4 Day Win

Welcome International Flybabies!

2011-01-14T14:34:00.000-08:00

Diabetic friendly Crunchies

2011-01-08T08:09:00.000-08:00

Frozen Peanut-Banana Crunchies Recipes

2 cups peanut butter
48 graham cracker squares
2 cups mashed ripe bananas

In a large bowl, mash ripe bananas into a smooth paste. Mix in peanut butter using a large wooden spoon. Cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours.

Drop 2 tablespoons banana mixture onto one square graham cracker, cover with second graham cracker square. Freeze until ready to use.

from: Kitchen Cooking Recipes

1 starch, 1 medium fat meat, 1 fat exchange

196 Calories, 12.2 Fat, 6.4 Protein, 18.0 Carb., 0 Chol., 188 Sodium

Food For Thought

2011-01-03T07:04:00.000-08:00

Seven in 2011

by Leanne Ely, C.N.C

1. Portion Distortion - Keep in mind that most dinner plates made today are much bigger than the ones we ate off of 40 years ago, so if you can find smaller plates (like a salad plate) that's ideal. Now take that plate and divide it in half. One half of the plate is for your veggies. Now divide the other half of the plate in half again (so you have two quarters). One quarter is for starchy carbs with fiber, like sweet potatoes or brown rice. The last quarter is for lean meats like chicken, fish or lean beef.

2. Plan Like You Mean It - When you fail to plan, you plan to fail. By knowing what you're going to eat and when, you will have the right food on hand and you'll be prepared. Keeping a few healthy snacks handy for those moments when life throws you a curve ball is a must; I keep almonds and beef jerky in my purse right next to the tampons! True emergencies require preparedness.

3. Pump the Protein - White chicken meat, wild salmon, wild fish, pork and lean beef are your best choices.

4. Skip the Can - When it comes to veggies and fruits, go for seasonal and fresh as much as possible, frozen works too. Avoid the canned stuff though, too much salt and the nutrients are pretty much zapped out.

5. Stop the Soda - Drink water (yep, 8 glasses a day), then throw some green tea into the mix for a different flavor--green tea is great for weight loss and is a superfood. Just remember that tea has caffeine and can dehydrate so make up for it with a little more water.
6. Quality Over Quantity - One thing I hear all of the time is "I can't afford to eat healthy". But you know, there are always sales to be had and swaps to be made--change one thing out for another. Buying foods in their rawest state that requires cooking is going to afford you a whole lot more real food--you can buy a whole bag of potatoes for just a few bucks vs. a bag of frozen hash browns for the same price; the bag of potatoes will go a lot further than the already prepared hash browns.

7. 90/10 Rule - Use the 90/10 rule. Be a conscientious healthy eater 90% of the time and eat your favorite treats the other 10% of the time. This helps us keep balance in our diets and fun still in the equation.

These 7 steps will keep healthy eating in perspective and help you put body clutter in its place. By simply following through and doing all these things, you'll be quietly teaching your family good habits and be helping more than just yourself. :-)

Love,
Leanne

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Starting of a New Year

2010-12-27T03:54:00.000-08:00

I continue with my struggle of forming good habits, healthy eating and weightloss.
one step forward and 4 steps back is how it has gone this year.

I was listening to a radio program that said that people who kept a journal of their eating over the holidays were less likely to put on weight. The fact that I have been sporadic and at times non-existent - so its no surprise that I have made no progress. But I feel positive about the fact that I did not give into the temptation to delete this blog. It means I have not given up

Inpirational thoughts

2010-07-29T14:33:00.000-07:00

Send this eCard !

White Bean-Pesto Bruschetta

2010-06-07T08:56:00.000-07:00

Healthy Eating Planner:

31 Days of Healthy, Low-Calorie Snacks

167 calories
White Bean-Pesto Bruschetta

Mini Turkey-Avocado Wrap

2010-06-07T08:55:00.000-07:00

Mini Turkey-Avocado Wrap

Day 3

2010-04-28T12:59:00.000-07:00

660ml of water so far - plan to drink been a bit of a slow day.

Did 46min of Zumba Fitness DVD - really worked my abs.
Wore protection padding on my toes and corns that help my feet.

Eating did not go very well today and the night is not over and i feel soooooo tempted.

Had a slice of toast and an egg for breakfast
Lunch 1 slice of toast with butter, cappuccino and cheesecake
Supper - Melkkos with cinnamon sugar#
Snack - handful of nuts mix.
Cup of coffee

Day 2

2010-04-27T11:25:00.000-07:00

I got up with a sore body and sore a sore ankle.
Ate another 100 calorie snack and a banana before I slept. As ususal mind in so focused on food but I am not going to let that depress me and give up.

Did 30 min. of exercise today 10 min of Callanethics and then staight into a 20min 1 Mile Walk DVD by Leslie Sansone. My daughter says she is getting boring.
So i think tomorrow i will do some walking on my own in the morning and a different exercise DVD with my daughter.
We also have the option of walking to school which is just over a mile for her which takes us 30min.

Had the shake for breakfast and Supper
Snack 1 - 219 calories Oats so easy with Milk
2 cups of coffee
Lunch 2 naan breads with a can of Taco Beans - I estimate that was about 450 calories.
Also had a glass of fruit juice.

Concerned about my 5 fruit and veg. Got to have a big salad with my food tomorrow.

Walked 5 miles today

2010-04-26T09:54:00.000-07:00

Hi

I am still around and I have not given up.

I have drunk 2l of water today and did Leslie Sanson 5 mile Fat Burn Walk.
Managed to do the Boost for 2 of 5 miles - YAY.

Had a slim fast cafe latte shake for breakfast
1granola bar (100 calories) for a snack
2 cups of coffee with sugar and milk like I normally do (when I plateau I will cut down the sugar or just cut out the sugar)
For lunch I had cheese omelette with two slices of toast - I esitmate that it was about 600 calories
for supper I am having another Slim Fast Shake

Hoping to keep this up for 5 days as a Jump Start of sorts.

Quote for the week

2010-03-03T03:33:00.001-08:00

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

By Lao Tzu

Live Life Abundantly

2010-02-22T01:47:00.000-08:00

How to Create an Exercise Music Playlist - wikiHow

2010-02-05T04:49:00.000-08:00

How to Create an Exercise Music Playlist - wikiHow

Late Weigh-in

2010-02-04T06:31:00.000-08:00

113.4 kg - that is a wonderful loss of 0.1kg (from 250.2 to 250 pounds).

A loss is loss that is to be celebrated.

How did i do on not pigging out - well someone gave me a bread pudding dessert and by the second day I could not stay away from it. I have successfully avoided the chocolate cake.

today I want to attempt some exercise. I am not experiencing any dizzy spells and the headaches have subsided as well. I am still napping a bit in the day otherwise I seem to be recovering well from the car accident.

Recovery

2010-02-01T05:07:00.000-08:00

I was in an accident on Saturday. My daughter and i were in the car. We skidded on black ice and went off the road - we are both fine. I just bumped my head but no permanent damage - just a bit of swelling.

health wise my challenge will be not to stress or comfort eat.

Weigh In # 3

2010-01-26T03:41:00.000-08:00

Maintained at 113. 5kg.

Not surprising. I have been sick. Been unable to to exercise.
Still recovering from the Head cold - not quite sure when it will be safe to start exercising again.
A friend of mine exercised while she had a cold and she she got sick afterwards, don't wan to make the same mistake.

My favourite thing to eat when I have a cold / flu is an omelete with chillies and orange juice.
Got that for today.

The Scales

2010-01-25T01:25:00.000-08:00

Life is all about balance. My mom's favourite words to me were: Simone you need to find a happy medium. Her way of telling not to take things to their extreme.

When it comes to using the scale to weigh myself that is one thing I have great balance with. I only do it once a week. Now I like numbers I like working things out. Whenever I begin to make some healthy changes i start calculating the possibilities. Up until now in last ten years it has gotten me no where.
I see the scales as a little blankie for some odd reason they give a little comfort. I know I can use a measuring tape - waist measurement is a good way to measure weight loss and an important figure (88cm is apparently what we should aim to get down to). But as soon as I got a little extra money I bought a scale - LOL.

There are pros and cons.
if you can't resist getting on everyday , then I say follow the dietician's recommendation and get rid of your scale.
If you don't have money - don't bother - use a measuring tape instead.

I have a challenge. My husband is away for two weeks. I am on my own and need to stay motivated. I have a head cold and a daughter to look after. Easy to slip into doing things the easy way.
Yesterday I had to get our camera after dropping my husband at the airport but the shop was still closed. tesco was closed - only KFC and M was opened. so We went to Mac Donalds - I had the vegetarian meal with orange juice. Hows that for a balancing act - LOL

Weigh-In 2 and Confessions

2010-01-19T02:19:00.000-08:00

I almost forgot that today was my weigh in day.

Happy to report that I down to 113,5 kg - YAY that is a lost of 1.5kg.

Confession - on Sunday I had KFC for dinner. The reason was circumstances we went for a walk in the mountains - up to the first contour. Then decided to visit an old lady and that took longer than we expected. With two hungry children and very little money we took the easy way out.
When we were driving to our walk I thought i was silly not take any snacks.provisions with us.
Next time I will be prepared!!

Practicalities

2010-01-19T01:55:00.000-08:00

I walked for an 1hr10 today. My feet are sore - feel like blisters may develop (Might need to shoes). I felt physically tired but mentally proud of myself. Now that I have cooled down my feet are still sore but I have energy for the rest of the day.

I am now starting to work through the CHIP workbook. The first unit is on the topic of balance.
I am making to do list and at the very top I have included exercise. Last week I did exercise three times. This week I am increasing the intensity a bit.

Managed to spend almost £25 less on my food budget last week and hoping to do the same this week.

Here is a money saving alternative suggested in the CHIP program - Crisped Tortilla Chips.

VIDEO: Low Fat Baked Tortilla Chips

Crisped Tortilla Chips
1pkg 12 corn tortilla
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder (optional)

Tasty baked lime and chilli tortilla chips you make at home.
Serve with your choice of dips and salsas.

Recipe provided by: Allrecipes

Ingredients
(See nutrition)

1 packet Corn Tortillas

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chilli powder

1 teaspoon salt

Preparation method

1. Preheat oven to 180 C. 2. Cut each tortilla into 8 triangular wedges and arrange in a single layer on a baking tray. 3. In a spray bottle, combine the oil and lime juice. Mix well and spray each tortilla wedge until slightly moist. (Lightly brush on the oil and lime juice if you don't have a spray bottle) 4. Combine the cumin, chilli powder and salt in a small bowl and sprinkle on the wedges. 5. Bake for about 7 minutes. Rotate the tray and bake for another 8 minutes or until the wedges are crisp, but not too brown. Serve warm or room temperature with salsas, dips or guacamole.

Quote for the Week

2010-01-18T13:25:00.000-08:00

In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility.

By Eleanor Roosevelt

Weigh-In Day

2010-01-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

I weighed in at 115kg / 253.5 pounds. I have remained pretty consist. Lets hope it starts a downward spiral and stays there.

Didn't have soup for supper this evening. My husband is the soup maker and has been working since early this morning and got interrupted with phone calls and crises on various fronts.
So I opened a can of tomato soup and popped some veggie fingers into the oven.

Water in take was low today, need to make some herbal tea to increase it. So hard when its cold.

Going to do some exercise with my daughter - DVD.

Jump Start Report

2010-01-11T00:39:00.000-08:00

About a month ago my husband and I did the JumpStart of the CHIP program.
Felt a bit hungry for the first two days and then it went well.
I was very proud of myself for giving up sugar and coffee for the week.
I know that I can do it.
However I am sad to report that we left things slip back to normal on that front. I didn't however feel the need to pig-out and I just decided to do more preparation for change.
Now that the time has arrive to implement some of the principles of have learned reading through the CHIP program.
I want to make a more permanent change this time. I feel that i have grown up knowing most of the right principles but always fallen short at implementation for various reasons.
The one thing that has attracted me to this program is the inclusion of bread. Bread is a staple in my diet. I have succeeded in reducing the amount (quantity) bread I eat but to almost completely cut it is extremely difficult for me.

You will notice that my menu plan for this week is totally vegetarian. I know and understand the merits of a vegetarian diet. I have always seen it as a good idea and once did it for 6 months until I was in an area where it became difficult. So I am yet to make a full commitment to a vegetarian way of life.
Coffee is another area in my life where I am not sure I can say that I am at the point of never drinking it.
So I am going to live with those two things as grey areas.

Tuesday will be my weigh in day.

Menu Plan for the next 4 Days

2010-01-11T00:27:00.000-08:00

B - Breakfast, L- Lunch and S - Supper

Snacks: herbal tea (no sugar or milk), fruit and lots of water !!

Monday

B- Oats with Sunflower seeds and milk ( must admit that I put a tsp of sugar)
L- Salad & 2 slices of Bread
S - Potato & Beans curry with tortillas, Peas and Salad

Tuesday

B- Oats / Cheerios
L- Homemade Lentil Burghers with Bread and salad
S- Soup & Bread

Wednesday

B- Oats / Cheerios
L- Veggie Hotdog & Bake Beans with Toast & Salad
S- Split pea curry with rice (Bread for me as I don't eat rice unless its Breyani)

Thursday

B- Oats / Cheerios
L- Banana on toast (using flora low fat margerine - not ready to leave just yet one small step at a time)
S- Soup & Bread

Jump Start

2009-11-26T07:06:00.000-08:00

My husband and I have finally found a diet plan that we are both willing to try. Its a vegetarian plan, starts with a 7 Day Cleansing Plan.
Its called CHIP - Coronary Health Improvement Project and is designed by Dr. Hans A. Diehl.

We start on Sunday officially. We did all our shopping today. We have also planned health meals for the next 2 days leading up to the cleanse.

For lunch today we made Portabella mushroom burghers.
Tonight we will have a baked potatoes with tuna and white sauce and vegetables.

The first two days of the Jump Start plan consists of Fresh Fruit and Wholes Grains (Brown Rice/Rolled oats)

Just should help me switch to a low salt and low sugar diet which should not only help me loose weight but also control the symptoms of Meneire's Disease.

Now the question is what exercise will I do today?

Improving

2009-11-14T11:54:00.001-08:00

I am starting to feel better.

I have managed to walk quite a bit over the last two days. Body is a bit sore but its a good sore.
Now if I can just keep my eating in hand I will have a good thing going.

My husband and daughter are enjoying the walks and happy to see me out of bed. Still feel a bit unsteady but walking through it.

The Chair Workout

2009-11-14T11:54:00.000-08:00

The Chair Workout

Update

2009-11-10T07:24:00.000-08:00

Starting to feel a bit better - had a really rough weekend.

Weighing in at 114.6kg/250.4 pounds - but that can be due to waterloss over the weekend not keeping much down. Be great if I can maintain the weightloss. Been off coffee for 5 days due to feeling sick so who knows.........

Meniere's Disease

2009-11-03T02:23:00.000-08:00

I have been just diagnosed with Meniere's Disease. It makes sense I have had the systems before with no diagnoses or resolution and then they just went a away and I moved country and forgot about it.

Now it's come back and I finally know what's wrong now I feel I can learn to deal with it instead of getting depressed and stop exercising. Which is what my natural inclination would be to do. As I am typing this I feel like I just want to curl up in bed and sleep.

So excuse now I am going to do some indoor walking as its too cold outside.

"Exercise helps the balance system recover faster. The exercise must involve walking or running in order to improve coordination; stationary bikes and treadmills will not help..........
Exercise, ........ is the single best therapy for these symptoms. Initially it may cause increased vertigo but that is not harmful. Occasionally, physical therapy is recommended for patients who can not exercise enough on their own." Lahey Clinic

Here is our definition:

"Classic" (typical) Meniere's Disease is the term given to the condition having the following four symptoms, after thorough testing has determined no other cause:
- Episodic, fluctuating hearing loss.
- Episodic, fluctuating rotational vertigo (a form of dizziness).
- Episodic, fluctuating tinnitus (a sound heard when there is no sound).
- Episodic, fluctuating aural fullness (a sense of air pressure in the middle ear, as if descending in an airplane; however, it is *not* actual air pressure in the middle ear; Meniere's Disease does not affect the middle ear). http://www.menieresinfo.com/start.html

Just Sitting?

2009-10-30T02:35:00.000-07:00

Act and Thought for today:

Have you tried correcting your posture? I find it very uncomfortable and eventually it slips my mind. Today I am going to make a conscious effort to think about my posture.
In fact right now my shoulders are complain and i feel a slight awareness in stoach - its hard to explain. I know yoga is recommended to help but I have tried some videos and I can't think how an overweight person can most of those poses.

Pillow Posture

Place a pillow behind your lower back while you’re sitting at your desk to avoid slouching, decrease lower-back pain, improve posture and increase abdominal strength. Even better, it sounds so comfy. Who ever said you couldn’t get in shape just by sitting there?

(From article: Got 5 Minutes? It's All You Need to Get Fit: http://www.neversaydiet.com/slideshow/5-easiest-exercises-ever)

"Good posture makes one look taller, slimmer and more confident. From a health perspective, correct posture has been shown to speed recovery from episodes of low-back pain and help prevent recurrence. In fact, there may be nothing more important than good posture to prevent many aches and pains resulting from undue stress on joints and muscles." (http://www.orthone.com/one/services/spine/posture.cfm)

Hellloooooooooooo

2009-10-29T15:22:00.000-07:00

Yeh I am back

Its been a hectic few weeks.

Dream come true - I visited France!! Spent 5 days in Paris - walked myself to the ground by the fourth day I could not feel my feet anymore.

I have now rested for 9 days exactly (after ironing for an hour my feet start to complain!)- tomorrow I start to exercise again. Saturday we have 2.5mile ramble planed hopefully the weather will not work against us.

Current Weight:115.9kg

Quote for the day

2009-10-07T08:55:00.001-07:00

Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands- and then eat just one of the pieces.
- Judith Viorst

Chocolate Banana Coins

2009-10-06T02:02:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Banana Coins

Bananas contain all eight amino acids that our bodies cannot produce themselves. There you have it—eight reasons why you should eat them. If you have a sweet tooth, add a little chocolate for a melt-in-your-mouth dessert with all the health benefits of bananas.

Chocolate Banana Coins

By Sophie Pachella
May 13, 2009

Ingredients:
1 banana, cut into coins
1 ounce dark chocolate, melted in microwave
1 tablespoon crushed almonds

Directions:
Using a fork, dip one side of the banana coin into the chocolate, then into the almonds, and place on wax paper. Do this with all remaining coins and freeze for an hour before eating.

Tips for the week

2009-10-05T01:08:00.000-07:00

Cinnamon has one of the highest antioxidant levels of any spice – and even more than many foods. You'll find as many antioxidants in 1 teaspoon of cinnamon as a full cup of pomegranate juice or ½ cup of blueberries.

Beyond antioxidants, cinnamon is also rich in natural compounds called polyphenols. These compounds appear to act like insulin in our body and may help regulate blood sugar levels. That's especially good news for people with diabetes.

Perk up your morning coffee with Ground Cinnamon. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon over ground coffee before brewing.
- Cinnamon Coffee
For lightly sweetened, cinnamon-spiced yogurt, mix 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon and 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey into 1 cup plain yogurt.
- Cinnamon Yogurt
Keep a shaker of Ground Cinnamon handy to sprinkle over everything from hot cocoa to oatmeal and fruit salad.

Some Humour

2009-09-28T11:02:00.000-07:00

FAJITA FIESTA

2009-09-21T08:48:00.000-07:00

Two 5 A DAY portions per serving

Serves 4
Prepare 15 minutes
Cook 20 minutes
Costs £1.88 per portion

For the fajitas

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 skinless chicken breasts
1 red, 1 green, 1 yellow pepper (chopped)
Handful of mushrooms (roughly chopped)
Packet of fajita mix
8 soft flour tortillas
1 chopped onion

For the salad

Tomatoes
Cucumber
Lettuce

Heat the oil in a large pan
Add the onion and diced chicken
Add the other vegetables to the heat and stir
Stir in the fajita mix
Meanwhile prepare a mixed salad of tomatoes, cucumber and lettuce leaves
Warm the tortillas in a heated oven for 3 mins or a microwave for 1 min
Serve all together

Vegetarians

Swap the chicken for more veg

Extra twists

Serve with a tomato salsa for exra flavour
Carrot stick dips with hummus or guacamole makes a great starter
Use leftovers as sandwhich filler or with a baked potato

From 5 a day tips

4 Day Challenge

2009-09-07T00:22:00.000-07:00

For the next 4 days i am challenging myself to eat 2 or more fruits.

I don't unconsciously choose fruit. I generally have a banana in my cereal or on toast, eat a few grapes (not enough for a serving). I need to therefore consciously choose to eat fruit and veg.

So taking one small step at a time.

I will check in later to report.

Healthy Sangria

2009-09-06T13:56:00.000-07:00

Kids' Sangria

Rather than using the traditional sangria ingredient of red wine, this kids' recipe calls for cranberry/raspberry juice.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
	4 cups cranberry/raspberry juice
	3 oranges
	2 limes

1. Pour the fruit juice into a large pitcher. Slice the oranges and limes thinly, remove any seeds, and add the slices to the pitcher. Serve in tall glasses filled with ice. Serves 4.

from Disney Family Fun

5 Ways Your Workout is Killing the Environment (And How to Change) | Never Say Diet

2009-09-01T04:06:00.001-07:00

5 Ways Your Workout is Killing the Environment (And How to Change) | Never Say Diet

Shared via AddThis

Popcorn?

2009-08-26T09:02:00.000-07:00

61 Calorie Popcorn Recipe

You can make popcorn in your own home that tastes just as good - without all the extra fat.

This is a recipe from the book "YOU:On a Diet" by Michael F. Roizen, M.D., and Mehmet C. Oz, M.D. (A great book, in my opinion, for the recipes alone).

You need:

* 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
* Flavored cooking spray (butter, olive oil, garlic)
* Garlic salt or cinnamon

Place the popcorn in a two-and-a-half quart microwave safe bowl, microwave for four to five minutes (don't burn it!) Pour it on to a baking sheet, coat with spray, and follow with the garlic salt or cinnamon. The nutritional breakdown for this is 61 Calories, fat - .8 g, carbs - 5 g, protein - 1 g, and sodium - 0 g.

Make sure you use about 1-2 seconds of spray at most - with Pam, that's 14 calories. If you use 1/3 second, I really doubt you'll cover the popcorn.

I recommend using olive oil spray for the garlic variety, and butter spray if you're using cinnamon. From: Diet Blog

"Believe it or not, you can make your own delicious, low-fat microwave popcorn using standard popping corn and a brown paper lunch bag. It works perfectly."

DIY Microwave Popcorn For About $0.10 - More free videos are here

Calories: 137 Microwave Popcorn

What you'll need:

* 1/4 cup of popping corn
* 1 Teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
* To taste - popcorn salt (It has finer granules than table salt with the same taste.)

And these tools:

* A stapler
* A teaspoon
* A measuring cup
* A brown paper bag
* A microwave

Link for the Week

2009-08-25T07:09:00.000-07:00

http://eatseasonably.co.uk/

What’s awesome in August? Raspberries.

Red, ripe, juicy and eminently squishable, these furry little numbers may well be the finest tasting of all the berries and are a real summer crowd pleaser.

Our quick and tasty tip:

* Try lightly crushing some raspberries with a little icing sugar and orange juice, then folding through softly whipped vanilla cream and serving with freshly baked shortbread.

Some Good Resources

2009-08-23T02:53:00.000-07:00

Hi

I am back. Its been a busy and exciting few weeks. Ended with me getting a cold/hayfever - still recovering from that.

No Tv Week: http://www.screentime.org/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
Depression: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/depression_tips.htm

Fruit and Vegetable Recipes they WILL Eat

2009-08-09T15:22:00.000-07:00

Quote for the week

2009-08-06T15:45:00.000-07:00

“Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” George Bernard Shaw quotes

Nutrition in disguise

2009-07-31T13:31:00.000-07:00

From Health Recipes. com

Secret ways to hide nutrition in foods kids love!

Now that we’ve seen the importance of including fruits and vegetables in our diet, how can we make sure that our family will eat them? By playing a game called, trick or treat; emphasis on the word, trick. Vegetables can be a treat if they are part of a favorite meal. Example: tacos (stuffed with veggies), pizza with vegetable toppings, hamburgers with sliced tomatoes and lettuce, raw vegetable sticks with a favorite dip, cauliflower with cheese sauce, etc. But we may likely rely heavily on the trick aspect of introducing disliked vegetables.

If you take the time to learn what healthy foods your children do love, it will make your job easier. Print the Favorite Healthy Foods and Meals template in the Schedules and Templates section of this book and assign a sheet to each child and/or husband. Write their favorite healthy foods on their assigned sheets. You may be surprised to learn that they actually enjoy quite a few healthy foods. Once you’ve learned what their favorite foods are, you can serve these foods openly. The next step will be to secretly add disliked vegetables into their diet. Here are ways to trick your family into eating nutritious food.

Nutrition in disguise

~ Most children will eat vegetables if they are a part of homemade soup.

~ Pass cooked vegetables in a food processor and add to hamburger patties, meatballs or meatloaf.

~ Finely grate zucchini or carrots and add to pancake batter.

~ Add finely chopped cooked vegetables to canned or packaged soup.

~ Add freshly juiced carrot juice to canned vegetable or tomato juice.

~ Add grated zucchini to square or muffin mixes.

~ Puree vegetables and add to chili or spaghetti sauce.

~ Add grated carrots to tuna or chicken salad.

~ Hide veggies in casseroles and main dishes.

~ Mix fat-free sour cream into a favorite salad dressing.

~ Serve raw vegetables with a favorite dip.

~ Mix regular peanut butter with freshly ground peanuts.

~ Use whole grain bread for grilled cheese sandwiches ~ the toasting will hide the color of the bread.

~ Go from white bread to 60% whole wheat for one month, then introduce whole-grain bread. You can make a sandwich using one slice of the 60% bread and one slice of the whole-grain bread. Serve with the lighter bread slice facing up.

~ Most children will eat a meal that they helped to prepare.

~ Let them make cookies with you. Use whole wheat and carob chips and they won’t know the difference, especially if they are the ones making the cookies. There aren’t too many children who will not eat their own baking.

~ You can create a desire to eat healthier treats by designating a new healthy treat as, mommy’s treat. You can say something like, "these are mommy’s very special yummy cookies, and you can’t have any, okay?" You can even place the cookies in a fancy cookie jar to increase the appeal. Let a couple days go by before ‘reluctantly giving in’ to their requests.

~ Sneak some whole-grain cookies into a bag of favorite mixed cookies, and eventually replace unhealthy cookies with healthier cookies.

~ Use cookie cutters to make fun sandwiches with whole-grain bread.

~ Mix whole-grain noodles into regular spaghetti or macaroni and cheese dishes.

~ Mix soaked soy bits in the ground beef. Slowly increase the soy/ground beef ratio in meals over time and they won’t notice that they are eating soy bits instead of ground beef.

The 48-Hour Weight-Loss Jump Start

2009-07-30T12:35:00.001-07:00

The 48-Hour Weight-Loss Jump Start

Shared via AddThis

The 7-Day Canyon Ranch Spa Diet: Spa Tricks That Melt Pounds

2009-07-30T11:28:00.001-07:00

The 7-Day Canyon Ranch Spa Diet: Spa Tricks That Melt Pounds

Shared via AddThis

Weigh-In

2009-07-26T21:40:00.000-07:00

I have gone down more !!

from 117.1 kg to 115.5 kg

YAY

My body is so from the cleaning up and decorating I did yesterday...........

Recipe of the week

2009-07-26T14:31:00.001-07:00

Potato Cases

400g potatoes, peeled and grated
3/4 cup reduced fat cream cheese
1 egg
1/4 cup fat free soy or dairy milk
1/2 cup corn kernels
1 tablespoon chives

15 min

40 min

	Pre-heat oven to 200°C. Lightly spray two 12 x capacity mini muffin pans. Squeeze potatoes of excess moisture then firmly press into pan to form cases. Spray with oil and bake for 20 minutes.
	Place cream cheese, egg and milk in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Fold in corn and chives then spoon into potato cases.
	Bake a further 20 minutes.

This recipe contains 1g of saturated fat per serve.

"No act of kindness,

no matter how small, is ever wasted"

Aesop

Articles of Interest

2009-07-22T00:26:00.000-07:00

Five Ways to Cut 100 Calories from your Diet

How to Prevent Freezer Burn

How to Stretch Your Food Budget (still eat healthily)

Tip for the Day (from igoogle page)
Eat several small meals each day instead of three big meals. Your metabolism will stay high and burn more fat

Need to Lose to Win

2009-07-21T02:46:00.000-07:00

Well all this walking is starting to pay off - I have lost 2 kg.

Today is a rainy day - so I will do the indoor walking exercise.

Poem about Weight Loss by jen4sexx2

I hit the ground
and I turned my life around
I used to be fat
now the guys think I'm all that

Yes, I did defeat it
but sadly there's no secret
it took a lot of work
(not tryin' to be a jerk)

Yes, bad genes suck,
I know 'cause I have them too,
But don't let your bad luck
get the best of you

'Cause I ate a healthy diet,
you should really try it
I worked out every day
now my hotness' here to stay,

And, yeah, it was hard,
but I got rid of my lard,
And the guys all think I'm hot
when I show up at their yacht,

I lost the weight,
and you can do it too,
and have a fun date,
'cause I am here for you!

If we work together
in any type of weather
We can both win,
We can both be super thin!

Report

2009-07-16T03:55:00.000-07:00

I am happy to report that my exercise program is going. My husband is pushing me........ otherwise i may have been tempted to stop again.

In the last 8 days I have walked for 6 of them. YAY

“Too many people overvalue what they are not and
undervalue what they are."
Malcolm Forbes

Walk Off 10 Pounds This Month: Your Lose-10-Pounds Plan

2009-07-15T12:47:00.001-07:00

Walk Off 10 Pounds This Month: Your Lose-10-Pounds Plan

Shared via AddThis

Enjoying exercising

2009-07-10T00:25:00.000-07:00

I have been enjoying walking indoors and outdoors.

The Leslie Sansone dvds is the answer to my indoor walking here in Northern Ireland.

Sense of Humour

2009-07-07T01:55:00.000-07:00

Beginners Guide to Exercise

2009-07-01T03:32:00.000-07:00

Snack attack

2009-06-22T13:15:00.001-07:00

1 small banana with 1 tablespoon peanut or almond butter 188 calories

Update on my day

2009-06-15T13:40:00.000-07:00

The day didn't start off well but ended on a good note.

The progesterone tablets for pcos do agree with me - but I didn't take any today and I am now starting to feel better.

We out for a walk as family - got some fresh air and sunshine - great way to end the day.

Looking forward to a good week

2009-06-14T10:57:00.000-07:00

Routine is one thing I have found difficult to maintain. I generally can stay focused on project and complete it. Maybe even go on for a month.

The one routine I have maintained is that I routinely try to make and keep a routine.

Its many times a mind battle - not allowing life's challenges to throw off the path you have chosen to follow.

I feel like I am getting into the right "mind space" to keep at making healthy choices.

This past week I took out books, CD's and ipods - for learning French, on Photography, health issues, murder mystries. I have also been working on other projects.

My aim for the next 4 days is to make time for family, for learning, for helping others and for me.

By
1. family worship
2. listening to the French CD's
3. Sending encouraging letters and e-mails
4. Relaxing by reading, exercise and implement one idea from the health book each day.

Plan in effect for this week

2009-06-08T00:03:00.000-07:00

I sad to report that I did not succeed - so the plan is to put the same 4 days into effect from today.

mmmmm to find the book and read it again ..............

Thought for the Weekend

2009-06-04T23:51:00.001-07:00

"Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we often might win, by fearing to attempt" Jane Addams

I am back on with the program

2009-06-03T10:26:00.000-07:00

Corbet Lough

If I am one thing, I am persistent. Can't tell how many times I have thought of deleting this blog because I don't seem to be succeeding.
Its become a symbol of something I will overcome - at the moment it reminds me that I need to develop healthy habits and when I have achieved this I can look back at my struggle and proudly say I didn't give up and I will persevere.

So what am I up to?

I have started a one year long swap on Swap-bot called Weight-loss penpal.
I have bought two more exercise DVD's to add variety to my exercise program.
We have started Geocaching as a family, a fun way to get walking done and keep my daughter motivated.
I have gotten the Newry Canal Way map to plan a walking project for this summer.

for the next four days I want to:
1. Exercise for 20min
2. Drink 4 glasses of water
3. keep a food diary
4. Sleep for 7 hrs

REWARD: Self-pedicure - the full treatment.

Light Chocolate Mousse

2009-06-02T17:08:00.001-07:00

Light Chocolate Mousse

Serves 4
Prep time: 5min
Cooking time: 5Min
from: http://www.sanitarium.com.au/

2 egg whites
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup reduced fat soy or dairy milk
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
2 tablespoons arrowroot
2 cups reduced fat vanilla yoghurt
10g chocolate shavings, to serve

Place egg whites in a clean bowl and beat until soft peaks form.
Gradually add sugar and beat until dissolved.

Place milk, cocoa powder and arrowroot in a saucepan and cook over
medium heat until thick and creamy, whisking continuously.
Remove from heat and fold in yoghurt.

Gently fold egg whites into yoghurt mixture.
Place into four serving dishes. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Decorate with chocolate shavings and fresh fruit.

Per serve: 945 Kilojoules
(225 Calories).
Protein: 10g.
Fat: 3g.
Carbohydrate: 41g.
Total sugars: 35g.
Sodium: 130mg.
Potassium: 400mg.
Calcium: 245mg.
Iron: .
Fibre: <1g.

5 min

This recipe contains 2g of saturated per serve.

How to Exercise While Sitting at Your Computer - wikiHow

2009-06-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

How to Exercise While Sitting at Your Computer - wikiHow

Self- Massage

2009-05-21T14:23:00.000-07:00

Self Massage Techniques for Hands -- powered by ExpertVillage.com

Sinus Relief Through Self Massage -- powered by ExpertVillage.com

Internal Dialogue

2009-05-20T12:01:00.000-07:00

"It is natural for me to be slim, I now move easily towards my ideal weight. I choose to eat light, nutritious food, I respect my body and give it only the best." Fiano Harrold

My own:

I have all the tools necessary to make the transition to a healthy, fit an slim me. I have the knowledge and the motivation. I believe in me.

Exercised today

2009-05-12T13:44:00.001-07:00

I am crawling back from under a stone - did a i mile walk with Leslie Sasoon walking DVD

Sticking my head in the sand no longer

2009-03-24T04:28:00.000-07:00

I have been avoiding the scale. I too scared to get on it because I know I have gone off my program once again.

Today I got a letter about taking my daughter to her follow visit to the dietitian. Most the sport activities she has been involved in has come to an end and today a childrens Aerobic DVD via Lovefilm has arrived. I have to be a better example to her - she is my motivation - when she gets back from school this afternoon we will exercise together and start recording what we are eating.

Commitment

2009-03-18T06:55:00.000-07:00

According to Robin Sieger : Commitment is doing the thing you said you will do long after your desire to do it has passed you by.....Persistence is all all -important ability just to keep going no mater how often you fall sown, no matter how despondent you may get. It is the ability just to get up and continue try time and time again.

I look back on this blog and sometimes I just want to delete - its like another reminder that I have failed to stick to my plan, failed to lose weight.

I am not going to quit - this blog shows that I can be persistent - I will do it.

four-day wait

2009-03-17T14:23:00.001-07:00

"The four-day wait works. If you are about to buy something which isn't a necessity, and you have a little quiet voice somewhere whispering to you, listen to it, and wait four days before you make the purchase. It gives you time to compare prices elsewhere, or to come up with an alternative, or even to decide that you don't need or want it."

Wonder if I could apply that to cravings ........

Update

2009-03-09T12:29:00.000-07:00

Hi

I am exercising, drinking and losing weight - YAY. Last week I lost 0.6 kg. Tomorrow I will weigh in and hopefully down another 0.5kg - that's aim.

I have finally gotten Leslie Sasone Walk Away the Pounds and I am really enjoying it.

Routine

2009-02-23T02:45:00.000-08:00

I have unfortunately slipped of the wagon and gone up to a whopping 113.8kg.

This morning I have drank two glasses of water, a slimfast shake :

Coffee Lovers Delight:
Blend 8 oz skim milk + 1 scoop vanilla protein powder + 2 skim milk ice cubes + 1 Tbsp. instant decaf coffee + 1/2 tsp. vanilla + 1 packet Splenda

I used 2% milk, 4 water ice-cubes, real coffee and no splenda

I have exercise for 30min to Zumba fitness video and I am on my way to drink more water and have an apple for a snack.

I am also taking a multi-vitamin and I am on anti-depressants.

My husband is away for the next two weeks. I am hoping to getting the house organised and my life in way that when he returns he will be able to fall into to it.

Before he left we bagan doing couple worships and family worship as well as walking. So his on board with the plan to get some routine into our lives. Routine has always for us. we both naturally rebel against it and his work has also made it difficult.

We are both determine to get healthy and lose weight and we have decided that routine is the way to do. We be flexible but this time not let our plans be totally derailed.

Quote for the Week

2009-02-15T13:12:00.000-08:00

"The trick is to combine your waking rational abilities with the infinite possibilities of your dreams. Because, if you can do that, you can do anything."

Weight Watchers

2009-02-11T03:17:00.001-08:00

(Ebook) Weight Watchers

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Magazines Health & Medicine Health-Nutrition

Project 36 - 4 Days at a time

2009-02-03T06:54:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I begin to implement my wellness vision.

I have decided to call it Project 36 (which means it will last for 5 weeks and a bit - 9 increments of 4 days).

My goal for the next 4 days:

- Get up at 6am
- Spend 20min doing visualization and relaxation exercise
- 5-10 min reading something spiritually engaging
- 10min Journaling
- 10min planning the rest of the day
-10-30min exercising
- Drink 4 glasses of water

REWARD: Buy a hair mask - treat myself to face and hair mask treatment.

NEXT WEEKS REWARD:claim the free pedicure my beautician friend promised

My weight has slipped back up to 110.4 kg according to the new scale that I have bought.

10 Minute Indoor Walking Exercise Plan

2009-01-25T12:08:00.001-08:00

10 Minute Indoor Walking Exercise Plan

This was in First Mag..Feb. 12th..I think it's a great easy to do plan..They recommend that you do this 3 times a day..because you will lose 18 percent more weight and burn more fat than doing a 30 minute session.

Here goes:

STEP 1: March in place (1 minute). Start slow, but aim for a pace of 120 steps per minute when you do this for steps 2-4.

STEP 2: Side Steps (1 minute). With your right foot, step to the right and bring your left foot over to meet your right foot. Then do the same with the left foot.
This slims your hips!!

STEP 3: Alternating Kicks (1 minute). Keeping your back straight, kick your left leg straight out, raising it no higher than your hip. Alternate with right leg. This tones your thighs!!

STEP 4: Knee Lifts (1 minute). Lift your left knee to just above waist level pulling your navel in toward your spine. Do the right knee..
This helps sculpt the tummy while toning the legs.

STEP 5: Fast march and press (90 seconds). Repeat Step 1, but increase your pace to 130 steps per minute and add this upper body exercise:
Raise and pump your arms above your head for 15 reps, then pump your arms down by your side for 15 reps.

STEP 6: Speedy side steps (90 seconds). Repeat Step 2, adding this move:
Raise your hands above your heads when you step out..and clap them above
your head when you step in.

STEP 7: Quick kick and reach (90 seconds). Repeat Step 3, adding this upper body move: When kicking your left leg, reach forward with your right
arm, and when kicking your right leg, reach forward with your left arm.

STEP 8: Repeat Step 4, adding this move: As you bring your left knee up, touch it with your right hand, and the reverse.
This trims your waistline..

Leslie Sansone designed this 10 minute exercise session..

Quote for the Weekend

2009-01-23T02:29:00.000-08:00

“Warriors take chances. Like everyone else, they fear failing, but they refuse to let fear control them.”-Ancient Samurai saying

2009 Wellness Goals Visionwork Swap

2009-01-20T11:23:00.000-08:00

This swap was originally created by crescendo for The Wellness Workshop group. With her permission I am running an e-mail version with very slight tweaks. Original Swap

"Our physical, spiritual and emotional well being is the foundation for living the life we want to live. Our own health is the thing we often give the least amount of attention to, yet it is the one thing that can interrupt our lives in an instant.

In this experiential swap, we will be setting aside some quiet time to discover ONE health and wellness oriented goal (often called "New Year's Resolutions" at this time of year) that we would like to strive for and manifest for ourselves in 2009. (of course you are more than welcome to do it for more than one goal, not as an extra to aim for hearts here on swap-bot, but to aim for your own personal internal hearts!)

Perhaps there is an alternative or holistic health method that you would like to study and practice. Perhaps you would like to improve your upper body strength. Maybe it is integrating meditation or yoga time into your life, or changing the way you eat. These are just some examples of goals you might think of for yourself, but taking some time to create sacred space for yourself to envision which goal is just right for you is what this swap is about.

There will be two components to this swap:

* Writing a detailed description of your Wellness goal
* Representing visually what successfully reaching
 your goal looks like to you

The visual representation can be any media you choose:

simple stick figures with pencil or crayon; a drawing or painting; a collage made with magazine pictures; a photo you take or use digital scrap booking program or create in powerpoint slide and saves as a jpeg or put in a blog post or a Web Page ...any method you would like to use to illustrate visually your manifested goal.

Answer the following questions to help clarify the written portion of your goal. Do not worry about answering these questions perfectly!! They are merely here to help you brainstorm and free associate with your inner wisdom:

Describe in detail what health/wellness goal you would like to manifest for yourself in 2009. How will achieving this goal improve your health/wellness?
Describe the specific steps you will take, and the order in which you will take them, to manifest your goal. How can you break down the steps into achievable chunks? What is a reasonable pace/timeframe for you in taking these steps in order to set yourself up for success in achieving your goal?
What sort of help, support and/or guidance might you require to achieve this goal? What resources can you use to get this help and support?
What sort of obstacles do you envision that might inhibit you from achieving your goal? What can you do to minimize/overcome these obstacles?
How can you keep yourself motivated along the way to reaching your goal? List some ways that can help you keep your goal on the "front burner" of your focus for 2009.
Will you need to let go of something else in your life in order to make room for integrating this goal? If so, what will you let go of, and how will you let go of it?
How will you recognize when you have achieved the goal? How do you define your own personal success as it relates to achieving this goal? Does this goal have a clear cut ending, or will it be a life long change in behavior for you? Pretend it is December of 2009, one year from now. Describe how you are looking BACK on the year and acknowledging yourself for the steps you made towards achieving your goal and the rewards you are noticing.

Since the written and visual vision work you do for this goal setting swap are most likely something you will want to hang onto for yourself to reference throughout 2009, send your partner a scanned/online version of both the written and visual pieces of this swap.

When you rate your partner, give words of encouragement in the comment to help your partner feel motivated to stick with their plan!

Remember, goals give you a direction to steer your life's compass, but you can always review them and modify them along the way to "correct your course" as needed. Do not be intimidated by creating a goal and fearing that it is "cast in stone". Flexibility for change when required is a part of goal setting too."

Granola Recipe

2009-01-19T05:17:00.000-08:00

I plan to try this recipe out. I love granola especially with yogurt.

My lack of post are an indication of my life picking up pace and not going in the direction I want.

However, this week I plan on doing my

2009 Wellness Goals Visionwork - TODAY

This comes from the Granola Diet Site

I recommend experimenting with each of the basic elements and finding what suites your taste.

Ingredients:
Whole Oats- organic best
Oil - canola, peanut, etc
Sweetener - honey, molasses, corn syrup, or sugar free syrups
Spice - salt, cinnamon, coriander, etc
dried fruits - raisins, dates, apricots, etc.
nuts/seeds - sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, almonds, etc

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. Combine 6 cups of raw oats with 1/4 cup of oil, 1/2 cup of liquid sweetener, and spices into large glass baking pan
3. Mix very thoroughly with spoon
4. Cook for 45 minutes
5. Allow to cool
6. Stir in choice of fruits and nuts

When eating I recommend using either rice mild or soy milk and avoiding cows milk.

Fortune Cookie?

2009-01-02T01:28:00.000-08:00

Quote to end the year

2008-12-24T13:04:00.000-08:00

"People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas."
-- Anonymous

Colour Therapy

2008-12-15T08:28:00.000-08:00

Have you ever tried Colour Therapy?

I have actively chose the colours for classroom and other places with this in mind. What colours will stimulate learning, be relaxing, create atmosphere that feels safe and conducive to productivity.

"Green gently relieves tension and mildly sedates the body. It strengthens eyesight. Being highly medicinal and depressive, green is of great help in the treatment of inflammatory conditions. How can be sure to get benefits of green.
One method of colour therapy is simple: Just be sure to eat green foods. Eat any of the green vegetables and fruits such as gourds, spinach, plantain, lettuce, pea, green mango, gooseberry, pears, and beans." Joseph Then

Read more about how to apply Colour Therapy here

Quote for the Day

2008-12-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

“Either you run the day or the day runs you.”—Jim Rohn

Interesting Blog : Crystal Tate

Update

2008-11-25T02:23:00.000-08:00

Maintain my wait measurement at 112cm.

Had a bad few days eating wise - did exercise.

Mentally - not doing so good - can't understand why each time that I start making progress I seem to sabotage myself.

Need to some introspection but not allow myself to in wallow in self-pity.

More good news

2008-11-19T04:12:00.000-08:00

Went to the doctor yesterday - the medical centre was running a special program for overweight people - So the doctor weighed me in and I am down another 1 kg - now weigh 107kg! YAY
took blood test and then listen to a talk by a nutritionist and personal trainer.

Next weigh in is on 28 November and a one-one with the nutritionist.

so I will continue with my measuring tape and at the end of the month I will have a weigh in.
Good news for the budget cause I just can't afford to buy a scale right now.

Update

2008-11-18T04:27:00.000-08:00

Hi

I have lost 2cm YAY - this measuring thing is not so bad.

Struggling to get my water drinking done but I will persevere.#

Happy with the fact that I have exercised everyday since last Tuesday.

By the end of today I would have walked over 5km (over 3miles I think).

really happy that my daughter is enjoying making healthy choices and the fact that some of her clothes are getting to big for her!

Goals for the next 4 Days:

1. Watch Water intake
2. increase exercise

reward: hair mask ( I have bought it already!!)

Mind of matter

2008-11-11T06:18:00.000-08:00

I have being undergoing an inner struggle with myself. fighting for a focus - fighting to find a plan I can hold onto. fighting the negativity that wants to creep in 0 even as write the post I am still feeling directionless but at the same time I know that i cannot continue to sit on the side lines of life - watching it pass me by. I cannot left go of my dreams and goals - to be healthy, fit and slim.

Thank goodness I have not put on the 5kg that I lost but now it is time to move forward again.

I still don't have my own scale but I wont let that be a stumbling block - I do have a tape measure.
Current: 114cm
Goal: 88cm

Yesterday i walked for 30min.

For the next 4 Days:
Physically:
I will exercise for 30min
Drink 4 glasses of water
Start keeping a food journal

Mentally:
20min relaxation exercises
Read a section from a mental/spiritual enhancing book

Reward myself with long hot bath and a facial.

Update

2008-11-04T00:33:00.000-08:00

I am in limbo at the moment, trying to sort out my head - trying to get back into the game. That song from High School Musical 1 pops into my head every now and again.

Taken on some book therapy and gone onto anti-depressants.

My daughter is doing well on her exercise program and she eating better. some of the clothes that were getting tight and fitting her. I find that I am putting up a front so that I don't get my family down - I am making sure she has fun exercising and i am putting good food on the table (the problem is that I am applying that to myself).

There is another title of a book I saw that is screaming at me - Get out of your head and into your life.

Ideals are like stars

2008-11-03T03:22:00.000-08:00

Ideals are like stars;you will not succeed in touching them with your hands.But like the seafaring man on the desert of waters,you choose them as your guides;and following themyou will reach your destiny."
*Carl Schurz*

Inspiration for the week

2008-11-02T14:10:00.000-08:00

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.

Mother Teresa

Seems ol’ doc Bonnie did lose a few pounds…

2008-10-21T00:48:00.001-07:00

Sorry, I just couldn't resist this when I saw the cartoon...

Maybe its lack of appetite,

Or just the meals she has been eatin’,

But from ol’ doc Bonnie the pounds are a’sheddin,

If she gets much thinner,

From skippin’ breakfast & dinner,

Her uniform will fall off of her, no more will they be tight…

If you hear from the old bag,

Be sure to mention how her chest does sag,

As well remind her to of her new clothes,

Be sure to remove the store price tag…

Food Mistakes parents make

2008-10-20T11:23:00.000-07:00

My daughters eating and exercise habits have improved. However, this weekend we had visitors and our old battle resurrected its head. Someone else cooked and made a vegetable she is not yet familiar with and she decided she did not want it.

6 Food Mistakes Parents Make

Been missing in action

2008-10-19T08:47:00.000-07:00

"A true mirror neither adds nor subtracts anything from that which it reflects." Noah St. John

"Nothing is ever achieved without enthusiasm."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Having a bit of a tough time at the moment - I think the fact that I am in a new country and not working is starting to get to me. Feeling a bit stressed and down.

Cooking Apples

2008-10-06T04:21:00.000-07:00

I was given some cooking apples and I have been looking for low fat/low Gi recipes. I made apple crumble this past weekend for the first time but it did not fall into either of these categories , it was for a potluck so I figured i was safe (in that I would not eat it all). I have actually never been an apple tart fan.

This recipe looks good (not sure its really low 7g fat- if I remember correctly it has to be 5g/100g to considered that but I guess its musch lower than a normal muffin)- not quite sure what they mean my wholegrain breakfast cereal - I am guessing anything like wholegrain sheddies, weetbix or soemthing like that.

Vanilla Apple Muffins (from Sanitarium Recipes)
2 cups wholegrain breakfast cereal

2 cups wholemeal self-raising flour

2 apples, cored and diced

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup canola oil

1 egg, lightly beaten1 cup

low fat soy milk

2 teaspoons vanilla essence

Combine cereal and flour in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre.
Add remaining ingredients and mix until just combined.
Spoon into a lightly greased 12 cup capacity muffin tray and bake at 180ºC for 20-30 minutes or until golden.
Makes 12

Per serve:

760 kilojoules (180 calories).

Protein 4g.Fat 7g.Carbohydrate 27g.Sodium 160mg.

Potassium 140mg.Calcium 40mg.Iron 1mg.Fibre 3g

Musical Inspiration

2008-10-05T12:12:00.000-07:00

This is my song for this week. What is going to inspire you? keep you motivated and focused?
Its so easy to lose the plot, get distracted from our course (no pun intended).

Don't be afraid - take a step and another and another. We can do this!

"I Believe I Can Fly"

I used to think that I could not go on
And life was nothing but an awful song
But now I know the meaning of true love
I'm leaning on the everlasting arms

If I can see it, then I can do it
If I just believe it, there's nothing to it

[1]
I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky
I think about it every night and day
Spread my wings and fly away
I believe I can soar
I see me running through that open door
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly

See I was on the verge of breaking down
Sometimes silence can seem so loud
There are miracles in life I must achieve
But first I know it starts inside of me, oh

If I can see it, then I can do it
If I just believe it, there's nothing to it

[Repeat 1]

Hey, cuz I believe in me, oh

If I can see it, then I can be it
If I just believe it, there's nothing to it

[Repeat 1]

Hey, if I just spread my wings
I can fly
I can fly
I can fly, hey
If I just spread my wings
I can fly
Fly-eye-eye

2008-10-02T19:01:00.001-07:00

"I am no longer afraid of storms, for I am learning to sail my own ship"

- Louisa May Alcott

Scary

2008-10-02T05:40:00.000-07:00

I enjoying doing little personality quizzes - this was scary because its almost all true.
Good thing the story of life is changing.

What Your Burger Says About You

You are very gluttonous. Even if you're full, you'll still clear your plate.

You are likely a fairly picky eater. And you're secretly a little squeamish about some foods.

You are a very open eater. You like many types of tastes, and you'll eat just about anything.

You are emotional. You have a big heart, and you tend to go for comfort foods.

What Does Your Burger Say About You?

BUT THE GOOD NEWS

You Can Change Your Life

You've probably already improved your life a great deal, and you're no stranger to change.

You're able to make very difficult changes in your life. It's all about state of mind.

And even if you have some trouble changing, you're smart enough to get support or take a different approach.

So go ahead and dare to make things better. You know you can do it!

Can You Change Your Life?

Check-in

2008-09-30T01:19:00.000-07:00

Nothing to report on weight - need a scale!

I have done a bit of exercise, eaten too many biscuits (would love to blame the visitors) - its funny how our weakness change as we get older.
Mine has changed from chips to chocolate to biscuits.

Ratatouille is becoming one of family favourite meals we make it at least once a week.
My husband walked my daughter to school this morning. I will have to make sure I do some exercise. She does swimming today, so we will probably pick her with the car.

Ratatouille

A soul-warming, guilt-free, gastronomical gift from on high.

Fun Factoid: 98% of the world's olive oil comes from the Mediterranean region, which has a 6,000-year history of olive tree cultivation.

Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
2 small eggplants, cubed (about 2 cups)
1 small zucchini, cubed (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I used low fat cheese)
1 lb. whole wheat spiral pasta (I use low-GI 100% durum pasta - any shape)

Instructions:

Heat the oil in a 4-quart sauce pot over medium heat.
Add both the red and yellow peppers and sauté for another couple of minutes. Toss in the eggplant cubes and cook a couple more minutes.
Add the zucchini, garlic, bay leaf, and oregano.
Add the tomatoes and simmer for 40 minutes, uncovered.
Boil and drain the whole wheat spiral pasta.

My child and weightloss

2008-09-29T02:13:00.000-07:00

When we moved to Northern Ireland a nurse came to see us to check that my daughter had all her injections and if she needed any special care.
My daughter has been generally healthy except for two episodes of croup - something her father had and grew out of by the time he was 10. Thank goodness it seems she has already outgrown it.
Anyway, she asked if I had any concerns. I spoke of the fact that my husband and I are struggling with our weight and that she has now become slightly overweight and despite the fact that I try to boost her self-esteem and encourage her to eat healthy - I suspected that she was starting to develop a negative body image.
This led to a visit by the school nurse and subsequent appointment with a dietician. My husband had to go to that appointment because I had a job interview at the same time.
She came back very motivated to make healthy choices and to exercise. We are supposed to keep a diary.
I misplaced and so alas I am only starting it today.
Yesterday she wanted me to exercise with her but I didn't feel like it - so I managed to get kicking a ball around outside while I read my book and watched her.

Today she wanted to walk to school instead of driving - my husband walked with her-took them 30min.
I walked to walked to my volunteer job - that took me 20min.
Then the idea is I walk to her school and then walk home - it will take about 35-45min due to the fact that it will mainly be uphill. We walked home last week Tuesday.

I need strenghth to become a positive role model for my daughter. Its so easy to become distracted and neglect yourself - unfortunately the after effects / consequences do not only affect you but the people around you too.
As a child I was slightly chubby but after 10 I lost a lot of weight and for the next 8 years I was really slim - the next 6 years I struggled to stay under 60kg but I did it and then I went on the pill - ballooned - went off fell pregnant went to 89kg - after that I have just steady lost and then added on extra weight till the all time high this year of 111kg.
My daughter has only known me as overweight.
She has seen me camp, hike, play a little bit of sport now and again, do some open swims and 5km walks.
But she has also seen me go through a deep depression and struggle with food choices and continually eat incorrectly.

She came across the Biggest Loser program one day - and became almost obessessed about weighting herself. The scale is now broken (I secretly suspect my husband of sabotage - he refuses to replace it).
We have decided to use the Biggest Loser program as a motivator.
We have begun today!!! All of us.

Diet Articles you may want to read

2008-09-26T03:52:00.000-07:00

Cut Calories without Counting Them

If You're Planning To Lose Weight, Experts Say "Think Sleep"

"Do not use your weight to measure your self-worth What does weight have to do with self-worth? Your self-worth is the sum of everything that makes you special and unique - not just your thigh and waist measurements! Add up your assets, talents, how you treat others, how you treat yourself, the contributions you make to your family, friends and community. Now you have self-worth."

2008-09-24T08:20:00.000-07:00

Praise loudly, condemn softly
There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.
John Holmes (source SusanAnthony)

4 Day Win

Welcome International Flybabies!

Diabetic friendly Crunchies

Frozen Peanut-Banana Crunchies Recipes

Food For Thought

Seven in 2011

by Leanne Ely, C.N.C

Starting of a New Year

Inpirational thoughts

White Bean-Pesto Bruschetta

Healthy Eating Planner:

31 Days of Healthy, Low-Calorie Snacks

Mini Turkey-Avocado Wrap

Day 3

Day 2

Walked 5 miles today

Quote for the week

Live Life Abundantly

How to Create an Exercise Music Playlist - wikiHow

Late Weigh-in

Recovery

Weigh In # 3

The Scales

Weigh-In 2 and Confessions

Practicalities

Ingredients (See nutrition)

Preparation method

Quote for the Week

Weigh-In Day

Jump Start Report

Menu Plan for the next 4 Days

Jump Start

Improving

The Chair Workout

Update

Meniere's Disease

Just Sitting?

Pillow Posture

Hellloooooooooooo

Quote for the day

Chocolate Banana Coins

Chocolate Banana Coins

Chocolate Banana Coins

Tips for the week

Some Humour

FAJITA FIESTA

For the fajitas

For the salad

Vegetarians

Extra twists

4 Day Challenge

Healthy Sangria

Kids' Sangria

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:

5 Ways Your Workout is Killing the Environment (And How to Change) | Never Say Diet

Popcorn?

Link for the Week

Some Good Resources

Fruit and Vegetable Recipes they WILL Eat

Quote for the week

Nutrition in disguise

Secret ways to hide nutrition in foods kids love!

Nutrition in disguise

The 48-Hour Weight-Loss Jump Start

The 7-Day Canyon Ranch Spa Diet: Spa Tricks That Melt Pounds

Weigh-In

Recipe of the week

Potato Cases

Articles of Interest

Five Ways to Cut 100 Calories from your Diet

How to Prevent Freezer Burn

How to Stretch Your Food Budget (still eat healthily)

Need to Lose to Win

Report

Walk Off 10 Pounds This Month: Your Lose-10-Pounds Plan

Enjoying exercising

Sense of Humour

Beginners Guide to Exercise

Snack attack

Update on my day

Ingredients
(See nutrition)