Finale and New Meltdown

I'm happy & sad at the same time!  What a fantastic finale we had and the friendships we have made will last a lifetime.  You are an amazing group of women and I have loved every second of getting to know you.

Today I looked at the clock several times and thought to myself that right about now, so & so will be coming into the Health Department to weigh in, but I had to remind myself that we are finished with our first Meltdown and new goals are being set for our,

"Today is your Day ~ Meltdown 2".

I'm excited to tell you that we have already started planning the second Meltdown and sign up will begin in the next two weeks!  Please stay up to date with announcements through email, through our Facebook page, and through this blog.  I'm just wiggling with enthusiasm for this next journey and I'm proud of each of you for volunteering, for your excitement, and for the opportunity to help you achieve even bigger goals for this Meltdown.

Goals are an important part of your success in Meltdown and we will be having goal setting sessions available for each of you.  Make sure to sign up for Meltdown early and bring a friend!  Our goal is to have 150+ participants!!

Much love & blessings ~ Stephanie

Two Duck Tuesday

There are days that I feel like Noah.  At the Henry farm it feels like the animals are coming two by two but we still haven't got the much needed rain for our crops!  I'm not sure what's going on at our house but literally it's, "who let the dogs out"! 

Barney, as I have lovingly named the no-name dog who has taken up residence in the neighbors back yard, has decided he is my new best friend.  We're not sure what breed Barney is but he looks like a basset hound, has the howl of a basset hound, but is black with white spots.  

Barney and I first met three days ago when I was going for my early morning walk.  Barney howled to acknowledge me then darted from the neighbors yard down the dirt road to take a morning stroll alongside of me.  We have no idea who Barney belongs too but last night when hubby got home he was laying on the last step of our deck like he belonged there. 

We have a way with animals at our place. 

I think there's an invisible sign that only dogs, cats, fish, crab, and ducks can see!

That sign flashes neon in our yard and says,

"if you look cute the little cowboy that lives here will get his mom to keep you!"

Now for the duck story ~ told ya it was getting just like Noah.  A neighbor that lives down the road has hens and always drops by a few dozen eggs each week.  She was out making her delivery to Mimi's and of course the little cowboy was there too.  She said in passing as she was leaving that if Mimi knew of anyone who wanted a duck she had one that needed a home and in fact, the duck had a brother and the two had never been seperated so they need to go live at their new home together ~ 2 by 2. 
With excitement and bright eyes for the prospect of a new pet our little cowboy said, "We'll take them!"

Not sure if we have room on our farm for the ducks as the other animals may find them too tempting to stay away from.  That's a decision to be made at a later date.

Temptation is my topic for today's meltdown.  Everyone has a food temptation and if you're anything like me it's all of nothing.  With that I mean there could be donuts, cookies, cakes in our breakroom and I would never stop to grab a bite. 
Give me chips n' salsa or a dip with crackers and it's game on.  Once you know your weakness you can go about creating healthy alternatives for what you are craving.  My new favorite is Laughing Cow Garlic and Herb (in the deli section) and it's a cream cheese like  cheese wedge.  I eat it with 11 of my other new favorites Pretzel Crisps.  I can have 11 of the Pretzel Crisps and the laughing cow for only 2 ww points.  It gives me an alternative when I'm craving the crunch of a chip and the creaminess of a dip. 

What food temptation do you have?  I'll help you create a healthy alternative to keep you on track with your healthy eating lifestyle!  Or do you have something you use to help ward off a craving or have you found a good recipe for a healthy substitute?  Please share with all of us!
Have a great day ~ Stephanie

They went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.

-Bible (Old Testament)
Genesis 7:9.

New recipes



Cheesy Zucchini Enchiladas

Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1 large enchilada • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 7 pts
Calories: 258.7 • Fat: 13.5 g • Protein: 22 g • Carb: 30.2 g • Fiber: 16.9 g

cooking spray

1 tsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 medium scallions, chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

2 medium zucchinis, grated

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1 1/2 cups grated reduced fat mexican blend cheese (Sargento)

4 Large La Tortilla Factory Low Carb tortillas

chopped scallions (optional)

chopped cilantro (optional)

Enchilada sauce:

1 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp chipotle chilis in adobo sauce (optional for more heat)

1 cups tomato sauce

1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder (to taste)

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/2 cup fat free vegetable broth

For the enchilada sauce: in a medium saucepan, spray oil and sauté garlic. Add chipotle chile, chili powder, cumin, broth, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.
In a medium nonstick skillet, sauté garlic and scallions in olive oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes; add zucchini, salt and pepper to taste and cook about 4-5 minutes.

Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup cheese; mix well.

Divide zucchini between in each tortilla, roll and place seam side down in baking dish

Top with enchilada sauce (you might not use all) and remaining cheese and bake until hot and the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.
Serve with chopped scallions, cilantro, fat free or low fat sour cream & enjoy!

Recipe Friday



A beautifully layered salad with shrimp, avocados, grilled corn, black bean salsa, cucumbers, tomatoes and cheese. I served this with creamy cilantro tomatillo dressing.

Because there is no cooking involved, this makes a perfect summer potluck dish and the presentation is beautiful. One of my facebook fans mentioned she always brings a trifle dish to a party and gives the host the dish as a gift, cute idea! If you don't have a trifle dish, you could always layer this in a large platter in neat rows. Shredded chicken can be used in place of shrimp.
Mexican Shrimp Cobb Salad

Servings: 6 as main course • Size: little over 2 cups • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 7
Calories: 288.4 • Fat: 10.6 g • Protein: 28.7 g • Carb: 25.1 g • Fiber: 8.8 g • Sugar: 3 g
Sodium: 588 mg

For the Shrimp:

16 oz cooked large shrimp, peeled

• chipotle chili powder to taste
• 1 tbsp lime juice

Rinse shrimp and chop into large chunks. Toss shrimp with a little salt, chipotle chili pepper, and fresh lime juice

Combine drained beans, corn, red onion, cilantro, lime juice and salt to taste.
In a large glass trifle dish or clear bowl, layer salad ingredients starting with the lettuce, black bean mixture, cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, cheese and shrimp on top

Creamy Cilantro Tomatillo Dressing

Servings: 7 • Serving Size: 1/4 cup • Old Points: 1 pt • Points+: 1 pt
Calories: 43.3 • Fat: 2.4 g • Protein: 2.1 g • Carb: 3.7 g • Fiber: 0.3 g

1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

1/4 cup fat free Greek yogurt

1 small jalapeno, seeds removed

1/4 cup of fresh cilantro

1 tomatillo, husks removed, chopped

1 clove garlic

1 scallion

juice of 1/2 lime

1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes

1/8 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in a blender.  Chill.  Serve with Cobb Shrimp Salad.



Loose Tooth Thursday

Our cowboy inherited many wonderful traits from his parents.  One inherited trait is having crowding of the lower teeth with virtually no space to have the bigger adult teeth to move in thus, we have, as we so loving call them,

"a snaggle tooth". 

A snaggle tooth at our house is where the baby tooth isn't loose yet but the adult tooth is growing behind it.  When you look inside our little cowboy's mouth and stare at those bottom teeth you will find a jagged mess of teeth (yes, braces are in his future just like both of his parents).

As we were brushing teeth last night I told our little cowboy that we had to really work on getting that corner bottom baby tooth out so the adult tooth could move forward.  With a white foaming mouth and a muddled reply he said, "It's just not my goal yet mom, my other tooth is loose too and I want to get it out first". 

Of course he added in, "I have to be at Nonna's before I can pull them anyway".

My mom, aka Nonna to our cowboy, has always despised the ritual of tooth pulling.  I can remember as a child she would hide her eyes and tell me to just pull it and tell her when it was done.  She couldn't stand to look at the wiggling or the steps leading up to the bravery of her only child pulling out a tooth. 

I, too, have inherited her queasiness of tooth pulling.  It never bothered me to do it to myself and I guess that's because you can't see what it looks like when it's your own tooth your pushing out.  When I see my child wiggling his tooth I immediately hide my eyes and tell him to sit down by me and tell me when it's over.  Our cowboy's first tooth came out at our house and the rest have been lost at Nonna's.  He loves to terrorize Nonna with the wiggling of the loose teeth and in the process they both have become braver with the tooth pulling.

Our little cowboy finished the teeth brushing and started asking questions about the dentist and what would happen if he didn't get the tooth pulled for Sam the Snaggle tooth to move forward.  As you can see we make up names for everything at our house! 

I informed him that Elizabeth from the dental office said we may have to pull it if we didn't loosen it and get it out of there on our own.  I then went into his bedroom to turn the bed down and with a shout and a yell from the other room our cowboy had the tooth hanging by a mere thread.  

"What happened?", I asked. 

He replied, "Getting this tooth out became the goal!".

He pulled the tooth out at Mimi's today:)

When we have a goal and a deadline we move mountains and make things happen.  My daily goal is to stay on track with my eating & exercise.  I have a picture of the dress I want to purchase and the size I want to be able to buy on the front of my refrigerator.  If I have the goal in my constant sight I know I will achieve it.  If you can see it, feel it, and visualize it your goal is 50% more likely to come true!

Set you daily goals this week and visualize where you want to be!

Have a great week ~ Stephanie 

Snack Time Wednesday

I went to pick up the cowboy yesterday from Mimi's house after work and a wonderful aroma filled the air as I walked through the door.  "What smells good?", I asked.

"BACON", a little voice replied.

"I looked at the clock mom and it was 3:58 p.m. and my tummy said I needed a snack so Mimi fixed me some Maple Bacon Slices".  I looked over where the voice was coming from and underneath a yellow and green John Deere hat I spied that familiar adorable face sporting a gleaming smile and rubbing his tummy.

"I had to keep my energy level up" he giggled.

Our cowboy brought up a very important point ~ actually two.  The first one is the value of a great breakfast.  There's a reason why experts say the most important meal of the day is breakfast.  When I eat a great breakfast (egg beaters, low carb thin bagel, and a banana) my energy level stays high and I easily stay on tracking making healthy choices all day long.  When I don't eat breakfast or rush out the door and forget to grab it to take with me it catches up with me later in the day.  I find my energy level isn't high, I'm starving by lunch and not satisfied, or when I get home from work I'm so hungry I make a bad choice and make an unhealthy, high fat, choice because I'm so starved.

The second point is the importance of eating a healthy snack once a day.  With the healthy eating lifestyle I'm following fruit is a "free choice" with no "points" and it's a great choice for my afternoon snack.  I find that it helps me through the afternoon and if I go home and exercise I have enough energy to make it through the workout and I'm not famished while I'm fixing supper.  My favorite new snack is from Emily our Zumba instructor.  I love strawberries and this a wonderful snack that keeps me full.

Emily calls it Fruit Pizza and the cowboy calls it Strawberry Delight!

Take 1 whole wheat tortilla (I use one that's a low carb whole wheat tortilla and that has around 80 calories or les)

2 Tablespoons of Whipped Low Fat Cream Cheese (I like Best Choice from G-W)

Strawberries (or your favorite fruit)

Splenda to sweeten (I use 1/2 packet of splenda mixed in my strawberries)

Spread Whipped Low Fat Cream Cheese on tortilla

Spread out strawberries ~ roll up and enjoy!

Have a blessed week ~ Stephanie

Rare Mosquito Tuesday

Our little cowboy was out enjoying the early morning sunshine yesterday playing at Mimi's house.  He was out in his usual spot which is occupying the sand box.  He constructs large buildings, ponds, farms, and just about anything else his imagination can think of, and of course, water is involved.  His favorite love is to dig a pond the entire size of the sand box (which is huge) and rig up tunnels that have old scaps of pipe for the water to run through and the water then ends up filling the pond.

At about 30 minutes into his new construction site he picked up his lime green fly swatter and took a few swings at the winged guest that was interupting his building time.  He hit the target and with a crash the insect came flying smack down into the sand pile.  He then decided to run up to the patio to show his kill to Mimi.

With his silver pliers pulled bravely from the holster on his side he picked up his kill in the grips of the pliers.  He ran to Mimi and said with excitement, "Mimi, look at this.  It is a very rare mosquito."  Mimi looked at the dead insect in the grips of the silver pliers ~ trying to hide her smile and giggle as she recognized the "rare mosquito" as a wasp!  She didn't squelch Ethan's excitement to add the rare mosquito to his summer bug collection to be displayed proudly for Ms. Clover's 2nd grade class.  

Enthusiasm is infectious ~ when you're excited everyone's excited!

My exercise routine was like that last night.  I wasn't excited.  In fact, I was flat tired.  Our little cowboy is the great encourager.  He said, "Mom, I'll do Zumba with you."  And he did.  We salsa'd all over the living room and laughed and giggled as we did it! 

Light bulb moment again. 

Exercise is more fun when you have someone to do it with.   



My challenge to you this week is to find an exercise buddy or walking partner to share your exercise time with.  I think you'll be just like me, you'll find that the time went by so quickly and you were having such a good time that you didn't feel like it was exercise.

Have a great week ~ Stephanie

Crabby Monday

We have a new addition in our family!  We were minus a fish Friday evening so of course we needed a replacement so the fish tank didn't look so empty.  Our little cowboy just pulls on my heartstrings & instead of just getting another fish we ended up with more than I bargained for.

I guess I didn't learn my lesson with "George Lopez" the box turtle.  Our newest addition is Mr. Crabs a.k.a. Mr. BP which stands for Big Pincher!  Mr. BP is a fiddler crab (hence the one large pincher).  When we went to select Mr. BP I told them to just pick one out and it was the crabs lucky day as to who was going to come live with us.  When we got Mr. BP home I placed him in the fish tank and noticed that one of his pinchers was obviously larger than the other one and figured he had got into a fight and lost it.  Worried that he wouldn't be able to eat I asked my husband to come take a look at him.

Another Cliff Claven moment from the hubby as he stated to Ethan and I that the one large claw is why the fiddler crab has it's name.  Mr. BP uses his smaller claw to eat and the larger pincher goes in front of his mouth to protect himself; hence it looks like a fiddler ~ they are supposed to be that way! 

I'm not sure what kind of cosmic karma I have at my house that we always seem to select Houdini as a pet.  In the 24 hours that Mr. BP arrived at our residence he was found to be quite efficient in climbing the fake trees in our fish tank.  He shimmied up the tree branches like Donkey Kong and with a sideways flip of his pinchers he swings himself up onto the black pole of the filter for the fish tank.  Being naive when it comes to fiddler crabs I was unaware that Mr. BP could crawl out of the tank.  That was until I found our minature dauschand Max, barking at something on the carpet. 

Yes, you guessed it another George Lopez incident ~ Mr. BP had crawled out of the tank, down the side of the cabinet and pounced right onto the floor.  I picked him up and put him back in the tank and before I could blink an eye he shimmied back up the black pole and was heading for freedom.  I have put a barrier up so Mr. BP can't get out again and now we're all happy.

As I was sipping my Chai tea this morning and watching the new fish and Mr. BP I had a little giggle as I realized God keeps reminding me that the finale is close and that I still need to go over, under, around, and through any obstacle to reach my goals. 

My obstacle this past week has been the heat and I know record temperatures are hitting us again.  I walked 30 minutes earlier this morning to help beat the high temps & humidity and I am opting to do Wii Biggest Loser Workout with Jillian Michaels tonight.  I am excited for this week and new recipes to post too!  

Have a great week ~ Stephanie  

It's not where you start it's where your finish

We're on the down hill slide as we have almost reached our finish line to Meltdown.  Are you going to fly across that finish line screaming victory or are you facing the finish line with regret?  If you're flying then you are where you want to be or you are close to where you want to be.  If you're living in the land of regret ~ there's still time to accomplish a goal. 

I was visiting with a Meltdown participant today and she told me that she wasn't anywhere near where she wanted to be.  She said she had obstacles that hindered her exercising but her healthy eating had helped her continue to lose small amounts most weeks.  I told her to pat herself on the back for making healthy eating a part of her life.  It is now a habit and that habit will influence other portions of your life.  I asked her if she weighed less and measured less than when she started and she said, "sure"!  Did she have more energy?  She again said, "yes".  I then asked her if she felt better about herself and she said, "definitely"!  She finished her sentence with, "I have more self confidence too"!  

Ladies, remember that it isn't a number on the scale or a pair of jeans you can fit in.  It's about overall health.  A healthier lifestyle leads to healthier choices both in eating and exercise which in turn adds years to your life.

Have a great weekend and much thanks ~ Stephanie

Splash Your Way to Slim

Splash Your Way to Slim

from Fitbie

If your summer walking route is starting to feel routine, try taking it to the pool. Begin with a short water walking workout to see how your body adapts to the added resistance, then gradually increase the time and intensity until you can walk in the water for 30 minutes at moderate intensity. To get started, craft a workout from the following techniques provided by Julie See, president of the Aquatic Exercise Association. Pick an area of the pool where your arms and legs are underwater and your feet touch the floor. Wear water shoes for added support.

Heels Up Walk or jog forward, lifting your heels high toward your butt. Add variation by adjusting your tempo to two slow kicks followed by two quick kicks. Move your arms as if you were performing the breaststroke, keeping your thumbs up to assist your forward movement.

Knees Up Walk or jog backward, lifting your knees high in front. Add variation by adjusting your tempo to two slow kicks followed by two quick kicks. Move your arms in reverse breaststroke (as if you were giving someone a hug) to assist your backward movement.

Tightrope Walk Imagine that you’re walking on an underwater tightrope. Step one foot directly in front of the other, making your strides as long as possible and using your arms for balance. Make it harder by bending your elbows with your hands lifted out of water, as if motioning “I surrender.”

Jumping Jacks and Kicks Moving backward, perform one jumping jack followed by one front kick. Repeat, this time kicking with the opposite leg. Keeping your back straight, reach toward your foot with the opposite hand on each kick.

Side Step and Slide Step out to your right in a wide stance, dragging your left foot to meet your right. When you reach the end of the pool, repeat, stepping out to the left and sliding your right foot to meet. Arms should follow the legs out with each side step, then come behind your back as you pull your legs together.

Knee Swing Walk Swing your knee to the front, then to the back, then to the front again. Then extend your leg to take a giant step forward. Repeat on the opposite side. Use your arms for balance or make it harder by lifting your arms out of the water and keeping your forearms crossed at chest height.

Tuck Travel Drop low in the water, as if you were seated in a chair. Tuck both knees toward your chest as you push off the pool bottom to travel backward. Move your arms in reverse breaststroke (as if you were hugging someone) to guide your backward movement.

Football Drill Moving laterally, cross one leg over in front and then in back (in a grapevine pattern) for 8 counts. Then drop low in the water, as if you were seated in a chair, and run in place as fast as you can for 8 counts. Stay low in the water and run in place, this time moving your feet out-out-in-in, as if you were running through tires, for 8 counts. Stand up, then repeat all moves on the opposite side.

Cool down with 3 to 5 minutes of walking forward, backward, and laterally across the pool, then stretching your arms, legs, and torso.

Take the Labor Day Challenge

I have learned throughout my life journey with another company that I previously worked for that before you reach your current goal you need to look to the future and set a bigger goal or a new goal.  So I have already starting looking at the end of our Meltdown Journey Phase 1 and what Phase 2 goals will be.  I came up with the Labor Day Challenge to better help me meet and reach my goals.  I know healthier eating & exercise will always be a part of my life now but I'm not done with the weight loss portion of my journey.

As I set my goal and what I wanted my overall health to look like I decided I needed to look at what has worked for me and what hasn't.  In order to be successful you need to know where you've been and where you're going. 

One of the keys to my success on our Meltdown Journey is to break my goals down to monthly, weekly, and daily.  In case you haven't noticed I'm all about mini goals:)

When I first started my Meltdown Journey, I was overwhelmed when I found out I NEEDED to lose 65 lbs.  I then broke the big goal down into smaller goals.  I knew if I could just lose those first 5 lbs I would be able to keep doing it!

  I lost 5 lbs and then, I knew I would just focus on doing it again.  I kept proving to myself over and over again that I could lose “just 5 lbs”.

Not all “mini” goals have to be centered around weight loss or your ultimate weight loss goal.  However, I do think that they all help you achieve your bigger goal.  All those “mini” successes add up and they make you feel GOOD about all the things you are doing to improve your health.

So here's the Challenge . . . .

LABOR DAY GOAL!

There are approximately 60 days until Labor Day.  I know that summer time is one time of year that so many of us struggle because we want to be “on vacation”.  It’s easy to lose focus, but, it’s also a great time to refocus.  The year is officially HALF OVER….what steps are you going to take to end the year on an even better note than you started on?

Where would you like to be in 60 days?  Imagine how you will feel when you get our your fall wardrobe and it's baggy? Do you want to lose 5 lbs or 10 lbs or ? Do you want to be able to walk or run 5 minutes longer? Do  you want to be in the next size down?

These are just a few ideas…..pick something that is personal to you and that you can REALISTICALLY accomplish ~ and here's the kicker -- email it to me -- you have to be accountable to be successful.

My LABOR DAY GOAL is to lose 30 lbs…..I will be updating you all on my progress each week along with what I think worked or didn’t work for me that week.

Think about ONE GOAL that you can achieve in 60 days and then leave a comment below or email me letting us know what it is.  I would absolutely LOVE the support and to be able to cheer all of you on.

MEASURE IT ~ your waist measurement & the scale!

Starting today ~ what is YOUR “MINI GOAL” ?   Leave a comment below and feel free to come back each day or at the end of the challenge to let us know how you did.

Awwwww Shucks Tuesday

For our big 4th of July celebration with friends & family over the weekend we decided we would fix the all-time favorite . . . . grilled corn.  Preparing the corn is a two step process of shucking the corn down to three layers, putting it in an ice bath for 2 hours, then wrapping it in foil, and finally putting it on the smoker.  To help me get the prep work done even quicker our little cowboy decides he is going to be my corn helper for the day.  We set up two chairs underneath the shade tree & decided to get to work before the day got too hot.  We were both excited about our 4th of July celebration and having new friends as well as old friends coming to the house for the cookout.  We eagerly dove into the sack of corn and started the beginning phase of the shucking process.

We were approximately half way through our 82 ears of corn when little man decided he was done helping.  Mom he said, "I'm tired of plucking this corn!"  I carried on as the job had to get done regardless and he went to play with his dump trucks in the pea gravel.  He was gone all of 5 minutes and then returned back underneath the shade tree.  He picked up an ear of corn and started in again shucking another ear that would soon go into the ice bath.

I looked up at him and he grinned as he pulled the layers off the corn.  "Mom, I decided to come back and help you because anything worth doing is worth doing right."  I laughed and then he added, "plus, I really like to eat the corn & there might not be enough if I don't help you!"

I thought alot about our conversation as I was walking this morning and our little cowboy is correct.  Anything worth doing is worth doing right. 

A thought to ponder . . . .

Imagine that one of your legs represents healthy eating and the other leg represents exercise.  If you are only doing one action with your leg (as in only doing healthy eating or only doing exercise) you basically are hopping on one foot.  By doing both at the same time you have a fluidity of movement and you are walking in a focused direction.  Make the commitment to yourself and your Meltdown goals to "DO IT RIGHT" these last few weeks of Meltdown.  I look forward to cheering you on to the finish of your Meltdown race!

With love & appreciation ~ Stephanie