The Scale Moved In The Same Direction For Both Of Us!
After two months on Level 1, the scale was kind to us this morning. My husband lost the 2 pounds he gained (after a cheating quite a bit) a couple weeks ago, so he's back to a 21 pound loss. And, I'm thrilled to announce that I lost another pound. Yeah! So, that puts me at a 14 pound loss, total. Only one more pound, and I'm halfway to my goal.
I can't seem to say it enough about this plan. But it has really worked for me. I've never tried a plan that resulted in this kind of loss after such a short time. And, I've tried many over the years. Prior to Sexy Forever, the best I EVER did, on those other plans, was lose 13 pounds after SIX months! It was frustrating, as you can imagine.
And the best part ... the food is fabulous! There are many times when my husband and I say ... "this meal can't be on any diet plan. It's too good."
Breakfast - I love, love, love my frozen gluten-free waffles and natural peanut butter. I'd have them every morning, if I could. I can't help it! I'm a carb girl!
AM Snack - Bowl of mixed, fresh fruit.
Lunch - Leftover Chicken with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Syrup (from Day 58). This tasted wonderful, even as leftovers. Plus, a salad.
PM Snack - Tomato Pizza Bites (SS web site). This was such a fast and pretty snack. Perfert as an appetizer for a party. It calls for 3 ingredients; medium tomatoes, pepperoni, and feta cheese.
I used the turkey pepperoni because I had some in the freezer. First, cut up the tomatoes into 5 slices and lay on a microwavable plate. Then top each with one slice of pepperoni and the cheese. Microwave until the cheese has melted; about one minute, or less. Very satisfying and fun.
Dinner - I'm still very preoccupied with my new cards designs for Sugar Notes. So, no time to make something today. My hubby stopped on his way home and picked up a roasted chicken from the deli and I opened a can of organic, green beans to go with it.
Thank goodness for deli departments. They save the day!
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
Level 1 - Day 59
I Induldged In A Guilty Pleasure
I'll fess up. I'm a huge romantic at heart. And, I think this is evident in many of the card designs and sentiments I create for Sugar Notes. I am a very passionate person.
So, call me romantic ... or wacky ... or even silly ... but my husband and I got up at the crack of dawn ... 4:00 A.M. to be exact ... to watch the live coverage of the fairy tale wedding of William and Kate. And, we weren't disappointed. It was grand, yes. But it was also fresh, modern, simple, and yet, very intimate. What a lovely couple. And it's clear they truly love one another. How refreshing.
We also toasted the couple, in time for the live coverage of the "first kiss", with a glass of champagne and a lovely breakfast. The whole morning was touching, partly because my hubby and I are still mad about each other after lots of years of marriage. Hopefully, William and Kate will be so lucky, too.
Below are our meals for the day:
Breakfast - Fruit; then waited 20 minutes. Afterwards, fried eggs in butter. The secret is to put a lid on the eggs as they get a nice crust around the edges. Also, 2 links of breakfast sausage ... and a toasted sweet bread roll. Plus, a small glass of champagne (leftover from Easter).
AM Snack - One serving of fruit.
Lunch - A big salad.
PM Snack - A slice of cheese.
Dinner - Chicken with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Syrup (SS web site) plus canned, organic green beans.
This recipe has two sauces for double the pleasure, as together they made dry chicken breasts very moist and extremely flavorful. And, I must confess that I didn't expect to like the balsamic syrup, as I thought it would be too overpowering. But, I was wrong. It was a superb compliment to the goat cheese mixture. They balanced each other remarkably well. What a nice surprise.
There are a lot of steps to this recipe, but well worth the effort. Plus, I made enough for two more meals. How fabulous is that?
Basically, you make a basil pesto, which is fairly quick. Then, you saute lots of garlic; then remove from pan and place in a bowl. Next, fry the chicken until golden brown; 4-5 minutes per side. While that's cooking, add some softened goat cheese and balsamic vinegar to the sauteed garlic.
Put the chicken breasts in a casserole dish and spread with the goat cheese mixture; then place in the oven for 5 minutes while you make the balsamic syrup. Finally, drizzle the balsamic syrup over the chicken and you have a meal fit for a king ... and queen.
I'll fess up. I'm a huge romantic at heart. And, I think this is evident in many of the card designs and sentiments I create for Sugar Notes. I am a very passionate person.
So, call me romantic ... or wacky ... or even silly ... but my husband and I got up at the crack of dawn ... 4:00 A.M. to be exact ... to watch the live coverage of the fairy tale wedding of William and Kate. And, we weren't disappointed. It was grand, yes. But it was also fresh, modern, simple, and yet, very intimate. What a lovely couple. And it's clear they truly love one another. How refreshing.
We also toasted the couple, in time for the live coverage of the "first kiss", with a glass of champagne and a lovely breakfast. The whole morning was touching, partly because my hubby and I are still mad about each other after lots of years of marriage. Hopefully, William and Kate will be so lucky, too.
Below are our meals for the day:
Breakfast - Fruit; then waited 20 minutes. Afterwards, fried eggs in butter. The secret is to put a lid on the eggs as they get a nice crust around the edges. Also, 2 links of breakfast sausage ... and a toasted sweet bread roll. Plus, a small glass of champagne (leftover from Easter).
AM Snack - One serving of fruit.
Lunch - A big salad.
PM Snack - A slice of cheese.
Dinner - Chicken with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Syrup (SS web site) plus canned, organic green beans.
This recipe has two sauces for double the pleasure, as together they made dry chicken breasts very moist and extremely flavorful. And, I must confess that I didn't expect to like the balsamic syrup, as I thought it would be too overpowering. But, I was wrong. It was a superb compliment to the goat cheese mixture. They balanced each other remarkably well. What a nice surprise.
There are a lot of steps to this recipe, but well worth the effort. Plus, I made enough for two more meals. How fabulous is that?
Basically, you make a basil pesto, which is fairly quick. Then, you saute lots of garlic; then remove from pan and place in a bowl. Next, fry the chicken until golden brown; 4-5 minutes per side. While that's cooking, add some softened goat cheese and balsamic vinegar to the sauteed garlic.
Put the chicken breasts in a casserole dish and spread with the goat cheese mixture; then place in the oven for 5 minutes while you make the balsamic syrup. Finally, drizzle the balsamic syrup over the chicken and you have a meal fit for a king ... and queen.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Level 1 - Day 57
I Need Your Help
I've been creating some new card designs for My Sugar Notes greeting cards. I'm calling the line, Seed Packet Cards. They include an actual packet of seeds from Burpee or Ferry-Morse.
They also feature illustrations that are created and drawn by me. Plus, they include an inside verse, which is new for Sugar Notes, as our mission is to bring back the gesture and warmth of handwritten messages. So, consequently Sugar Notes cards are usually blank inside.
While I have a small focus group that gives me feedback with all of my new card designs, I'd especially appreciate hearing your comments regarding these designs, and the line itself.
Here's a sneak peak of two
of the card images:
I look forward to hearing your comments or feedback. Please leave a comment for me, or email me at: www.Cathy@SugarNotesCards.com
Today's Meal Plan: Today was all about leftovers. I love days like that! Also, I stayed on plan all day and drank eight 8-ounce glasses of water flavored with fresh mint.
I've been creating some new card designs for My Sugar Notes greeting cards. I'm calling the line, Seed Packet Cards. They include an actual packet of seeds from Burpee or Ferry-Morse.
They also feature illustrations that are created and drawn by me. Plus, they include an inside verse, which is new for Sugar Notes, as our mission is to bring back the gesture and warmth of handwritten messages. So, consequently Sugar Notes cards are usually blank inside.
 |
| Inside Verse: Big things are in store for you today. Happy Birthday. |
While I have a small focus group that gives me feedback with all of my new card designs, I'd especially appreciate hearing your comments regarding these designs, and the line itself.
Here's a sneak peak of two
of the card images:
 |
| Inside Verse: Congratulations on the birth of your new baby! |
Today's Meal Plan: Today was all about leftovers. I love days like that! Also, I stayed on plan all day and drank eight 8-ounce glasses of water flavored with fresh mint.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Level 1 - Day 56
Big News For My Sugar Notes Greeting Cards!
I just got word that Greetings Magazine featured one of my cards in their Spring edition. They also sent me a copy (page 11) of the issue, which was so exciting to see in person. I'm thrilled beyond belief because this magazine is an industry standard for greeting card companies and retailers alike. It has a HUGE audience.
Below is the card that was featured. It has a small black pouch, which my printer makes especially for Sugar Notes, with a red insert card that pulls out. That's where the sender writes their sentiment, then slides the card back into the pouch. The fun part is the greeting then becomes a secret message for both the sender and recipient to enjoy.
I just got word that Greetings Magazine featured one of my cards in their Spring edition. They also sent me a copy (page 11) of the issue, which was so exciting to see in person. I'm thrilled beyond belief because this magazine is an industry standard for greeting card companies and retailers alike. It has a HUGE audience.
Below is the card that was featured. It has a small black pouch, which my printer makes especially for Sugar Notes, with a red insert card that pulls out. That's where the sender writes their sentiment, then slides the card back into the pouch. The fun part is the greeting then becomes a secret message for both the sender and recipient to enjoy.
You can purchase this card at: http://www.sugarnotes.etsy.com/
Also, if you enter the code, SexyForever, at checkout,
you'll receive 10% off your total order.
Breakfast - Leftover Easy Eggs Florentine (from yesterday) and two breakfast sausage links. My husband has been begging me to make this again, soon! He's one of those people who loves McDonald's Egg McMuffins ... and claims this is the gourmet version.
AM Snack: I had a fruit smoothie then exercised for 45 minutes.
Lunch - The last of the broccoli soup and the last of the flattened pork chops from Day 54.
PM Snack - Natural beef jerky (1 ounce).
Dinner - I had a migraine headache coming on strong, so my sweet, thoughtful, and adorable husband stopped at our grocery store and made some salads for us from their salad bar. Just what the doctor ordered.
AM Snack: I had a fruit smoothie then exercised for 45 minutes.
Lunch - The last of the broccoli soup and the last of the flattened pork chops from Day 54.
PM Snack - Natural beef jerky (1 ounce).
Dinner - I had a migraine headache coming on strong, so my sweet, thoughtful, and adorable husband stopped at our grocery store and made some salads for us from their salad bar. Just what the doctor ordered.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Level 1 - Day 55 (Easter Meals)
Happy Easter Everyone!
When planning my Easter meals I ran into an obstacle. I couldn't find any recipes in Suzanne's books or web site for ham. And, as you know, for most families that's the main event for the Easter meal.
Since Easter is about Jesus, I remembered a Bible story where Jesus fed over 5,000 people with 5 loaves of bread and two fish. So, that story was my inspiration for my Easter meal. We had fish. But, I skipped the bread.
Also, before church some friends came over for an Easter brunch. I found a recipe on Suzanne's web site for Easy Eggs Florentine, which uses ham. So, I decided to feature ham in my brunch menu. How perfect ... right?
Plus, for my birthday, my sweet sister gave me the book, Somersize Cocktails. So, I splurged a bit and used two of the drink recipes to go with my meals. And, if I say so myself, they were perfect.
My sister, Dinah, is one of my biggest supporters in everything I do. So, I have to thank her for this wonderful gift. I can't wait to try the other drink recipes when I get closer to my goal weight.
Breakfast Brunch - This meal was so festive and pretty from start to finish. And, what's even better is that, other than the alcohol, it was on the Sexy Forever plan. Yeah!
First, instead of a Mimosa, we started with a Cosmosa. Plus a Suzanne friendly version of Ambrosia Fruit Salad. As you know, when eating fruit you can't mix anything else with it. So, to get around the cream sauce that's typically on ambrosia, I pureed some fresh strawberries and mixed some shredded coconut in it. Then I drizzled it on a mixture of fresh fruits. Both the drink and fruit salad were extremely delicious and very festive.
Then, as you know, whenever you eat fruit you have to wait 20 minutes before eating anything else. So, we chatted while I finished preparing our main meal, Easy Eggs Florentine (SS web site). You prepare them in a cupcake tin and they come out looking like cupcakes. But, they're made with ham, spinach, eggs, and cheese.
I wish you could have seen how beautiful they looked on my Royal Albert bone china serving dish. Plus, a small two-tiered pedestal held my breakfast sausages. And of course, the individual place settings matched. So, it was indeed a beautiful table, topped with an Easter Lily as the centerpiece. So you see, you can prepare holiday-appropriate meals on the Sexy Forever plan.
Tip: Here's a recipe tip. When baking the eggs in the oven, the recipe says to bake for 10 minutes. However, they were still a bit runny, so I put them back in the oven for an additional 3 minutes and they were perfect. And, so as not to be confused, after the 13 minutes you top them with shredded cheddar cheese and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
AM Snack - After eating our delightful brunch, neither one of us was hungry for a snack.
Lunch - Leftover Flattened Pan-Fried Pork Chops and Buffalo Mozzarella, Fennel, and Celery Salad, both from yesterday.
PM Snack - In keeping with the Easter theme, we had deviled eggs as an appetizer. Get it? Plus, a small glass of wine. I justified the wine because I needed one cup for the fish I'm making for our Easter dinner.
Dinner - Citrus Pesto-Encrusted Fish (SS web site) and Zucchini Ribbons with Parsley Pesto for 4 (SS web site). To save time, I made both pesto recipes the night before.
The combination of these two dishes were elegant and festive. The pesto sauce on the fish gave it an exotic presentation and the gravy sauce on the zucchini ribbons looked like something you'd get in a 5 Star restaurant.
Both were incredibly delicious. I've never had sea bass before, but it was a light and flaky fish with wonderful flavor. Mainly in part to the yummy sauce that's made with white wine, lemon and lime juice, and a little butter. Yummo!
NOTE: Because of the wine, the fish was a Level 1 meal. To make it appropriate for Detox, substitute the wine for vegetable stock.
Dessert - To top off the meal we had a Lemon Drop Martini (from Somersize Cocktails) and ONE dark chocolate covered strawberry. The combination was decadent. I didn't even miss my Marshmallow Peeps, Chocolate Cake, or Key Lime Pie! Also, this dessert is definitely a Level 2. But since we only ate one strawberry each, it wasn't a full portion.
NOTE: Suzanne recommends using dark chocolate with 60% cacao for the best benefits. Many of you probably know that dark chocolate is actually good for you ... in moderation of course. Also, if anyone would like the recipes for the Lemon Drop Martini or the Cosmosa, please send me a message.
When planning my Easter meals I ran into an obstacle. I couldn't find any recipes in Suzanne's books or web site for ham. And, as you know, for most families that's the main event for the Easter meal.
Since Easter is about Jesus, I remembered a Bible story where Jesus fed over 5,000 people with 5 loaves of bread and two fish. So, that story was my inspiration for my Easter meal. We had fish. But, I skipped the bread.
Also, before church some friends came over for an Easter brunch. I found a recipe on Suzanne's web site for Easy Eggs Florentine, which uses ham. So, I decided to feature ham in my brunch menu. How perfect ... right?
Plus, for my birthday, my sweet sister gave me the book, Somersize Cocktails. So, I splurged a bit and used two of the drink recipes to go with my meals. And, if I say so myself, they were perfect.
My sister, Dinah, is one of my biggest supporters in everything I do. So, I have to thank her for this wonderful gift. I can't wait to try the other drink recipes when I get closer to my goal weight.
Breakfast Brunch - This meal was so festive and pretty from start to finish. And, what's even better is that, other than the alcohol, it was on the Sexy Forever plan. Yeah!
First, instead of a Mimosa, we started with a Cosmosa. Plus a Suzanne friendly version of Ambrosia Fruit Salad. As you know, when eating fruit you can't mix anything else with it. So, to get around the cream sauce that's typically on ambrosia, I pureed some fresh strawberries and mixed some shredded coconut in it. Then I drizzled it on a mixture of fresh fruits. Both the drink and fruit salad were extremely delicious and very festive.
Then, as you know, whenever you eat fruit you have to wait 20 minutes before eating anything else. So, we chatted while I finished preparing our main meal, Easy Eggs Florentine (SS web site). You prepare them in a cupcake tin and they come out looking like cupcakes. But, they're made with ham, spinach, eggs, and cheese.
I wish you could have seen how beautiful they looked on my Royal Albert bone china serving dish. Plus, a small two-tiered pedestal held my breakfast sausages. And of course, the individual place settings matched. So, it was indeed a beautiful table, topped with an Easter Lily as the centerpiece. So you see, you can prepare holiday-appropriate meals on the Sexy Forever plan.
Tip: Here's a recipe tip. When baking the eggs in the oven, the recipe says to bake for 10 minutes. However, they were still a bit runny, so I put them back in the oven for an additional 3 minutes and they were perfect. And, so as not to be confused, after the 13 minutes you top them with shredded cheddar cheese and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
AM Snack - After eating our delightful brunch, neither one of us was hungry for a snack.
Lunch - Leftover Flattened Pan-Fried Pork Chops and Buffalo Mozzarella, Fennel, and Celery Salad, both from yesterday.
PM Snack - In keeping with the Easter theme, we had deviled eggs as an appetizer. Get it? Plus, a small glass of wine. I justified the wine because I needed one cup for the fish I'm making for our Easter dinner.
Dinner - Citrus Pesto-Encrusted Fish (SS web site) and Zucchini Ribbons with Parsley Pesto for 4 (SS web site). To save time, I made both pesto recipes the night before.
The combination of these two dishes were elegant and festive. The pesto sauce on the fish gave it an exotic presentation and the gravy sauce on the zucchini ribbons looked like something you'd get in a 5 Star restaurant.
Both were incredibly delicious. I've never had sea bass before, but it was a light and flaky fish with wonderful flavor. Mainly in part to the yummy sauce that's made with white wine, lemon and lime juice, and a little butter. Yummo!
NOTE: Because of the wine, the fish was a Level 1 meal. To make it appropriate for Detox, substitute the wine for vegetable stock.
Dessert - To top off the meal we had a Lemon Drop Martini (from Somersize Cocktails) and ONE dark chocolate covered strawberry. The combination was decadent. I didn't even miss my Marshmallow Peeps, Chocolate Cake, or Key Lime Pie! Also, this dessert is definitely a Level 2. But since we only ate one strawberry each, it wasn't a full portion.
NOTE: Suzanne recommends using dark chocolate with 60% cacao for the best benefits. Many of you probably know that dark chocolate is actually good for you ... in moderation of course. Also, if anyone would like the recipes for the Lemon Drop Martini or the Cosmosa, please send me a message.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Level 1 - Day 54
A Few Tips To Add Some Zip To Water
As you know, with any healthy lifestyle plan, it is recommended that you drink eight, 8-once glasses of water each day. Recently, I began experimenting with food items that could infuse the water, giving it a different flavor.
Adding a lemon slice is common, but I found that adding slices of lime or cucumbers gives the water a fresh and satisfying flavor, as well. However, my most recent ah-ha moment came from my compulsion to NOT waste food.
Several of Suzanne's recipes call for fresh mint. And, as you know, fresh herbs don't last long in the refrigerator. So, after throwing out a bag of unused mint, I later got the idea to put mint leaves in my water glass. And, boy, was it delicious. The best part is that I won't be throwing out unused mint ever again!
If anyone out there has other ideas for sprucing up plain old drinking water, I'd love to hear about them.
Breakfast - Scrambled Eggs with Cheddar and Asparagus (SS web site) plus two links of breakfast sausage.
Okay, I have to fess up. I forgot to buy some asparagus yesterday, so I had to improvise this recipe with chopped tomatoes. And, to my surprise it was a happy mistake because this dish was delicious. The soft-cooked tomatoes complimented the eggs and cheese beautifully and they made the dish very festive looking, too.
AM Snack - Grapes.
Lunch - The last of the Grilled Chicken with Tuscan Artichoke Pate (from Day 52) plus the Broccoli soup from the same day.
PM Snack - Hot Apple with Cinnamon (SS web site). If you close your eyes and think about apple pie, you can almost make yourself believe you're eating it with this treat. So, for that reason, I found it very satisfying and delicious.
Dinner - Flattened Pan-fried Pork Chops (SS web site) and Buffalo Mozzarella, Fennel and Celery Salad (SS web site).
To prepare the pork chops you flatten boneless top loin chops and put them in a marinade for an hour. Then, place them in a skillet with some EVOO and fry for 5-6 minutes on each side. They come out a beautiful golden brown and taste heavenly due to the marinade. I loved this dish because boneless pork chops tend to be dry without the bone, and the marinade made you forget about the dryness.
But the big surprise was the salad. When I looked at the ingredients (chopped fennel, celery, and cubed mozzarella, topped with fresh lemon juice, EVOO, salt and pepper) I didn't hold out much hope that this would be all that delicious. But, I was s-o-o-o-o-o wrong.
In fact, I could have eaten all four servings. It was spectacular ... partially in part to the mozzarella cheese. You can't go wrong with cheese!
As you know, with any healthy lifestyle plan, it is recommended that you drink eight, 8-once glasses of water each day. Recently, I began experimenting with food items that could infuse the water, giving it a different flavor.
Adding a lemon slice is common, but I found that adding slices of lime or cucumbers gives the water a fresh and satisfying flavor, as well. However, my most recent ah-ha moment came from my compulsion to NOT waste food.
Several of Suzanne's recipes call for fresh mint. And, as you know, fresh herbs don't last long in the refrigerator. So, after throwing out a bag of unused mint, I later got the idea to put mint leaves in my water glass. And, boy, was it delicious. The best part is that I won't be throwing out unused mint ever again!
If anyone out there has other ideas for sprucing up plain old drinking water, I'd love to hear about them.
Breakfast - Scrambled Eggs with Cheddar and Asparagus (SS web site) plus two links of breakfast sausage.
Okay, I have to fess up. I forgot to buy some asparagus yesterday, so I had to improvise this recipe with chopped tomatoes. And, to my surprise it was a happy mistake because this dish was delicious. The soft-cooked tomatoes complimented the eggs and cheese beautifully and they made the dish very festive looking, too.
AM Snack - Grapes.
Lunch - The last of the Grilled Chicken with Tuscan Artichoke Pate (from Day 52) plus the Broccoli soup from the same day.
PM Snack - Hot Apple with Cinnamon (SS web site). If you close your eyes and think about apple pie, you can almost make yourself believe you're eating it with this treat. So, for that reason, I found it very satisfying and delicious.
Dinner - Flattened Pan-fried Pork Chops (SS web site) and Buffalo Mozzarella, Fennel and Celery Salad (SS web site).
To prepare the pork chops you flatten boneless top loin chops and put them in a marinade for an hour. Then, place them in a skillet with some EVOO and fry for 5-6 minutes on each side. They come out a beautiful golden brown and taste heavenly due to the marinade. I loved this dish because boneless pork chops tend to be dry without the bone, and the marinade made you forget about the dryness.
But the big surprise was the salad. When I looked at the ingredients (chopped fennel, celery, and cubed mozzarella, topped with fresh lemon juice, EVOO, salt and pepper) I didn't hold out much hope that this would be all that delicious. But, I was s-o-o-o-o-o wrong.
In fact, I could have eaten all four servings. It was spectacular ... partially in part to the mozzarella cheese. You can't go wrong with cheese!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Level 1 - Day 53 (Weigh-In Day)
Time To See What's Shakin' With The Scale!
My mother left three days ago, and we're trying to get back on track after her visit. We got rid of her leftover sugary treats and carbs in a bag. Plus, menu selection is a lot easier because I don't have her limitations to consider.
So, when we jumped on the scale this morning we both had our fingers crossed. And, here's the results. After gaining 2 pounds last week, my husband didn't gain or lose weight this week. He stayed the same at 19 pounds, total.
However, I was able to lose one pound, for a total of 13 pounds. It seems I have more will power than my husband. Here's the thing ... whenever my mother would get out her treats, he'd usually cave in and have a little with her. For the record, I'm happy to report that I've been able to stay focused for over a week.
So, the moral of this story is ... stick to the plan because the food is good ... and good for you!
Breakfast - Fruit; then exercised. Followed by Quinoa and non-fat milk. Topped with Agave Nectar.
AM Snack - The morning got away from me, so I missed eating my snack.
Lunch - The last of the Lamb and Feta Burgers from Day 51, plus a side salad.
PM Snack - Natural Beef Jerky (1 ounce).
Dinner - Leftover Grilled Chicken with Tuscan Artichoke Pate (from yesterday) and Broccoli Soup (from yesterday). The addition of sour cream, dolloped on top of the soup, really takes it up a notch.
That's what I love about Suzanne's recipes. She just seems to know the right little addition, that turns a good meal into a great meal!
My mother left three days ago, and we're trying to get back on track after her visit. We got rid of her leftover sugary treats and carbs in a bag. Plus, menu selection is a lot easier because I don't have her limitations to consider.
So, when we jumped on the scale this morning we both had our fingers crossed. And, here's the results. After gaining 2 pounds last week, my husband didn't gain or lose weight this week. He stayed the same at 19 pounds, total.
However, I was able to lose one pound, for a total of 13 pounds. It seems I have more will power than my husband. Here's the thing ... whenever my mother would get out her treats, he'd usually cave in and have a little with her. For the record, I'm happy to report that I've been able to stay focused for over a week.
So, the moral of this story is ... stick to the plan because the food is good ... and good for you!
Breakfast - Fruit; then exercised. Followed by Quinoa and non-fat milk. Topped with Agave Nectar.
AM Snack - The morning got away from me, so I missed eating my snack.
Lunch - The last of the Lamb and Feta Burgers from Day 51, plus a side salad.
PM Snack - Natural Beef Jerky (1 ounce).
Dinner - Leftover Grilled Chicken with Tuscan Artichoke Pate (from yesterday) and Broccoli Soup (from yesterday). The addition of sour cream, dolloped on top of the soup, really takes it up a notch.
That's what I love about Suzanne's recipes. She just seems to know the right little addition, that turns a good meal into a great meal!
Friday, April 22, 2011
Level 1 - Day 52
Another Hectic Day!
Several times a year, I reserve a week to do nothing but create new card designs for my Sugar Notes greeting card line. I started yesterday, and will continue for the next couple of days.
Consequently, I'm late getting my blog out today. And, I'll probably be late tomorrow, too. I also got rid of all of my mother's leftover sweet treats by sending them to work with my husband. He put them in the break room and reported that they were all gone by 10:00!
So, we're back in the swing of things by getting rid of all temptations. Whew! It feels so good.
Breakfast - Quaker puffed wheat cereal and non-fat milk.
AM Snack - Grapes.
Lunch - Leftover Lamb and Feta Burgers and the Roasted Eggplant Relish from yesterday. I love these burgers! If you don't care for feta cheese, you probably won't like them because it's very prominent in the burger.
PM Snack - Natural beef jerky (1 ounce).
Dinner - Grilled Chicken with Tuscan Artichoke Pate (from SS web site) and Broccoli Soup (from SS web site).
This was such a fancy dish. I felt like I was eating at a gourmet restaurant and probably should have lit some candles to set a better mood. But, I didn't know it would be so delicious. The artichoke pate really takes plain old chicken to a new level.
To acquire this lovely presentation, you place some artichoke pate on each plate. Then, place a chicken breast on top of the pate and garnish with a sprinkle of fresh thyme.
If you don't care for artichokes, try this recipe because you use canned artichoke bottoms, then add chicken stock and fresh lemon juice. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. Next, remove the artichokes and put in a blender along with EVOO, sea salt, and pepper. Puree until smooth. NOTE: I added a little of the broth as the recipe was a little vauge about this step.
The broccoli soup was fast and easy to prepare. And it tasted just like steamed broccoli but only in liquid form. It had a very light flavor which complimented the chicken quite nicely. I highly recommend both dishes.
Several times a year, I reserve a week to do nothing but create new card designs for my Sugar Notes greeting card line. I started yesterday, and will continue for the next couple of days.
Consequently, I'm late getting my blog out today. And, I'll probably be late tomorrow, too. I also got rid of all of my mother's leftover sweet treats by sending them to work with my husband. He put them in the break room and reported that they were all gone by 10:00!
So, we're back in the swing of things by getting rid of all temptations. Whew! It feels so good.
Breakfast - Quaker puffed wheat cereal and non-fat milk.
AM Snack - Grapes.
Lunch - Leftover Lamb and Feta Burgers and the Roasted Eggplant Relish from yesterday. I love these burgers! If you don't care for feta cheese, you probably won't like them because it's very prominent in the burger.
PM Snack - Natural beef jerky (1 ounce).
Dinner - Grilled Chicken with Tuscan Artichoke Pate (from SS web site) and Broccoli Soup (from SS web site).
This was such a fancy dish. I felt like I was eating at a gourmet restaurant and probably should have lit some candles to set a better mood. But, I didn't know it would be so delicious. The artichoke pate really takes plain old chicken to a new level.
To acquire this lovely presentation, you place some artichoke pate on each plate. Then, place a chicken breast on top of the pate and garnish with a sprinkle of fresh thyme.
If you don't care for artichokes, try this recipe because you use canned artichoke bottoms, then add chicken stock and fresh lemon juice. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. Next, remove the artichokes and put in a blender along with EVOO, sea salt, and pepper. Puree until smooth. NOTE: I added a little of the broth as the recipe was a little vauge about this step.
The broccoli soup was fast and easy to prepare. And it tasted just like steamed broccoli but only in liquid form. It had a very light flavor which complimented the chicken quite nicely. I highly recommend both dishes.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Level 1 - Day 51
Losing A Parent Is Hard On The Heart
Recently, my dearest friend Jane, lost her father to Pancreatic Cancer. This card is for Jane and for those of you who have lost a parent.
Recently, my dearest friend Jane, lost her father to Pancreatic Cancer. This card is for Jane and for those of you who have lost a parent.
You can purchase this Sugar Note sympathy card at:
GET 10% OFF: Type in the code, SexyForever, at check-out and you'll
receive 10% off your entire order!
receive 10% off your entire order!
Breakfast - One serving of fruit; then exercised. Afterwards, Quaker Puffed Wheat cereal and non-fat milk. I have to say that I preferred the Quaker brand over the Kashi brand.
AM Snack - Hot Apple with Cinnamon (from SS web site). I used a small, organic apple, which counts as two servings.
Lunch - Leftover salad from yesterday.
PM Snack - Slice of cheese.
Dinner - Lamb and Feta Burgers (SS web site) and Roasted Eggplant Relish For 4 (SS web site). Both of these recipes were fast and easy to prepare. However, I liked one much better than the other.
The addition of the feta cheese to the lamb was fabulous. Especially since I'm not a big lamb fan. I think the feta cheese gave the lamb a big punch in the arm, and I found myself enjoying every bitefull. My husband was equally impressed, and even said that he might go so far as to nominate the burgers as one of his top 5 favorites for the month.
On the other hand, the eggplant relish was a disappointment. Suzanne claimed, on the recipe, that even eggplant haters will be tricked because the combination of cumin and fresh mint makes this recipe delicious.
While I wouldn't go so far as to say it was bad, I don't think I'd make it again. For me, the mint didn't work. I like eggplant and I felt the mint overpowered the dish. In fact, my husband didn't want me to include it in his lunch tomorrow. So, I guess the 2 servings of leftovers are all mine. Maybe it will get better with age.
AM Snack - Hot Apple with Cinnamon (from SS web site). I used a small, organic apple, which counts as two servings.
Lunch - Leftover salad from yesterday.
PM Snack - Slice of cheese.
Dinner - Lamb and Feta Burgers (SS web site) and Roasted Eggplant Relish For 4 (SS web site). Both of these recipes were fast and easy to prepare. However, I liked one much better than the other.
The addition of the feta cheese to the lamb was fabulous. Especially since I'm not a big lamb fan. I think the feta cheese gave the lamb a big punch in the arm, and I found myself enjoying every bitefull. My husband was equally impressed, and even said that he might go so far as to nominate the burgers as one of his top 5 favorites for the month.
On the other hand, the eggplant relish was a disappointment. Suzanne claimed, on the recipe, that even eggplant haters will be tricked because the combination of cumin and fresh mint makes this recipe delicious.
While I wouldn't go so far as to say it was bad, I don't think I'd make it again. For me, the mint didn't work. I like eggplant and I felt the mint overpowered the dish. In fact, my husband didn't want me to include it in his lunch tomorrow. So, I guess the 2 servings of leftovers are all mine. Maybe it will get better with age.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Level 1 - Day 50
My Mother Flew The Coup!
While I thoroughly enjoy my mother's month-long visits, meals have always been challenging because she's so darn picky about everything. But today, I feel like a kid who just got her training wheels off her bike. Whheeee!!
While looking through recipes for the upcoming days, I'm almost giddy with delight because I don't have to select meals that my mother will eat. And believe me, that's not as easy as it sounds. When it's your own mother you have to walk a fine line between respect for her and what you want. It's quite a restriction to put on someone who enjoys lots of variety. Especially now, since I have discovered the untapped food items in Suzanne's recipes.
In some ways, I think that's a big part of the reason I've enjoyed the Sexy Forever Plan so much. I have discovered that I've been missing out on delicious food items and new meal preparations. Mostly because I got in a rut. Which is very easy to do when you're busy with life.
Breakfast - A fruit smoothie.
AM Snack - Celery with natural peanut butter.
Lunch - A big salad with deli turkey slices, tomato, cucumber, shredded cheese, and green peppers. Plus, fresh salad dressing from the produce department.
PM Snack - Whole grain Wasa Crisp with homemade salsa from the produce department.
Dinner - I didn't get my act together in time, so I wasn't able to get to the grocery store. And, the cupboard is bare. So, hubby picked up a sub from Subway. It was bad, I know, but at least he chose one of the healthier subs.
While I thoroughly enjoy my mother's month-long visits, meals have always been challenging because she's so darn picky about everything. But today, I feel like a kid who just got her training wheels off her bike. Whheeee!!
While looking through recipes for the upcoming days, I'm almost giddy with delight because I don't have to select meals that my mother will eat. And believe me, that's not as easy as it sounds. When it's your own mother you have to walk a fine line between respect for her and what you want. It's quite a restriction to put on someone who enjoys lots of variety. Especially now, since I have discovered the untapped food items in Suzanne's recipes.
In some ways, I think that's a big part of the reason I've enjoyed the Sexy Forever Plan so much. I have discovered that I've been missing out on delicious food items and new meal preparations. Mostly because I got in a rut. Which is very easy to do when you're busy with life.
Breakfast - A fruit smoothie.
AM Snack - Celery with natural peanut butter.
Lunch - A big salad with deli turkey slices, tomato, cucumber, shredded cheese, and green peppers. Plus, fresh salad dressing from the produce department.
PM Snack - Whole grain Wasa Crisp with homemade salsa from the produce department.
Dinner - I didn't get my act together in time, so I wasn't able to get to the grocery store. And, the cupboard is bare. So, hubby picked up a sub from Subway. It was bad, I know, but at least he chose one of the healthier subs.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Level 1 - Day 48
Happy Birthday
To My Friends With April Birthdays
You Can Purchase This Sugar Notes Greeting Card
at:
Breakfast - Bacon; then I fried the eggs the Suzanne Somers way. Drain off all but a tablespoon of the bacon grease. Then, crack the eggs into the pan and season with salt and pepper. Put the lid on for a couple minutes and you will have the most delicious eggs ... EVER!
AM Snack - A sliced tomato.
Lunch - Leftover Baked Italian Sausage and Crunchy Coleslaw from yesterday. This was just as fabulous the second day ... and oh so satisfying.
PM Snack - Fruit smoothie.
Dinner - Flattened Chicken (from SS web site) and organic, canned green beans.
This unusual preparation was new for me and I wasn't sure if the chicken would cook thru, but it did! The first step is asking your butcher to butterfly the chicken by slicing the backbone and removing the breast bone. Then, lay it flat and season both sides with salt, pepper, paprika and fresh rosemary.
Next, heat EVOO in a large skillet. Put the whole chicken in the pan and weight it down with a lid and a brick or heavy stone. I used my cast iron skillet as the lid and placed my flour canister inside.
Then cook for 15 minutes; then flip the chicken. Cook for another 12 minutes. Finally, let is rest for 5-10 minutes.
This Tuscan style chicken was crispy and pretty easy to prepare. However, we each ate either a leg or wing and because the meat was so compacted, it was hard to get it off the bone. Tomorrow we'll finish off the rest, so it should be better because there's no bones to deal with.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Level 1 - Day 47
To Break Tradition ... Or Not
My mother has been coming to visit us two times per year, for 7 years. We started a tradition during her first visit, and have continued it ever since. On the last weekend of her month-long visit we always take my mom miniature golfing. Afterwards, we go to Bahama Breeze, a local restaurant, where she always treats us to an alcoholic ice cream drink and hors d'oeuvres. It's her way of saying thanks for all that we do while she's here.
As you know, from my previous posts, we are struggling to get back on track with the Sexy Forever plan after two weeks of straying from the plan due to unexpected obstacles. But, we couldn't hurt my mother's feelings so we went to Bahama Breeze and had our treats. Only this time, we planned it so we could count it as dinner instead of a snack. Oh, the things we do for love.
Breakfast - Scrambled eggs with bacon and cheese mixed in, plus a sliced tomato.
AM Snack - Fruit smoothie.
Lunch - Baked Italian Sausage (from SS web site) and Crunchy Coleslaw (from SS web site).
NOTE: The recipe is confusing because it serves 4 but calls for 8 links of Italian sausage. To clear things up I contacted the administrator of Suzanne's web site and he recommended getting brat-sized Italian sausage that are approximately 6 ounces each. I found a package of Johnsonville Italian sausages that fit the bill. So, basically, it's one brat sized sausage per serving.
This meal will definitely be on our "top 5" list this month as it was absolutely stupendous and utterly delicious. It was so fantastic that you didn't even miss the bun!!! I highly recommend that you go to Suzanne's web site and print off both of these recipes.
Basically, you saute sliced onions plus red and green peppers. Then, in another pan cook the sausage until browned. After the sausage is done, let them cool slightly. Then slice the cooled sausage into bite-sized pieces and add them to the sauteed veggies and cook for 4 minutes.
The coleslaw is divine too because you use 1/2 cup sour cream with 1/2 cup mayo for the base, along with a few other ingredients. I can't tell you what a difference the sour cream makes, along with a couple other unusual ingredients like fennel, Tabasco sauce, and celery seeds.
I'm not usually a big fan of coleslaw, but this recipe made me one. It also worked extremely well with the baked Italian sausage. A perfect summer meal! And, one that had us thinking ... this meal can't be on any weight loss plan ... can it?
PM Snack - We skipped it for obvious reasons.
Dinner - We ate out at Bahama Breeze. My mom ordered us some appetizers: Coconut Shrimp, Jerk Chicken Wings, and Tomato, Basil, & Cheese Flatbread, plus an alcoholic ice cream drink each. Not on plan, but so delicious.
My mother has been coming to visit us two times per year, for 7 years. We started a tradition during her first visit, and have continued it ever since. On the last weekend of her month-long visit we always take my mom miniature golfing. Afterwards, we go to Bahama Breeze, a local restaurant, where she always treats us to an alcoholic ice cream drink and hors d'oeuvres. It's her way of saying thanks for all that we do while she's here.
As you know, from my previous posts, we are struggling to get back on track with the Sexy Forever plan after two weeks of straying from the plan due to unexpected obstacles. But, we couldn't hurt my mother's feelings so we went to Bahama Breeze and had our treats. Only this time, we planned it so we could count it as dinner instead of a snack. Oh, the things we do for love.
Breakfast - Scrambled eggs with bacon and cheese mixed in, plus a sliced tomato.
AM Snack - Fruit smoothie.
Lunch - Baked Italian Sausage (from SS web site) and Crunchy Coleslaw (from SS web site).
NOTE: The recipe is confusing because it serves 4 but calls for 8 links of Italian sausage. To clear things up I contacted the administrator of Suzanne's web site and he recommended getting brat-sized Italian sausage that are approximately 6 ounces each. I found a package of Johnsonville Italian sausages that fit the bill. So, basically, it's one brat sized sausage per serving.
This meal will definitely be on our "top 5" list this month as it was absolutely stupendous and utterly delicious. It was so fantastic that you didn't even miss the bun!!! I highly recommend that you go to Suzanne's web site and print off both of these recipes.
Basically, you saute sliced onions plus red and green peppers. Then, in another pan cook the sausage until browned. After the sausage is done, let them cool slightly. Then slice the cooled sausage into bite-sized pieces and add them to the sauteed veggies and cook for 4 minutes.
The coleslaw is divine too because you use 1/2 cup sour cream with 1/2 cup mayo for the base, along with a few other ingredients. I can't tell you what a difference the sour cream makes, along with a couple other unusual ingredients like fennel, Tabasco sauce, and celery seeds.
I'm not usually a big fan of coleslaw, but this recipe made me one. It also worked extremely well with the baked Italian sausage. A perfect summer meal! And, one that had us thinking ... this meal can't be on any weight loss plan ... can it?
PM Snack - We skipped it for obvious reasons.
Dinner - We ate out at Bahama Breeze. My mom ordered us some appetizers: Coconut Shrimp, Jerk Chicken Wings, and Tomato, Basil, & Cheese Flatbread, plus an alcoholic ice cream drink each. Not on plan, but so delicious.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Level 1 - Day 46 (Weigh-in day)
The Scale's Moving In Both Directions
This week, one of us gained a pound, and one of us lost a pound. And, I'm happy to report that I'm the latter. After gaining one pound last week, I was relieved to see the scale show a one pound loss. So, I'm back to square one with a total of 12 pounds lost in 11 weeks. Not bad considering I faltered a bit during two of those weeks.
However, my husband is another story. He gained another pound, so his dramatic 21 pound loss has been reduced to 19 pounds. My mother doesn't help, as she tempts him each night with her 100 calorie cookie packages which he can't seem to resist. Plus, he had a business lunch this week and didn't choose wisely.
My mother joked this morning and said, "You can get back to losing weight once I leave town. I know I'm a bad influence on you."
I don't think my mom is intentionally sabotaging our healthier way of eating. She just doesn't want to give up her snacks and perhaps feels we're looking down on her for doing so. Plus, she has always enjoyed spoiling my husband.
And, in case you're wondering, my mother is not overweight. However, her doctor would like her to lose 5 pounds due to her Type II Diabetes. But, she doesn't seem too concerned about it because her blood test readings are good.
Breakfast - Exercised, then had puffed wheat cereal and non-fat milk.
AM Snack - Watermelon.
Lunch - The last of the Chopped Salad with Roasted Chicken from Day 43.
PM Snack - Hot Apple with Cinnamon (from SS web site). This snack was absolutely delicious and very easy. I cored and sliced a small organic apple. Then microwaved it on high for 1 minute. When done, sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon of SomerSweet (or your favorite sugar substitute). It's really pretty on the plate and very satisfying.
Dinner - Leftover Lemon Shrimp with Fresh Green Beans and Snap Peas (from Day 44). With the exception of the snap peas that I over cooked, this tasted better after reheating. The first night it was crisp and light, but tonight it was more evenly flavored and mellow in taste.
This week, one of us gained a pound, and one of us lost a pound. And, I'm happy to report that I'm the latter. After gaining one pound last week, I was relieved to see the scale show a one pound loss. So, I'm back to square one with a total of 12 pounds lost in 11 weeks. Not bad considering I faltered a bit during two of those weeks.
However, my husband is another story. He gained another pound, so his dramatic 21 pound loss has been reduced to 19 pounds. My mother doesn't help, as she tempts him each night with her 100 calorie cookie packages which he can't seem to resist. Plus, he had a business lunch this week and didn't choose wisely.
My mother joked this morning and said, "You can get back to losing weight once I leave town. I know I'm a bad influence on you."
I don't think my mom is intentionally sabotaging our healthier way of eating. She just doesn't want to give up her snacks and perhaps feels we're looking down on her for doing so. Plus, she has always enjoyed spoiling my husband.
And, in case you're wondering, my mother is not overweight. However, her doctor would like her to lose 5 pounds due to her Type II Diabetes. But, she doesn't seem too concerned about it because her blood test readings are good.
Breakfast - Exercised, then had puffed wheat cereal and non-fat milk.
AM Snack - Watermelon.
Lunch - The last of the Chopped Salad with Roasted Chicken from Day 43.
PM Snack - Hot Apple with Cinnamon (from SS web site). This snack was absolutely delicious and very easy. I cored and sliced a small organic apple. Then microwaved it on high for 1 minute. When done, sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon of SomerSweet (or your favorite sugar substitute). It's really pretty on the plate and very satisfying.
Dinner - Leftover Lemon Shrimp with Fresh Green Beans and Snap Peas (from Day 44). With the exception of the snap peas that I over cooked, this tasted better after reheating. The first night it was crisp and light, but tonight it was more evenly flavored and mellow in taste.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Level 1 - Day 45
Gearing Up For Weigh-In Day
I have to admit that this week has been a struggle for me. After two weeks of straying off the plan due to out-of-town company and an extremely hectic work week, I'm finding it difficult to stay focused. Maybe some of you out there have gone thru the same thing.
It's especially hard when you have either lost a good amount of weight or the opposite; you haven't lost any. I have had great success during the first eight weeks, so gaining only one pound during the past two weeks didn't seem that bad. Perhaps that's the reason I'm having a difficult time staying focused.
But, it's times like this that you have to dig deep ... real deep ... because this period of time is a cross-roads ... and what you do will dramatically impact your weight loss success. In addition, I have also grown to appreciate how difficult it is when you live with people who don't want to stay on the plan for every meal. My mother's month-long visit has been a true test for me. Mainly, because she's eating things that aren't the best choices, and some of them are pretty tempting.
However, for me, my mother's visit will end and I won't have tempting foods in the house once she leaves. For some of you, that's not an option. And, I'd like to personally recognize those of you who have to deal with these kinds of temptations on a regular basis. You are the ones who have it the hardest and I commend you all!
Breakfast - Leftover Quinoa with non-fat milk and Agave Nector.
AM Snack - Watermelon.
Lunch - The last of the Chicken Meatball Soup from day 42. I have to mention that this soup got better and better each day.
PM Snack - I am a huge licorice-aholic, and yesterday was National Licorice Day. So, guess what? My mother bought me a little package of licorice as a gift. It was so sweet of her, and I know she did it out of love. But, come on! I'm still trying to get over my two week fall from the plan. Is this what you call tough love?
I really had to dig deep ... as licorice, along with potato chips, are my biggest weaknesses. I'm sure you can all appreciate how difficult these moments are ... and how badly I wanted to open the package and inhale them. But, guess what I was able to do?
I didn't want to hurt my mother's feelings because she was so excited about honoring licorice day, but I didn't want to blow it, again. So, I opened the package and ate a piece in front of my smiling mother. Then, when she became absorbed in her television show, I walked away with the package in my hand and went out to the garage, where I dumped out the rest of the bag in the garbage bin. And, from the distance I could hear all of you cheering me on, and it wasn't so bad.
Dinner - The last of the Chopped Vegetable Salad with Roasted Chicken and Champagne Mustard Vinaigrette (from Day 43).
I have to admit that this week has been a struggle for me. After two weeks of straying off the plan due to out-of-town company and an extremely hectic work week, I'm finding it difficult to stay focused. Maybe some of you out there have gone thru the same thing.
It's especially hard when you have either lost a good amount of weight or the opposite; you haven't lost any. I have had great success during the first eight weeks, so gaining only one pound during the past two weeks didn't seem that bad. Perhaps that's the reason I'm having a difficult time staying focused.
But, it's times like this that you have to dig deep ... real deep ... because this period of time is a cross-roads ... and what you do will dramatically impact your weight loss success. In addition, I have also grown to appreciate how difficult it is when you live with people who don't want to stay on the plan for every meal. My mother's month-long visit has been a true test for me. Mainly, because she's eating things that aren't the best choices, and some of them are pretty tempting.
However, for me, my mother's visit will end and I won't have tempting foods in the house once she leaves. For some of you, that's not an option. And, I'd like to personally recognize those of you who have to deal with these kinds of temptations on a regular basis. You are the ones who have it the hardest and I commend you all!
Breakfast - Leftover Quinoa with non-fat milk and Agave Nector.
AM Snack - Watermelon.
Lunch - The last of the Chicken Meatball Soup from day 42. I have to mention that this soup got better and better each day.
PM Snack - I am a huge licorice-aholic, and yesterday was National Licorice Day. So, guess what? My mother bought me a little package of licorice as a gift. It was so sweet of her, and I know she did it out of love. But, come on! I'm still trying to get over my two week fall from the plan. Is this what you call tough love?
I really had to dig deep ... as licorice, along with potato chips, are my biggest weaknesses. I'm sure you can all appreciate how difficult these moments are ... and how badly I wanted to open the package and inhale them. But, guess what I was able to do?
I didn't want to hurt my mother's feelings because she was so excited about honoring licorice day, but I didn't want to blow it, again. So, I opened the package and ate a piece in front of my smiling mother. Then, when she became absorbed in her television show, I walked away with the package in my hand and went out to the garage, where I dumped out the rest of the bag in the garbage bin. And, from the distance I could hear all of you cheering me on, and it wasn't so bad.
Dinner - The last of the Chopped Vegetable Salad with Roasted Chicken and Champagne Mustard Vinaigrette (from Day 43).
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Level 1 - Day 44
Double The Recipes When You Can
Leftovers are lifesavers for several reasons. And I highly recommend that you get in the practice of doubling Suzanne's recipes.
As long as you're going to the trouble of preparing a meal, it's not that much more effort to chop a couple extra veggies or cook some extra protein. Plus, you only clean up once and get several extra meals for your time saving efforts. I especially like that reason because I absolutely hate doing dishes.
And, sometimes, when you buy meat in larger sizes you can get some discounts at the grocery store. Or, maybe take advantage of the buy one get one free sales, too.
But the big reason, for me, is that when you have leftovers on hand you won't be tempted to stop on the way home for take-out. And, if you're like me, there are going to be days when you just don't feel like cooking. Which are the dangerous days because it's so easy to grab whatever is easy ... and you know how that story turns out.
So, the moral of this story: don't set yourself up to fail. Make sure you always have leftovers on hand.
Breakfast - Watermelon. Then, after 20 minutes I had a frozen gluten-free waffle with natural peanut butter.
AM Snack - The morning went so quick, I forgot to eat my snack.
Lunch - Leftover Chicken Meatball Soup from Day 42.
PM Snack - Slice of cheese.
Dinner - Lemon Shrimp with Fresh Beans and Snap Peas (from SS web site). This fast and easy meal should have been wonderful, but I messed up.
The recipe yields 2 servings, so I increased it to 6 servings. However, by the time I got all the ingredients in the pan it was too full. I tried to keep the shrimp and veggies moving, but it was clear that some stuff was going to get cooked too much and others not enough. So, halfway thru I split the ingredients into two pans. As a result, most of the pea pods got over done, along with a couple shrimp.
Here's my advice: if you're going to increase the recipe to 4 servings, you should be okay with one pan. However, if you're going to increase it to 6 servings, separate everything between two pans from the start.
Overall, this was a very light, and refreshing meal. Especially on a hot day. The flavors were bright, and even my finicky mother ate it. However, she pushed some of the overdone pea pods to the side, like all kids do when they don't like something. For the record, my hubby and I ate everything.
Leftovers are lifesavers for several reasons. And I highly recommend that you get in the practice of doubling Suzanne's recipes.
As long as you're going to the trouble of preparing a meal, it's not that much more effort to chop a couple extra veggies or cook some extra protein. Plus, you only clean up once and get several extra meals for your time saving efforts. I especially like that reason because I absolutely hate doing dishes.
And, sometimes, when you buy meat in larger sizes you can get some discounts at the grocery store. Or, maybe take advantage of the buy one get one free sales, too.
But the big reason, for me, is that when you have leftovers on hand you won't be tempted to stop on the way home for take-out. And, if you're like me, there are going to be days when you just don't feel like cooking. Which are the dangerous days because it's so easy to grab whatever is easy ... and you know how that story turns out.
So, the moral of this story: don't set yourself up to fail. Make sure you always have leftovers on hand.
Breakfast - Watermelon. Then, after 20 minutes I had a frozen gluten-free waffle with natural peanut butter.
AM Snack - The morning went so quick, I forgot to eat my snack.
Lunch - Leftover Chicken Meatball Soup from Day 42.
PM Snack - Slice of cheese.
Dinner - Lemon Shrimp with Fresh Beans and Snap Peas (from SS web site). This fast and easy meal should have been wonderful, but I messed up.
The recipe yields 2 servings, so I increased it to 6 servings. However, by the time I got all the ingredients in the pan it was too full. I tried to keep the shrimp and veggies moving, but it was clear that some stuff was going to get cooked too much and others not enough. So, halfway thru I split the ingredients into two pans. As a result, most of the pea pods got over done, along with a couple shrimp.
Here's my advice: if you're going to increase the recipe to 4 servings, you should be okay with one pan. However, if you're going to increase it to 6 servings, separate everything between two pans from the start.
Overall, this was a very light, and refreshing meal. Especially on a hot day. The flavors were bright, and even my finicky mother ate it. However, she pushed some of the overdone pea pods to the side, like all kids do when they don't like something. For the record, my hubby and I ate everything.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Level 1 - Day 43
I'm Still Making Progress With My Mom
While I still can't get my mom to eat a Sexy Forever breakfast, she occasionally eats on the plan for lunch, but is really getting into my dinner preparations. And, last night was another winner.
And the bonus has been her blood test results each day. My mom has Type II diabetes and is thrilled with the readings she's been getting since dipping her toe into the Sexy Forever pond. So, maybe there's hope for the old girl!
Breakfast - Fruit; then exercise. Followed by Quinoa with non-fat milk and Agave Nectar. I'm really starting to like this stuff, but it took a little getting used to.
AM Snack - I didn't feel hungry, so I skipped it today.
Lunch - We ate an early lunch because I was taking my mom golfing today. And, surprise, surprise, we both had leftover Chicken Meatball Soup from yesterday. I guess my mom did like it after all because she wouldn't have eaten the soup a second time if she didn't care for it. However, she put lots of pepper on the turkey meatballs.
PM Snack - I know it's not on Suzanne's plan, but we shared an Arizona Iced Tea on the golf course. When we got home I had a hard boiled egg for my snack.
Dinner - Chopped Vegetable Salad with Roasted Chicken plus Champagne-Mustard Vinaigrette (from SS web site). This was absolutely delicious and very refreshing on a hot day. The chicken is seared, then roasted, then coated with vinaigrette, then cooled before slicing. I think these steps were key to keeping the chicken moist so that all the juices didn't run out. No dry chicken here!
I've never had Champagne Vinegar before, so I had to hunt for it to make the vinaigrette. It's kind of pricey, but really made a difference. It tasted velvety and gourmet-like ... and balanced with the mustard flavor beautifully. You use the vinaigrette to baste the chicken breasts after they're cooked and you also use it as the salad dressing for the chopped veggies.
However, to my surprise, the vinaigrette took on a different flavor for each application. You're supposed to dice the basted chicken into chunks, then put them on the salad. But, I ate them separately because I was curious about the taste of the champagne vinegar. The difference between it and regular vinegar is subtle, and I can't quite put my finger on it but to say it's more mellow and smooth.
NOTE: Just in case you're wondering about my mom, she wouldn't even try the vinaigrette as she doesn't like salad dressing of any kind. Do you see what I'm up against, as I've never known anyone who prefers a dry salad. My mom should have been named, Plain Jane. However, to her credit, she ate everything else and loved, loved, loved the chopped salad combination. In fact, she was down right giddy about it.
While I still can't get my mom to eat a Sexy Forever breakfast, she occasionally eats on the plan for lunch, but is really getting into my dinner preparations. And, last night was another winner.
And the bonus has been her blood test results each day. My mom has Type II diabetes and is thrilled with the readings she's been getting since dipping her toe into the Sexy Forever pond. So, maybe there's hope for the old girl!
Breakfast - Fruit; then exercise. Followed by Quinoa with non-fat milk and Agave Nectar. I'm really starting to like this stuff, but it took a little getting used to.
AM Snack - I didn't feel hungry, so I skipped it today.
Lunch - We ate an early lunch because I was taking my mom golfing today. And, surprise, surprise, we both had leftover Chicken Meatball Soup from yesterday. I guess my mom did like it after all because she wouldn't have eaten the soup a second time if she didn't care for it. However, she put lots of pepper on the turkey meatballs.
PM Snack - I know it's not on Suzanne's plan, but we shared an Arizona Iced Tea on the golf course. When we got home I had a hard boiled egg for my snack.
Dinner - Chopped Vegetable Salad with Roasted Chicken plus Champagne-Mustard Vinaigrette (from SS web site). This was absolutely delicious and very refreshing on a hot day. The chicken is seared, then roasted, then coated with vinaigrette, then cooled before slicing. I think these steps were key to keeping the chicken moist so that all the juices didn't run out. No dry chicken here!
I've never had Champagne Vinegar before, so I had to hunt for it to make the vinaigrette. It's kind of pricey, but really made a difference. It tasted velvety and gourmet-like ... and balanced with the mustard flavor beautifully. You use the vinaigrette to baste the chicken breasts after they're cooked and you also use it as the salad dressing for the chopped veggies.
However, to my surprise, the vinaigrette took on a different flavor for each application. You're supposed to dice the basted chicken into chunks, then put them on the salad. But, I ate them separately because I was curious about the taste of the champagne vinegar. The difference between it and regular vinegar is subtle, and I can't quite put my finger on it but to say it's more mellow and smooth.
NOTE: Just in case you're wondering about my mom, she wouldn't even try the vinaigrette as she doesn't like salad dressing of any kind. Do you see what I'm up against, as I've never known anyone who prefers a dry salad. My mom should have been named, Plain Jane. However, to her credit, she ate everything else and loved, loved, loved the chopped salad combination. In fact, she was down right giddy about it.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Level 1 - Day 42
My Sexy Forever Mother
I don't know if the Sexy Forever recipes are starting to grow on my mom, or if she's just appeasing me ... but she ate asparagus and leeks today! And, even more shocking, she ate turkey meatballs.
While I was mixing the turkey meatball mixture, she wrinkled her nose at me and said, "You know I don't do ground turkey ... couldn't you use ground meat while I'm here?" That kind of shocked me because I wasn't expecting her to eat the soup in the first place because of the asparagus and leeks. But, she said she'd give it a try.
The first thought that came into my head was, "who is this lady ... and what did you do with my mother?"
Breakfast - Fruit; then after 20 minutes I ate puffed wheat cereal and non-fat milk.
AM Snack - Slice of cheese.
Lunch - Leftover taco salad from yesterday.
PM Snack - Philadelphia roll-ups. These are so easy, and very delicious because I love genoa salami. All you do is spread a little cream cheese on the genoa slice, then place sliced red pepper and cucumber in the center, and roll. Even my finicky mother had a couple.
Dinner - Chicken Meatball Asparagus Soup (from SS web site). First, I have to mention that I'm not a fan of ground chicken because it's dry, so I substituted it for ground turkey. Plus, to give the meatballs a little more flavor I added 1/2 cup chopped onions since I was already chopping some for the broth.
I also made 6 servings, as the recipe yields 4 servings. You know I like leftovers for lunch. Plus, soup is so easy to reheat the next day ... and always tastes better, too.
Basically, you saute chopped onions in EVOO for 7-10 minutes. Then add thinly sliced leeks and asparagus; then saute for another 5 minutes. Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil; then simmer for 15 minutes. I let it simmer longer; 40 minutes.
Then, fry up the turkey meatballs in olive oil until browned on all sides. Then, plop into the soup. The little bit of olive oil left on the meatballs gave the soup a velvety texture. It was simply delicious.
And, shock of all shocks ... my mother ate the whole bowl and commented several times at how tasty the veggies and stock were ... but felt the meatballs were bland ... but ate them anyway. While the addition of the onions helped, I think I'd add some chicken spices to the meat mixture the next time because it needed a little more punch.
I don't know if the Sexy Forever recipes are starting to grow on my mom, or if she's just appeasing me ... but she ate asparagus and leeks today! And, even more shocking, she ate turkey meatballs.
While I was mixing the turkey meatball mixture, she wrinkled her nose at me and said, "You know I don't do ground turkey ... couldn't you use ground meat while I'm here?" That kind of shocked me because I wasn't expecting her to eat the soup in the first place because of the asparagus and leeks. But, she said she'd give it a try.
The first thought that came into my head was, "who is this lady ... and what did you do with my mother?"
Breakfast - Fruit; then after 20 minutes I ate puffed wheat cereal and non-fat milk.
AM Snack - Slice of cheese.
Lunch - Leftover taco salad from yesterday.
PM Snack - Philadelphia roll-ups. These are so easy, and very delicious because I love genoa salami. All you do is spread a little cream cheese on the genoa slice, then place sliced red pepper and cucumber in the center, and roll. Even my finicky mother had a couple.
Dinner - Chicken Meatball Asparagus Soup (from SS web site). First, I have to mention that I'm not a fan of ground chicken because it's dry, so I substituted it for ground turkey. Plus, to give the meatballs a little more flavor I added 1/2 cup chopped onions since I was already chopping some for the broth.
I also made 6 servings, as the recipe yields 4 servings. You know I like leftovers for lunch. Plus, soup is so easy to reheat the next day ... and always tastes better, too.
Basically, you saute chopped onions in EVOO for 7-10 minutes. Then add thinly sliced leeks and asparagus; then saute for another 5 minutes. Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil; then simmer for 15 minutes. I let it simmer longer; 40 minutes.
Then, fry up the turkey meatballs in olive oil until browned on all sides. Then, plop into the soup. The little bit of olive oil left on the meatballs gave the soup a velvety texture. It was simply delicious.
And, shock of all shocks ... my mother ate the whole bowl and commented several times at how tasty the veggies and stock were ... but felt the meatballs were bland ... but ate them anyway. While the addition of the onions helped, I think I'd add some chicken spices to the meat mixture the next time because it needed a little more punch.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Level 1 - Day 41
Food Finesse
I just read a helpful article about how to prepare healthy foods correctly to maximize their benefits and thought I'd share some tips with you.
Eggs - scrambling eggs activates avidin, a protein that binds to biotin and renders it useless. Biotin is an important B vitamin that helps energy support and thick, lustrous hair. The fix: Try poaching, frying, or boiling.
Tomatoes - Raw tomatoes are nutritious but difficult for the body to absorb lycopene, a powerful antioxidant linked to prostate health. The fix: cooking tomatoes or breaking them up or mashing them plus combining them with some type of fat or oil may enhance absorption.
Potatoes - When potatoes are cooked at high temperatures, such as french fries or potato chips, it creates the chemical acrylamide, which has been linked to cancer and neurological problems in lab rats. Frying causes the greatest acrylamide formation, followed by roasting and baking. The fix: boil or microwave potatoes.
Breakfast - Bacon and eggs, fried in the bacon grease, plus leftover yellow squash from yesterday. These eggs are absolutely delicious, and hard to believe they're on any weight loss plan. Suzanne's trick is to put a lid on the eggs for a couple minutes. They come out crispy at the edges and no runny egg whites.
This dish also pleased and delighted my visiting mother, who hates any kind of veggies mixed in with eggs. So that leaves out frittatas, omelets, and egg scrambles.
AM Snack - A delicious fruit smoothie. Remember, you can't add milk, cream, sherbet, or ice cream to smoothies as you must eat your fruit alone.
Lunch - Leftover chicken salad from yesterday.
PM Snack - My mother and hubby had a cocktail along with tortilla chips and cheese salsa. I refrained and had a glass of lemon water, plus a whole grain Wasa Crisp and fresh salsa.
Dinner - My mother loves tacos, so I made the taco salad I made while in Detox, week one. All you do is add taco seasonings to fried ground beef (I used chuck). Then, in a large bowl combine mixed greens, tomatoes (I used green and red), scallions, shredded cheddar cheese, and sour cream. Then, top it with the beef mixture. We all loved it.
I just read a helpful article about how to prepare healthy foods correctly to maximize their benefits and thought I'd share some tips with you.
Eggs - scrambling eggs activates avidin, a protein that binds to biotin and renders it useless. Biotin is an important B vitamin that helps energy support and thick, lustrous hair. The fix: Try poaching, frying, or boiling.
Tomatoes - Raw tomatoes are nutritious but difficult for the body to absorb lycopene, a powerful antioxidant linked to prostate health. The fix: cooking tomatoes or breaking them up or mashing them plus combining them with some type of fat or oil may enhance absorption.
Potatoes - When potatoes are cooked at high temperatures, such as french fries or potato chips, it creates the chemical acrylamide, which has been linked to cancer and neurological problems in lab rats. Frying causes the greatest acrylamide formation, followed by roasting and baking. The fix: boil or microwave potatoes.
Breakfast - Bacon and eggs, fried in the bacon grease, plus leftover yellow squash from yesterday. These eggs are absolutely delicious, and hard to believe they're on any weight loss plan. Suzanne's trick is to put a lid on the eggs for a couple minutes. They come out crispy at the edges and no runny egg whites.
This dish also pleased and delighted my visiting mother, who hates any kind of veggies mixed in with eggs. So that leaves out frittatas, omelets, and egg scrambles.
AM Snack - A delicious fruit smoothie. Remember, you can't add milk, cream, sherbet, or ice cream to smoothies as you must eat your fruit alone.
Lunch - Leftover chicken salad from yesterday.
PM Snack - My mother and hubby had a cocktail along with tortilla chips and cheese salsa. I refrained and had a glass of lemon water, plus a whole grain Wasa Crisp and fresh salsa.
Dinner - My mother loves tacos, so I made the taco salad I made while in Detox, week one. All you do is add taco seasonings to fried ground beef (I used chuck). Then, in a large bowl combine mixed greens, tomatoes (I used green and red), scallions, shredded cheddar cheese, and sour cream. Then, top it with the beef mixture. We all loved it.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Level 1 - Day 40
I'm Going Back To Boot Camp
For me, I think the best way to get back into the swing of the Sexy Forever plan (after 2 weeks of faltering off plan) is to go back to the Detox level. I don't want to tempt myself with that additional carb. So this week I'll be preparing meals as if I were on Detox. Then, next week I'll go back to the Level 1 plan.
Suzanne suggests this strategy when you stray from the plan, or if you hit a plateau. So, I'm going to take her advice. She hasn't let me down, yet.
Breakfast - Scrambled eggs with Feta Cheese and Veggies (from SS web site), plus turkey sausage. The feta cheese was wonderful in this egg dish. In my opinion, it brought it up to the gourmet level. Plus, it was so easy.
As a side note, my mother wouldn't even try one bite because she likes her food plain. Sometimes I wonder if I was switched at birth. Consequently, I had to make some plain scrambled eggs on the side. However, I kept the turkey sausage a secret and she ate two links. Guess how many she would have eaten if I had told her it was turkey?
AM Snack - A delicious fruit smoothie with 1-1/2 cups frozen fruit and a good splash of pomegranate juice. It really hit the spot on a 90-degree day!
Lunch - A big salad with a hard boiled egg, deli roast beef, a little bit of shredded Monterrey jack cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, and scallions. Topped with natural salad dressing I found chilled in the produce section. A perfect lunch for a hot day.
PM Snack - We took my mom miniature golfing today, and skipped our snack. It was too hot to keep anything in the car. However, while my mother enjoyed an iced-cold, Coke from the vending machine, my hubby and I purchased bottled water. I wanted a Root Beer so bad, but I'm focused so it wasn't that tough. Maybe it was because I won 2 out of 3 games.
Dinner - When we got home my hubby fired up the grill. I had the butcher butterfly a whole chicken, except for the wings and legs. Then, using the recipe for Butterflied Rosemary Chicken (pages 254-255 in Sexy Forever) we prepared it on the grill instead of the oven. Since my mother likes her food plain I didn't put the seasonings on the wings and legs.
If you remember, we had this dish during the first week of Detox, and it was one of our favorites. It was incredible back then, but preparing it on the grill elevated it to an even higher level. I groaned all night with joy!
We also grilled some yellow squash, too. Delicious! I don't know how my mother could pass these little yellow gems up. But ... she did ... so I sliced some green peppers for her ... which she loves ... cold ... with nothing on them. Boring!!!!!
NOTE: If you prepare the chicken on the grill you won't be able to make the pan juice using the drippings. But, the wood charcoal taste more than makes up for that loss.
For me, I think the best way to get back into the swing of the Sexy Forever plan (after 2 weeks of faltering off plan) is to go back to the Detox level. I don't want to tempt myself with that additional carb. So this week I'll be preparing meals as if I were on Detox. Then, next week I'll go back to the Level 1 plan.
Suzanne suggests this strategy when you stray from the plan, or if you hit a plateau. So, I'm going to take her advice. She hasn't let me down, yet.
Breakfast - Scrambled eggs with Feta Cheese and Veggies (from SS web site), plus turkey sausage. The feta cheese was wonderful in this egg dish. In my opinion, it brought it up to the gourmet level. Plus, it was so easy.
As a side note, my mother wouldn't even try one bite because she likes her food plain. Sometimes I wonder if I was switched at birth. Consequently, I had to make some plain scrambled eggs on the side. However, I kept the turkey sausage a secret and she ate two links. Guess how many she would have eaten if I had told her it was turkey?
AM Snack - A delicious fruit smoothie with 1-1/2 cups frozen fruit and a good splash of pomegranate juice. It really hit the spot on a 90-degree day!
Lunch - A big salad with a hard boiled egg, deli roast beef, a little bit of shredded Monterrey jack cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, and scallions. Topped with natural salad dressing I found chilled in the produce section. A perfect lunch for a hot day.
PM Snack - We took my mom miniature golfing today, and skipped our snack. It was too hot to keep anything in the car. However, while my mother enjoyed an iced-cold, Coke from the vending machine, my hubby and I purchased bottled water. I wanted a Root Beer so bad, but I'm focused so it wasn't that tough. Maybe it was because I won 2 out of 3 games.
Dinner - When we got home my hubby fired up the grill. I had the butcher butterfly a whole chicken, except for the wings and legs. Then, using the recipe for Butterflied Rosemary Chicken (pages 254-255 in Sexy Forever) we prepared it on the grill instead of the oven. Since my mother likes her food plain I didn't put the seasonings on the wings and legs.
If you remember, we had this dish during the first week of Detox, and it was one of our favorites. It was incredible back then, but preparing it on the grill elevated it to an even higher level. I groaned all night with joy!
We also grilled some yellow squash, too. Delicious! I don't know how my mother could pass these little yellow gems up. But ... she did ... so I sliced some green peppers for her ... which she loves ... cold ... with nothing on them. Boring!!!!!
NOTE: If you prepare the chicken on the grill you won't be able to make the pan juice using the drippings. But, the wood charcoal taste more than makes up for that loss.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Level 1 - Day 39 (weigh-in day)
It's Weigh-In Day And I'm Back On Track
After almost a week's worth of straying from the plan, I'm happy to report that I didn't falter today. However, I did feel tempted several times, but I think that's normal after your body gets a taste of bad carbs. It wants more, so I'm trying to stay the course because I know that after a few days the cravings will go away.
The scale rewarded both my hubby and me for our food violations this past week with a one pound GAIN, each. Not good, but I'm thankful it wasn't more. As, I was prepared for a 2-3 pound gain. So, I went from a 12 pound loss back to 11 pounds. And my hubby went from a 21 pound loss back to 20.
I know there are many people out there that continue to falter once they go off their weight loss plan. From what I've heard and read, it's a very common reason why people fail or give up. Well, I'm not going to be one of those statistics.
Life happens and circumstances sometimes make it challenging to stay on course. You just have to find a way to stay focused and get thru those times without letting them get into your head and mess with you. Past habits can be fragile, so you have to dig deep when they occur because life isn't perfect.
Breakfast - Fruit; then I exercised. Then, Quinoa with non-fat milk and Agave Nectar.
AM Snack - The rest of my fruit for the day.
Lunch - A big salad with strips of roasted chicken and a hard boiled egg for my protein.
PM Snack - Whole grain Wasa Crisps with fresh salsa. Yum. My favorite.
Dinner - Stir fried white shrimp in EVOO, sea salt, and pepper. Saute for 3 minutes on each side, or until the shrimp curl. Plus, steamed broccoli with a little shredded cheese on top.
Beverages: Eight, 8-ounce glasses of water.
After almost a week's worth of straying from the plan, I'm happy to report that I didn't falter today. However, I did feel tempted several times, but I think that's normal after your body gets a taste of bad carbs. It wants more, so I'm trying to stay the course because I know that after a few days the cravings will go away.
The scale rewarded both my hubby and me for our food violations this past week with a one pound GAIN, each. Not good, but I'm thankful it wasn't more. As, I was prepared for a 2-3 pound gain. So, I went from a 12 pound loss back to 11 pounds. And my hubby went from a 21 pound loss back to 20.
I know there are many people out there that continue to falter once they go off their weight loss plan. From what I've heard and read, it's a very common reason why people fail or give up. Well, I'm not going to be one of those statistics.
Life happens and circumstances sometimes make it challenging to stay on course. You just have to find a way to stay focused and get thru those times without letting them get into your head and mess with you. Past habits can be fragile, so you have to dig deep when they occur because life isn't perfect.
Breakfast - Fruit; then I exercised. Then, Quinoa with non-fat milk and Agave Nectar.
AM Snack - The rest of my fruit for the day.
Lunch - A big salad with strips of roasted chicken and a hard boiled egg for my protein.
PM Snack - Whole grain Wasa Crisps with fresh salsa. Yum. My favorite.
Dinner - Stir fried white shrimp in EVOO, sea salt, and pepper. Saute for 3 minutes on each side, or until the shrimp curl. Plus, steamed broccoli with a little shredded cheese on top.
Beverages: Eight, 8-ounce glasses of water.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Level 1 - Day 38
I'm Back!
When you last heard from me I had just received a large custom order for Sugar Notes. It's been a hectic work week, but the order shipped on time due to lots of extra hours on my part. However, my regular work activities got a bit behind, so unfortunately my blog post got delayed an extra day. So sorry.
I'm going to fess up right away and tell you that I wasn't able to plan my Sexy Forever meals as diligently as I like, and therefore I didn't eat the way I should have on countless occasions. Plus, as you may remember, my mother is visiting so I had that obstacle, too.
However, I did learn a few things regarding Suzanne's plan. Planning is very important, but you can wing it for a while without doing too much damage to the plan. While I only made a few of Suzanne's recipes, I relied on salads, purchasing roasted chicken, and preparing proteins like beef and chicken ... then serving them with canned organic veggies.
Breakfast and dinner were very manageable, but lunch was the kicker. Since I didn't have time to plan ahead for them, I found it hard to prepare balanced lunches that included the veggies. Suzanne's plan calls for 6 servings of veggies per day and I probably averaged about 3 per day.
Then, there's the snacks. I fully planned on trying to fit a veggie into one of my snacks, but since I was so busy with work I usually grabbed some fruit or a piece of cheese because it was quick. Many days I forgot about my snacks all-together, and then found myself hungry at night. And, you know how hard that is to stay on course! My hubby and I caved a couple times when we saw my mom eating cookies or ice cream.
In short, I kind of train-wrecked ... then got on track for a bit ... then train-wrecked. Plus, my mom didn't help either. She was quick to suggest take-out food or frozen dinners, because that's what she likes to do. I will admit to giving in a couple times. We had a Subway sub sandwich for lunch one day and on another day a frozen entree called "Voila". And one night we went out for Mexican food and I had an enchilada. Yikes. Not the best choices, but it could have been worse.
Tomorrow is weigh-in day and I'm nervous. However, I got back on track today and planned a week of Sexy Forever meals. Which is something I didn't have time to do last week. I can't stress this enough, but when you go for too long without a plan, it catches up with you. Old habits can rear their ugly heads. So, I strongly suggest making some kind of food plan that you can stick to ... because if you don't, it's too easy to stray off course.
So, I'm off to the grocery store later today, and will be back on plan tomorrow. And, as always, tomorrow is weigh-in day. Stay tuned.
When you last heard from me I had just received a large custom order for Sugar Notes. It's been a hectic work week, but the order shipped on time due to lots of extra hours on my part. However, my regular work activities got a bit behind, so unfortunately my blog post got delayed an extra day. So sorry.
I'm going to fess up right away and tell you that I wasn't able to plan my Sexy Forever meals as diligently as I like, and therefore I didn't eat the way I should have on countless occasions. Plus, as you may remember, my mother is visiting so I had that obstacle, too.
However, I did learn a few things regarding Suzanne's plan. Planning is very important, but you can wing it for a while without doing too much damage to the plan. While I only made a few of Suzanne's recipes, I relied on salads, purchasing roasted chicken, and preparing proteins like beef and chicken ... then serving them with canned organic veggies.
Breakfast and dinner were very manageable, but lunch was the kicker. Since I didn't have time to plan ahead for them, I found it hard to prepare balanced lunches that included the veggies. Suzanne's plan calls for 6 servings of veggies per day and I probably averaged about 3 per day.
Then, there's the snacks. I fully planned on trying to fit a veggie into one of my snacks, but since I was so busy with work I usually grabbed some fruit or a piece of cheese because it was quick. Many days I forgot about my snacks all-together, and then found myself hungry at night. And, you know how hard that is to stay on course! My hubby and I caved a couple times when we saw my mom eating cookies or ice cream.
In short, I kind of train-wrecked ... then got on track for a bit ... then train-wrecked. Plus, my mom didn't help either. She was quick to suggest take-out food or frozen dinners, because that's what she likes to do. I will admit to giving in a couple times. We had a Subway sub sandwich for lunch one day and on another day a frozen entree called "Voila". And one night we went out for Mexican food and I had an enchilada. Yikes. Not the best choices, but it could have been worse.
Tomorrow is weigh-in day and I'm nervous. However, I got back on track today and planned a week of Sexy Forever meals. Which is something I didn't have time to do last week. I can't stress this enough, but when you go for too long without a plan, it catches up with you. Old habits can rear their ugly heads. So, I strongly suggest making some kind of food plan that you can stick to ... because if you don't, it's too easy to stray off course.
So, I'm off to the grocery store later today, and will be back on plan tomorrow. And, as always, tomorrow is weigh-in day. Stay tuned.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Level 1 - Day 33 (weigh-in day)
It's Weigh-In Day!
As I mentioned earlier this week, our nephew and his bride came for a visit over the weekend to celebrate our birthdays. And, we splurged. I couldn't help it! I'm a doting aunt and I love spoiling my nephews. Between the wine, a Key Lime Martini, homemade pizza, a grilled brat and bun, plus the ultimate ... a Health Bar Twirl from our ice cream stand ... I was worried when I stepped on the scale. I had great fun last weekend ... but was hoping I didn't do too much damage to the scale.
Well, to my surprise the scale stayed the same. Whew!!!! So, that meant zero pounds lost this week, with a total of 12 pounds after 9 weeks. What a relief. But, at the same time, amazing.
My husband cheated a little more than I did because he had leftover pizza for lunch on Monday. Plus, a couple beers on Saturday. So, I'm literally shocked that he didn't gain any weight. We fell off the wagon over the weekend, but to help make up for it we exercised one extra day and ate extremely good the rest of the week. And, I drank extra water each day. I guess that made the difference.
Blog Bulletin: Due to a large, custom order for my Sugar Notes business, I will not be able to post for the next couple of days. I'll be working 24/7 until the order is done, as it's a rush job and needs to ship on Tuesday. It's for one of my favorite customers, so I don't mind. Plus, I don't get custom orders very often and they're usually fun because it's something different.
So, you're on your own for a few days. Stay strong. Keep motivated. And, if you need a little inspiration, read some of my earlier posts.
Hugs,
Cathy
As I mentioned earlier this week, our nephew and his bride came for a visit over the weekend to celebrate our birthdays. And, we splurged. I couldn't help it! I'm a doting aunt and I love spoiling my nephews. Between the wine, a Key Lime Martini, homemade pizza, a grilled brat and bun, plus the ultimate ... a Health Bar Twirl from our ice cream stand ... I was worried when I stepped on the scale. I had great fun last weekend ... but was hoping I didn't do too much damage to the scale.
Well, to my surprise the scale stayed the same. Whew!!!! So, that meant zero pounds lost this week, with a total of 12 pounds after 9 weeks. What a relief. But, at the same time, amazing.
My husband cheated a little more than I did because he had leftover pizza for lunch on Monday. Plus, a couple beers on Saturday. So, I'm literally shocked that he didn't gain any weight. We fell off the wagon over the weekend, but to help make up for it we exercised one extra day and ate extremely good the rest of the week. And, I drank extra water each day. I guess that made the difference.
Blog Bulletin: Due to a large, custom order for my Sugar Notes business, I will not be able to post for the next couple of days. I'll be working 24/7 until the order is done, as it's a rush job and needs to ship on Tuesday. It's for one of my favorite customers, so I don't mind. Plus, I don't get custom orders very often and they're usually fun because it's something different.
So, you're on your own for a few days. Stay strong. Keep motivated. And, if you need a little inspiration, read some of my earlier posts.
Hugs,
Cathy
Friday, April 1, 2011
Level 1 - Day 31 (Top 5 Recipes)
Top 5 Recipes From The First 30 Days In Level 1
We thought it would be fun to share our favorite recipes every 30 days. If you missed the top 5 recipes from the Detox Level, check them out. Go to the February postings under, Detox, Day 30.
As with the last time, my hubby and I agreed on four meals, but could not come to consensus for the fifth. So, I've listed both. While I must mention that all of the meals by Suzanne are good, a few are exceptional. And worth giving them their just due because it's hard to believe they're on any weight loss plan.
Breakfast - First, I exercised, then had a frozen, gluten-free waffle and natural peanut butter.
AM Snack - Fruit smoothie.
Lunch - The last of the grilled hamburgers from Sunday and a large salad.
PM Snack - Whole grain Wasa crisp and fresh salsa. Yum ... yum.
Dinner - Leftover Chicken Drumsticks from yesterday. They were very tasty re-heated because they were so moist to begin with, and I sprinkled a little McCormick chicken seasoning on them, too. We also had organic, canned green beans.
We thought it would be fun to share our favorite recipes every 30 days. If you missed the top 5 recipes from the Detox Level, check them out. Go to the February postings under, Detox, Day 30.
As with the last time, my hubby and I agreed on four meals, but could not come to consensus for the fifth. So, I've listed both. While I must mention that all of the meals by Suzanne are good, a few are exceptional. And worth giving them their just due because it's hard to believe they're on any weight loss plan.
- Mozzarella Marinara with Sweet Tomato Sauce from Day 11.
- Green Eggs and Ham Sandwiches from Day 6.
- Roasted Chicken Breast with Basil Pesto Sauce under the skin from Day 21.
- Fennel and Leaks au Grautin from Day 15.
- My pick: Philadelphia roll-ups from Day 2. This is a snack. My hubby's pick: Chicken and Zucchini Soup from Day 5.
Breakfast - First, I exercised, then had a frozen, gluten-free waffle and natural peanut butter.
AM Snack - Fruit smoothie.
Lunch - The last of the grilled hamburgers from Sunday and a large salad.
PM Snack - Whole grain Wasa crisp and fresh salsa. Yum ... yum.
Dinner - Leftover Chicken Drumsticks from yesterday. They were very tasty re-heated because they were so moist to begin with, and I sprinkled a little McCormick chicken seasoning on them, too. We also had organic, canned green beans.
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