out I get an email or see a photo of the devastation, the volunteers, or a plea for help in finding a loved one.  I am so thankful for the outpouring support of our Chanute Community and how everyone has pulled together to help in every way!  Our office has been flooded with calls from the Chanute community on where to go to donate items, give blood, and to volunteer.  Our community is so wonderful and I feel so greatful to live in Chanute, Kansas!

Our Meltdown is undergoing a few changes and I want each of you to know how committed I am to helping you reach your goals, achieve a healthier lifestyle, and to make sure we are giving you a great track to run on.  I will be emailing you several things (make sure I have your email ~ if I don't you can email me at breastfeeding@cableone.net).

Exercise classes are being restructured as we have new instructors and new classes!  Schedule will be sent in the email.  No cost to our Meltdown participants!! 

Nutritional education and cooking classes will be offered at no cost!  Mark June 9th down on your calendar as it will be our first Meeting!

Meltdown participants will have an extension on the Meltdown deadline!  We will be announcing that in our email.  We feel that the exercise class obligation was not met and therefore we are extending our entire Meltdown time to make sure you get everything you need out of this journey.

Now on to new recipes that you can try for the Holiday Weekend!!  If you are like our family it is a non-stop weekend of food, celebration, and FUN!  My husband always fires up the grill and we love to entertain so several nights will be spent with friends & family which means snacking.  I wanted to find healthier alternatives for you to prepare so we'll start the menu off with appetizers and end with dessert ~ our little guy would say we should start with dessert first!!

 Cucumber, Tomato, Avocado Salad.

2  Cucumbers, sliced

handful of cherry tomatoes halved

1/2 avocado, cubed

sprinkled with garlic salt & freshly ground pepper

Drizzled with ~ 2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1 Tbsp White Balsamic, 1/4 tsp honey

Rotini Pasta Salad

Ingredients:6 oz. (about 2 cups) uncooked rotini pasta with at least 4g fiber per 2-oz. serving
1 zucchini, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large cucumber, chopped
1 cup artichoke hearts packed in water, drained and chopped
1/2 cup roasted red peppers packed in water, drained and chopped
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cup sliced black olives

Dressing
1/3 cup fat-free Italian dressing
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp. sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained, patted dry, finely chopped

Optional: salt and black pepper

Directions:
Prepare pasta according to package instructions. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl. Set aside.

Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix until blended. Set aside.

Add all remaining salad ingredients to the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add dressing and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until completely chilled.

If you like, season to taste with salt and black pepper. Enjoy!

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

Serving Size: 1/8th of recipe (1 heaping cup)
Calories: 124
Fat: 1.5g
Sodium: 302mg
Carbs: 23.5g
Fiber: 3.5g
Sugars: 4g
Protein: 4.5g

What you’ll need:

2 pounds small all-purpose white or red potatoes

1/2 cup chopped celery (about 2-3 medium stalks)

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

1/4 cup chopped bread n butter pickles

1 large clove of garlic, minced

2/3 can large olives, halved

3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish

3 hard-cooked large eggs, chopped

3/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons prepared mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Dash of hot sauce

Sprinkle or two of paprika

Instructions:

Place potatoes in a saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain. Cool and peel. Cut potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes. Place potatoes in a large bowl. Add celery, onion, pickles, garlic, pickle relish, olives, and eggs; toss gently.

Combine mayonnaise, mustard, salt, hot sauce (if using) and pepper. Spoon mayonnaise mixture over potato mixture; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with paprika.

Cover and chill 1 to 24 hours.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup) – 6  points (If you're doing weight watchers like Stephanie is) per 1 cup, vs 8 for a 1/2 c of the real deal.  I usually only eat 1/2 cup.

Calories 210.8, Total Fat 10.3 g, Saturated Fat 1.6 g, Polyunsaturated Fat 4.2 g, Monounsaturated Fat 3.3 g, Cholesterol 85.5 mg Sodium 774.6 mg, Potassium 612.3 mg, Total Carbohydrate 27.1 g, Dietary Fiber 3.0 g, Sugars 1.6 g, Protein 5.1 g

Grilled Corn on the Cob

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 2 tbsp Cilantro or Parsley
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 1 tsp  lime zest
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 4 ears corn, in husk
• Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Carefully peel back husk from ear, without detaching from the bottom, remove silk from corn, fold the husk back around the ears, and soak in water for 30 to 45 minutes. Make sure to weigh down the ears so that they are fully submerged.
2.  In a small bowl, combine butter through chili powder, and set aside.
3.  Preheat a BBQ to medium, indirect heat. Remove ears from water, drain, open husk, dry ears with paper towels, and brush butter mixture evenly on corn. Fold husk back over corn and grill for 15 to 20 minutes.
4.  Grill for 15-20 minutes.  Allow to cool slightly, then, carefully pull husks back and season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.
Makes 4 servings, 1 cobb is 3 points+
Nutritional information per corn cobb using caloriecount.com

Bacon Cheeseburger Patty

PER SERVING (1 patty): 205 calories, 8.5g fat, 455mg sodium, 1g carbs, 0g fiber, 1g sugars, 27g protein -- PointsPlus® value 5*

You've been putting cheese and bacon on TOP of your burgers your whole life. Maybe it's time to get a little crazy... cheese-stuffed bacon burger, anyone?

Ingredients:
4 oz. raw extra-lean ground beef
1 tbsp. precooked real crumbled bacon (like the kind by Oscar Mayer)
1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light cheese (any flavor)
Optional: salt and black pepper

Directions:
Season beef with salt and pepper, if you like. Combine beef with bacon and knead to evenly distribute bacon. Form into a ball and, using your thumb, make a large, hollow indentation in the ball (past the center but not all the way through). Fill the hole with cheese and squeeze the meat to seal, making sure no cheese is exposed. Flatten slightly into a thick patty.  Grill until done to your liking!!

 

PB Brownie

Since peanut butter plus chocolate is one of the best combinations of all time, it only made sense to add peanut butter to our awesome, cake-like brownies... Tada!

Special thanks to Hungry Girl for this recipe ~ yummy and our little guy didn't even know it had pumpkin in it!!

Ingredients:
One 18.25-oz. box moist-style devil's food cake mix
One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin (Libby's is best!)
1/4 cup creamy reduced-fat peanut butter, room temperature
1 tbsp. light soymilk (plain or vanilla) or fat-free milk (whatever you have on hand)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large baking pan (about 9" X 13") with nonstick spray and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix with pumpkin. Stir until completely blended. (Batter will be thick.) Spread batter into the baking pan, and smooth out the top.

In a small bowl, combine peanut butter with milk. Using a butter knife or a narrow spoon handle, stir until thoroughly mixed. Swirl the peanut butter mixture over the top of the batter with the knife or spoon handle.

Bake in the oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 - 25 minutes.

Allow to cool, and then cut into 16 pieces. Enjoy!

MAKES 16 SERVINGS

Serving Size: 1 brownie (1/16th of recipe)
Calories: 160
Fat: 4g
Sodium: 293mg
Carbs: 30g
Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 15.5g
Protein: 2.5g

PointsPlus® value 4*



“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.” (Psalms 46:1-3 KJV)

My phone rang around 6:45 p.m. last night and it was my husband telling me about the devastation that had hit Joplin, Missouri.  I turned on KOAM & watched as a much shaken Doug Heady tried to make it through his update of the recent events.  Photos started pouring in on the television along with interviews of victims who had survived.  The devastation and the impact of the storm seemed almost unbelievable.  

My best friend lives in Carl Junction, Missouri and my thoughts immediately turned to panic as I dialed her cell phone.  Of course the lines were flooded and all I heard on the other end was, "all lines are busy, please try your call again".  I decided to text and much to my relief she texted back that they were fine and her daughter had not had to work at the Joplin Wal-mart that day.  Tears of relief poured from my eyes.  Others were not so lucky.  Prayers go out ten-fold to Joplin, Missouri and for the Emergency workers, Doctors, Nurses, Volunteers, and community.  I have had numerous calls today regarding how you can help.



In response to the devasting tornadoes in Joplin, Mo., Neosho County Health Department will be taking donations of water, gatorade, bathroom items(toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo,) blankets, canned goods, baby goods(diapers,formula) . We will deliver this at some point within the next week.
Please bring items to the Neosho County Health Department- 320 East Main, Chanute.

On a happy note . . . . .

CONGRATULATIONS to all of our Meltdown participants for beating your best week ever!

You had the most minutes of exercise, the most pounds lost, and each of you have a laser focus for the end of this Meltdown journey!

Recipes for this week

Crazy Chicken Panini Sandwich

Ingredients:Sauce
1 1/2 tbsp. fat-free mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. adobo sauce (from canned chipotle peppers) or chipotle hot sauce (like the kind by Tabasco)
2 dashes onion powder
2 dashes garlic powder

Sandwich
One 100-calorie flat sandwich bun (like Arnold Select/Oroweat Sandwich Thins)
2 oz. cooked skinless lean chicken breast, shredded or pulled into pieces
1 tbsp. roughly chopped fresh basil
2 thin slices red onion
2 slices plum tomato
1 stick light string cheese, shredded or pulled into pieces

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine ingredients for the sauce and mix well. Set aside.

Split bun in half and lay the halves flat, split sides up. Evenly spread half of the sauce onto the bun halves, leaving half of the sauce in the bowl. Set aside.

To the bowl with the remaining sauce, add chicken and toss to coat. Set aside.

Evenly top one bun half with basil, onion, tomato, saucy chicken, and cheese. Place the other half on top, sauce side down.

Bring a grill pan sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat on the stove. Place sandwich in the pan. Using a spatula, press down gently but firmly to seal the sandwich. Grill until hot and lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side, flipping carefully and pressing down with the spatula to seal.

Cut in half (or not) and enjoy!

MAKES 1 SERVING

Serving Size: entire recipe (1 sandwich)
Calories: 256
Fat: 5.25g
Sodium: 700mg
Carbs: 28.5g
Fiber: 5.5g
Sugars: 6g
Protein: 27g

NO GUILT BLAST

	BTW (we're very into abbreviations today), "PBCG" stands for "Peanut Butter Candy Goodness." Vanilla + peanut butter is perhaps the most underrated flavor combo of all time; why shouldn't it have its own blended drink?  Not something to eat every day but maybe a once in a while treat:) Ingredients: 15 pieces Reese's Pieces candy, divided 1 1/2 tsp. fat-free non-dairy powdered creamer (like the kind by Coffee-mate) 1 no-calorie sweetener packet (like Splenda) 1/2 cup light vanilla soymilk 1/2 cup fat-free vanilla ice cream (like Breyers Smooth & Dreamy Fat Free) 1 tsp. reduced-fat creamy peanut butter, room temperature 1 cup crushed ice or 5 - 7 ice cubes Optional topping: Fat Free Reddi-wip Directions: Place 5 candy pieces in a sealable bag and roughly crush. Set aside. In a tall glass, combine creamer and sweetener with 1 tbsp. hot water. Stir to dissolve. Add soymilk, stir, and transfer to a blender. Add the 10 remaining candy pieces and all other ingredients to the blender, and blend at high speed until completely mixed. Pour mixture into the tall glass and gently stir in the crushed candy (reserving some of the candy if you plan to add whipped topping). Top with Reddi-wip, if using, and sprinkle with reserved candy pieces. Dig in! MAKES 1 SERVING
	Serving Size: 1 shake (entire recipe) Calories: 235 Fat: 6g Sodium: 169mg Carbs: 37.5g Fiber: 2.5g Sugars: 19.5g Protein: 8.5g Won Ton Appetizer This new starter is totally cute, amazingly delicious, and a calorie bargain, considering it has a fraction of the cals found in the original.  I love this recipe!!!  So did my family. Ingredients: 8 small square wonton wrappers (often stocked near the tofu in the fridge section of the market) 4 oz. cooked skinless lean chicken breast, shredded 2 tbsp. BBQ sauce with about 45 calories per 2-tbsp. serving 3/4 cup dry coleslaw mix 2 tbsp. Newman's Own Lighten Up! Low Fat Sesame Ginger dressing (or another sesame ginger dressing with about 35 calories per 2-tbsp. serving) 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro  Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. To make the wonton shells, spray the inside and outside walls of a deep square or rectangular baking pan with nonstick spray. Evenly drape wonton wrappers over the pan's walls on a diagonal, making triangle-shaped "shells." (Use two pans, if needed, to keep wontons from overlapping.) Bake for 3 - 4 minutes, until just crispy enough to hold their shape. Remove pan from the oven and set aside to cool. Combine chicken with BBQ sauce in a bowl and mix well. Set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine coleslaw mix, dressing, and cilantro. Mix well. Microwave for 45 seconds, until slightly softened. Set aside. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. One at a time, carefully remove wonton shells from the pan and fill each with a heaping tablespoon of BBQ chicken and a heaping teaspoon of cilantro slaw. Lay filled wontons gently on their sides on the baking sheet. Spray the upward-facing sides of the wonton shells lightly with nonstick spray (for added crispiness) and bake for about 5 minutes, until warm and crunchy. Let cool slightly and serve! MAKES 2 SERVINGS Serving Size: 4 wonton tacos Calories: 191 Fat: 2g Sodium: 605mg Carbs: 25g Fiber: 1g Sugars: 7.5g Protein: 17g

Craving Chocolate Wednesday!

I'm not sure if it's because we're 5 weeks into the Meltdown or it's the weather but we've all been craving something sweet and chocolately!!

Here are a few of my recipes to curb your cravings.

Chocolate Dream Cupcakes

CUPCAKES:

• 1 packet 25-calorie hot cocoa mix
• 1/2 (18 1/4-ounce) box devil's food cake mix (about 1 3/4 cups)
• 1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute

• 1 tablespoon no-calorie granulated sweetener (recommended: Splenda) or granulated sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

GLAZE:

• 1/4 cup jet-puffed marshmallow creme

• 1 teaspoon light vanilla soymilk

TOPPING:

• 1 tablespoon mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus more, for optional garnish

• 12 mini marshmallows, plus more for garnish, optional

 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with foil baking cups and/or spray with nonstick spray.
In a tall glass, combine cocoa mix with 2 ounces hot water. Stir until cocoa dissolves. Add 6 ounces cold water and stir well.

For the cupcakes:

In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, egg substitute, sweetener, and salt. Add cocoa mixture and whisk until smooth.

Evenly distribute cake mixture among the prepared muffin cups.

Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool.
Put the marshmallow creme in a small dish. Add soymilk and mix well.

To make the glaze:

Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, drizzle marshmallow glaze over them. Top each cupcake with 1/4 teaspoon chocolate chips and one mini marshmallow.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish the cupcakes with additional chocolate chips and marshmallows, if using.

PER SERVING (1 glazed and topped cupcake): 113 calories, 2g fat, 230mg sodium, 21.5g carbs, 0.75g fiber, 13.5g sugars, 2g protein

Apple Pie



Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for topping, optional
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 3 cups peeled and chopped apples (preferably Fuji)
• 6 large square egg roll wrappers
• 18 sprays no-calorie butter spray
• Fat-free whipped topping, for topping, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium nonstick pot on the stove, combine sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt with 1/2 cup cold water. Mix until the ingredients dissolve. Add apples and stir. Bring to medium-high heat and, stirring frequently, cook until apples have softened, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and, stirring often, cook until thick and gooey, 1 to 2 additional minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool. This is your pie filling.

Prepare a large baking sheet by lining it with foil and/or spraying it with nonstick spray. Set aside.

Place egg roll wrappers flat on a dry surface. Set out a small dish of water. Dip your finger into the water, and run it along all of the wrapper edges. Cook's Note: Repeat as needed while preparing your pockets, as it will help seal them. Starting 1/2 inch from the bottom, place about 1/3 cup pie filling along the bottom half of each wrapper, leaving a 1/2-inch border on the sides.

Fold the top 1/2 of each wrapper over the filling, so that the top edge meets the bottom and the filling is encased with a border on 3 sides. Dab each border with water, and fold each inward about 1/4 inch to lightly seal. Press firmly along the borders with the prongs of a fork to seal completely.

Carefully transfer to the baking sheet. Repeat this process with remaining wrappers and filling, leaving you with 6 pie-lets.

Spray the top of each pocket with 3 sprays butter. Bake in the oven until the edges begin to brown, 15 to 18 minutes.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Top with additional cinnamon and whipped topping, if using. Dig in!

PER SERVING (1 pie-let): 110 calories, 0.5g fat, 156mg sodium, 25g carbs, 1.25g fiber, 10.5g sugars, 2g protein

It's not what you're eating ~ It's what's eating you

"And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. "  Mark 11:25

Forgiveness.  It's a strong word.  All by itself.  Powerful in so many ways yet we feel it's a sign of inner weakness to forgive.  We hold on to a grudge almost like it is a badge of honor, worn over our heart.  So ugly, black, and twisting.  It hardens until the heart is almost unrecognizable.  Silent, cold, and miserable. 

Not forgiving someone is a terrible place to reside.

I was talking with one of my dearest friends last night and she is a Meltdown blog reader.  She loves every post and is an avid fitness guru who loves pilates, yoga, and just about everything that has to do with spin classes!!  She told me how great our blog is and how we were helping so many Meltdown participants.  

We were all finished up with the girlfriend chit chat and then the next words out of her mouth were spoken so firmly that I really had to stop and process the words that poured through the phone.  She stated that she had read yesterday's blog posting and she said she needed to ask me a question.  She slowly spoke almost in a hesitating manner, "What's bothering you?".  My quick almost too quick reply was, "Not a single thing, I'm great!"  My friend then said to me, "Steph, it's not what you're eating.  It's what's eating you."  The need to snack is what lulls the surface emotions to numb again.

I had to really stop & think after she said that to me.  My obsession with snacking had been a constant mindset this week.  I wanted something in my hands at all times, something to crunch on, snack on, let alone the game of not wanting to get my exercise minutes in. I thought it was just me getting in a rut of wanting to return to the old habits. Yet her words began to hit me once again like a ton of bricks. 
The need to snack is what lulls the surface emotions to numb again. 

We talked a little while longer and as we hung up I decided to dig a little deeper into what exactly my issue with snacking may be tied to.  My obsession & desire to snack & crunch was tied to forgiveness.  I'm not talking about simple forgiveness like forgiving the forgetful hubby who neglected to get the trash out before the trash truck left the driveway.  NOTE:  This has never happened in our drive!!! 

I'm talking about letting go of something you have been keeping around -- the baggage of not forgiving.

The thick thorn of not forgiving is a weakness.  It's a splinter lodged into the heart and over time if festers into a horrible blister.  Left alone it hardens and that hardness manifests itself in your life in different ways.  I am Italian and as Italian's go we love & live our lives passionately but cross us and it's a whole different story.  My mother's side is a mixture of Italian, Irish, and a whole lot of other things but our family tree branches comprise a whole group of headstrong, often times inflexible, steadfast, & tenacious women.  Having a double dose of the above I know I don't need to explain how I arrived at my current destination!

I'm not going to go into a huge explanation of who I had to forgive and why.  All I will say is that it was a past hurt from someone I considered a close friend who turned out not to be.  I carried this hurt around for a year.  I am happy to say I have forgiven the hurt and have let it go.  It's not something that defines me now.  I understand we were not made perfect and without flaws but we do have the power within to forgive.  I now have a renewed sense of freedom with the forgiveness that has taken place.  Forgiveness is not a sign of weakness.  It is one of the most powerful things you could ever do for yourself!  If you have someone you need to forgive for a past hurt ~ LET IT GO!  You are not hurting them by carrying it around; you are hurting YOU!

Please take a minute to listen to the link below from Chris August.  It's called 7 X 70.
   http://youtu.be/ITh9IH1p-ME



Wisdom Wednesday

According to todays article in the Tribune newspaper, I thought I would share some tips that would be helpful and maybe help educate us well on food ideas.

*Reduce sodium and increase potassium in the diet. The excess sodium in our diet causes fluid retention, which makes it more difficult for potassium to regulate body fluids and can lead to high blood pressure and heart disease.

*Lower sodium recommendations limit daily intake to less than 2,300 milligrames.

*Reduce use of processed foods. More than 70% of the sodium and a large portion of solid fats and added sugars are contained in processed foods. Try to eat fewer processed foods.

* Fruits and vegetables provide fiber needed to remove body wastes and fiber also helps to maintain a healthy weight, in that it provides a full or satisfied feeling that helps curb the appetite.

* Omega -3s are unsaturated fatty acids such as white fish, tuna and trout. Two servings rich in omega-3s each week can lower blood pressure, reduce blood clotting, and inflammatory repsonses in the body assoicated with heart disease.

* The new guidelines encourage us to increase our seafood intake by replacing some meat or poultry with seafood. 

Another good idea that I found in an article on "Womens Health" magazine on Mind Control.... Picturing yourself eating a food bite by bite reduces how much of it you actually consume. Visualizing eating a food can trick your mind into believing you have already gobbled it, which reduces your desire for more!

A simple way to stave off the desire for second helpings. Researchers believe that catechins, natural compounds in tea, may boost satiety whether your cup is iced or hot.

Happy Wisdom Wednesday ~ Jennifer

Team Work Tuesday

A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link. 

We've all heard that saying before but what does it really mean?

It means that a team is only as good as it's worst player.

Every single time I don't want to get more exercise minutes in, every time I want to hit the snooze on the 4:30 a.m. alarm clock I think about my team members and how I would let them down by not doing what I said I would do.  My team is the motivation for this week! 

I'm not sure why my hurdle this week seems to be an inner struggle but I have not wanted to get up and exercise.  I haven't even wanted to eat really good!  I know you probably haven't felt like that but for me this week it's reality.  I have pushed through and I have eaten healthy (except for the bowl of Captain Crunch with Almond Milk on Sunday night -- not really that bad but I had to have sweetness & crunch) but all and all I have kept on track. 

The voice in my head has wanted me to eat the M & M cookies in our little cowboy's cookie jar and my all time favorite On the Border Chips in our pantry but I haven't.  In fact, I wrote myself a sticky note on the cookie jar and on the bag of chips, "Go out and exercise ~ don't mindlessly munch!"  It's a reminder that I'm right on the verge of the next size down in jeans and to hold on and see the goal that's right in my grasp!

One of my new loves came from a sister Meltdown particpant who shared this awesome recipe.  When warm weather hits it seems like I want to fire up the grill and not heat up the house.  This recipe from Tammy came at a great time and I could literally just eat this as my meal.

Cut up cabbage, onion, carrots, asparagus, bell peppers, jalepenos, I put squash in too!  I season it with Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb plus a little onion powder & pepper.  Put it all in a pan and grill it ~ super YUMMY!!!  Thanks Tammy for sharing this great recipe with me and all of our Meltdown Participants.  Our little cowboy even liked it -- he didn't know it was full of all kinds of veggies!  He just knew it was cooked on the grill and EVERYTHING tastes better when it's cooked on the grill:)

Post a comment and let me know what your hurdle has been this week.  If you haven't had a hurdle let me know what keeps you going & pushing through.  We are all learning a healthier way of life and we gain knowledge from each other. 

Thank you so much for the emails and kind words!!  You are the best and we appreciate all of our Meltdown participants!

Have a blessed day ~ Stephanie

Meltdown Monday Week 4

It's Week 4 of our Meltdown and each of our Meltdown particpants are doing wonderful!  We have increased our exercise minutes each week, the healthier eating lifestyle is helping us make better choices, & most of all our old habits are fading!

I emailed our guest blogger Denise VanCleave a few questions that I feel each of you will benefit from.  Denise has lost a total of 70+ pounds & her ideas, tips, and inspiration have filled our cup this week on the blog. 

Denise I want you to know what a true inspiration you are to each of us not only at our office but to our Meltdown particpants!  You are a great friend & I appreciate your time & attention to making our blog so wonderful.  We had over 400 hits this past week on our blog & I know it's due to all of your great words of wisdom.  Thank you!!

What started your initial beginning to a healthier lifestyle? 

 I think what started my move to a healthier lifestyle was the realization that I needed to set a good example for my girls.  I also wanted to be able to do anything they wanted me to do with them.  I knew that I had to get in better shape in order to do that. 

Were there any obstacles?

My obstacles, at that point, were few.  They (the triplets) weren't in school yet, so we weren't dealing with a huge amount of sickness, we stayed home most of the time, etc.  Really, the only obstacles at that point were internal.  I just had to get past the idea that I was not going to lose fast.  It took me years to gain the weight, so it was going to take some time to get rid of it.

 What kept you going every single day striving to reach your end result goal?

I honestly don't know what kept me going.  I don't like to give up.  I also saw results, both in the way I looked and felt, so that probably kept me going more than anything else.  It's very empowering to know you feel strong.

How did you fit exercise in?  How many days a week did you exercise?  For how long?

 At that point, I squeezed exercise in during the morning when the girls were content playing.  Whenever I knew I had a good 30 minutes of open time, I put in a workout video.  For the first 4 weeks, I exercised daily in order to develop a habit.  After that, I worked out at least 5-7 days a week.  Obviously, the more I exercised, the better I felt.
  

What was your total weight loss?  How long have you kept it off?

I lost 70 poudns, but at this point I have kept off 45 pounds.  I'm back in the hunt to get rid of those 25 pounds that have crept back up on me.  When the girls started school and were sick ALL the time, my exercise had to go by the wayside.  When they were sick, I inevitably got sick.  So for two years I have been a very infrequent exerciser.  With things becoming slightly less chaotic at home right now, that's one of my priorities.  I have to get back into shape.  It should be relatively easy since Hope is going to want to be in the house (with it COLD) most of the summer due to her brace.  I have some time to "take care of the heart" at this point, so I'm going to take advantage of it.  There are other struggles now, though, because I'm doing everything I can to ADD calories (think ice cream in smoothies and corn oil in slushes) to Hope's (and Addie's, in reality) food.  Hope needs to heal and gain weight, so I have to cook for her as though I was trying to fatten a cow while I'm trying to make things lighter for myself (and Gary, but he doesn't know it).  Every moment has its struggles, but I guess the important thing is to find a way to overcome them.  I'm still working on that. 

What was our key to success in keeping up your healthy lifestyle and weight loss?

What was our key to success in keeping up your healthy lifestyle and weight loss?

 As for my "secret" for doing it and keeping (most) of it off, it's pretty simple.  We have watched a lot of kids' movies at our house.  In the movie "Nemo,"  Dory tells Nemo to "Just keep swimming."  That's it.  That's the secret.  Just keep doing it.  Keep exercising.  Keep making healthy food choices.  Just keep swimming.  :)
 

Recipes of the week

Chicken Rollatini

INGREDIENTS

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 1.25 lbs
• 2 ounces Sun Dried Tomatoes, not in oil
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 tsp Dried Italian Seasoning
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
• 6 Tbsp finely shredded low-fat mozzarella
• 3 cups Whole Wheat Egg Noodles
• 1 Zucchini and 1 summer squash, quartered and diced
• 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 1/4 c shredded carrots
• 1/2 c cherry tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp fresh chives, minced
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• 4 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese

INSTRUCTIONS
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Soak tomatoes in boiling water for 5 minutes and drain.
2.  Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of saran wrap and pound away with your meat tenderizer to make them about 1/8th to a 1/4 inch thick.
3.  Sprinkle each side with sea salt, black pepper and dried Italian Seasoning.
4.  Place 5-7 spinach leaves, 2 Tbsp of sun dried tomatoes and 2 Tbsp of mozzarella on each breast.Roll up each breast, tucking the “stuffing” in as you make your “rollatini”.  Use toothpicks to secure.
5.  Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat and add 1 tsp olive oil.  Add your “rollatini” and brown on all sides, about 6 minutes.  Remove and place on a baking sheet.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before removing toothpicks.
6.  While the chicken cooks, prepare the pasta according to the packaged instructions.
7.  Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and spray with nonstick spray.  Sauté the squash, carrots and mushrooms in nonstick spray for 4-5 minutes or until tender.  Toss in the cherry tomatoes and remove from heat.
8. Drain pasta, add in butter, parmesan, chives and veggies.  Toss gently.
9.  Slice chicken into 1 inch pieces and serve “fanned” over 1 cup of the pasta mixture.  Sprinkle with additional parmesan and chives if desired.
Makes 6 servings, 1/6th of the chicken and 1 cup of pasta per serving,

Buffalo Chicken Salad



Buffalo Chicken Bite Ingredients
12 ounces raw boneless skinless lean chicken breast, cut into 15 nuggets
1/2 cup High Fiber Cereal (I like it better than Fiber 1 b/c it actually “crumbs”)
1 ounce Garden Salsa Flavored Sun Chips, about 15 chips
3 tablespoons Tapatio Hot Sauce
Dash onion powder
Dash garlic powder
Dash cayenne pepper
Dash black pepper
Dash salt
Cooking Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a blender or food processor, grind High Fiber Cereal and Sun Chips to a bread crumb-like consistency.
In a small dish, mix crushed crisps with cereal crumbs. Add onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, black pepper, and salt, and mix well.
Place chicken pieces in a separate dish. Cover with Tapatio and toss to coat.
Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
Give each chicken piece a shake so it’s not dripping with sauce, and then coat evenly with crumb mixture. Lay crumb-covered nuggets on the baking sheet.
Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
Flip nuggets over and bake for 10 more minutes, or until outsides are crispy and chicken is cooked throughout.



Calorie Counting Thursday

We have almost made through Week 3 of our Meltdown & each week it keeps getting better!  We enjoy all of our Meltdown participants so much.  We love to see your achievements on the scale and the best part is seeing how much you've changed in the past few weeks.  Everyone is full of energy, full of excitement to jump on the scales, and we've made it through tons of obstacles TOGETHER.

In one of my first posts we talked about hitting your target and it's essential to know where you're going in order to hit that bullseye.  I think one of the keys to losing weight and keeping it off is to know your calories.

Denise Van Cleave our guest blogger will share with you how important calorie counting is as well as share tips for snacks, breakfast, and everything in between.

Denise Van Cleave's Tips on Calorie Counting

Before you eat out, check out http://www.calorieking.com/ to get some basic calorie counts.  You can search many restaurants on there and find out the best menu choices.  You'll be amazed at the calorie count on some of the most basic fast foods.

Chew gum when you are hungry or when you are cooking.  It sounds like such a simple thing but somtimes just that gum in my mouth takes care of the hungry feeling, especially if it's in my head.

Pepperming and chai teas are two of my favorite afternoon treats.  Actually, during the holidays they come out with a tea called Candy Cane Lane and it is wonderful!  I add a little Splenda to the tea and drink it hot.  With the chai tea I typically add a little Splenda and some fat free French Vanilla liquid coffeemate.  **It's Steph's favorite -- I like Vanilla Chai Tea -- super yummy!!

Do whole-grain everything.  Don't waste your time on white bread, buns, tortillas, etc.  I LOVE the 9-grain Italian bread in the bakery section of Wal-Mart bakery.  While I don't know the calorie content, I feel pretty good about the fact that it does have whole grains in it.

There's a website -- http://www.hungrygirl.com/ -- that has lots of recipes for lighter versions of things as well as some good ideas.  There's a newsletter you can sign up for (I have) that sends an email every day with some new things to try or recipes and the nutritional information, etc.  it's always good reading:)

There's also a website -- http://www.buddyslim.com/ -- that has a place to blog, read other's blog, find info on weight loss, etc.

I also like http://www.prevention.com/ (I think) for Prevention Magazine'swealth of info on weight loss, fitness, etc.

Here are Denise's top Breakfast Picks

I try to eat somewhere around 300 calories during the morning.  If I eat a lower calorie breakfast I usually throw in a banana or something for a mid-morning snack.  If I eat all 300 calories at breakfast I don't usually eat a morning snack.  Here are a few ideas:

1 slice of whole wheat bread (no more than 80 calories/slice) with 1 Tbls. Peanut Butter (95 cal)

All Bran Bran Buds (1/2 c) 110 calories w/ 1/2 c. skim milk (40 calories)

1 Eggo Nutrigrain waffle (85 calories) with 1/2 cup skim milk (40 calories)

Nonfat light yogurt (80-110 calories) with 1/4 c. granola cereal (110 calories)

1 medium banana 110 calories

Fiber one Oats & Chocolate Bar (140 calories)

Lunch

I typically try to take in somewhere around 300-400 calories at lunch

Lunchables Jr's (130 calories) have a small amount of turkey, mozzarella, & mini Ritz crackers but are reasonably filling when eaten on top of lettuce or with something else.

1 slice whole wheat bread (80 cal) with turkey and lettuce.  Add a serving of pretzels or Veggie Crisps & you've got a meal.

Snyder's Veggie crisps are a good alternative to chips and have 130 calories/16 chips.

Lean Cuisine is good to fall back on or to get you in the habit of eating a smaller lunch.  It doesn't stick with me like regular food, though, and the sodium content is relatively high.

At McDonald's I order a Happy Meal with chicken nuggets, apple dippers (I don't eat the sauce) and tea.  The whole meal is roughly 300 calories and is a pretty good choice for fast food.

Supper

I eat whatever everyone else eats but in a smaller portion.  I try to add more vegetables than I used to and also more fiber.  If I snack appropriately throughout the day I'm not so famished by supper time that I overeat.

In the Fall/Winter I ate a baked sweet potato for supper.  I bake them until they're mushy then put a little Omega-3 County Crock on the potato with a pinch of brown sugar splenda, and cinnamon.

When making pasta of any kind I use whole wheat pasta or the Barilla pasta that has the Omega 3's added; the flavor isn't any different and it's a positive change.

Snacks

This is the BIG one.  If it weren't for snacking I wouldn't survive!

1 oz. of almonds (about 1/4 cup) 170 calories.  Seems like a lot but it has the monosaturated fats, protein, and vitamins/minerals that are necessary and good for you!  I have these at least a couple of times a week.

100 calorie packs are great to have around when you're craving something sweet but are nutritionally woid so should be used in moderation.

Lunchables Jr.'s has a Teddy Grahams/mozzarella cheese/strawberry yogurt dip pack that is a nice snack for 130 calories.  It takes long enough to eat that you don't eat it and then immediately turn to something else.

Fiber One Caramel Delight cereal is OUT OF THIS WORLD!!  It has 220 calories for 1 cup but is a phenomenal snack.  I've never eaten it with milk and don't think I will.  Makes a great way to get some necessary fiber in your diet without it being fiber-y.

One of my absolute favorite things in the cold months was drinking a large mug of peppermint or green tea in the afternoon.  I always add a little Splenda as well.  It kept me from eating when I had that "gotta have something in my mouth" urge.  Also, those Chai teabags make a great treat with a little Splenda and fat free vanilla creamer.

Popcorn is a whole grain and is healthy as long as it's not the buttery kind.  They have 100-calorie bags taht are portion controlled.

I love the laughing cow light cheese wedges with either Kashi 7-grain crackers or reduced fat wheat thins.  They take care of that urge to eat cheese.  Light string cheese has only 60 calories and is good with the above crackers.

Sugar-Free pudding cups (60 calories).

Slice an apple, sprinkle cinnamon & microwave for about a minute.  Tastes like apple crisp:)

For a special treat, I have one of those Warm Delights Minis Caramel Cake things (150 calories).  It's one of those things that's nutritionally worthless so I don't do it often, but sometimes I just need cake.  This way it's portion-controlled yet tasty.

I also allow myslef a little bit of dark chocolate (it is good for you, after all).  I usually buy a bag of the Dove dark chocolates and eat 1-2 just to take care of the chocolate craving.

South Beach Diet/Living has some on-the-go things to add to your water that are called, "Tide Me Over".  They have protein and fiber in them and are very good to take the edge off hunger.  You'll find them in the same area with Kool-Aid and Crystal Light.  Sometimes I get tired of water and this is a nice alternative.

Gatorade G2 is also a nice alternative to pop.  It's 70 calories for a medium sized bottle.  Not calorie free, but at least it's more reasonable than some other beverages.

 

Wisdom Wednesday

"Every finish line is the beginning of a new race".

Special thanks to Jennifer W. for sharing this wonderful quote!!

Exercise is becoming FUN!  Yep, that's right, read that again ~ Exercise is becoming FUN!  Today we decided it was too beautiful to stay inside all day so we grabbed our tennis shoes and headed out the door soaking up the sunshine on our lunch.  There's a new discovery around every corner and today we found a wonderful blessing ~ Katy Hike & Bike Trail!

The Katy Hike & Bike Trail is located across from Katy Park (under the overpass) on East Main Street.  The road is paved, there's beautiful scenery, and it's opening is perfect timing!  Make sure to check it out ~ another reason why Chanute Kansas U.S.A. is so awesome.

It's another dose of Wisdom Wednesday and our topic for this week will be about exercise.  Our guest blogger Denise Van Cleave will be sharing her tips and how-to's.

Denise starts out her exercise tips with telling all of us that we need to track our exercise.  Track the kind of exercise, the time, and the intensity.

Mix up your exercise.  There are downloadable video workouts on http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/ that are worth looking at.  Try something new!  Do some kick-boxing.  Try Yoga ~ Denise loves it!  Pilates is phenomenal too.  Get a good interval-training workou video ~ Kathy Smith has a great one.
**Chanute Library has all kinds of exercise videos and it's FREE!!

Make changes that you can do for the rest of your life.  Don't cut calories to the point that you can't maintain it.  Don't starve yourself.  Don't deny yourself treats.  If you REALLY want a cookie, eat it.  Just don't eat the whole row.  Have a piece of cake, but know that you're going to add 15 minutes to your exercise later.

Make exercise a priority.  You've given time and energy to everyone else without a second thought and you deserve the same treatment.  You deserve to have an hour a day to spend exercising.  You'll be able to take better care of others when you take better care of yourself. 

I read this quote from Dr. Oz that really stuck with me (and is now on a bulletin board in my room) . . .
"The heart doesn't sacrifice itself.  Before it sends blood to the brain, lungs, ANYWHERE, it send blood to the coronary arteries.  It feeds itself first so it's always there to keep pumping, no matter what.  It's a good lesson for many mothers, who sacrifice their own health to benefit their children."  Pretty powerful statement and true, to boot.

Thanks Denise for your wonderful exercise tips for Wisdom Wednesday!  Tomorrow Denise will be sharing calorie counting, breakfast, lunch, and supper ideas PLUS what she does when she's having cravings!!

Tell it like is Tuesday

Kids don't have a censor ~ our little guy especially!  He's only 7 years old but he has the wisdom and insight of someone older.  He's witty, funny, and just lost his two front teeth.

We were out working in the yard last night getting everything ready for our family & friends get together this weekend (I have a birthday coming up on Friday).  We finished up our weeding, mulching, and planting and since it was so nice outside last night we decided to stay outside a little longer.  Not sitting still for one second, our little cowboy wanted to go for a ride with his bike and I decided to walk to get more exercise minutes in. 

We were enjoying our time together when a challenge was thrown out to me.  "Mom you wanna race?"  His little toothless smile spread from ear to ear and then he said, "I know you can do it because your less fluffy than you use to be!"  

"On your mark, get set, GO" exploded from my lips and the race was on!  This less fluffy body ran for all it was worth and I felt like a kid again.  The feel of the wind on my skin, the laughter exploding from my mouth, and the thrill of running for all it was worth AND NOT dropping over with exhaustion was a lightbulb moment for me! 

I wasn't winded.  I didn't hurt myself ~ didn't fall down, trip, or have to belly crawl back to the house. I am going to be a year older this week and my body is truly in better shape than it has been in I don't know when!  The rewards of healthier eating, consistent exercise, and being held accountable by our weekly weigh in isn't just measured on the scale. It is measured by how great you feel.

The best reward came from our little cowby as he giggled in joy at the race that had just taken place (remember he was on his bike and I was running). He tipped his little John Deere hat off his head and wiped his forehead and then said, "Mom, you wore me out!  I had to peddle really, really fast.  Then he followed it with, "Want to race again?"  

Many of our Meltdown participants have messaged me with questions on what path to follow when it comes to healthy eating.  Do I count calories?  Do I watch my fat intake?  What program do you follow? 

I think it's a personal decision on how to track things and of course you know we don't indorse any certain diet program.  My personal decision was to pair calorie intake with healthier choices.  Healthier choices for me meant less sugar or no sugar intake.  No processed foods.  Eating fish and chicken the majority of the week and having red meat only once per week.  I have found if I want to lose weight that increasing vegetables and fruits to 5-7 servings a day keeps me full and keeps cravings at bay. 

Consistent exercise of a minimum of 30 minutes daily for 6 days a week helps me register a decrease each week too.  If I only do 3-4 days a week of exercise I can maintain but I don't register a decrease on the scales.  I always like to hear what has helped others on their journey to become healthier and my co-worker Donna has brought lots of ideas, help, and inspiration through her sister Denise.  Please read the wonderful words of Meltdown Wisdom from Denise:) 

Our guest blogger for the week is Denise Van Cleave.

Denise Van Cleave is a wonderful inspiration to all of us here at the office.  Denise is a wife, a mom to triplets, and the sister to our wonderful office nurse Donna.  Denise sent me her tips and how-to's that helped her keep off 65+ pounds for the past few years and I am super excited to share them with all of you!

Denise Van Cleave's best advice

1.  For at least a month measure and write down EVERYTHING that goes into your mouth.  You don't really know how many calories you're consuming until you write down everything and get used to what a serving really looks like.  I make a month's worth of the food journal sheets (see link posted below) and keep them in a 3-ring binder in the kitchen.  Get a calorie counting book to keep with the binder so you can track those things like fruit, veggies, etc that don't have a nutritional label on them.  It might even be a good idea to plan out your day's food ahead of time in order to keep the calorie count under control if you think that would help you stay on track.  If you can stick to eating just what you wrote down that would work.

**If you would like the food journal that Denise uses please post a comment or email me and I will send it to you.  Our blog will not let me post a printout.

2.  For the food I cook myself, I typically try to enter them on my MasterCook software (I think http://www.sparkrecipes.com/ has a place where you can do this as well) in order to see how big my servings need to be in order to keep them within the calorie range I need.  It's almost frightening to see the calorie amount in some of the most basic recipes.

3.  DRINK, DRINK, DRINK!  Drink 8 glasses of water a day at the very least.  Add in tea, but loose the diet pop.  It's not that hard to just stop drinking it, and with summer on the way it'll be easier to dump it now and drink tea & water instead.

4.  Take supplements.  I take one multi-vitamin, two calcium chews (one after breakfast and one after supper) and one vitamin D every day.  I know I wouldn't get enough calcium in my diet otherwise, and I probably don't get enough of the other vitamins and minerals either so I take those daily.  Has it helped?  I don't know, but I feel like I'm doing something positive.

Tomorrow Denise's tips will be on exercise!!!

 

I scream for Ice Cream Monday!

It's the beginning of Week 3 of our Neosho County Meltdown & I have conquered the daily exercise routine and made it the first part of my day everyday but the

craving for a little extra something at night has decided to hang around.

If you're like me you find yourself at 8 p.m. wanting something extra.  I have decided my major influence in this departmeny may be that our little guy likes to have a bowl of ice cream every night before bed or maybe it's because I need a little comfort food.  Whatever the case may be I have found 8 p.m. to be my most vulnerable part of the day.  When I am vulnerable I feel I may not make the best food choice, hence, the decision to silent the scream for ice cream and create a better more tantalizing alternative.

I gathered this recipe from a website and "stephanified" it!  That's my way of tweaking the recipe to my liking and tastebuds. 

This is simple and easy but you have to eat it immediately or it gets too soft.

Scream for Ice Cream Recipe

1 large banana, sliced and frozen (I freeze the banana when I get home from work so it's ready by 8 p.m.)

3 Large Strawberries Frozen (or 6 small to medium size strawberries)

1/2 packet of splenda (if you like it sweet ~ I don't add any to the recipe)

4 oz No fat or Low Fat yogurt (I like to use Strawberry or Vanilla)

Makes 2 servings

Combine it all in your mini chopper or food processor until it looks like THIS!

Super creamy and YUMMY!!  Check out the stats for it.

1 banana = 105 calories 0.4 g Fat

3 Large Strawberries = 18 calories 0.3 Fat

4 ounces of Low Fat Yogurt = I use a 90 - 110 calorie yogurt with 0-1 g of Fat

Total Calories per serving = 117 calories/serving

Breakfast this morning consisted of low fat cottage cheese, strawberries, & a Vanilla Chai Tea.

Lunch was smoked Tilapia, a Yukon Gold Potato (plain), and a 3 bites of a smoked Chicken Breast (the Tilapia doesn't always stay with me but it's great to burn calories).

Supper tonight will be a Mexican Pizza.  It's one of my favorites and I can use just about anything I have in the fridge to put with it!  Here's the basic version and feel free to add other items or adjust the recipe to your liking.

Mexican Pizza

1 Lavash Bread (in tortilla section at grocery store)

1/2 c heated fat free salsa (I like the fat free black bean & corn salsa)

1/4 -1 /2 cup fat free refried or whole beans

1/4 c enchilada sauce (I use salsa instead)

2 oz or ~ 1/2 c cooked LEAN Ground Turkey, beef, veggie crumbles seasoned with Taco Seasoning & a little Salsa

1 oz low fat finely shredded colby cheese

Favorite toppings: tomatoes, avocado, bell peppers, jalapeños, cilantro, salsa, sour cream, etc.

Instructions

1.  Start out placing foil or parchment paper on a cookie sheet and preheating your oven to 400 degrees.  Add one Whole Wheat Lavish Wrap and top with a 1/4 - 1/2 cup prepared Fat Free Salsa, Beans and 1/4 c enchilada sauce.

2.  Add 1/2 c of prepared “turkey” taco meat or beef.

3. Top with 1 oz Low Fat Colby Cheese and bake at 400 for 7-10 minutes. 

7 minutes for a slightly crispy crust and 10 minutes for a super crispy crust.  While your pizza cooks, chop up your favorite toppings.

4.  Remove your pizza from the oven.  Add your toppings.  Slice into 6 pieces Enjoy!

Lavash Bread 80-120 calories depending on type (I like the whole wheat 80 cal)

Fat Free Refried Beans (1/4 cup) = 50 calories

Salsa 3 Tablespoons = 15 calories

Lean Ground Turkey = 160 calories in 4 ounces

1 ounce Colby Cheese = 112 calories

**I like to use a string cheese and put in food processor instead of colby = 72 calories

Total Calories = 357 calories using Colby Cheese

We will have a special guest blogger this week who will be giving tips, ideas, and motivation!  Denise has lost 60+ pounds and kept it off.  We look forward to having Denise share this week with all of us:)

Have a blessed Monday ~ Stephanie