New Healthy Favorites...

One of the most exciting things for a foodie like me about moving to a new area is new food options!

Some of my favorites are:

True Delights Granola Bars in Toasted Coconut Banana Macadamia Nut - Only 140 calories! You seriously have to try these. Sooooo good.

Skinny Cow Dreamy Cluster candy packs - 120 calories - YUM! They're like light Turtles!

Stop and Shop (a New England grocer) has a Light Raisin English Muffin - 90 calories

Here's what I do - 1/2 tbsp whipped butter (see below) a sprinkle of baking Splenda and a shake of cinnamon. For 115 calories a super tasty treat! Just look at all those raisins.

Butter - it's always a question of whether to use butter or margarine - but this - may be the perfect solution, and I'm sure I'm late on this band wagon but this stuff is perfect. It's real butter, whipped so it's less calories, and it's only 50 calories per serving of 1 tbsp. I generally use half. Best part is, it doesn't taste like plastic!

I love a good rice pudding, and Kozy Shack finally came out with the sugar free kind. Perfect size and only 70 calories!

And last but not least (you know how I love ice cream) - my current favorites:

Oh My Blueberry Pie  - with super yummy pie chunks - 130 calories per 1/2 cup

and Purely Pistachio - 120 calories per half cup -  the combination of sweet and salty is a perfect treat.

If you live in a region lucky enough to try any of these, I highly suggest you do! It's items like these that make it much easier to be a healthy and fit foodie!!

I'm back... and discussing the fit food enemy: stress

It appears as though I accidentally took a 6 week hiatus... I assure you it wasn't entirely intentional. I have had some very large changes in my life -  like moving 960 miles away from my hometown and transplanting myself in New England!

The transition of a big move and in turn, new routines and eating habits has been a struggle. But, I have somehow successfully been able to maintain my weight loss (wavering a pound or two) even though the gym and healthy food options have not been as readily available.

That being said, I feel this is a topic that must be touched on... STRESS.

If you're like me, and most of you probably are, you find a sort of comfort and warmth in a good meal. Now I'm from the South, and in the South, that comfort food looks a little more like mashed potatoes and fried chicken and a lot less like a grilled chicken salad. But, you have to be able to fight the comfort food demon. Maybe not all the time, but some of the time at least!

I am not without flaws folks, I grab food and munch on it to feel better just like everyone else.

The thing you have to remember is, the taste of that food will only last seconds, maybe minutes (if you're a super slow chewer) in your mouth, but it could last weeks, months or even years on your thighs!

Stress is evil, and it will cause you to make poor choices in lots of avenues of your life, whether you grab a large pizza, wash it down with a classic coke and half an apple pie, or grab yourself a 12 pack of brew, or a carton of smokes, or whatever else to calm your nerves... these are temporary fixes.

Sometimes, stressful situations are out of your control and when that happens a good distraction may be your shining savior. I'm likely alone when I say this but, cleaning is a good distraction for me. If I'm bored and stressed and running to the kitchen to open the cupboards and look in them even though I know I'm not hungry, I clean.

I'm certain you kind find another distraction that may be more pleasing to your palate. Maybe you play with your pets, kids or friends. Maybe you go to the park and enjoy the sunshine. Maybe you play a video game or board game. Maybe you shop or start a craft project. Or... maybe you gym. Speaking of the gym - some of us (myself included at times) cannot bring ourselves to gym when stressed.

The thing to remember about the gym is - you need to try to enjoy it! If you are going to the gym because you feel like it's a chore - you will likely stop wanting to go. This happened to me recently. Sure, I'm not always doing cartwheels on the way to my workout because I'm so excited to go sweat for an hour or more... but this feeling of dreading the gym was becoming routine.

If you're bored with the gym and are unable to get out of that rut, try one of these:

- a new workout: do some research, there are lots of exercises out there, try them all! Google is your friend!

- circuit training: read this blog entry.

- join a class: Zumba is all the rage these days, or try kickboxing, cardioblast, strength training (don't worry - you won't look silly - everyone looks silly!)

- get a dvd: they're cheap, you can get them used at your favorite used bookstore, or on amazon.com and you can do them in the privacy of your home!

- get outside - it's summertime: there are lots of things to do outside - walk, run, bike, play frisbee, soccer, softball, baseball, basketball, football, rugby, canoe, kayak, hike, swim... get the picture?

Most of all, enjoy yourself!

Feel free to add your own comments, suggestions or ways to beat gym boredom - we could all use a little help.

Apple Pie Ice Cream - well, as close as I can get!

In the fall, Edy's brand came out with a seasonal Fun Flavor "Apple Pie"... who doesn't love apple pie and ice cream!? So, needless to say, I fell in love with it. Now that it's spring and rolling rapidly into summer, my craving still exists... So... I made up my own version.

APPLE PIE ICE CREAM

4 medium gala apples (I like them because they're sweeter and I had them on hand, but use whatever kind you like the best - some like them tart!)
1/2 cup or so of Granulated Baking Splenda
2 tbsp. vanilla extract (less if you like)
2 tbsp. cinnamon
4 tbsp. water

ONLY 170 calories total for the apple mixture!

This is a stove top version, I'm sure you could simply remove the cores and bake them in the oven for a long time and the flavor would be incredible. However, when it's 80 degrees outside, the last thing I want to do is have my oven on for an hour.

Peel your apples. Slice them up into about 1/2 inch wedges. If you have one of those apple slicer things, use that, then slice those in half. Take a small 1.5 quart sauce pan and put all ingredients in the pan. Toss through with a spoon. Simmer on medium for about 20-25 minutes or until they still have a little bite to them. They will need to be stirred about once every 5 minutes or so. The apples will cook down quite a bit, so double the recipe if you want more. Also, the "sauce" they create in the bottom of the pot will be perfect. If you want it a little thicker, add about 1/2 tbsp of corn starch.

Spoon a quarter of the mixture into the bottom of a small bowl, place 1/2 cup scoop of light vanilla (about 110 calories depending on the brand) on top of the hot apples, top with 2 tbsp of light cool whip (20 calories). For added crunch sprinkle with nuts or crunchy cereal. The only thing this is missing, is the crust!!

1 serving = 173 calories for the whole "sundae"

ENJOY!

In other news... I've done it... I've lost 100 pounds!

It's amazing for me to believe that statement is true, but it is... I've lost 100 pounds.

I've lost a 6th grader.

A 2 month old horse.

A 70" diameter pumpkin with all it's insides.

A large male deer.

And it feels, incredible!!

Fruity Granola-y Banana-y Chocolate-y Cookies...

BANANA OATMEAL RAISIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES      

2 ¼ cups Rolled or Quick Oats 

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

3 ripe bananas 

1 tbsp. raisins

1 tbsp. mini chocolate chips 

¼ cup Baking Splenda

2 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mash bananas in bowl, add in oats, applesauce, raisins, splenda, chocolate chips and spices. Stir well. Let sit for a few minutes. Spoon onto cookie sheet by the tablespoon and flatten to desired shape – they will not spread out on their own. Bake for 10 minutes or until slightly golden. These cookies will be more like chewy granola bars. You can add other variations as well: nuts, other dried fruits, honey instead of Splenda.

Yields 28 cookies – 40 calories each

How long will it take me to get skinny?!

We all want a quick fix answer, but here's the thing... there is no real quick fix when it comes to weight loss that actually stays off and I'm living proof. It has taken me literally years to work off the bulge but I'm a lot stronger person because of it. Sure, you can go on some crazy fad diet and probably drop some water weight quickly, but in order to keep it off, you have to change your life! Start a whole new routine!

If you figure out that typically I gym about 3 days a week on average, sometimes more, and I spend about an hour at the gym, plus I walk the dog several times a week, sometimes for 30 mins, sometimes for an hour or two, my average workout time is about 4 hours per week, almost every week... that means that in one year.. I will have spent about 208 hours "working out"...

Sure, that may sound like a lot... but consider this... there are 1248 hours in one year... 208 hours is NOTHING,... you do that sitting in front of the TV four days a week for an hour at a time, or shopping, or on the phone with family and friends. We all have busy lives... but.. if you take 30 mins a day... 7 days a week... that's 3.5 hours..

So, walk your dog, or take your kids on a walk, or walk with your friends or partner to meet friends for dinner or coffee or a light beer.

Play outside in the sunshine and take in some vitamin D while you're at it.

Do 30 mins of vigorous housework, vacuum, sweep, mop, dust, pull out the furniture... before you know it, 30 mins is gone.

Do something to help you get moving!

Go bowling, play putt-putt, go to the batting cages, play frisbee in the park, join a fitness class.

It's easier than it sounds... and before you know it, you'll be craving that feeling you get from being active. Whatever your fitness level is, there is something you can do.

What do YOU do to work out??

Frozen Meals - don't knock 'em til you try 'em...

Here's the deal, I LOVE to cook, but a lot of times it's easier for me to grab a quick frozen meal that has all the calories calculated for me and can give me a large variety of flavors. On a typical week day I will eat a frozen meal for lunch. Now, I know that they have a bad wrap, being full of sodium and preservatives. However, some frozen meals have no preservatives (Lean Cuisines) and have as much sodium as that can of soup you've been eating instead, or that fast food grilled chicken sandwich. All I'm saying here is, they haven't killed me yet and I can't tell you how many hundreds, possibly thousands of these things I've eaten in my life time. Also, as an added bonus, they're cheap! Often $2 a piece. That's only $10 for 5 lunches and unless you've been living in a cave like the Geico cavemen, that's a hell of a deal.

So, for you skeptics and people that have never tried a frozen meal, I've outlined some of my favorites. Oh and in case you can't tell, Lean Cuisines seem to be my frozen meal of choice - they also have a lot more options!

Enjoy:

Lean Cuisine - Tortilla Crusted Fish, Santa fe Rice and Beans, Spaghetti & Meatballs, BBQ Chicken Pizza, Margherita Pizza, Fajita- style Chicken Spring Rolls, Chicken Margherita, Sweet and Spicy Ginger Chicken, Asiago Cheese Tortelloni, Chicken in Peanut Sauce, Roasted Honey Chicken, Fiesta Grilled Chicken, Orange Chicken, Sesame Chicken, Parmesan Crusted Fish, Chicken with Lasagna Rollatini, Meatloaf with Whipped Potatoes, Cheese Ravioli, Classic Macaroni and Beef, Chicken Enchilada Suiza, Four Cheese Cannelloni

Smart Ones - Pasta with Ricotta and Spinach, Terriyaki Chicken and Vegetables, Orange Sesame Chicken, Ravioli Florentine, Three Cheese Ziti Marinara,Sweet and Sour Chicken, Macaroni & Cheese, Lasagna Bake with Meat Sauce

 

Healthy Choice - Asian Potstickers, Roasted Chicken Verde, Spicy Caribbean Chicken

Kashi - Mayan Harvest Bake, Red Curry Chicken, Southwest Style Chicken, Lemongrass Coconut Chicken, Pesto Pasta Primavera  *Kashi's are a little more expensive, but sometimes they have better flavor, plus their's are all natural.