Hey ladies. I don't know about you but I eat a lot of chicken. It's cheap, it's healthy and it's fairly easy to prepare well. However, I tend to cook chicken the same way and I get bored pretty easily. I recently went to the grocery store and got a really good price on split chicken breasts and chicken drumsticks. I decided that I wanted to roast them but I had never roasted chicken before. Well, when I was searching around I found an excellent recipe, which technically wasn't for roasting but it turned out really well.
Take whatever chicken you want (I used 1 bone-in, skinned chicken breast and 2 drumsticks) and soak in a salt-water brine. To make the brine boil 6-8 c. water and dissolve 1/4 c. table salt in it. Let cool completely before you pour over chicken. Soak chicken in brine for 5-8 hours. Rinse and pat dry before cooking.
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
If you're going to eat the chicken skin on you'll want to rub the surface of the chicken with a few tablespoons of olive oil or butter. You can sprinkle it with black pepper if you like. You need to roast chicken with the skin on. You can always remove it after it cooks. This will lock the moisture in.
Bake chicken at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven baste with honey lime glaze. Turn heat down to 325 and bake for 15 minutes. Reapply glaze and bake another 15 minutes or until thermometer reads 160 degrees in the thickest portion of the breast. The white and dark meat will cook at the same speed. Let stand for 5 minutes and serve.
Honey Lime Glaze:
1/4 c. honey
2 Tbs. lime juice
2 Tbs. soy sauce
the juice of 1 can of pineapple rings
a dash of cayanne pepper (optional)
Heat all ingredients together, slowly bring to a boil and thicken with 1-2 Tbs. cornstarch. Strain to make sure there are no lumps.
You can also make this in a crock pot. Remove chicken from the brine and toss into bottom of your crockpot with pineapple slices. Make glaze the same way and pour over chicken. Bake on low for 5-8 hours or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Review: Beginner Pilates for Dummies
Hello all. I finally decided to bite the bullet and try the Pilates for Dummies DVD that I bought. I'd been waiting because it is 71 minutes long but I figured that seems how I had to bake my squash last night for an hour I would give it a try. Turns out that it was only about 35 minutes. There are 2 workouts on the DVD, one basic and one intermediate. Needless to say that I tried the basic workout.
During the introduction the instructor stressed the importance of quality over quantity which I thought was helpful because so many of the exercises stress the core muscules and as someone who needs to work on her core, my muscles fatigue faster than I would like. The instructor also suggested starting with 4 or 5 of the 18 exercises and then gradually add more. I did the whole workout last night but I can totally see the benefit of learning a few of the moves and then adding more.
The workout consisted of 18 basic Pilates exercises. The time devoted to each exercise was around 2 minutes. There was a brief tutorial on position, movement and breathing for each exercise and then the instructor would go through the full set. The intensity of the exercise is mostly appropriate for a beginner. There are certainly moves that I felt like I was unable to do, however, she did offer suggestions to make the move less challenging and she frequently reminded participants to do only what they could safely do. I did what I was able to and felt like I had a really good workout by the end. In all fairness, I think if someone, who was not as heavy as I am, tried to do the basic workout they probably would have been able to accomplish most of the exercises.
Anyway, I would recommend this DVD for anybody interested in Pilates. It was a good core workout and I like that it has 2 difficulty levels so there is somewhere to progress to.
During the introduction the instructor stressed the importance of quality over quantity which I thought was helpful because so many of the exercises stress the core muscules and as someone who needs to work on her core, my muscles fatigue faster than I would like. The instructor also suggested starting with 4 or 5 of the 18 exercises and then gradually add more. I did the whole workout last night but I can totally see the benefit of learning a few of the moves and then adding more.
The workout consisted of 18 basic Pilates exercises. The time devoted to each exercise was around 2 minutes. There was a brief tutorial on position, movement and breathing for each exercise and then the instructor would go through the full set. The intensity of the exercise is mostly appropriate for a beginner. There are certainly moves that I felt like I was unable to do, however, she did offer suggestions to make the move less challenging and she frequently reminded participants to do only what they could safely do. I did what I was able to and felt like I had a really good workout by the end. In all fairness, I think if someone, who was not as heavy as I am, tried to do the basic workout they probably would have been able to accomplish most of the exercises.
Anyway, I would recommend this DVD for anybody interested in Pilates. It was a good core workout and I like that it has 2 difficulty levels so there is somewhere to progress to.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Tips and secrets from the Stefanovic women...
Hey ladies, here are the responses from the women in my family. My aunt Sonija only asked the aunts and the first generation of cousins. She hasn't been able to get a hold of all of them but here are the responses she's collected so far. Some are practical, some are fun and some are pretty awesome. Enjoy! I especially like Amanda and Tasha's final responses...they are so them!
Ingeborg age 69
*Wash your face every day and night, no matter what time you get home.
*Use baby lotion on your face to ward off wrinkles
*Apply body lotion every morning and night
*Color your hair when it needs it
*Be active everyday
Krsmanjia age 63
*Love is the most important thing
*Only be involved in happy relationships, helps keep you optimistic
*Get 8 hours of sleep every night
*Take time to relax and do something special for yourself, like having a muffin or glass of wine
*Get your spider veins zapped periodically
Peladija age 54
*Get some kind of exercise every day, take a walk, work out, just get some exercise
*Go outdoors everyday and take in the fresh air
*Always protect your skin from the sun with sunscreen or by wearing clothing that covers your skin
*Eat healthy daily and stop eating as soon as your full
*Wear facial and body cream daily
Sonija age 46
*Pick a partner that adores your good and bad qualities
*Snuggle every day and get a kiss as soon as your together after a long day apart
*Take short naps when you need them, I like to nap everyday after work for 20-30minutes
*Take hot baths and get a massage routinely
Sabra age 40
*Get enough sleep at night, at least 8 hours
*Don’t compromise your exercise, it should hold as much importance as anything else you do. I exercise 5 times a week.
*Food is your friend, allow yourself to eat whatever you want in measured amounts.
*Have a healthy sexual relationship
Jeanie age 33
*I like to dress fashionably everyday and accessorize
*Wear make-up everyday
*Use face and body lotions every night
*Exercise every other day for 30to 45minutes
Jill age 32
*I exercise 4 days a week for 30 to 40 minutes
*I make my hair every day and wear make-up
*Buy sexy nighty’s and wear them
*Whitening teeth makes you feel good
Trisha age 31
*Wearing high heels makes me feel hot
*Get out, go dancing
*Wear make-up most days, and shiney lip gloss every day
*Play a sport or exercise 3 times a week
Amanda age 31
*Stop smoking for your health
*Wear some pretty smelling body lotion
*Buy and wear perfume
*paint your toenails
*Drink a beer or two then have sex
Karla age 29
*Get a pedicure and manicure, they make you feel good
*Buy sexy underware and bras
*Buy the name brand facial and body lotions
*Go to the gymn
Liz age 29
*Run 3 times a week
*Walk to work, that really gets your blood flowing
*Yoga
*Lavender everywhere in bath oil, candles, cleaning supplies, it’s very soothing
Nicole age 28
*I love getting my eyebrows and lips waxed. I don’t like the pain so much but sometimes a little pain is necessary for beauty. Once the redness goes away I love how good my brows and clean lips look.
*Never ever feel guilty about spending extra money to get a truly fabulous bra. A bra should not only be comfortable but it should do the job it is intended for:support! Always remember…when girls are happy, your happy! Also having a sexy bra is better than a boring bra. A sexy bra is confidence boosting even if you’re the only one who sees it.
*Take time every once in a while to really make yourself up: hair, make-up, nice outfit, matching bra and panties, stylish accessories, sexy shoes…
*Stretch! On your days off from the really aggressive work outs and take 15-20 minutes, put on some relaxing music and do some good stretching.
Tasha age 28
*Get a new hair do
*Buy something new like a new shirt
*Cook healthy
*Get sleep, that makes me nice again
Ingeborg age 69
*Wash your face every day and night, no matter what time you get home.
*Use baby lotion on your face to ward off wrinkles
*Apply body lotion every morning and night
*Color your hair when it needs it
*Be active everyday
Krsmanjia age 63
*Love is the most important thing
*Only be involved in happy relationships, helps keep you optimistic
*Get 8 hours of sleep every night
*Take time to relax and do something special for yourself, like having a muffin or glass of wine
*Get your spider veins zapped periodically
Peladija age 54
*Get some kind of exercise every day, take a walk, work out, just get some exercise
*Go outdoors everyday and take in the fresh air
*Always protect your skin from the sun with sunscreen or by wearing clothing that covers your skin
*Eat healthy daily and stop eating as soon as your full
*Wear facial and body cream daily
Sonija age 46
*Pick a partner that adores your good and bad qualities
*Snuggle every day and get a kiss as soon as your together after a long day apart
*Take short naps when you need them, I like to nap everyday after work for 20-30minutes
*Take hot baths and get a massage routinely
Sabra age 40
*Get enough sleep at night, at least 8 hours
*Don’t compromise your exercise, it should hold as much importance as anything else you do. I exercise 5 times a week.
*Food is your friend, allow yourself to eat whatever you want in measured amounts.
*Have a healthy sexual relationship
Jeanie age 33
*I like to dress fashionably everyday and accessorize
*Wear make-up everyday
*Use face and body lotions every night
*Exercise every other day for 30to 45minutes
Jill age 32
*I exercise 4 days a week for 30 to 40 minutes
*I make my hair every day and wear make-up
*Buy sexy nighty’s and wear them
*Whitening teeth makes you feel good
Trisha age 31
*Wearing high heels makes me feel hot
*Get out, go dancing
*Wear make-up most days, and shiney lip gloss every day
*Play a sport or exercise 3 times a week
Amanda age 31
*Stop smoking for your health
*Wear some pretty smelling body lotion
*Buy and wear perfume
*paint your toenails
*Drink a beer or two then have sex
Karla age 29
*Get a pedicure and manicure, they make you feel good
*Buy sexy underware and bras
*Buy the name brand facial and body lotions
*Go to the gymn
Liz age 29
*Run 3 times a week
*Walk to work, that really gets your blood flowing
*Yoga
*Lavender everywhere in bath oil, candles, cleaning supplies, it’s very soothing
Nicole age 28
*I love getting my eyebrows and lips waxed. I don’t like the pain so much but sometimes a little pain is necessary for beauty. Once the redness goes away I love how good my brows and clean lips look.
*Never ever feel guilty about spending extra money to get a truly fabulous bra. A bra should not only be comfortable but it should do the job it is intended for:support! Always remember…when girls are happy, your happy! Also having a sexy bra is better than a boring bra. A sexy bra is confidence boosting even if you’re the only one who sees it.
*Take time every once in a while to really make yourself up: hair, make-up, nice outfit, matching bra and panties, stylish accessories, sexy shoes…
*Stretch! On your days off from the really aggressive work outs and take 15-20 minutes, put on some relaxing music and do some good stretching.
Tasha age 28
*Get a new hair do
*Buy something new like a new shirt
*Cook healthy
*Get sleep, that makes me nice again
Monday, September 27, 2010
Health conscious beauties...
Happy Monday ladies. I hope that you had an enjoyable weekend and are refreshed and ready to start a new week. The first weekend of fall was fabulous here. It was cool and overcast on Saturday and cool and sunny yesterday. On Saturday my friend Chris and I went to Grist Cider Mill in Parashville, Michigan. I had never been to a cider mill before so I didn't know what to expect. First of all, the apple cider was the best I have ever had. I don't know if I liked the cider or the cinnamon sugar donuts better. They make everything on site and the donuts are made to order. After Chris and I got our goodies we sat outside for about 2 hours just chatting and enjoying the day. I think she and I are going to go to a few more mills as the season continues. Yesterday was devoted to cleaning, football and I started a new blanket. It's a new pattern and I wasn't sure if I liked it when I first started but now that I'm a ways into it I'm really starting to like it. My one concern is that it's a very dense pattern because of the way the stitches lay so it will take a lot of time and a lot of yarn to make a full sized afghan. Oh well, it will be worth it in the end!
I had a good week last week. I did really well with my scheduled work outs and stuck to my planned menu. I am really trying to work on cleaning some of the stuff out of my cupboards because I buy certain things for recipes and then never make them. I always use the perishables but the dry stock tends to sit there and then I end up with a cupboard full of things like great northern beans, sauerkraut, boxed red beans and rice and creamed corn. I've been going through and trying to pull at least two things out of the cupboard each week and plan a meal around them. When I was organizing I found all of the cupboard items for chili so I think I'm going to be making that in the next week or so. I have noticed that I have been snacking too much so I really need to work on that. I think that will most likely be addressed when I set my goal for October.
On a different but related topic, one of my aunts is writing a book and she has asked that my cousin Jessica and I help her edit. Now, I'm no editor but it has been fun to read through what she's written. I feel that I should mention that as much as I love my aunt she is no writer. She actually started working on her manuscript when her son was in Afghanistan. She had a hard time sleeping at night and instead of just sitting up and fretting about him, she decided to put pen to paper and start writing. Her book is called Straight Talk from a Fat Chick and it chronicles her most recent, and only successful weight loss attempt. It's highly unscientific and there are some things that I don't really agree with but, as she states in her disclaimer, it's not meant to be scientific. If you want you can buy hundreds, probably thousands of scientific weight loss books. Instead, her book is about her struggles with being over weight all of her adult life and the trial and error that lead to her weight loss. Anyway, the book itself is not nearly long enough to publish, even as a thin paperback so she's trying to add more content. Last week, she called all of the adult women in our family and asked them to share their beauty secrets. She wanted us to share 4-5 things that we do to make us feel healthy and/or sexy. The goal was for us to realize that no matter what size we are or where we are in our lives that we can and should do things that make us feel beautiful. So, I'm requesting audence participation today. Can you think of 4 or 5 things that you do, not necessarily every day, to make yourself feel beautiful or healthy? I'll post my contributions but if you'd like to see what the other women in my family had to say just let me know. Anyway, think about it and let me know what you do for yourself!
I had a good week last week. I did really well with my scheduled work outs and stuck to my planned menu. I am really trying to work on cleaning some of the stuff out of my cupboards because I buy certain things for recipes and then never make them. I always use the perishables but the dry stock tends to sit there and then I end up with a cupboard full of things like great northern beans, sauerkraut, boxed red beans and rice and creamed corn. I've been going through and trying to pull at least two things out of the cupboard each week and plan a meal around them. When I was organizing I found all of the cupboard items for chili so I think I'm going to be making that in the next week or so. I have noticed that I have been snacking too much so I really need to work on that. I think that will most likely be addressed when I set my goal for October.
On a different but related topic, one of my aunts is writing a book and she has asked that my cousin Jessica and I help her edit. Now, I'm no editor but it has been fun to read through what she's written. I feel that I should mention that as much as I love my aunt she is no writer. She actually started working on her manuscript when her son was in Afghanistan. She had a hard time sleeping at night and instead of just sitting up and fretting about him, she decided to put pen to paper and start writing. Her book is called Straight Talk from a Fat Chick and it chronicles her most recent, and only successful weight loss attempt. It's highly unscientific and there are some things that I don't really agree with but, as she states in her disclaimer, it's not meant to be scientific. If you want you can buy hundreds, probably thousands of scientific weight loss books. Instead, her book is about her struggles with being over weight all of her adult life and the trial and error that lead to her weight loss. Anyway, the book itself is not nearly long enough to publish, even as a thin paperback so she's trying to add more content. Last week, she called all of the adult women in our family and asked them to share their beauty secrets. She wanted us to share 4-5 things that we do to make us feel healthy and/or sexy. The goal was for us to realize that no matter what size we are or where we are in our lives that we can and should do things that make us feel beautiful. So, I'm requesting audence participation today. Can you think of 4 or 5 things that you do, not necessarily every day, to make yourself feel beautiful or healthy? I'll post my contributions but if you'd like to see what the other women in my family had to say just let me know. Anyway, think about it and let me know what you do for yourself!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
I've Missed the Blog!
Hey all-
I am so happy that I am blogging. I've thought about the blog a lot lately. If I had $1 for every time I've wanted to hop online and blog, I'd have a significant amount of money. Luckily I was able to come home tonight after Swim & Gym and relax and lay low for the most part. Since my Wednesdays are less strenuous I can get a fair amount of work done during the day tomorrow.
I very anxious for October for numerous reasons. My workload will drop a little bit because I'll be done assessing TAs at the end of the month. Do you remember being assessed Tiffany or Nicole? I remember Michael watching me teach HS 105 once but that was it. I'm trying to institute a process where TAs are assessed early in each semester and later in the semester. It really eats away at my time though trying to watch 15 graduate students teach a full class in a two week span of time.
I'm also anxious for October because fall weather will officially set in. We had taste of cool weather but it's been hot and uncomfortable this week. The humidity was killer today. I want to officially shut off my air conditioner and keep my windows open for cool nights. I am anxious to pull out my Halloween decorations too. Gavin hasn't figured out his costume for this year yet but I'm happy that he's leaning towards scary.
I've been having health problems for about a month and I've been pretty private about it. I've been to the doctor numerous times and had a lot of blood drawn. My last visit included a neurological exam too. I've been nauseated and dizzy off and on for about a month now. My energy levels have been an issue the last two weeks too. Last week was especially bad and I have symptoms almost every day that would influence my ability to work and/or drive. My doctor has been unable to find a source of my problems though. My blood work is not indicating diabetic tendencies, infection, or thyroid problems. My liver and kidney function are ok too. I passed the neurological exam with flying colors. I think it may just be my stress level that is wearing my body down from time to time. Weight loss may help alleviate my issues too.
My classes have been going very well at ISU. I am on schedule or a little bit ahead with my lectures and activities in all classes. I'm a little behind with my DMACC lectures. It's tough to cover 1-2 chapters in my once-a-week lecture on Wednesdays. It's tough to leave content out so I can be efficient with my time. It doesn't help that many of my students treat my health and wellness lectures like rocket science. Half of the class at DMACC has dropped the class so I only have 10 students. The motivation and passion for learning are so much different than the atmosphere I see at ISU.
My main stressor this week is a lecture I'm completing for a coaching clinic at DMACC. I have to help lecture for periodic coaching clinics since it's part of my contract. I have to teach for 5 hours on Friday night. Who wants to attend a class on Friday night?!?!? I know the timing of the class is going to reduce the motivation of the participants greatly. They are going to be anxious to leave all night. I have to lecture on basic human development, some sport psychology content, and common issues with coaching. Sadly I still need to create my Power Point for that evening and generate any handouts that could be useful. I'm going to do a lot of group activities and active discussion because that's a lot more interesting.
Exercise has been at a standstill for me. My weight has been steady though. I was worried that I have gained since the end of August but I think my busy lifestyle helps me burn some calories each day. My diet has been awful. There has been a lot of eating out and convenience foods in my life. My energy in the evenings is often very low and I really don't want to cook. I want to make some casseroles this weekend so I can have them ready to go and bake. Or I'll bake some ahead of time and have a nice amount of leftovers to eat from throughout the week. I need to start making weekly goals so I can make the necessary baby steps to a healthier way of living. I priorities are on work again and I need to redirect my energy.
Ok, I'm ending this before it becomes a novel. Hope everyone is having a good week!
I am so happy that I am blogging. I've thought about the blog a lot lately. If I had $1 for every time I've wanted to hop online and blog, I'd have a significant amount of money. Luckily I was able to come home tonight after Swim & Gym and relax and lay low for the most part. Since my Wednesdays are less strenuous I can get a fair amount of work done during the day tomorrow.
I very anxious for October for numerous reasons. My workload will drop a little bit because I'll be done assessing TAs at the end of the month. Do you remember being assessed Tiffany or Nicole? I remember Michael watching me teach HS 105 once but that was it. I'm trying to institute a process where TAs are assessed early in each semester and later in the semester. It really eats away at my time though trying to watch 15 graduate students teach a full class in a two week span of time.
I'm also anxious for October because fall weather will officially set in. We had taste of cool weather but it's been hot and uncomfortable this week. The humidity was killer today. I want to officially shut off my air conditioner and keep my windows open for cool nights. I am anxious to pull out my Halloween decorations too. Gavin hasn't figured out his costume for this year yet but I'm happy that he's leaning towards scary.
I've been having health problems for about a month and I've been pretty private about it. I've been to the doctor numerous times and had a lot of blood drawn. My last visit included a neurological exam too. I've been nauseated and dizzy off and on for about a month now. My energy levels have been an issue the last two weeks too. Last week was especially bad and I have symptoms almost every day that would influence my ability to work and/or drive. My doctor has been unable to find a source of my problems though. My blood work is not indicating diabetic tendencies, infection, or thyroid problems. My liver and kidney function are ok too. I passed the neurological exam with flying colors. I think it may just be my stress level that is wearing my body down from time to time. Weight loss may help alleviate my issues too.
My classes have been going very well at ISU. I am on schedule or a little bit ahead with my lectures and activities in all classes. I'm a little behind with my DMACC lectures. It's tough to cover 1-2 chapters in my once-a-week lecture on Wednesdays. It's tough to leave content out so I can be efficient with my time. It doesn't help that many of my students treat my health and wellness lectures like rocket science. Half of the class at DMACC has dropped the class so I only have 10 students. The motivation and passion for learning are so much different than the atmosphere I see at ISU.
My main stressor this week is a lecture I'm completing for a coaching clinic at DMACC. I have to help lecture for periodic coaching clinics since it's part of my contract. I have to teach for 5 hours on Friday night. Who wants to attend a class on Friday night?!?!? I know the timing of the class is going to reduce the motivation of the participants greatly. They are going to be anxious to leave all night. I have to lecture on basic human development, some sport psychology content, and common issues with coaching. Sadly I still need to create my Power Point for that evening and generate any handouts that could be useful. I'm going to do a lot of group activities and active discussion because that's a lot more interesting.
Exercise has been at a standstill for me. My weight has been steady though. I was worried that I have gained since the end of August but I think my busy lifestyle helps me burn some calories each day. My diet has been awful. There has been a lot of eating out and convenience foods in my life. My energy in the evenings is often very low and I really don't want to cook. I want to make some casseroles this weekend so I can have them ready to go and bake. Or I'll bake some ahead of time and have a nice amount of leftovers to eat from throughout the week. I need to start making weekly goals so I can make the necessary baby steps to a healthier way of living. I priorities are on work again and I need to redirect my energy.
Ok, I'm ending this before it becomes a novel. Hope everyone is having a good week!
Monday, September 20, 2010
Recipe: chicken and zucchini bake
Happy Monday ladies! I tried a new recipe over the weekend and I think it's wonderful. I'm sharing the recipe as I made it which was a little different that the actual recipe. I hope you enjoy!
1 tube reduced fat crescent rolls
1-2 tbs honey mustard
1-2 c. cooked, shredded chicken (I used the breast of a smaller rotisserie chicken and it was perfect)
3 c. shredded or sliced zucchini
1/2 medium onion diced
1 c. sliced white mushroom
1 tb. butter
2 eggs
1 c. shredded mozzorella cheese (I used reduced fat but you could probably leave this out or change to a different type of cheese)
2 tb. Italian seasoning
1/2 tb. garlic powder
salt to taste (I salted my veggies to taste and I think there was plenty of salt in the dish)
In a pan, melt butter and a few tb. of olive oil. Over medium heat add onions and cook about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue to cook over medium heat until onions are tender and translucent. Add zucchini and cook until tender. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes to cool.
In casserole dish layer crescent rolls, press into corners and up sides to create a shallow crust. Spread honey mustard in an even layer over crust. Sprinkle in chicken and then layer veggies over it.
In a bowl combine 2 eggs, cheese, pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Pour over veggies.
Bake @ 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until egg layer is firm and cheese is browned. Remove from oven. Let sit and cool for 5 minutes, but and serve.
I made this in a small Pyrex baking dish. I ended up using only 5 crescent rolls. You can easily adjust this recipe for the size of casserole that you make.
1 tube reduced fat crescent rolls
1-2 tbs honey mustard
1-2 c. cooked, shredded chicken (I used the breast of a smaller rotisserie chicken and it was perfect)
3 c. shredded or sliced zucchini
1/2 medium onion diced
1 c. sliced white mushroom
1 tb. butter
2 eggs
1 c. shredded mozzorella cheese (I used reduced fat but you could probably leave this out or change to a different type of cheese)
2 tb. Italian seasoning
1/2 tb. garlic powder
salt to taste (I salted my veggies to taste and I think there was plenty of salt in the dish)
In a pan, melt butter and a few tb. of olive oil. Over medium heat add onions and cook about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue to cook over medium heat until onions are tender and translucent. Add zucchini and cook until tender. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes to cool.
In casserole dish layer crescent rolls, press into corners and up sides to create a shallow crust. Spread honey mustard in an even layer over crust. Sprinkle in chicken and then layer veggies over it.
In a bowl combine 2 eggs, cheese, pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Pour over veggies.
Bake @ 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until egg layer is firm and cheese is browned. Remove from oven. Let sit and cool for 5 minutes, but and serve.
I made this in a small Pyrex baking dish. I ended up using only 5 crescent rolls. You can easily adjust this recipe for the size of casserole that you make.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Review: Shaping Up with Weights For Dummies
Happy Sunday all! In my last blog I wrote that I had ordered some DVDs from Amazon.com and promised reviews once I got them and had a chance to try them out. Well, I got one of them in the mail yesterday and popped it in this morning and gave it a shot. I have to say, I think it was a solid purchase, which was a pleasant surprise. If you remember, I hadn't really planned on buying this DVD and only did so when the I found a combined disc of the other two that I wanted. I had hopes and reservations for this program but in the end, all is well!
First, I was very happy to discover that it wasn't just upper body exercises. There was no description about the program itself on Amazon and I thought it might not have a total body focus. I was wrong. The disc consists of a short but rather good warm-up and then breaks the work out into what Tracy York (the instructor) calls the daily-dozen. Of the 12 exercises, there are 3 lower body, 7 upper body and 2 abdominal exercises. While these numbers might suggest that there is a much higher concentration on the upper body than the lower, after completing the exercises I feel that there is an even focus on all major muscle groups. The 3 lower body exercises all focus on multiple muscle groups while the upper body lifts are predominately for isolated areas. My one caveat is that there are only 2 strictly core exercises which is probably not a sufficient amount. However, there are plenty of programs out there that focus on nothing but the core region and would easily be able to supplement this disc.
Lower Body:
Squat, lunges, plie squat.
Upper Body:
One-arm row, triceps-extension, overhead press, biceps curl, shoulder raises, bent-over fly, push-up
Abdominals:
Crunch, oblique crunch
Each exercise has it's own chapter where she describes not only proper form and technique but she also gives good cues to make sure that while you're doing the exercise you maintain good posture. She does a few slow reps to make sure that the audience feels good with the procedure and then she proceeds with 1 set of 12 reps. After each set, she does a brief stretch of the area being used and then proceeds to the next set. I personally felt that she used good pacing for the sets and I felt very comfortable with her exercise choices.
I was surprised at how good of a work out I felt I got. I will admit, I haven't done a lot of resistance training because I don't really have access to a gym with a good set up for resistance training. The warm-up got my heart going and the exercises were not all overly easy. It's probably more of a sign that I'm out of shape than anything else but I feel like this is a good intensity level for me right now. The leg exercises were especially tiring and I realized that I cannot do a good push-up to save my life. While I liked the DVD, I did have a few concerns. Not so much for myself or for people who have had experience in the past with this type of exercise, but more so for true novices.
One concern is that as she was going through and describing and demonstrating the motions for the lower body exercises she never once said that if you can't get down to the 90 degree knee position that you could stop short. I would like to think that true beginners would have the common sense to stop short if they need to but I don't think that is the kind of assumption a trained professional should make. In the same breath, I was more than halfway through the DVD before she mentioned that if you get really tired or you can no longer do the exercises with good form that it's OK to stop and take a break before you continue on. I was always taught that it should always be quality over quantity when you're working with weights because if you're fatigued and can't maintain good form you are more likely to injure yourself. She eventually stated that you can stop but it should have been said before the first exercise began.
Anyway, I am overall very happy with my $5.41 purchase from Amazon and would recommend it to anybody who is interested in doing some resistance/toning work at home. I won't lie, nothing that I learned in this DVD is new but it's nice to have a program to follow and it's always good to get a refresher course on form and technique.
First, I was very happy to discover that it wasn't just upper body exercises. There was no description about the program itself on Amazon and I thought it might not have a total body focus. I was wrong. The disc consists of a short but rather good warm-up and then breaks the work out into what Tracy York (the instructor) calls the daily-dozen. Of the 12 exercises, there are 3 lower body, 7 upper body and 2 abdominal exercises. While these numbers might suggest that there is a much higher concentration on the upper body than the lower, after completing the exercises I feel that there is an even focus on all major muscle groups. The 3 lower body exercises all focus on multiple muscle groups while the upper body lifts are predominately for isolated areas. My one caveat is that there are only 2 strictly core exercises which is probably not a sufficient amount. However, there are plenty of programs out there that focus on nothing but the core region and would easily be able to supplement this disc.
Lower Body:
Squat, lunges, plie squat.
Upper Body:
One-arm row, triceps-extension, overhead press, biceps curl, shoulder raises, bent-over fly, push-up
Abdominals:
Crunch, oblique crunch
Each exercise has it's own chapter where she describes not only proper form and technique but she also gives good cues to make sure that while you're doing the exercise you maintain good posture. She does a few slow reps to make sure that the audience feels good with the procedure and then she proceeds with 1 set of 12 reps. After each set, she does a brief stretch of the area being used and then proceeds to the next set. I personally felt that she used good pacing for the sets and I felt very comfortable with her exercise choices.
I was surprised at how good of a work out I felt I got. I will admit, I haven't done a lot of resistance training because I don't really have access to a gym with a good set up for resistance training. The warm-up got my heart going and the exercises were not all overly easy. It's probably more of a sign that I'm out of shape than anything else but I feel like this is a good intensity level for me right now. The leg exercises were especially tiring and I realized that I cannot do a good push-up to save my life. While I liked the DVD, I did have a few concerns. Not so much for myself or for people who have had experience in the past with this type of exercise, but more so for true novices.
One concern is that as she was going through and describing and demonstrating the motions for the lower body exercises she never once said that if you can't get down to the 90 degree knee position that you could stop short. I would like to think that true beginners would have the common sense to stop short if they need to but I don't think that is the kind of assumption a trained professional should make. In the same breath, I was more than halfway through the DVD before she mentioned that if you get really tired or you can no longer do the exercises with good form that it's OK to stop and take a break before you continue on. I was always taught that it should always be quality over quantity when you're working with weights because if you're fatigued and can't maintain good form you are more likely to injure yourself. She eventually stated that you can stop but it should have been said before the first exercise began.
Anyway, I am overall very happy with my $5.41 purchase from Amazon and would recommend it to anybody who is interested in doing some resistance/toning work at home. I won't lie, nothing that I learned in this DVD is new but it's nice to have a program to follow and it's always good to get a refresher course on form and technique.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Amazon.com for the win...
Don't worry ladies, I don't have another really long blog entry for you. This should be short and sweet. First of all I want to toot my own horn...a girl has to do it every now and again. I got off work late and was in the process of justifying not working out when I made up my mind to suck it up and get my daily work out in. Of course it felt great while I was doing it and I felt even better once it was done. It's funny how the act of starting the work out is the hardest part. Once I'm going I'm really glad I did. I just need to remember that when I hem and haw in the future.
Anyway, as I was working out last night I realized that I need to add variety to my exercise routine. Normally I do a 20-30 minute cardio DVD (I have 3 that I like), I stretch after and then sometimes I will do some arm exercises with hand weights that I have. I think I hit the major components well but I get bored pretty easily and need to make some changes. I also would like to add a little more structure to my weight program. I was browsing through some fitness DVD reviews and I found that a lot of people really liked the Pilates for Dummies and Beginners Yoga for Dummies DVDs. I was pricing them on Amazon and each DVD sold for about $9...not too bad. However, as I was looking I found a single DVD that had both Pilates and Beginners Yoga for Dummies for $8.49! Naturally, I scooped that up. Seems how I got such a deal on that I decided that I would also get the Shaping up with Hand Weights for Dummies DVD too.
I really like the for Dummies fitness DVDs. The ones that I have used in the past are a really good way for you to learn something new and in the privacy in your own home. It's nice because the instruction is very detailed. Once you know the basics they offer higher intensity options. I will mention that there was a universal complaint about the Yoga DVD. Most people felt that after you used the DVD for a while you know the poses and don't need the instructions. I feel that this is probably a legitimate complaint, however, once you learn the poses you can probably do them on your own and at your own pace. All you need to do is provide the relaxing music.
Anyway, once I get them and get a chance to try them out I'll review them for you! Hope you're all having a great day.
Anyway, as I was working out last night I realized that I need to add variety to my exercise routine. Normally I do a 20-30 minute cardio DVD (I have 3 that I like), I stretch after and then sometimes I will do some arm exercises with hand weights that I have. I think I hit the major components well but I get bored pretty easily and need to make some changes. I also would like to add a little more structure to my weight program. I was browsing through some fitness DVD reviews and I found that a lot of people really liked the Pilates for Dummies and Beginners Yoga for Dummies DVDs. I was pricing them on Amazon and each DVD sold for about $9...not too bad. However, as I was looking I found a single DVD that had both Pilates and Beginners Yoga for Dummies for $8.49! Naturally, I scooped that up. Seems how I got such a deal on that I decided that I would also get the Shaping up with Hand Weights for Dummies DVD too.
I really like the for Dummies fitness DVDs. The ones that I have used in the past are a really good way for you to learn something new and in the privacy in your own home. It's nice because the instruction is very detailed. Once you know the basics they offer higher intensity options. I will mention that there was a universal complaint about the Yoga DVD. Most people felt that after you used the DVD for a while you know the poses and don't need the instructions. I feel that this is probably a legitimate complaint, however, once you learn the poses you can probably do them on your own and at your own pace. All you need to do is provide the relaxing music.
Anyway, once I get them and get a chance to try them out I'll review them for you! Hope you're all having a great day.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Cabbage Roll Casserole
Oh, I almost forgot. I promised Jenny I would post this recipe. I love this dish. It's easy to make, inexpensive and really quite tasty. Even if you don't normally like cabbage you might consider giving this a try.
1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey
1 packet French onion soup mix
1 egg
breadcrumbs (or crushed crackers)
mix all ingredients in a bowl. Add enough breadcrumbs/crackers until it's the consistency you like (however you would make meatloaf). Press mixture into the bottom of a sprayed casserole dish.
layer in either 2 sliced or shredded potatoes (you can use frozen potatoes...they cook faster and can save you a lot of time). I usually lightly salt and pepper this layer.
take 1 medium onion sliced and layer over potatoes.
take 1c. shredded carrots and layer over the onions.
take 1/2 to 1 head of cabbage (depending on how big it is) and chop it into bit sized pieces. Layer on top of carrots. You want a good layer here because the cabbage will cook down considerably. Again, I normally will lightly salt and pepper this layer.
Cover the cabbage completely with tomato juice. Bake @ 400 degrees for 1.5 hours or until veggies are fully cooked and tender. Remove from oven, let cool for 5 minutes and eat.
** If you'd like you could add a layer of shredded cheddar cheese between the meatloaf and potatoes.
** This can also be made with a white sauce instead of the tomato juice. I'll sometimes take 1 can of cream of mushroom and one can of cream of celery soup, 2 c. milk and pour that over instead. Bake the same and enjoy!
If you guys try this let me know what you think!
1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey
1 packet French onion soup mix
1 egg
breadcrumbs (or crushed crackers)
mix all ingredients in a bowl. Add enough breadcrumbs/crackers until it's the consistency you like (however you would make meatloaf). Press mixture into the bottom of a sprayed casserole dish.
layer in either 2 sliced or shredded potatoes (you can use frozen potatoes...they cook faster and can save you a lot of time). I usually lightly salt and pepper this layer.
take 1 medium onion sliced and layer over potatoes.
take 1c. shredded carrots and layer over the onions.
take 1/2 to 1 head of cabbage (depending on how big it is) and chop it into bit sized pieces. Layer on top of carrots. You want a good layer here because the cabbage will cook down considerably. Again, I normally will lightly salt and pepper this layer.
Cover the cabbage completely with tomato juice. Bake @ 400 degrees for 1.5 hours or until veggies are fully cooked and tender. Remove from oven, let cool for 5 minutes and eat.
** If you'd like you could add a layer of shredded cheddar cheese between the meatloaf and potatoes.
** This can also be made with a white sauce instead of the tomato juice. I'll sometimes take 1 can of cream of mushroom and one can of cream of celery soup, 2 c. milk and pour that over instead. Bake the same and enjoy!
If you guys try this let me know what you think!
Really good deals and a bonus...sweet!
Howdy! Apparently I am going to be making a tradition of Tuesday blogs. I hope that this Tuesday finds you all well rested, happy and in the process of a good week. I had a nice weekend including an Iowa win (honestly I'm not trying to rub it in, I just like it when my boys win), and excellent chat with my dad and an absolutely gorgeous day on Sunday! I didn't really accomplish anything of worth, unless you count decontaminating my kitchen, but I did get some crafty things done. I've been working on some crochet projects for Christmas presents this year and not only did I finish Bob's John Deere green and yellow blanket but I made a few hats that will, most likely, ultimately become presents for the nieces and nephews. I'm going to be very skint this year so hand-made gifts it is! I also got my used copy of 'Sewing for Dummies' in the mail (Amazon.com for the win) and hope to dig into that. My mom was the only person in my immediate family who could sew, well more than crude hemming and buttons that is, and she got me a nice sewing machine for Christmas last year. I figure it's time I learn how to do more than sew straight lines. Anyway, as the weather gets cooler and we have those rainy fall days I think I'll be able to really get into the book. There are several small and easy projects in the book that allow practical application of the lessons, it might make me nerdy but I'm really looking forward to them! If you promise not to laugh I might even post pictures!
Speaking of being skint and needing to save money, I am excited to report I got a great deal on some work pants yesterday! Late last spring within a two week period, 3 pair of my work pants bit the dust. I had two zipper catastrophes and one pair practically started falling apart at the seams. Granted, I wasn't terribly surprised by the zipper issues. I bought those pants when I was attending Luther which means they were probably bough in 2004, maybe earlier. It wasn't a huge deal at the time because summer was just around the corner and I tend to wear capris in the summer because I'm hot all of the time. With fall approaching and the decline in temperatures, I'm not going to be able to get away with only having 2 pair of dress pants so I went to Lane Bryant's website. I hate that they are so expensive but they are the only place that sells pants that fit me well, God bless yellow, right fit pants! Anyway, the work type pants are usually $54.50, ouch. However, yesterday was the last day of a pant sale where select styles were $29.99, score! I could get the two pair of pants that I needed for $60, excellent! However, it gets better. Online only, they had a deal where you could take $20 off when you spent over $40. I assumed that it wouldn't count on sale items but I was wrong! So, I managed to get $110 worth of pants for just under $40!! I even got free shipping because they now have free site to store shipping. I was pretty pumped.
As if saving $70 on pants wasn't enough, shortly after I made my purchase my boss came in to talk to us. This month we got our yearly raise added to our paychecks (which we didn't get last year because of the financial crisis). It bumps me up about $40 a paycheck which is really helpful. Anyway, when Matt came in yesterday he handed each of us a piece of paper and told us that because the department did so well last year that on top of our salary increase, we also get a lump sum bonus which has never happened before. I was stoked. This couldn't have come at a better time. I was really hoping I wouldn't have to ask Bob for a loan to get by for the next 9 months and then, out of the blue, we get a bonus that will probably tide me over until my finances are back to normal. It's amazing how things always manage to work out in the end. You know how people say God works in mysterious ways, well...I think they might be onto something. I don't think I say it enough so I'll say it now, God is really good...for real!
Lastly, the last week was pretty good in regards to eating and exercising. I've still been a bit peckish at night and snacking when I probably shouldn't be. I know I snack when I'm bored so I am trying to work on that this week. I've been very faithful to my exercise plan but I really feel like I should bump up what I'm doing. I really wish that the hospital had an exercise facility that employees could use for free. At a place this large it doesn't make sense that they don't. They have a gym but you have to buy a membership, which is not cheap and I can't afford right now. They also have a variety of fitness classes that they offer but again, they are really expensive and hard to get into. You would think that a hospital of all places would not only know the benefits of regular physical activity but would understand the need of having an easily accessible exercise space. Sigh, my complaining won't help so I should just suck it up and use the sucky work out room at my apartment. Is it too much to ask for free weights?!?! Oh well, it's better than nothing I suppose.
OK, it's lunch time and I'm quite hungry so I should go. Have a great day and week all!
Speaking of being skint and needing to save money, I am excited to report I got a great deal on some work pants yesterday! Late last spring within a two week period, 3 pair of my work pants bit the dust. I had two zipper catastrophes and one pair practically started falling apart at the seams. Granted, I wasn't terribly surprised by the zipper issues. I bought those pants when I was attending Luther which means they were probably bough in 2004, maybe earlier. It wasn't a huge deal at the time because summer was just around the corner and I tend to wear capris in the summer because I'm hot all of the time. With fall approaching and the decline in temperatures, I'm not going to be able to get away with only having 2 pair of dress pants so I went to Lane Bryant's website. I hate that they are so expensive but they are the only place that sells pants that fit me well, God bless yellow, right fit pants! Anyway, the work type pants are usually $54.50, ouch. However, yesterday was the last day of a pant sale where select styles were $29.99, score! I could get the two pair of pants that I needed for $60, excellent! However, it gets better. Online only, they had a deal where you could take $20 off when you spent over $40. I assumed that it wouldn't count on sale items but I was wrong! So, I managed to get $110 worth of pants for just under $40!! I even got free shipping because they now have free site to store shipping. I was pretty pumped.
As if saving $70 on pants wasn't enough, shortly after I made my purchase my boss came in to talk to us. This month we got our yearly raise added to our paychecks (which we didn't get last year because of the financial crisis). It bumps me up about $40 a paycheck which is really helpful. Anyway, when Matt came in yesterday he handed each of us a piece of paper and told us that because the department did so well last year that on top of our salary increase, we also get a lump sum bonus which has never happened before. I was stoked. This couldn't have come at a better time. I was really hoping I wouldn't have to ask Bob for a loan to get by for the next 9 months and then, out of the blue, we get a bonus that will probably tide me over until my finances are back to normal. It's amazing how things always manage to work out in the end. You know how people say God works in mysterious ways, well...I think they might be onto something. I don't think I say it enough so I'll say it now, God is really good...for real!
Lastly, the last week was pretty good in regards to eating and exercising. I've still been a bit peckish at night and snacking when I probably shouldn't be. I know I snack when I'm bored so I am trying to work on that this week. I've been very faithful to my exercise plan but I really feel like I should bump up what I'm doing. I really wish that the hospital had an exercise facility that employees could use for free. At a place this large it doesn't make sense that they don't. They have a gym but you have to buy a membership, which is not cheap and I can't afford right now. They also have a variety of fitness classes that they offer but again, they are really expensive and hard to get into. You would think that a hospital of all places would not only know the benefits of regular physical activity but would understand the need of having an easily accessible exercise space. Sigh, my complaining won't help so I should just suck it up and use the sucky work out room at my apartment. Is it too much to ask for free weights?!?! Oh well, it's better than nothing I suppose.
OK, it's lunch time and I'm quite hungry so I should go. Have a great day and week all!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Motivation comes from the strangest places sometimes...
Hello all! I hope you are having a spectacular Tuesday. I have had a productive morning and I'm now on my lunch hour. I figured it never takes me a full hour to eat so I might as well devoted half of my time to blogging.
I had a rather enjoyable long weekend. I got to spend some long overdue time with friends, the weather was spectacular, I made serious headway on some projects I have going, I watched a few episodes of Six Feet Under (I'm officially hooked), and I got to sleep in for 3 mornings in a row! I don't know if it's the cooler weather or if my brain is starting to like me again but I slept really well (for me at least) this weekend which is something I haven't been able to say in a while. I felt really good getting out of bed this morning and was really happy about that. I think sleeping better is going to help me in my attempt at early morning work outs.
Speaking of working out, I have been having this recurring dream and I want to share it. My title speaks of motivation stemming from strange places well, dream world is where my newest motivation is coming from. As you know, my sister is getting married next fall. I would really like to lose some weight before that time so I'm more comfortable in my bridesmaids dress. Anyway, I've been having this dream about Karla's wedding lately where I go in for my dress fitting and the lady tells me I can't order a dress because the style Karla picked only goes up to a size 50...50!?!? And then I look down at myself and I weigh like 893 pounds. So I tell the woman to order a 50 for me and that I know I can get down to that size by the wedding. So the wedding day comes and I am in a dress, I have no idea what size it is, but as I get ready to walk down the aisle I am standing next to the best man who is this tiny little guy...seriously it looks like I'm a horribly obese Dorothy in Munchkin land. Anyway, this itty bitty guy grabs my arm and we go to walk down and everybody is pointing and laughing, I don't know if it's at me or this tiny, tiny man next to me but they are pointing and laughing just the same. Of course, this is when I wake up all panicky and think to myself 'oh hell no!'
Now, while I realize that I am more than capable of fitting into a dress much smaller than a 50 it is a good motivation to make sure I lose weight before Karla and Justin's wedding. I want to look and feel beautiful when I'm walking down the aisle. I don't envision myself being all tiny and svelte, I know that is not realistic, but I want to be able to look back at pictures of me on that day and think that I look good. I've already started making progress towards this goal. I met my five pound goal for the month of August and now I'm working towards the same goal for September. I probably could have lost a little more in August considering the last 10 days of the month I didn't really work out as planned and my eating was questionable at best, not so much in quantity but it's more a reflection of quality. I told you last month that I want to have a monthly goal. For September, I want to keep working at getting my morning work outs accomplished plus I need to address some of my issues with eating. Because of some unexpected expenses and dealing with some student loan things I am on a very tight budget for a while. I'll be fine, it just means that unnecessary expenses have to go. One area that I can really cut back on is food expenses. I need to stick to my shopping budget and I simply cannot afford to eat out. It's amazing how easy it is to not eat out when you literally cannot afford it. While I wish I would have a little extra money it's actually a good thing that I can't eat out. I really think that this time will help me to form better habits of eating. Not to mention, it's always a good thing to make improvements in ones spending habits.
At the risk of sounding random I have to mention that I LOVE the new yogurt that I've been eating. Have you tried Greek yogurt? A while ago, on the recommendation of a co-worker I tried Oikos organic Greek yogurt with honey. I bought a 4 pack, tried one and hated it. I brought the rest to work and let other people take it because there was no way I was going to eat it. Recently, everybody I work with has been eating Greek yogurt. I told them that I tried the stuff Steph recommended and they told me to try the Dannon brand instead. I did, and it is wonderful. There are many pros to eating Greek yogurt over standard. First, it's naturally fat free and unlike the standard fat free yogurts which are usually sweetened with artificial sweeteners, this is sweetened with sugar, which I prefer. I've been trying to cut back on fake sugar as there is real evidence suggesting that higher intake of artificial sweeteners leads to higher sugar consumption in general. There is also less sodium in Greek yogurt. I think the best weight loss benefit is that there is over twice as much protein in Greek yogurt when compared to the regular varieties. It is well established that protein breaks down and is metabolized slower than carbohydrates. The intake of protein helps us to feel satisfied for longer after consumption. This will ultimately help to reduce between meal munchies which will keep caloric intake in check throughout the day. There are usually a few brands to choose from in the store. I tend to buy the Dannon Plain Greek Yogurt with Honey on the Bottom. I really like honey and I think it goes well with the tart yogurt. There are some fruit on the bottom flavors as well. Julie likes the Oikos Caramel on the bottom variety. Anyway, if you get a chance you should try it. I would definitely recommend that you just buy one of the single serving cups and try it before you buy more. It's definitely a different flavor and you may or may not like it. I just thought I'd share with you.
OK, I think that's good for now. Have a great week and enjoy the beautiful fall-like weather!
I had a rather enjoyable long weekend. I got to spend some long overdue time with friends, the weather was spectacular, I made serious headway on some projects I have going, I watched a few episodes of Six Feet Under (I'm officially hooked), and I got to sleep in for 3 mornings in a row! I don't know if it's the cooler weather or if my brain is starting to like me again but I slept really well (for me at least) this weekend which is something I haven't been able to say in a while. I felt really good getting out of bed this morning and was really happy about that. I think sleeping better is going to help me in my attempt at early morning work outs.
Speaking of working out, I have been having this recurring dream and I want to share it. My title speaks of motivation stemming from strange places well, dream world is where my newest motivation is coming from. As you know, my sister is getting married next fall. I would really like to lose some weight before that time so I'm more comfortable in my bridesmaids dress. Anyway, I've been having this dream about Karla's wedding lately where I go in for my dress fitting and the lady tells me I can't order a dress because the style Karla picked only goes up to a size 50...50!?!? And then I look down at myself and I weigh like 893 pounds. So I tell the woman to order a 50 for me and that I know I can get down to that size by the wedding. So the wedding day comes and I am in a dress, I have no idea what size it is, but as I get ready to walk down the aisle I am standing next to the best man who is this tiny little guy...seriously it looks like I'm a horribly obese Dorothy in Munchkin land. Anyway, this itty bitty guy grabs my arm and we go to walk down and everybody is pointing and laughing, I don't know if it's at me or this tiny, tiny man next to me but they are pointing and laughing just the same. Of course, this is when I wake up all panicky and think to myself 'oh hell no!'
Now, while I realize that I am more than capable of fitting into a dress much smaller than a 50 it is a good motivation to make sure I lose weight before Karla and Justin's wedding. I want to look and feel beautiful when I'm walking down the aisle. I don't envision myself being all tiny and svelte, I know that is not realistic, but I want to be able to look back at pictures of me on that day and think that I look good. I've already started making progress towards this goal. I met my five pound goal for the month of August and now I'm working towards the same goal for September. I probably could have lost a little more in August considering the last 10 days of the month I didn't really work out as planned and my eating was questionable at best, not so much in quantity but it's more a reflection of quality. I told you last month that I want to have a monthly goal. For September, I want to keep working at getting my morning work outs accomplished plus I need to address some of my issues with eating. Because of some unexpected expenses and dealing with some student loan things I am on a very tight budget for a while. I'll be fine, it just means that unnecessary expenses have to go. One area that I can really cut back on is food expenses. I need to stick to my shopping budget and I simply cannot afford to eat out. It's amazing how easy it is to not eat out when you literally cannot afford it. While I wish I would have a little extra money it's actually a good thing that I can't eat out. I really think that this time will help me to form better habits of eating. Not to mention, it's always a good thing to make improvements in ones spending habits.
At the risk of sounding random I have to mention that I LOVE the new yogurt that I've been eating. Have you tried Greek yogurt? A while ago, on the recommendation of a co-worker I tried Oikos organic Greek yogurt with honey. I bought a 4 pack, tried one and hated it. I brought the rest to work and let other people take it because there was no way I was going to eat it. Recently, everybody I work with has been eating Greek yogurt. I told them that I tried the stuff Steph recommended and they told me to try the Dannon brand instead. I did, and it is wonderful. There are many pros to eating Greek yogurt over standard. First, it's naturally fat free and unlike the standard fat free yogurts which are usually sweetened with artificial sweeteners, this is sweetened with sugar, which I prefer. I've been trying to cut back on fake sugar as there is real evidence suggesting that higher intake of artificial sweeteners leads to higher sugar consumption in general. There is also less sodium in Greek yogurt. I think the best weight loss benefit is that there is over twice as much protein in Greek yogurt when compared to the regular varieties. It is well established that protein breaks down and is metabolized slower than carbohydrates. The intake of protein helps us to feel satisfied for longer after consumption. This will ultimately help to reduce between meal munchies which will keep caloric intake in check throughout the day. There are usually a few brands to choose from in the store. I tend to buy the Dannon Plain Greek Yogurt with Honey on the Bottom. I really like honey and I think it goes well with the tart yogurt. There are some fruit on the bottom flavors as well. Julie likes the Oikos Caramel on the bottom variety. Anyway, if you get a chance you should try it. I would definitely recommend that you just buy one of the single serving cups and try it before you buy more. It's definitely a different flavor and you may or may not like it. I just thought I'd share with you.
OK, I think that's good for now. Have a great week and enjoy the beautiful fall-like weather!
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