Day 3 - Ten Pounds To Go

The Casey Anthony Trial Is Heating Up

While I have admitted to my guilty pleasure of watching the Casey Trial, it's even more addicting now.  The defense is reaching the end of it's case and the fireworks are sure to commence during closing arguments expected to start in a day or two.

Unless the defense, at the last hour, decides to put Casey on the stand, the rebuttal case and closing arguments will air Saturday.  And, in a surprise announcement, Sunday, too.  This judge wants to get this done, and I appreciate it because I need to get back to my normal life.  Lots of late nights have resulted because of this trial.  My days are disjointed because I'm not getting my Sugar Notes business completed during the day.

But, more importantly ... something had to give.  And I'm admitting to you today that my exercising routine has suffered.  I usually exercise every-other-day.  And that's not happening.  It's very sporadic these days.  Hopefully, this trial will be over next week, because I can't stop myself from watching.  And it seems everyone in Florida is doing the same.  We're all very tired people.

Here's my meal plan for the day:

Breakfast - Cereal with non-fat milk.

AM Snack - Fruit smoothie

Lunch - Chicken Lettuce Wraps (SS web site).  I used some leftover chicken breast from last night for these lettuce wraps.  However, I felt the wraps were a little bland.  They needed something other than mayonnaise to zip it up.

Basically, you spread some mayo on large lettuce leaves, then fill with diced chicken, green pepper, red onion, and cucumbers.  I'm not a big fan of raw onions, and the combination wasn't the most exciting.  I think I'll use the ingredients tomorrow to make a salad. 

PM Snack - Whole grain Wasa crisp and natural salsa from the deli.  This snack is always a hit with me.

Dinner - Beef Stroganoff (SS web site).  This dish replaces the traditional noodles, or fettuccine, with sauteed spinach.  Plus, Suzanne adds a very unusual ingredient to the cream sauce . . . dill pickles and pickle juice.

I was attracted to the recipe because of the dill pickles because I love them.  Plus, I have always enjoyed beef stroganoff.  However, this dish was a little disappointing.

The meat and cream sauce are wonderful.  I loved the addition of the dill to the cream and mushroom-based sauce.  And, of course, tenderloin steak is always a treat.  However, to keep costs down, I used 1 pound of tenderloin and 1-1/2 pounds of sirloin to make this dish.

My problem with this dish was the spinach.  It gave the dish a disjointed taste.   In other words, they didn't go together.  Or, at least, that's my opinion.  I should mention that I like spinach.  That wasn't the problem. 

I also need to mention that you'll need 3 large saucepans to pepare this dish.  My stove has 2 large burners and 2 small burners, so it was a little tricky to make this dish.  I'd recommend a plug-in skillet for those of you with the same type of stove top as it was a bit crowded.  Plus, there's lots of clean-up, too.

When I serve this dish as a leftover I'm going to eliminate the spinach.  It was too powerful for the wonderful sauce and beef combination.  I think something like a light salad or steamed cauliflower would be better.

Weekly Planner for Detox - Days 15 - 21

Here's Another Weekly Planner

As I mentioned last week, I'm going to start posting my weekly meal plans while on the Sexy Forever program.  I started with my first week of meals in the Detox level and I'm going in sequence from there.  I plan on posting my meal plans once per week.

Below is the meal plan for days 15-21 while in the Detox level.  You'll see that it includes information as to whether I got the recipe in one of Suzanne's books or her web site.  In addition, I indicate how many servings to prepare for each recipe to help you plan your shopping list.  And. also, which meals are to be used as leftovers.

Finally, you can reference my blog archives to read my recipes reviews, tips, and preparation information regarding may daily meals for this weekly meal plan.  Also, please keep in mind that my meal plans were prepared for two adults; myself and my husband.

Detox Level - Days 1 through 7 (meals are for 2 adults)

Day	Meals	Prep
Saturday Day 15	B- (Exercise) Zucchini & Green Tomato Frittata (Pg. 209) and turkey sausage links L - Chicken Patty Picata (pg. 258) and Roasted Tomato Soup (Slim & Sexy pg. 166) D - Chopped Antipasto Salad (pg. 226) Snacks: AM - fruit PM - cheese	I made 6 servings of the frittata and chicken patties. I made 4 servings of the soup and antipasto salad.
Sunday Day 16	B- Leftover Frittata from day 15 and sausage L - Pea soup at Universal/Harry Potter D - Southwest Roasted Chicken (pg. 256) and sauteed broccoli Snacks: AM - fruit PM - Butterbeer	The roasted chicken made 8 servings or 4 meals.
Monday Day 17	B- (Exercise) Leftover Frittata and sausage from Day 15 L - Chicken Patty & Tomato Soup from day 15 D - Beef Tenderloin Medallions (pg. 272) and sautéed mushrooms and onions (pg. 235) and small salad Snacks: AM - fruit PM - granola bar	I made 2 servings of the beef tenderloin.
Tuesday Day 18	B- Quinoa L - Chopped Antipasto Salad D - Chicken Patty and sautéed broccoli Snacks: AM - apple PM - cheese	Make enough quinoa for 2 meals.
Wednesday Day 19	B- (Exercise) Quinoa L - leftover Antipasto salad from day 15 D - Leftover Roasted chicken from day 16 and sautéed yellow squash Snacks: AM - fruit PM - skinless almonds	The antipasto salad actually yielded 5 servings instead of 4.
Thursday Day 20	B- Fruit smoothie L - Roasted chicken from day 16 and cauliflower D - Chipotle-glazed Pork & Candied Tomato Salsa (Slim & Sexy pg. 254) AM snack - whole grain bread & peanut butter PM snack - hard boiled egg	I made 8 servings of the pork & salsa. I will use 4 servings for the upcoming week.
Friday Day 21	B- (Exercise) Fruit; quinoa L - Leftover Roasted chicken from day 16 and salad D - Chipotle-glazed Pork & Salsa from day 20 and roasted cauliflower Snacks: fruit for both equaling 3 servings

Day 1 - Ten Pounds To Go

The Last 10 Pounds

You may have noticed that I have changed the title of my blog entries.  Up until today my blog entries were titled in relation to the days I have been in Level 1.  However, now that I'm so close to reaching my goal, I'm changing the daily blog titles to reflect the days associated with the last 10 pounds. 

I'm doing this for two reasons:

1.  I'm hoping this change will be a motivator for me.  From past experience, I am well aware of the pitfalls that can occur during the last 10 pounds.  This is a critical stage and it's very easy to lose focus. 

2.  I also hope that this change will be a motivator for my blog followers, as well.  In other words, if I can do it, you can do it, too!  Or, on the flip side, if I start to slide and lose focus, perhaps we can motivate each other to get back on track.

With that said, below is my meal plan for today.  As you will see, I didn't start the last leg of my weight loss journey very strongly.

Breakfast - Zucchini and Green Tomato Frittata (SS web site) plus breakfast sausages.  This breakfast was another wonderful frittata recipe from Suzanne.  However, I must mention that the green tomatoes were not in the frittata.  But instead a side dish.

The frittata has sauteed onions with grated zucchini added 10 minutes later.  Then, some herbs and the beaten eggs are added and finished in the oven.  The tomatoes are simply cut into chunks and drizzled with EVOO plus salt & pepper.  They complimented frittata very well.

AM Snack - Hot Apple with Cinnamon (SS web site).  I've made this many times and it's extremely satisfying.

Lunch - The last of the Jalepeno Chili from day 113.  As I've mentioned before, this recipe indicates that it will yield 10 servings, but it actually made 12.  Earlier this week I froze two of them for a later use.

PM Snack - slice of cheese.

Dinner -  I didn't get my act together and therefore wasn't able to plan our upcoming meals.  Consequently, I didn't have anything in the house for supper as everything was frozen.  So, we had a sub sandwich from Subway.  One of the "Jared" varieties. 

I also had a gin and tonic because my hubby thought we should celebrate my achievement.  And, while it's not on the plan, I think it's okay to give yourself a reward once in a while when warranted.  And, I think this day was worth celebrating, don't you?

In addition, I did complete my meal plan and will be grocery shopping tomorrow.

Level 1 - Day 115 (Milestone weigh-in)

Oh, Happy Day!

After 20 weeks on the Sexy Forever plan, I'm beside myself with excitement.  While I only lost one pound this week, I'm thrilled to report that my total weight loss is 20 pounds!  And that's significant because it means I'm two-thirds of the way to my goal of losing 30 pounds.  With only 10 pounds to go . . . boy does that sound good . . . I know I'm going to have to dig deep to stay the course.

I think those last 10 pounds can be extremely hard, yet dangerous at the same time.  It's that tricky time when your mind plays games with you.  The little voice in your head starts negotiating with you to cheat a little ... saying things like, "go ahead and eat that piece of cake because you deserve it for your hard work".  You all know what I'm talking about.

Then, on the flip side, I think that weight loss slows down when you get close to your goal.  It's only natural.  Plus, there's always the chance that you may reach a plateau, which is not only frustrating . . . but dangerous, too.

I've been this close before, and I'm sure you have been too.  So, I'm going to dig deep and see if I can knock these 10 pounds out before they knock me out.

Oh, and by the way, my hubby didn't lose any weight this week, but he's been in that danger zone for many weeks now.  With only 8 pounds to go he has fallen for the voices in his head many times and cheats quite regularly.  Nothing really bad, but it adds up by the end of the week.

Today is also a wonderful day because it's all about leftovers today.  I love days like that because it means no kitchen work. 

Breakfast - cereal

AM Snack - Hot Apple With Cinnamon (SS web site).  Basically, you sprinkle some cinnamon and SomerSweet on a sliced apple and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds.  It's really a yummy treat.

Lunch - Leftover Jalapeno Chili from Day 113.  This recipe indicates that it will make 10 servings.  But, in reality it makes 12 servings, so I put the extra two servings in the freezer for a rainy day.

PM Snack - Another Zucchini Muffin from Day 112.  I'm going to miss these little morsels of yummy-ness.  But, we've got enough left for 2 more days.  Yeah!

Dinner - Leftover Pork Ribs from Day 112, plus I had a cucumber left over in the fridge, so I sliced it up.

Level 1 - Day 114

Green Tea Could Yield A Big Payoff

Yesterday I talked about the importance of drinking water and the best time to drink water.  To follow up, Suzanne rdecently posted some wonderful information I didn't know about green tea . . . which also counts towards your daily water intake.  After reading Suzanne's posting I think this is something everyone should consider.  Below is part of the article by Suzanne.

"Green tea has received a lot of good buzz in the press over the past few years, as studies show that the antioxidant-rich drink could have beneficial effects on everything from heart health to cancer prevention. And green tea can play a key role in the success of your Sexy Forever Plan. It can boost your metabolic rate by 4 percent for 24 hours after you ingest it; plus, it elevates your adrenaline for an extended period of time, giving you more energy for your daily activities (including exercise) and helping your body unlock and use stored body fat. (And, a bonus: It may even prevent your body from absorbing additional fat from your food!)"

In addition Suzanne said that you need to drink 2-3 cups of green tea, per day, to reap the benefits.  Plus, you need to drink it early in the day because the adrenaline boost can make it tough to sleep.  However, drinking it in the morning will help rev you up for the day ahead.  Finally, if you're indulging in a big, saturated-fat feast, a little green tea beforehand can help you avoid digesting (and storing) all of those fat calories.

Breakfast - Small peach; then exercise.  Then, a frozen gluten-free waffle and natural peanut butter.

AM Snack - Zucchini Muffin from day 112.  Be sure to nuke it in the microwave for 20 seconds to get that out-of-the-oven taste.

Lunch - Leftover Jalapeno Chili from Day 113.  This soup gets better each day.  Don't forget the garnishes.

PM Snack - 2 servings of raspberries.

Dinner - Leftover Ribs and Spinach Salad (both from Day 112).  I sauteed extra mushrooms on Day 112 to use today.  However, I sauteed fresh spinach today and then added the leftover mushrooms to make it fresher.

Level 1 - Day 113

More Motivation To Drink Water

I think most of you know that it's important to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day.  But, Suzanne recently posted the following information on her web site regarding additional benefits and a surprising suggestion.

"Water is a very important part of the weight–loss process because it goes a long way in aiding digestion. After all, what do you think saliva and digestive juices are largely made of? That's right. Water. Timing is important too: To maximize digestion, try not to drink too much water with your meals; it can dilute your digestive juices. Your stomach acids are strongest right before you eat. If you dilute them with too much water, it'll be more difficult to break down solid foods before they're passed on to the intestines. Too optimize those essential gastric acids, it's best to hydrate between meals or to eat at least half your meal before you drink water."

Breakfast - Leftover quinoa and non-fat milk topped with agave nectar.

AM Snack - Fruit salad

Lunch - The last of the Chicken Cassoulet from Day 111.

PM Snack - Another yummy Zucchini Muffin that I made yesterday.  To keep them fresher, longer, I stored them in the refrigerator.  Then, before eating, I popped it into the microwave for 20 seconds.  The heat really brings out the flavors.

Dinner - Jalapeno Chili (from SS web site).  This soup was another winner.  But, I must warn you that there's lots of ingredients . . . and thus, lots of prep work, and lots of steps.  It took me 50 minutes, plus an additional 10 minutes of cooking time after the last ingredients were added.  However, it's worth it because the recipe makes 10 servings!  Maybe more.

Also, to move this Level 1 dish closer to the Detox level, I substituted the one glass of red wine for water.  Also, I'm not a big fan of cooking with wine.

On the other hand, I love chili and enjoy spicy food so this recipe sounded very appealing.  And, it didn't disappoint.  However, I was pooped by the time on got it on the table as I didn't anticipate so much work.

There's lots of chopping involved.  And that means lots of pre-washing, too.  Plus, there are 3 kinds of meat to cook . . . hot and sweet Italian sausages plus ground chuck.  In hindsight I wish I had pre-washed the veggies the night before, as there's lots of them.  Or, at the very least, sliced and cooked the Italian sausages the night before while I was making dinner.

But, if you like chili and want to experience a delightful twist with lots of zippy flavors, this soup is worth the effort.  And don't forget to top it with the garnishes; sour cream, shredded cheese and scallions because they really add some extra excitement.

Level 1 - Day 112

A Word About Slow Weight Loss

I think it's very easy to convince yourself to give up on a diet or lifestyle plan when you're experiencing slow weight loss, or even lack of weight loss.  For many, these kinds a reasons can fool your inner-self to give up.  Or, at the very least, give a reason why the plan is not working.

I beg all of you not to give up when the scale slows down, or stops.  At the very least, any good lifestyle plan has its benefits.  One being the healthy aspect and how good food can actually make you feel better, and improve some health factors such as cholesterol and damage to your heart.  Which, I think, are good reasons to continue.

However, it is discouraging when the scale doesn't move.  I've been there many times, and I'm sure you have been too.  In my case, when this happened I did give up on the plan.  And convinced myself that the plan wasn't right for me.  So, after a brief period of time, I started a new plan.  And, I think that's the key.

If a plan doesn't appear to be working for you, don't give up and go back to your old habits.  Which is so easy to do.  But, instead, research another plan and give it a try for an extended period of time.  And you may get lucky, like I did, and find a plan that works for you and your body type and medical history.

Breakfast - Quinoa and non-fat milk.  I always make enough for one meal of leftovers since it takes about 20 minutes to prepare quinoa.

AM Snack - Large orange (I used the zest from this orange to make a muffin snack for this afternoon).

Lunch - Leftover Chicken Sausage Cassoulet from Day 111.

PM Snack - Zucchini Muffins (from SS web site).  While there are a lot of steps and ingredients to these muffins, it's well worth the time because the recipe makes 24 servings.  However, I did cut the recipe in half because there are only two of us.  Plus, I wasn't sure how good they'd be and didn't want to end up with something I didn't care for. 

But, in one word, these muffins were fabulous.  Especially, if you're like me, and love carbs ... specifically bread and muffins.  My only comment is this:  the next time I make these I will add more cinnamon and nutmeg to the recipe.  Other than that, they were worth the time and effort to make them.  And, more importantly, they satisfied my carb craving and left me feeling full and extremely satisfied.

Dinner - Baby Back Pork Ribs plus Warm Wild Mushroom and Spinach Salad (both from the SS web site).  OMG!  These ribs were to die for!!!!!

My hubby and I are huge fans of BBQ sauce on ribs, so I wasn't sure if I'd like this preparation.  But, this savory version was a huge surprise.  They were salty and greasy, in a good way, even though very little salt was added.  If you try this recipe, I think you'll be licking your fingers and asking for more.

NOTE:  I need to mention that Baby Back Pork Ribs were very expensive, and not on sale.  So, I substituted them for a cheaper version.  The recipe calls for boiling the ribs in water for 30 minutes.  In order to make these ribs more tender, I put them in my slow cooker for 6 hours (on low).  I then followed the recipe as directed.

Basically, you make a coating that consists of EVOO, salt, pepper, 2 heads of minced garlic, dried thyme and rosemary, plus red pepper flakes.  Topped with more EVOO and fresh lemon juice.

I can't say enough about the taste and the texture.  They were extremely tender and literally fell off the bone.  Plus, the oven method and coatings resulted in a crispy texture near the ends, which also added to their delicious-ness!  I can't wait for the leftovers!

Level 1 - Day 111

No Trial Today!

Due to some major game-playing by both attorney's the Casey Anthony trial was shut down today for a recess.  The judge was extremely frustrated with both sides regarding the unexpected delay and gave a smack-down to both attorneys!

So, as a result, I was able to finish planning my meals for the week and got my butt to the grocery store.  With my refrigerator full, I'm anxious to try out the wonderful recipes I found on Suzanne's web site.  Many of them sound simply amazing, starting with our fabulous dinner.

Breakfast - Frozen gluten-free waffle and natural peanut butter.

AM Snack - Cubed cantaloupe.

Lunch - Egg salad wrapped in large lettuce leaves.  Plus, a side salad.

PM Snack - Tomato Pizza Bites (SS web site).  We have had these tiny morsels of goodness many times.  They are one of our favorite snacks.

Dinner - Chicken Sausage Cassoulet (SS web site).  This French inspired recipe will definitely be on our upcoming top 5 list!

NOTE:  I decided to leave out the white wine for this Level 1 recipe to keep it closer to the Detox level requirements.  Instead, I replaced the 1/2 cup wine for water.  Also, I'm not a fan of okra and replaced it with zucchini.

There are a lot of ingredients to this meal, but the prep time is so worth the end result.  I used 4 chicken sausages, similar in size to hot dogs, that included small chunks of apples and Italian seasonings.  Plus, leftover cooked chicken breast that I cut into small pieces equalling 3 cups.

The result was fan-tab-u-lous!  All the ingredients combined to create a zippy, flavor-intensed thick soup.  I could have eaten two bowls!  Definitely check this one out.  Besides the chicken, it includes sauteed onion, celery, minced garlic, and red pepper.  Plus chicken stock, chopped tomatoes, thyme, parsley, zucchini, and cayenne pepper.

Level 1 - Day 110

Happy Father's Day!

I hope all of you following my blog celebrated Father's Day with a bang!  It's such a special day for families.

We had a quiet day because both of our father's are not alive, so we didn't do any celebrating.  However, we do have a dog, and often times refer to ourselves as mommy and daddy to our beloved Gidget.  So, my hubby thought we should splurge a bit and stretch the rules for Father's Day by celebrating with a Subway sandwich for lunch.

So we did, along with a trip for ice cream after supper.  Which my hubby insists was Gidget's idea!  See what I'm up against?

Breakfast - Sausage links and eggs fried in the leftover drippings.  You may not believe this, but eggs fried in bacon or sausage grease is perfectly acceptable on the Sexy Forever plan.  And boy were they delicious!

AM Snack - Fruit smoothie.

Lunch - A sub sandwich from Subway along (not on the plan) with cucumber slices.

PM Snack - A slice of cheese.

Dinner - Egg Salad Wraps (SS web site).  Instead of bread, use big lettuce leaves for the wrap.  On the side, I sprinkled some basil on sliced tomatoes and warmed them in the microwave for 30 seconds.

Dessert - We split a small Snicker Twirl from our neighborhood custard stand.  Also, not on the plan but extremely delicious on a 104 degree day!

Level 1 - Day 108 (weigh-in day)

We're Crawling Along

While I haven't been following the plan as closely as I should, I still managed to lose one pound this week after last week's zero loss.  Making a total loss of 19 pounds with 11 to go.

However, my hubby didn't lose any weight this week after losing one pound last week.  His total loss is 22 pounds with only 8 to go.

Much of my lack of attention to following the Sexy Forever plan like I should, is due to the Casey Anthony trial here in Florida.  I've become addicted to the trial, which is aired live, and have moved my Sugar Notes work station to the kitchen table so I can follow the trial.

For  those of you who don't know about this trial, it is a compelling murder of a 2-1/2 year old child whose mother is accused of killing her 3 years ago.  If you live in Florida, or specifically the Orlando area, you'd have to be living under a rock not to know all the unbelievable details about it.  During the past 3 years it gained national attention and has become sensationalized by the media.  People from all over have been lining up at midnight the night before, and sleeping outside the courthouse, in hopes of getting a seat to view the trial in person.  If you live here, it's the main topic of conversation anywhere you go!

As a result, my guilty pleasure has been this trial.   Which is the main reason why I've been lax in following the Sexy Forever Plan.  Most days we don't eat enough veggies or I skip a snack and then I eat more than I should at dinner because I'm hungry. 

Then, that results in not having leftovers for our lunches.  So, to remedy that problem, I've been buying appropriate pre-made items from the deli to serve as supplements due to lack of time.  Not huge problems, but they don't help when you're trying to lose weight because they're not prepared Suzanne's way. 

I think I'm a candidate for an intervention!  Yikes.

So now that I've confessed, I'm hoping it will give me renewed devotion for this plan.  My hubby and I have been doing so well, up until  three weeks ago when the trial started.  We don't want to lose ground.  And, more importantly, lose our focus and stray completely from the Sexy Forever Plan.  Which scares me a little.

So, I'm asking those of you who follow my blog to give me a kick in the butt.  Because, as you've probably noticed, I've also been lax in keeping up with my blog.  And, that's also because of the trial.  My main focus has to be my business, Sugar Notes, and consequently my blog has suffered because there's only so much time in the day.

Help!  Send me a comment or email.  I need to get back on track!

Weekly Planner for Detox - Days 8 thru 14

As I mentioned in earlier posts, I'm going to start posting my weekly meal plans while on the Sexy Forever program.  I'll be starting with my first week of meals in the Detox level and going in sequence from there.  I plan on posting my meal plans once per week.

Below is the meal plan for days 8-14 while in the Detox level.  You'll see that it includes information as to whether I got the recipe in one of Suzanne's books or her web site.  In addition, I indicate how many servings to prepare for each recipe to help you plan your shopping list.  And. also, which meals are to be used as leftovers.

Finally, you can reference my blog archives to read my recipes reviews, tips, and preparation information regarding may daily meals for this weekly meal plan.  Also, please keep in mind that my meal plans were prepared for two adults; myself and my husband.


Detox Level - Days 8 through 14 (meals are for 2 adults)

Day	Meals	Prep
Saturday Day 8	B- fried eggs in butter, bacon, sliced tomato L - Chopped Italian salad (pg. 172 Sexy Forever book) D - Mozzarella-Stuffed Turkey Burger and steamed broccoli (pg. 259 Sexy Forever) AM snack - skipped PM snack - clementines	Make enough Turkey Burgers for 3 meals or 6 servings. Approx. 6 oz. for me and 8 oz. for hubby each serving. Plan 4 servings of the Italian salad; 2 meals.
Sunday Day 9	B - Quinoa (pg. 169) (exercise) L - Leftover Chopped Italian salad (Day 8) D - Tuscan White Bean Soup (2 cups) found on SS web site AM snack - Clementine PM snack - 10 skinless almonds	The bean soup made more than expected. I planned on 3 meals or 6 servings, but it made 4 meals.
Monday Day 10	B - fruit; then exercised. Whole grain toast with natural peanut butter L - Leftover Mozzarella-Stuffed Turkey Burger (Day 8) and salad D - Cilantro Ginger Chicken (pg. 252 Sexy Forever book) and canned green beans AM snack - hard boiled egg PM snack - clementine	I planned on 2 meals or 4 servings of the Ginger Chicken. But, it made one extra serving.
Tuesday Day 11	B - Fruit salad; then quinoa L - Leftover Tuscan Bean Soup from Day 9 D - Steak Fajita Bowls (SS web site) Skipped AM snack PM snack - small peach	Make one meal of the Steak Fajita Bowls.
Wednesday Day 12	B - Fruit smoothie; exercised. Then quinoa L - Leftover Mozzarella Turkey Burger and sliced tomato w/basil from Day 8 D - Leftover Ginger Chicken (Day 10) and side salad AM snack - cheese PM snack - 10 skinless almonds	Leftover day.
Thursday Day 13	B - fruit; exercised. Then wholegrain toast with natural peanut butter L - Leftover Tuscan White Bean Soup from Day 9 (2cups) D - Hubby had leftover Ginger Chicken (Day 10) and I had leftover turkey burger (Day 8) and a salad AM snack - skipped PM - prosciutto & asparagus roll-ups (SS web site)	I was planning on making fish today, but moved it to tomorrow because I had one serving each of the left over turkey burger and ginger chicken. So, we got a bonus leftover day! Yeah!
Friday Day 14	B - Fruit salad; wait 20 minutes. Then, whole grain toast with natural peanut butter L - Leftover Tuscan soup (Day 9) D - Pan Roasted Catfish with Thyme & Lemon Butter Sauce (pg. 242 Sexy Forever) and brocolli PM Snack - prosciutto & asparagus roll-ups	Make enough fish for one meal.

　

Level 1 - Day 101 (Weigh-in day)

The Scale's Slowing Down

It was bound to happen.  The scale showed a one pound loss for my hubby and it didn't even move at all, for me.

As we're getting closer and closer to our goal weight, it's only natural, I think, for the scale to slow down.  With only 8 more pounds to go for my hubby and 12 for me, I think we're going to have more of a battle to get those last pounds off.

Plus, I think the longer you're on the plan and the closer you get to your goal the more apt you are to cheat a little bit.  And, that's been the case for us, and I'm sure you've all been there too.  I'm not saying we're eating things we shouldn't but rather that I'm not balancing my meals as well as used to do.

Lunch is my culprit because I work from home.  I don't always take the time to make those veggies.  It's much easier to stay on track when the veggie is a leftover or I make a salad ahead of time.  Then, on top of not eating my veggies, I get hungrier at snack time and end up eating a little more than I should.  It's been a struggle to stay on track.  I'm sure you can all relate.

Here's my meal plan for the day:

Breakfast - Cereal with non-fat milk.

AM Snack - Fruit smoothie.

Lunch - Leftover hamburger with a little melted cheese.  I was planning on eating a salad today, but didn't feel like getting everything out ... then chopping, etc.  So, I just ate the protein.

PM Snack - Tomato Pizza Bites (SS web site).  You're supposed to stack a slice of tomato, then a slice of turkey pepperoni, then some cheese and microwave to melt the cheese.  However, I didn't feel like slicing the tomato and just had the pepperoni and cheese.  Now, that's bad.  But worse, my stomach started growling an hour later and that's not good.  So I had a hard-boiled egg when I should have had some sliced veggies.  Yikes!

Dinner - Roasted Sweet Red Pepper Soup with Creme Fraiche and Crispy Sage Leaves (SS web site) plus a meal we had during our first week on the plan, Butterflied Rosemary Chicken with Pan Juices (Sexy Forever book, pg. 254-255).

This was a wonderful combination.  Other than roasting 6 red peppers for an hour, the soup was very fast and easy to make.  Plus, the addition of a dollop of sour cream on top was fabulous. 

However, we weren't too crazy about the fried sage leaves.  While they looked very pretty they didn't add anything at all.  In fact, I think they took away from the heavenly flavors of the soup.  We won't be adding them when we reheat the soup as leftovers, which is too bad because I already made the sage leaves ahead of time.  You know how I hate wasting food, but I ended up throwing the fried sage leaves away.

Regarding the butterflied chicken, you can read my review from our first week in Detox.  Just go to my blog archives and pull up Detox, Day 2.

Level 1 - Day 100

Burning Down The House

In honor of our 100th day in Level 1, one might think I was celebrating with the sounds of our smoke alarm going off while preparing dinner.  On the contrary, the alarms were quite un-nerving as they went off unexpectantly, not once, but three times!  But, luckily for me, my hubby was home and was able to take care of disarming the alarm while I tended to my feisty dinner.

While I quickly worked to keep our expensive dinner from burning, my hubby was running around the house opening windows and bringing in fans to suck the smoke out of the air.  To look at us you would have seen that we were quite the team as we both kept our cool during all the chaos.  And, in the end, we were relieved and delighted when we finally sat down to a delicious dinner.  Although, it wasn't as relaxing as I'd hoped.

The moral of the story:  When a recipe instructs you to cook something on high heat, you need to take into account that all burners are not the same.  Temperatures can differ as well as their features.  Which I later found out.  The burner I was using on my stove has a feature that makes it heat faster and hotter than all the rest.  Yikes!

The second moral of the story, according to my husband:  Always read the directions.

Below are our meals for the day:

Breakfast - Leftover quinoa with non-fat milk and agave nectar.

AM Snack - 3 servings of grapes which I soaked in apple cider vinegar and water for 30 minutes to remove the toxins.

Lunch - Leftover Shrimp Stir Fry for 4 (SS web site) from earlier in the week.  The recipe calls for brown rice which makes it a Level 1 meal.  This is a quick and light meal and was surprisingly more delicious as a leftover.

PM Snack - Natural beef jerkey (1 oz.)

Dinner - Pan-Roasted Ribeye Steak with Slow-Roasted Sweet Onion and Sauteed Spinach.  Other than roasting the onion with bacon wrapped around it for one hour, this is a fairly quick meal to make if you leave out all of our chaos.

My intention was to make a romantic meal for my hubby because he was having a particularly challenging week at work.  Instead our meal reflected the chaos he was experiencing at work.  NOT what I had intended!

The recipe requires heating an oven-proof pan on high then adding EVOO.  Next, you sear the ribeye steak for 2-1/2 minutes on each side.  But, my pan was screaming hot and immediately erupted with smoke and intense sizzling sounds when I tried to sear the steak.  Within a minute the smoke alarm went off.  Then, a minute later, it went off again.

And, if that wasn't enough drama, the recipes directs you to pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees where, once the steak has been seared, you finish cooking it for another 2 minutes.

Well, my pan was smoking and sizzling and spitting EVOO all over.  So, when I opened the oven door to slide the pan inside it soon triggered the smoke alarm to go off the third time.  So much drama for one little steak!  In addition to the smoke alarm noise, I had the oven exhaust fan going on high and my hubby had a large floor fan running on high, too.  We could barley hear ourselves think, let alone carry on any kind of conversation with each other.

But, later, when all the noise stopped, we were able to laugh about it.  But it sure put a damper on my intended romantic and quiet meal.  So, while I will tell you that this was a very delicious meal, I would bet that it was probably much better than I remembered because my emotions weren't in the right place.  You can bet that the next time I make this meal it will be prepared on a lower temperature setting.

Level 1 - Day 99

Weekly Meal Planner

I hope the meal planner I posted in my last blog entry from Detox, Days 1 thru 7, helped some of you plan your meals.  I'd love to hear from you about it.  It was fun for me to go back and re-live those days.  In fact, I'm going to be re-vamping one of Suzanne's meals from that planner in an upcoming meal this week.  Be sure to look for it, as I'm hoping it will be another winner.

I'd also like to mention that I attached the weekly meal planner to my original blog entry in my archives for Detox, Day 1.  So, you can also look for the planner, there, as well.  As I publish upcoming weekly meal planners to my daily blog, I will also be posting it to the corresponding first day from my original blog in my archives.  I'm hoping this addition will help newcomers to my blog, as well, when they search the archived entries.

Here are my meals for today:

Breakfast:  Exercised; then Quinoa with non-fat milk and agave nectar.

AM Snack:  3 servings of fresh pineapple.

Lunch - Spinach Salad with Chicken, Goat Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomatoes (SS web site).  For this salad I used leftover chicken from last night's dinner.  I substituted the balsamic vinegar dressing for fresh deli dressing I had on hand. 

PM Snack - Natural beef jerky (1 oz.)

Dinner - I was a little rushed today, so I didn't use one of Suzanne's recipes.  Instead, I simply pan-fried a couple of pork chops in EVOO and paired them with organic, canned peas.

Cheater Alert:  My hubby usually has a couple honey graham crackers and some 1% chocolate milk in the evening and most of the time I can refrain.  However, tonight, I had one, plus a sip of his milk.

Weekly Planner for Detox Days 1-7

Here It Is!

As I mentioned yesterday, I'm going to start posting my weekly meal plans while on the Sexy Forever program.  I'll be starting with my first week of meals in the Detox level and going in sequence from there.  I plan on posting my meal plans once per week.

Below is the meal plan for days 1-7 while in the Detox level.  You'll see that it includes information as to whether I got the recipe in one of Suzanne's books or her web site.  In addition, I indicate how many servings to prepare for each recipe to help you plan your shopping list.  And. also, which meals are to be used as leftovers.

Finally, you can reference my blog archives to read my recipes reviews, tips, and preparation information regarding may daily meals for this weekly meal plan.  Also, please keep in mind that my meal plans were prepared for two adults; myself and my husband.


Detox Level - Days 1 through 7 (meals are for 2 adults)

Day	Meals	Prep
Saturday Day 1	B - Cup of cantaloupe; exercise. Then, 1 slice whole wheat toast, lettuce, warm tomato & basil L - Taco salad (chopped lettuce, seasoned ground beef, cheddar cheese, sour cream, & salsa) D - Cheeseburger served in lettuce cup and side salad (Sexy Forever book pg. 172) AM snack - skipped PM snack-2 brown rice cakes topped w/fresh salsa	Make enough taco salad for 2 days. Make enough cheeseburgers for 3 days. I made 6 oz. patties for me; 8 oz. patties for hubby.
Sunday Day 2	B - Scrambled eggs with sautéed mushrooms, fresh spinach, and grated cheese (pg. 171 in Sexy Forever book) L- Leftover cheeseburger and side salad D- Butterflied Rosemary Chicken with Pan Juices (pg. 254) and sautéed kale & brocolli AM snack - one serving cherries PM snack - clementine	Make enough sautéed kale & brocolli for 2 days. Chicken will yield 4 dinners and 4 cobb salads for 2 people.
Monday Day 3	B - Fruit; wait 20 minutes. Then whole wheat toast with lettuce, warm tomato, & basil L - Leftover taco salad D - Leftover cheeseburger & spinach salad AM snack - skipped PM snack - 2 brown rice cakes and fresh salsa
Tuesday Day 4	B - Fruit smoothie L - Egg salad wrap (pg. 172) D - Leftover Rosemary Chicken and leftover sauteed kale and brocolli AM snack - slice of cheddar cheese PM snack - brown rice cakes and fresh salsa	Make enough egg salad for 3 days; or in my case this was 6 lunches.
Wednesday Day 5	B - Cup fruit; wait 20 minutes. Then, whole wheat toast w/lettuce, warm tomato & basil L - Leftover egg salad wrap D - Cobb salad using leftover chicken (recipe page 171 in Sexy Forever book) AM snack - skipped PM snack - 2 brown rice cakes and fresh salsa	Make enough cobb salad for 2 days.  For me, this was 4 lunches.
Thursday Day 6	B - Fruit smoothie using 2 servings of fruit L - leftover egg salad wrap D - Pork chops (pg. 172) and oven-roasted cauliflower AM snack - skipped PM snack - one Clementine; waited 20 minutes, then had slice of cheese	I made 4 pork chops to use for 2 meals.
Friday Day 7	B - bacon, fried eggs, & sautéed zuchini ribbons in EVOO L - leftover cobb salad D - leftover pork chops and sautéed kale in EVOO AM snack - skipped PM snack - last of brown rice cakes and salsa	Re: breakast use 2 eggs per person. There was leftover kale in the bag so I used it up today.

　

Level 1 - Day 95 (weigh-in day)

Stubborn Scale For Hubby

After not sticking to the plan correctly last week, I'm happy to report that I got the scale moving this week and lost another pound.  I was a little worried because I had two cocktails and some potato chips over the Memorial Day weekend.  However, I did stick to the plan the remainder of the week and did not include any Level 1 meals.  So, that must have helped.

My hubby, on the other hand, didn't lose anything this week.  But, he fell off the plan over the Memorial Day weekend by having a few more snacks than I did plus a couple of beers.

So, as of today I've lost a total of 18 pounds and my hubby is holding at 21 pounds.  With both of us wanting to lose 30 pounds each, we're getting closer and closer to our goal.  And because we're getting close, it's easy to get lax once in a while.

Announcement - I'm Adding a New Feature To My Blog

First, I'd like to thank my sister for all her support in regards to my blog and my weight loss success.  She's my biggest fan and the reason behind the new feature I'm adding to my blog.

She suggested a wonderful idea that I think my loyal blog followers will appreciate.  She thought it would be helpful if I could post my complete weekly plan in one document.  Which would also include the recipe source and how many servings I made of each meal.  In that way, she felt it would be easier to plan weekly shopping lists and meal preparation at a glance.

So, starting tomorrow, I will post one week of meals that you can print out or cut and paste to another document.  As you know, I already post our weigh-in information each Friday and our Top 5 Recipes every 30 days.  So, now, I'll also be posting documents that show one week of meals, starting with my meals from Detox, Week 1, and then going sequentially from there.  This will be done each Saturday.

I'd love to hear your comments or suggestions regarding this new addition.  So drop me a note.

Level 1 - Day 90 (Top 5 Recipes)

Top 5 Recipes For The Past 30 Days

I can't believe it's been 3 months since my hubby and I started Level 1 on the Sexy Forever plan.  The food has been fabulous and we've had great results.  As in the past, I'm again posting our favorite recipes for the past 30 days.  Look in the blog archives for previous "Top 5 Recipe" postings.

#1 - Summer Tomato Soup with Basil Pistou and
       Open-Faced Grilled Cheese Sandwich from Day 83
       (a great comfort food meal the Sexy-Forever way)
#2 - Lamburger with Tomato Chutney and Mint from Day 77
#3 - Chicken Parmigiana from Day 63
#4 - Shrimp Scampi and Gorgonzola Cheese Salad from Day 76
#5 - Red Lentil Cumin Soup from Day 75

Here's our meal plan for today:

Breakfast - Special K cereal with non-fat milk.  It's probably not the best choice, but it was on great sale and I had a $1.00 off coupon, to boot!

AM Snack - A delicious fruit smoothie made with assorted frozen fruits and a splash of pomagranite juice.

Lunch - A big salad with greens, deli ham, shredded cheddar cheese, hard-boiled egg, sliced peppers, tomatoes, and homemade Italian dressing.

PM Snack - Sliced cucumber sticks and tomato slices.

Dinner - Leftover London Broil Stir-Fry from Day 88.  (This is the meal I made up myself.)