Biggest Loser Fall Challenge!

[jillbur]

Good morning! Here is your QOTD for Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012

In what other surprising or unusual ways do you think that being overweight can negatively effect your life? Have you discovered things that have changed as you have lost weight that you never expected?

(Thanks to DD for this idea )BONUS QOTD: Today is the 161st anniversary of Moby Dick.... a book that I have been trying to finish reading since April! What is your favorite CLASSIC novel??

I have noticed a huge difference in my energy level (which is important as full time teacher & mom). I've also noticed my overall mental health is much better with healthy food & exercise. I'm more positive & less anxious.

I enjoyed Of Mice & Men, The Scarlett Letter, and To Kill a Mockingbird.

How about rising at 5:30? It is only a bit earlier and you could easily still get in 25 minutes. I have been known to sleep in my exercise clothes (except for sneakers and bra) and be "walking away the pounds" within 5 minutes of rising. As much as I hate getting up earlier, it is a WONDERFUL way to start the day, knowing that that "chore" is done! (Or at least partially completed!)

*************************

I promised to share a new recipe and I will find something to post this morning. But I am wondering what KINDS of recipes folks might be looking for. Low carb, dinner, breakfast, snacks, crockpot??

I love exercising, but I cannot drag myself out of bed that early to do it! I love my warm, cozy bed I love running first thing in the morning, but that's more along the lines of 8:00 lol. I'm just going to try harder to fit in a walk during my lunch break & anything I can in the afternoons/evening if I know I can't get to the gym.

My problem with healthy recipes is getting the whole family to enjoy it. With a 9 & 6 year old, it's harder to find things they will eat & be satisfied. I make healthy fish, chicken, and pork that they will eat. But, they are kids & like their hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, mac-n-cheese, mashed potatoes, etc. I've tried healthy pizza & mashed potatoes & they did not go over well. Any suggestions?

Hi all. So I’ve pretty much been absent this whole challenge and not really trying. Well that’s starting to change right now. My cousins and I have a mini challenge coming up and I’m going to win because of my secret weapon

You guys!!!!

So the challenge is very do able, it’s just the fact we have not been doing much of anything so getting back active is the hard part. It’s 5 weeks till Thanksgiving (from today). So the challenge is to lose 10lbs by then the loser (whoever has the lowest % of weight loss) has to drive home from black Friday shopping.

Welcome back! I love BF shopping. I'm sure you'll win this bet & will be enjoying being chauffeured around

Good morning all!


Ooo, thanks for the list, Jill, I have about half of these already so I'm sure I will like the rest!

Hang in there on the busy times!
Have a great day all!

Thanks! I have more that I need to download, but these ones get me really going. There's nothing better than needing a pick me up song after a few miles & hearing Beat It!

Well, DS16 did great! He came in 8th with a 19:44 5K. He shaved 1:26 off of his time which is just amazing!

JV won first place but over all in large division we came in second. Not bad but I felt bad for our seniors. We have been champions for 5 years now. We'll take the loss but I have to say, 12 out of the top 22 kids in JV were from our team so we have a real shot at a win next year.

Now I need to get his leg looked at tomorrow. DS has been having shin pain for a few weeks and we've been ignoring it until after today. We are hoping it's not a stress fracture. So I will make an appt tomorrow. Hopefully it's not bad because he could quite possibly go to Class LL's and States.

OK time to go to bed.
I can say I got a workout in today, I ran like crazy because we can see the kids several times x 4 races. It's not where I would like to be, but it's a start.

Night all!

Congrats to DS! What an awesome way to finish with a pr! It must've been awesome cc week-my nephew got his pr this week too! Hoping the shin pain is not serious!

Happy Friday!

Please do not forget to PM kollerbear with your weigh in and thank her for being our weightkeeper!

QOTD Friday, October 19, 2012: Reality check time! We have about four weeks left to the end of this challenge. How are you doing? What can you do to make sure that you finish the challenge strong?

BRB with replies.

I'm not doing too bad. I was hoping to lose more than I have, but at least I didn't gain. I plan in sticking to WW strictly!!

!

I had a GREAT totally OP week this week and the scale showed it! I still need to step up the exercise, but I'm cutting myself some slack due to all of the craziness and the change in our Y membership. I can finish strong by continuing to do great with the eating and by increasing my exercise routine.

Got that job interview tomorrow morning, so any prayers, pixie dust, and good thoughts are appreciated!

Off to find a recipe to post, as I promised!..................P

Congrats on your great op week!

I'm sending lots of positive thoughts and prayers for your interview. Let us know how it goes!

Okay.... I've only made this once, so no promises. THe original recipe (which I think I found through Pinterest) is in black.... the changes I made are in red.

Skinny Sour Cream Enchiladas

Ingredients:
• 16 oz. fat free sour cream (I used about 8 oz of light sour cream instead)

• 1 can fat free cream of chicken soup (made my own with a bit of evoo, flour, and homemade fat-free chicken stock)

• 1 tbls. fresh chopped cilantro (1/2 tbls. Dried)

• 2 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast

• 1 can Mexican Rotel (drained some of the liquid)

• 1 cup chopped onions (optional) (we love onions, so not optional to us!)

• 8 low carb tortillas

• 1 cup shredded pepper jack and colby cheese blend (I used 2% cheese)

• 1 can diced green chiles (skipped these altogether)

Directions:

In a saucepan, mix together sour cream, soup and cilantro. Heat through and set aside.
This is will get to the bubble up/boil stage quickly and make a huge hot mess if you don’t keep stirring.
Combine the chicken, Rotel, onions and green chiles in a pan sprayed with cooking spray. Heat until onions are transparent.

Warm the tortillas until flexible.

Fill each tortilla with about 2 tbls. of the chicken mixture.
Top with about 1/2-1 tablespoon of cheese. Roll the tortilla up and place seam side down (or they will unravel and you will be annoyed.) in a 8×11 dish sprayed with cooking spray.

Pour/spread the sour cream sauce over enchiladas. Top with the remaining cheese.

Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted.

Servings Per Recipe: 8
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 275; Total Fat: 8g;* Total Carbs: 30g; Protein: 14g

***************

Don't forget, my changes will change the NI.

ENJOY!..........................P

Oh this sounds yummy! Thanks.

Hello! My name is Christina, but everyone calls me CC (see-see)-my initials. I love coaching. This week has been really busy and I couldn't commit to today. Thanks Lisa!

A little bit about me...I have been trying to lose weight since I can remember. I was in really great shape from about 10th grade to 2007. I now have at least 50 pounds to lose. I've seen weight ranges that say I have over 80 pounds to lose, but I'll be good with 50.

I've already mentioned that I am gluten intolerant. My nutritionist calls gluten "poison to me." She is right. Gluten and oats (especially oats) are a huge factor (we are almost positive of this) in how much acne I have. Well, I'm also allergic to some acne treatments so it has been fun. My face is finally clearing up and is no longer so red. I really can't wear makeup (the last time resulted in an allergic reaction) either. Being gluten free isn't that hard. The keys for me are to read ingredients, to ask questions/advocate, and to embrace it. It's been such a worthwhile change!

I love Lisa's idea for one QOTD for Saturday and Sunday and it goes along wonderfully with an idea I have for a QOTD. I did this during a previous challenge.

QOTD for Saturday, 10/20 and Sunday, 10/21: There are so many foods that we love, but don't love their calorie counts, fat content, sodium content, etc. What is one (or more) food you would like a recipe for that is healthier than its original version? I will post the lighter versions throughout the weekend.

One thing I loved to eat (before finding out I'm allergic to oats) is an oatmeal raising cookie. I will share the recipe (I post the link.) tomorrow.

Thanks for coaching CC. I am totally missing HH by the way. I know it was a lot of work and you definitely needed/deserved a break. I just thought I'd let you know how much I enjoyed it & how much it helped me keep on track

QOTD-oh geez, I could list so many! I would love a nice easy recipe for any chocolate dessert. I emphasize "easy" lol. That way, DSs can help in the kitchen. Thanks

Happy Friday all,


Had to pick up Izzie early today as she wasn't feeling well. Went to the CVS Minute Clinic and rapid strep was negative. She seems to be feeling a little better tonight though she is registering a low grade temp. We'll see how she is in the morning and if the weather improves. We had a mini thunderstorm a while ago.

Catching up on some shows right now. Hoping to get a good night's sleep. Been awake since 4:30 am! This needs to stop!

TTFN

I hope you enjoy a peaceful sleep. I hope Izzie feels better. DS9 woke up with a fever today & stayed home. It must be going around.

....................................

Good evening
I wanted to make sure I checked in and answered the QOTDs. Now, it's late (I'm on my phone & it is hard to type fast-and I misspell a lot!) and I need to get a few things done tonight. DS9 woke up with a fever & luckily my mom wasn't busy today so he went to her house. He went to bed around 9 & still wasn't feeling well. Tomorrow I have to grocery shop & get pumpkins for our Sunday School fall party & hayride on Sunday. I'm helping with the party & thought I'd buy each child a pumpkin (about 20 kids). Other than that, you'll find me at home cleaning like always

Have a great night & I'll be back tomorrow.

Jill

 

[belledreamer]

QOTD Friday, October 19, 2012: Reality check time! We have about four weeks left to the end of this challenge. How are you doing? What can you do to make sure that you finish the challenge strong?

I can't believe it's only 4 weeks to go!! I do wish I would have lost more during this challenge than I have so far, but I only gained 1lb during the challenge and then lost it plus a few more so I'm pretty satisfied with what I have lost. For the rest of the challenge, I'm planning on making sure of what I'm eating, drinking my water, and plenty of exercise. DDad just put air in my all-but-forgotten bicycle and since the weather's been so nice lately, I think I may have to take a few bike rides.

QOTD for Saturday, 10/20 and Sunday, 10/21: There are so many foods that we love, but don't love their calorie counts, fat content, sodium content, etc. What is one (or more) food you would like a recipe for that is healthier than its original version? I will post the lighter versions throughout the weekend.

French Fries! They really are my weakness... I can do without burgers and fried chicken, but I DO love my fries.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beautiful weather today; had to work for a good bit of it, but still managed to spend a little time outside today. None of us felt like cooking this evening, so I went on a sushi run for us for dinner. I do love sushi!

So now, I'm laid up in bed with the cat, watching 'Addams Family Values' on TV. I forgot how funny this movie was!

Hope everyone has a good weekend!

 

[Mom2aJessieGirl]

Woah. Didn't realize it had been so long since I had checked in here!

Things are going good here. Still losing, which amazes me each time I step on the scale! DH is too, and I'm so proud of us. We treated ourselves last night to Hibachi Steak (No rice though) a tiny bit of sushi and a mini Pumpkin Pie Blizzard. I was SHOCKED at how sweet everything at the hibachi place tasted, compared to what I used to think it tasted like. It was still delicious, but I found myself using less ginger and "yum yum" sauce. All in all, it was a nice treat for us, and still GF (except for the blizzard)!

 

[cclovesdis]

QOTD for Saturday, 10/20 and Sunday, 10/21: There are so many foods that we love, but don't love their calorie counts, fat content, sodium content, etc. What is one (or more) food you would like a recipe for that is healthier than its original version? I will post the lighter versions throughout the weekend.

One thing I loved to eat (before finding out I'm allergic to oats) is an oatmeal raising cookie. I will share the recipe (I post the link.) tomorrow.

http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/1076

I love this recipe! I made them in bite sizes for a nut-free bake sale and they sold well. You would never guess there is baby food in it.

Nice to see you coaching CC!

Healthier recipes!? I'm in! I've been trying to create my own "Vitamuffin" recipe, but without much luck. I've been working with high fiber ingredients like flaxseed, FiberOne cereal, whole oats, wheat and oat bran, plus egg whites, applesauce, etc. Any ideas?

Thanks! Hope you are enjoying your driving-free weekend!

This blueberry muffin recipe was a winner in my house:
http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/1097

I haven't tried this one, but there is a way to make it lower in PointsPlus.
http://www.hungry-girl.com/weighin/show/2171

A pumpkin version
http://www.hungry-girl.com/chew/show/1641

This is a muffin top recipe. People reviewed the recipe and shared how they made it. One definitely reduced the carb count.
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=62023

I have noticed a huge difference in my energy level (which is important as full time teacher & mom). I've also noticed my overall mental health is much better with healthy food & exercise. I'm more positive & less anxious.



My problem with healthy recipes is getting the whole family to enjoy it. With a 9 & 6 year old, it's harder to find things they will eat & be satisfied. I make healthy fish, chicken, and pork that they will eat. But, they are kids & like their hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, mac-n-cheese, mashed potatoes, etc. I've tried healthy pizza & mashed potatoes & they did not go over well. Any suggestions?

QOTD-oh geez, I could list so many! I would love a nice easy recipe for any chocolate dessert. I emphasize "easy" lol. That way, DSs can help in the kitchen. Thanks

Thanks for the compliment on HH! I do miss coaching it. I am thinking about doing something low-key if we do a challenge around the holidays. I have a lot of time off of work then and it is a great time to have a mini-challenge or two!

Here are some ideas:

Not as healthy as the blueberry muffin recipe, but might be kid-friendly:
http://www.hungry-girl.com/chew/show/2228

The 1st one is a chocolate dessert:
http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/954

Pancakes
http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/1014

Higher in P+, but easy to make (and much healthier than the desserts I once ate )
http://www.hungry-girl.com/weighin/show/2279
http://www.hungry-girl.com/weighin/show/2305

Not sure if DSs eat peppers:
http://www.hungry-girl.com/weighin/show/2380
Eggplant?
http://www.hungry-girl.com/chew/show/2222

Possibilities:
http://www.hungry-girl.com/show/under-200-cheeseburger-mac-attack-recipe
http://www.hungry-girl.com/chew/show/2264

French Fries! They really are my weakness... I can do without burgers and fried chicken, but I DO love my fries.

Hope you have some time for a bike ride!

Some ideas for you:
http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/1398
http://www.hungry-girl.com/misc/show/2288#carrot (scroll to find)

Woah. Didn't realize it had been so long since I had checked in here!

Good to see you! Glad to hear you are doing well!

2 GF recipes
http://www.hungry-girl.com/weighin/show/2196

Some valuable info
http://www.hungry-girl.com/biteout/show/2307
http://www.hungry-girl.com/news/show/2293 ("milk")
http://www.hungry-girl.com/askhg/show/2390
http://www.hungry-girl.com/askhg/show/1930

 

[jillbur]

Wow CC! I looked at all the recipes you posted and now I'm hungry! They all look delicious! I can't wait to try some with the family~especially the chocolate cake in a cup. So simple & easy for the kids to make. They'll be amazed at making cake in the microwave, too.

DSs and I went to see The Odd Life Of Timothy Green tonight. It was a cute, positive movie. I also avoided soda & popcorn at the theater! This is huge for me. I always get diet Coke & popcorn, but this time I didn't want to ruin all my hard work from the past week. I brought a banana & a couple graham crackers just in case, but I didn't eat them. I did try about 10 of DS6's sour skittles, though.

I'm off to bed. I didn't sleep well last night & am falling asleep as I type. Tomorrow is a busy day with church & the Sunday school fall party & hayride. It's supposed to be sunny & 60, so it'll be a perfect fall day. I'll try to check in tomorrow evening.

Jill

 

[disneymom2one]

QOTD's

I've been MIA for a few days. Crazy busy and we're headed out the door for an all day road trip in just a few minutes. I was up just a shade this week. I'm at 144 now and having a harder time motivating myself for the last few I'd like to lose. It's been a long journey and I need to figure out how to live now, if that makes any sense at all. I am keeping up the exercise (BL exercise challenge has been huge) and have another 10K race next weekend. My first half is in January (not Disney) so I'm motivated to keep up my training.

As far as how I plan to finish, I just need to keep on keeping on. Tracking through WW, exercising at least two hours every day.

My all time favorite food that I miss the most is a good old fashioned pbj but there's no way to health that up!

 

[donac]

Good Sunday morning.

I know I have been MIA because it has been a challenging beginning of the school year. I can't believe how hard it has been changing teaching styles. The teaching has been fairly easier than I thought (We went from 48 minute periods to 80 minute periods) but it is the incompetence of the adminstration has been kicking my butt. There has been no communication between the administration and the faculty except at the last minute and then it takes 3 emails to get everything right. It is almost not worth opening your email because there is usually a correction within the first day.

Example Our back to school night was on a Thursday. We finally got the schedule for it with timetable on Tuesday. 11 am Thursday we got another email saying they wanted us to show a 10 minute video so the time table was all wrong. At 2:30 my friend sees a VP and tells him that the word principal was spelled wrong though out the entire video so then he is sent scrambling to have someone fix it. We start our first period, show our video and get cut 2 minutes short from our period. And this is just one example.

I haven't been on a lot lately since I am trying not to be sitting at the computer for a long period of time. I have been spending my time quilting and I sit for that so I don't want to be always sitting but I do need to check in more often.

If you need a coach let me know and I can take it over for a few days or even a week.

Have a happy and healthy day.

 

[pjlla]

I have noticed a huge difference in my energy level (which is important as full time teacher & mom). I've also noticed my overall mental health is much better with healthy food & exercise. I'm more positive & less anxious.

I think we don't even realize how much our energy is lagging, until is starts getting higher!

I love exercising, but I cannot drag myself out of bed that early to do it! I love my warm, cozy bed I love running first thing in the morning, but that's more along the lines of 8:00 lol. I'm just going to try harder to fit in a walk during my lunch break & anything I can in the afternoons/evening if I know I can't get to the gym.

I don't blame you. O'dark o'clock is tough no matter what! As long as you are fitting it in somewhere, you are doing great!

My problem with healthy recipes is getting the whole family to enjoy it. With a 9 & 6 year old, it's harder to find things they will eat & be satisfied. I make healthy fish, chicken, and pork that they will eat. But, they are kids & like their hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, mac-n-cheese, mashed potatoes, etc. I've tried healthy pizza & mashed potatoes & they did not go over well. Any suggestions?

Jill....twice I had a big reply typed up about this, and twice now I have lost it for some reason . I need to get ready for church, but I promise I will come back next week with some suggestions.


I'm not doing too bad. I was hoping to lose more than I have, but at least I didn't gain. I plan in sticking to WW strictly!!

Again, I'm open to talking about WW any time you would like! Got any great WW recipes to share?? I assume you are doing Points Plus. I am still old school "Points" and would love some info about the newer system!


Congrats on your great op week!

I'm sending lots of positive thoughts and prayers for your interview. Let us know how it goes!

It went well! More at the end about it.

Good evening
I wanted to make sure I checked in and answered the QOTDs. Now, it's late (I'm on my phone & it is hard to type fast-and I misspell a lot!) and I need to get a few things done tonight. DS9 woke up with a fever & luckily my mom wasn't busy today so he went to her house. He went to bed around 9 & still wasn't feeling well. Tomorrow I have to grocery shop & get pumpkins for our Sunday School fall party & hayride on Sunday. I'm helping with the party & thought I'd buy each child a pumpkin (about 20 kids). Other than that, you'll find me at home cleaning like always

Have a great night & I'll be back tomorrow.

Jill

Hope your errands went well and that DS is feeling much better. Enjoy your Sunday school party!

I can't believe it's only 4 weeks to go!! I do wish I would have lost more during this challenge than I have so far, but I only gained 1lb during the challenge and then lost it plus a few more so I'm pretty satisfied with what I have lost. For the rest of the challenge, I'm planning on making sure of what I'm eating, drinking my water, and plenty of exercise. DDad just put air in my all-but-forgotten bicycle and since the weather's been so nice lately, I think I may have to take a few bike rides.

Maybe DS and I could drag our bikes out this week too! Great idea!

French Fries! They really are my weakness... I can do without burgers and fried chicken, but I DO love my fries.

I know CC shared a few recipes. I've also got a few baked fry recipes I could share next week! Remind me if I forget!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beautiful weather today; had to work for a good bit of it, but still managed to spend a little time outside today. None of us felt like cooking this evening, so I went on a sushi run for us for dinner. I do love sushi!

So now, I'm laid up in bed with the cat, watching 'Addams Family Values' on TV. I forgot how funny this movie was!

Hope everyone has a good weekend!

Sushi, a snuggle with the kitty, and a funny movie.... sounds like a perfect evening to me!!

Woah. Didn't realize it had been so long since I had checked in here!

Things are going good here. Still losing, which amazes me each time I step on the scale! DH is too, and I'm so proud of us. We treated ourselves last night to Hibachi Steak (No rice though) a tiny bit of sushi and a mini Pumpkin Pie Blizzard. I was SHOCKED at how sweet everything at the hibachi place tasted, compared to what I used to think it tasted like. It was still delicious, but I found myself using less ginger and "yum yum" sauce. All in all, it was a nice treat for us, and still GF (except for the blizzard)!

Glad you were able to find healthier yummy choices! It is amazing how our taste buds adapt to our current eating style.

http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/1076

I love this recipe! I made them in bite sizes for a nut-free bake sale and they sold well. You would never guess there is baby food in it.



Thanks! Hope you are enjoying your driving-free weekend!

This blueberry muffin recipe was a winner in my house:
http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/1097

I haven't tried this one, but there is a way to make it lower in PointsPlus.
http://www.hungry-girl.com/weighin/show/2171

A pumpkin version
http://www.hungry-girl.com/chew/show/1641

This is a muffin top recipe. People reviewed the recipe and shared how they made it. One definitely reduced the carb count.
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=62023



Thanks for the compliment on HH! I do miss coaching it. I am thinking about doing something low-key if we do a challenge around the holidays. I have a lot of time off of work then and it is a great time to have a mini-challenge or two!

Here are some ideas:

Not as healthy as the blueberry muffin recipe, but might be kid-friendly:
http://www.hungry-girl.com/chew/show/2228

The 1st one is a chocolate dessert:
http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/954

Pancakes
http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/1014

Higher in P+, but easy to make (and much healthier than the desserts I once ate )
http://www.hungry-girl.com/weighin/show/2279
http://www.hungry-girl.com/weighin/show/2305

Not sure if DSs eat peppers:
http://www.hungry-girl.com/weighin/show/2380
Eggplant?
http://www.hungry-girl.com/chew/show/2222

Possibilities:
http://www.hungry-girl.com/show/under-200-cheeseburger-mac-attack-recipe
http://www.hungry-girl.com/chew/show/2264




Hope you have some time for a bike ride!

Some ideas for you:
http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/1398
http://www.hungry-girl.com/misc/show/2288#carrot (scroll to find)



Good to see you! Glad to hear you are doing well!

2 GF recipes
http://www.hungry-girl.com/weighin/show/2196

Some valuable info
http://www.hungry-girl.com/biteout/show/2307
http://www.hungry-girl.com/news/show/2293 ("milk")
http://www.hungry-girl.com/askhg/show/2390
http://www.hungry-girl.com/askhg/show/1930

CC.... thanks for all of these recipe! I have a few of the HG cookbooks and I record her shows on Sunday mornings on the Food Network.... but I wasn't aware that she had GF recipes as well!!

Wow CC! I looked at all the recipes you posted and now I'm hungry! They all look delicious! I can't wait to try some with the family~especially the chocolate cake in a cup. So simple & easy for the kids to make. They'll be amazed at making cake in the microwave, too.

DSs and I went to see The Odd Life Of Timothy Green tonight. It was a cute, positive movie. I also avoided soda & popcorn at the theater! This is huge for me. I always get diet Coke & popcorn, but this time I didn't want to ruin all my hard work from the past week. I brought a banana & a couple graham crackers just in case, but I didn't eat them. I did try about 10 of DS6's sour skittles, though.

I'm off to bed. I didn't sleep well last night & am falling asleep as I type. Tomorrow is a busy day with church & the Sunday school fall party & hayride. It's supposed to be sunny & 60, so it'll be a perfect fall day. I'll try to check in tomorrow evening.

Jill

Good job resisting the popcorn... that is definitely a weak point of mine!

QOTD's

I've been MIA for a few days. Crazy busy and we're headed out the door for an all day road trip in just a few minutes. I was up just a shade this week. I'm at 144 now and having a harder time motivating myself for the last few I'd like to lose. It's been a long journey and I need to figure out how to live now, if that makes any sense at all. I am keeping up the exercise (BL exercise challenge has been huge) and have another 10K race next weekend. My first half is in January (not Disney) so I'm motivated to keep up my training.

As far as how I plan to finish, I just need to keep on keeping on. Tracking through WW, exercising at least two hours every day.

My all time favorite food that I miss the most is a good old fashioned pbj but there's no way to health that up!

Actually you could be surprised. There are several "lighter" peanut butter substitutes out there, plus there is "healthier-but-not-lighter" almond butter, soy butter, cashew butter, and sunflower butter and of course all-fruit spreads and fruit butters instead of jelly and whole wheat breads!

Glad to have you back with us!

Good Sunday morning.

I know I have been MIA because it has been a challenging beginning of the school year. I can't believe how hard it has been changing teaching styles. The teaching has been fairly easier than I thought (We went from 48 minute periods to 80 minute periods) but it is the incompetence of the adminstration has been kicking my butt. There has been no communication between the administration and the faculty except at the last minute and then it takes 3 emails to get everything right. It is almost not worth opening your email because there is usually a correction within the first day.

Example Our back to school night was on a Thursday. We finally got the schedule for it with timetable on Tuesday. 11 am Thursday we got another email saying they wanted us to show a 10 minute video so the time table was all wrong. At 2:30 my friend sees a VP and tells him that the word principal was spelled wrong though out the entire video so then he is sent scrambling to have someone fix it. We start our first period, show our video and get cut 2 minutes short from our period. And this is just one example.

I haven't been on a lot lately since I am trying not to be sitting at the computer for a long period of time. I have been spending my time quilting and I sit for that so I don't want to be always sitting but I do need to check in more often.

If you need a coach let me know and I can take it over for a few days or even a week.

Have a happy and healthy day.

Oh my gracious! Sounds like your admin needs a kick in the butt! I hate situations like that. It makes EVERYONE look incompetent!

*******************

Morning friends! Running late, of course, so I'll be brief.

The interview yesterday went well and they are hiring me! That said, I do have to go through some training and evaluations before they will hopefully offer me the position I really want, so I am trying not to get TOO excited yet. There are other positions available, but I so want this particular one. Hopefully I will rock the training and the evaluation process and grab that position! I will get my packet from HR this week and the process will begin!

Not saying any more about it for now.... but will hint that the job is in the "health and weight loss" field!

Church this morning, followed by a trip to MA for an early birthday visit to my Dad. I'm already running behind, so I'll dash for now. TTYL...........P

 

[KayTom]

This weight loss thing has been much slower than expected lol. I was finding it really hard to get motivated and keep motivated...so on tuesday i joined slimming world.

Being weighed in front of other people (although they don't announce your weight) is enough to keep me going

So i started the slimming world diet on wednesday and when i weighed myself this morning (sunday) i had lost 3 and a half pounds. Whoopee!

Basically i've been drinking at least 2 litres of water per day and sticking to diet drinks. All meals you need to have 1/3 of your plate filled with fruit or veg. 1/3 meat with visible fat cut off. 1/3 potatoes, rice, pulses. You get a small portion of dairy and 2 slices wholemeal bread per day. Snack on fruit, veg and sandwich slices of meat. Everything else comes out of your syns...you're allowed 10 syn points per day.

If anyone else is struggling and maybe not posting, hopefully they'll read this and it might give them a bit of a push too xx

 

[cclovesdis]

Afternoon Everyone!

Slow start to the day. Once I got going though, I finished a lot. I also had a healthy, OP breakfast and just finished lunch. I am notorious for having veggies only at dinner and I had a serving at lunch today!

I treated myself to a bath this morning. I needed some me time and my skin has been very dry so this was a good choice. I have a few things to do and then I'm off to the gym, CVS, and Stop & Shop. My sister and I went grocery shopping yesterday too! Grocery prices seem to be going up and up and the only way to keep the budget in check is to go to multiple stores. This week is still over budget-ok, I should over my intended budget. I am cheap.

I make goals for the week with one of my nutritionists and this week they are:
- prepping for the week on Sunday
- journaling all my food
- increasing exercise

I picked up some 1/2 cup reusable containers at the grocery store yesterday to help prep breakfasts for the week. I'm considering getting another package to prep some of my lunches as well. Hopefully, the grocery store will have them because the other likely places are out of my way (for today).

Back later for replies!

 

[cclovesdis]

They'll be amazed at making cake in the microwave, too.

Hungry Girl also has egg recipes that you cook in a mug in the microwave. Enjoy!

Hope you slept better!

My all time favorite food that I miss the most is a good old fashioned pbj but there's no way to health that up!

Pamela's response is great! I was just reading that you can use almond butter, light bread, and real fruit for a good alternative.

for your upcoming races!

Dona. I hope things improve.

CC.... thanks for all of these recipe! I have a few of the HG cookbooks and I record her shows on Sunday mornings on the Food Network.... but I wasn't aware that she had GF recipes as well!!

Thanks!

Good job resisting the popcorn... that is definitely a weak point of mine!



Actually you could be surprised. There are several "lighter" peanut butter substitutes out there, plus there is "healthier-but-not-lighter" almond butter, soy butter, cashew butter, and sunflower butter and of course all-fruit spreads and fruit butters instead of jelly and whole wheat breads!



Morning friends! Running late, of course, so I'll be brief.

The interview yesterday went well and they are hiring me! That said, I do have to go through some training and evaluations before they will hopefully offer me the position I really want, so I am trying not to get TOO excited yet. There are other positions available, but I so want this particular one. Hopefully I will rock the training and the evaluation process and grab that position! I will get my packet from HR this week and the process will begin!

Not saying any more about it for now.... but will hint that the job is in the "health and weight loss" field!

Church this morning, followed by a trip to MA for an early birthday visit to my Dad. I'm already running behind, so I'll dash for now. TTYL...........P

for the new job! Congrats!

This weight loss thing has been much slower than expected lol. I was finding it really hard to get motivated and keep motivated...so on tuesday i joined slimming world.

Being weighed in front of other people (although they don't announce your weight) is enough to keep me going

So i started the slimming world diet on wednesday and when i weighed myself this morning (sunday) i had lost 3 and a half pounds. Whoopee!

Basically i've been drinking at least 2 litres of water per day and sticking to diet drinks. All meals you need to have 1/3 of your plate filled with fruit or veg. 1/3 meat with visible fat cut off. 1/3 potatoes, rice, pulses. You get a small portion of dairy and 2 slices wholemeal bread per day. Snack on fruit, veg and sandwich slices of meat. Everything else comes out of your syns...you're allowed 10 syn points per day.

If anyone else is struggling and maybe not posting, hopefully they'll read this and it might give them a bit of a push too xx

Glad you found something that works for you! I've never heard of it myself. Please keep us updated.

 

[pjlla]

Evening friends! Nice visit with Mom and Dad today, but we are heading out soon, since it is a school night.

Quiet around here this weekend! Hope everyone is doing ok!

TTYL..............P

 

[cclovesdis]

I think I have stunned myself! I did lots of prepping for the week. It's a good thing I bought another package of those containers. They are they perfect size for so much. I focused on breakfasts and lunches for the week. Dinners tend to be the least OP, though they have the fewest temptations. Lunch is the worst because my co-workers love to eat the cafeteria's special of the day. It usually involves breading and/or frying or cheese. And, sometimes all three.

So, I:
- washed grapes and put 15 each in 5 containers
- put 8 olives each in 5 containers
- measured 1/4 cup granola for 5 containers
- added measured 2 tbsp. raisins for 5 containers of granola
- made veggie soup and separated it into 1 cup containers (made 8 servings)
- baked 12 eggs

I'll just have to make my wrap and fill my lunch box in the morning. For breakfast, it is just measuring milk and warming up my eggs. I'm hoping doing all of this will save me some time.

Have a great week everyone!

 

[cclovesdis]

QOTD for Monday, October 22: What grains do you like other than wheat? What do you like to make with it/them?

Being GF, I use rice flour a lot. I also use potato starch and tapioca flour. We do a lot with corn too. I bake with the first 3 a lot. Cornbread is a staple in my house.

I know there are so many more grains out there so I thought I'd ask.

 

[Mary•Poppins]

Good morning! Here is your QOTD for Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012


I heard a study on the news this morning. Carrying 100 pounds (or more) of extra weight (in your car) can lead to a 2% reduction in the gas mileage of your car. So that could easily be one person overweight by 100 pounds, two people who are each 50 pounds overweight, or an average family of four, each overweight by 25 pounds or more.

In what other surprising or unusual ways do you think that being overweight can negatively effect your life? Have you discovered things that have changed as you have lost weight that you never expected?


(Thanks to DD for this idea )BONUS QOTD: Today is the 161st anniversary of Moby Dick.... a book that I have been trying to finish reading since April! What is your favorite CLASSIC novel??

Extra weight can affect the things you would like to participate in life. We have an amusement park near us and my one friend who was overweight couldn't ride a lot of the rides with her children. It broke my heart. Now, she is a healthier weight and enjoys many more activities with her daughters.

As for classics, I read Fahrenheit 451. Such an interesting book.

Happy Friday!

Please do not forget to PM kollerbear with your weigh in and thank her for being our weightkeeper!

QOTD Friday, October 19, 2012: Reality check time! We have about four weeks left to the end of this challenge. How are you doing? What can you do to make sure that you finish the challenge strong?

BRB with replies.

Tracking my food and drinking my water. I had a better week this week when I did this.

Hello! My name is Christina, but everyone calls me CC (see-see)-my initials. I love coaching. This week has been really busy and I couldn't commit to today. Thanks Lisa!

A little bit about me...I have been trying to lose weight since I can remember. I was in really great shape from about 10th grade to 2007. I now have at least 50 pounds to lose. I've seen weight ranges that say I have over 80 pounds to lose, but I'll be good with 50.

I've already mentioned that I am gluten intolerant. My nutritionist calls gluten "poison to me." She is right. Gluten and oats (especially oats) are a huge factor (we are almost positive of this) in how much acne I have. Well, I'm also allergic to some acne treatments so it has been fun. My face is finally clearing up and is no longer so red. I really can't wear makeup (the last time resulted in an allergic reaction) either. Being gluten free isn't that hard. The keys for me are to read ingredients, to ask questions/advocate, and to embrace it. It's been such a worthwhile change!

CC ... my niece went TOTALLY gluten-free and she now has the most beautiful complexion. Her skin problems were related to being allergic to gluten!

I love Lisa's idea for one QOTD for Saturday and Sunday and it goes along wonderfully with an idea I have for a QOTD. I did this during a previous challenge.

QOTD for Saturday, 10/20 and Sunday, 10/21: There are so many foods that we love, but don't love their calorie counts, fat content, sodium content, etc. What is one (or more) food you would like a recipe for that is healthier than its original version? I will post the lighter versions throughout the weekend.

One thing I loved to eat (before finding out I'm allergic to oats) is an oatmeal raising cookie. I will share the recipe (I post the link.) tomorrow.

How about a chocolate chip cookie (if you are still posting recipes CC).

The interview yesterday went well and they are hiring me! That said, I do have to go through some training and evaluations before they will hopefully offer me the position I really want, so I am trying not to get TOO excited yet. There are other positions available, but I so want this particular one. Hopefully I will rock the training and the evaluation process and grab that position! I will get my packet from HR this week and the process will begin!

Not saying any more about it for now.... but will hint that the job is in the "health and weight loss" field!

Church this morning, followed by a trip to MA for an early birthday visit to my Dad. I'm already running behind, so I'll dash for now. TTYL...........P

So glad your interview went well. (I actually knew you would do well!) Hope the training works out.

QOTD for Monday, October 22: What grains do you like other than wheat? What do you like to make with it/them?


Being GF, I use rice flour a lot. I also use potato starch and tapioca flour. We do a lot with corn too. I bake with the first 3 a lot. Cornbread is a staple in my house.

I know there are so many more grains out there so I thought I'd ask.

I too have cooked with rice flour. I have made brownies for my niece. The brownies were gobbled up by everyone at my house. I don't even think my boys knew they gluten-free.

*****************************

Sorry I have been missing everyone. My husband and I went up to Penn State to see my oldest son this weekend. He was in the ensemble of the musical, The Producers. It was great seeing him. He is doing well, making friends, getting good grades (that we know of ) and becoming active in some clubs.

I am having my mom up for her birthday tomorrow. She is turning 79. If anyone remembers me writing about her buying the grocery store cake and freezing it for my husband's birthday .... I thought you would get another giggle. I called her tonight to confirm the time for dinner. She said, "DON'T make me a cake .... I have one!" UGH!!! Yes, it is a frozen grocery store cake. I think I am going to make an apple crisp also for anyone who won't like her cake. My husband couldn't stop laughing when I told him.

 

[belledreamer]

What a weekend! Well, mainly Saturday...

Tagged along with some of my friends to a local annual fair that we have and the amount of people there was INSANE!! Didn't end up riding any rides; not really my thing. So I ended watching them ride while I played some of the games. Ended up winning a large stuffed sheep, but once I realized that I had spent $25 to get it one of my friends said she buy it for $10 bucks which I ended up agreeing to. Gotta have money for Disney! So it was a hard $15 dollar lesson learned; don't play carnival games.

Did pretty good with avoiding the carnival food, although my friend and I did end up splitting a funnel cake. (Totally worth it!!) I really wanted some deep-fried Oreos, (so not good for me...) but with them being $6 dollars an order, that was enough to keep me from indulging. Thank you over-priced carnival food for keeping me from going over calories!

They had Irma Thomas doing the concert at the fair which we stayed for and I didn't end up getting home until almost midnight so there was a good bit a relaxing going on today. So I'm more than ready for a good night's sleep tonight.

Hope everyone has a good week!

And I'm doing the single-digits dance for Disney! WOO!

 

[tigger813]

Happy Monday all,

Sorry I wasn't around this weekend. We had two soccer games on Saturday and one yesterday and I was trying to get some stuff done around here. Didn't get as much done as I had hoped so today will be a day of catching up. Planning on getting the storage room and laundry room done. Then I have to take Ash for some blood tests and then back to school for play practice. She got dizzy during her soccer game yesterday. I already had set up the blood work on Friday so really glad we're going today. Also need to run to the library to get a book that Izzie wants to read. Brian's going to work in Framingham today and stop at Target to get the girls the new Taylor Swift album on his way home.

I think something's wrong with my elliptical. I believe the tension is stuck on 4 or 5. It was very difficult to do. I did 1/2 mile though it took me 18 minutes. Gotta try and fix it so I can do more later also might do some Wii Fit or XBox!

Gotta go fix Ash's lunch!

TTFN

 

[lisah0711]

Good morning all!

CC, thanks so much for coaching this week!

Thanks so much for posting so many great recipes for us to try too. And I am in total awe of how great your prep work came out. I am so going to have to do this!

Pamela, congratulations on the job! And a big woo hoo for no swimming driving this week-end. Hope that you got to do something fun for you!

I have noticed a huge difference in my energy level (which is important as full time teacher & mom). I've also noticed my overall mental health is much better with healthy food & exercise. I'm more positive & less anxious.

Isn't that wonderful! Hope you had fun at the pumpkin patch. This is the time of year that I always think we need a jack o'lantern emoticon.

I can't believe it's only 4 weeks to go!! I do wish I would have lost more during this challenge than I have so far, but I only gained 1lb during the challenge and then lost it plus a few more so I'm pretty satisfied with what I have lost.

You went on vacation and got rid of the vacation weight -- that is a winner in my book!

Woah. Didn't realize it had been so long since I had checked in here!

Glad that you and DH are doing so well!

QOTD's

I've been MIA for a few days. Crazy busy and we're headed out the door for an all day road trip in just a few minutes. I was up just a shade this week. I'm at 144 now and having a harder time motivating myself for the last few I'd like to lose. It's been a long journey and I need to figure out how to live now, if that makes any sense at all. I am keeping up the exercise (BL exercise challenge has been huge) and have another 10K race next weekend. My first half is in January (not Disney) so I'm motivated to keep up my training.

Being a maintainer has challenges, too, luckily you have a couple of maintainers on this thread to help you with the transition. The most important thing as far as I can tell is to believe in yourself that you did it and you are never going back!

Dona, so sorry that you are having a rough school year. Those administrators need to get back in the class a bit to remember why you are all there. :teach: Hang in there!

This weight loss thing has been much slower than expected lol. I was finding it really hard to get motivated and keep motivated...so on tuesday i joined slimming world.

I'm not familiar with that program but am sending you oodles of that it just what you need!

QOTD for Monday, October 22: What grains do you like other than wheat? What do you like to make with it/them?

I love cornbread. I use the good old Jiffy corn muffin mix and add a 4 oz can of green chiles to give it a little more zip and taste. I love quinoa when someone else fixes it -- my technique needs some work. And I do enjoy a hot bowl of oatmeal.

Fran, glad that you had a great visit with your son. Happy birthday to your DMom. At least you won't have to worry about being tempted by the cake! I don't know what it is about getting old and freezing everything. Both my Mom and DMIL do that and I vow not to do the same when it is my turn.

Woo hoo for the single digit dance, Ashley!

Tracey, hope everyone in your house is feeling better!

Finished my last long run before the Wine and Dine Half on Saturday. 15 miles on the indoor track. After that you have confidence that you can meet the challenge. I leave 2 weeks from Thursday so it is coming up quickly. Going to be very, very good about staying OP this week.

Have a great week all!

 

[pjlla]

This weight loss thing has been much slower than expected lol. I was finding it really hard to get motivated and keep motivated...so on tuesday i joined slimming world.

Being weighed in front of other people (although they don't announce your weight) is enough to keep me going

So i started the slimming world diet on wednesday and when i weighed myself this morning (sunday) i had lost 3 and a half pounds. Whoopee!

Basically i've been drinking at least 2 litres of water per day and sticking to diet drinks. All meals you need to have 1/3 of your plate filled with fruit or veg. 1/3 meat with visible fat cut off. 1/3 potatoes, rice, pulses. You get a small portion of dairy and 2 slices wholemeal bread per day. Snack on fruit, veg and sandwich slices of meat. Everything else comes out of your syns...you're allowed 10 syn points per day.

If anyone else is struggling and maybe not posting, hopefully they'll read this and it might give them a bit of a push too xx

I've always wondered what "pulses" were. I hear them talk about it on cooking type shows on BBC. Care to clarify for us Yanks??

Sounds like a healthy reasonable plan. Do you see yourself being able to stick with it long-term?? Is there any leeway for treats and such or just the "10 syn points"?

Afternoon Everyone!

Slow start to the day. Once I got going though, I finished a lot. I also had a healthy, OP breakfast and just finished lunch. I am notorious for having veggies only at dinner and I had a serving at lunch today!

I treated myself to a bath this morning. I needed some me time and my skin has been very dry so this was a good choice. I have a few things to do and then I'm off to the gym, CVS, and Stop & Shop. My sister and I went grocery shopping yesterday too! Grocery prices seem to be going up and up and the only way to keep the budget in check is to go to multiple stores. This week is still over budget-ok, I should over my intended budget. I am cheap.

I make goals for the week with one of my nutritionists and this week they are:
- prepping for the week on Sunday
- journaling all my food
- increasing exercise

I picked up some 1/2 cup reusable containers at the grocery store yesterday to help prep breakfasts for the week. I'm considering getting another package to prep some of my lunches as well. Hopefully, the grocery store will have them because the other likely places are out of my way (for today).

Back later for replies!

Sounds like you have been productive!

I think I have stunned myself! I did lots of prepping for the week. It's a good thing I bought another package of those containers. They are they perfect size for so much. I focused on breakfasts and lunches for the week. Dinners tend to be the least OP, though they have the fewest temptations. Lunch is the worst because my co-workers love to eat the cafeteria's special of the day. It usually involves breading and/or frying or cheese. And, sometimes all three.

So, I:
- washed grapes and put 15 each in 5 containers
- put 8 olives each in 5 containers
- measured 1/4 cup granola for 5 containers
- added measured 2 tbsp. raisins for 5 containers of granola
- made veggie soup and separated it into 1 cup containers (made 8 servings)
- baked 12 eggs

I'll just have to make my wrap and fill my lunch box in the morning. For breakfast, it is just measuring milk and warming up my eggs. I'm hoping doing all of this will save me some time.

Have a great week everyone!

WOW! Super organized! I am impressed. I will probably be doing some of that for myself for this week, as I am working a great deal after today. Thanks for the inspiration!

QOTD for Monday, October 22: What grains do you like other than wheat? What do you like to make with it/them?

I did some experimental baking years ago with other grains when DS had a wheat allergy. I didn't have much success. Lately our "alternative" grains have been quinoa, almond flour, and coconut flour (the latter two because they are low carb for DH). I've made a quinoa stew (recipe available over on the BL recipe thread! ) and just served it plain as a side dish. I do have a quinoa mac and cheese recipe that DD is DYING for me to try out. And I have a Dr. Oz breakfast pancake recipe using almond flour that I had intended to make for DH today, but when I came in from the laundry line he had already started his breakfast, so maybe another day. The biggest problem with the almond and coconut flours is that DS can't eat them, so I cannot make anything for the entire family with them.

Extra weight can affect the things you would like to participate in life. We have an amusement park near us and my one friend who was overweight couldn't ride a lot of the rides with her children. It broke my heart. Now, she is a healthier weight and enjoys many more activities with her daughters.

That is WONDERFUL for your friend!!

As for classics, I read Fahrenheit 451. Such an interesting book.

I read that in high school and it has stuck with me. I may read it again in the near future.

So glad your interview went well. (I actually knew you would do well!) Hope the training works out.

Thanks!



Sorry I have been missing everyone. My husband and I went up to Penn State to see my oldest son this weekend. He was in the ensemble of the musical, The Producers. It was great seeing him. He is doing well, making friends, getting good grades (that we know of ) and becoming active in some clubs.

How terrific! What is his major??

I am having my mom up for her birthday tomorrow. She is turning 79. If anyone remembers me writing about her buying the grocery store cake and freezing it for my husband's birthday .... I thought you would get another giggle. I called her tonight to confirm the time for dinner. She said, "DON'T make me a cake .... I have one!" UGH!!! Yes, it is a frozen grocery store cake. I think I am going to make an apple crisp also for anyone who won't like her cake. My husband couldn't stop laughing when I told him.

Oh well... as long as it is for HER birthday, I guess she can decide what kind of cake to have! We went to my folks' house yesterday to celebrate my Dad's birthday with him (a bit early, since we were busy next weekend). Mom made an apple pie instead of cake (since that is Dad's favorite) and a low sugar apple crisp for me! It was DELICIOUS and she emailed me the recipe today so I will be sharing it!

What a weekend! Well, mainly Saturday...

Tagged along with some of my friends to a local annual fair that we have and the amount of people there was INSANE!! Didn't end up riding any rides; not really my thing. So I ended watching them ride while I played some of the games. Ended up winning a large stuffed sheep, but once I realized that I had spent $25 to get it one of my friends said she buy it for $10 bucks which I ended up agreeing to. Gotta have money for Disney! So it was a hard $15 dollar lesson learned; don't play carnival games.

Yup.... I tell my kids that all the time!!

Did pretty good with avoiding the carnival food, although my friend and I did end up splitting a funnel cake. (Totally worth it!!) I really wanted some deep-fried Oreos, (so not good for me...) but with them being $6 dollars an order, that was enough to keep me from indulging. Thank you over-priced carnival food for keeping me from going over calories!

No matter how, at least you didn't eat them! I admit, I tried them several years ago when DS and I went to Old Orchard Beach, Maine. I couldn't resist! They were tasty, but nothing I need again. I don't think you missed much.

They had Irma Thomas doing the concert at the fair which we stayed for and I didn't end up getting home until almost midnight so there was a good bit a relaxing going on today. So I'm more than ready for a good night's sleep tonight.

Hope everyone has a good week!

And I'm doing the single-digits dance for Disney! WOO!

Glad you had an enjoyable weekend with friends! And on the single digit dance!!!!

Happy Monday all,

Sorry I wasn't around this weekend. We had two soccer games on Saturday and one yesterday and I was trying to get some stuff done around here. Didn't get as much done as I had hoped so today will be a day of catching up. Planning on getting the storage room and laundry room done. Then I have to take Ash for some blood tests and then back to school for play practice. She got dizzy during her soccer game yesterday. I already had set up the blood work on Friday so really glad we're going today. Also need to run to the library to get a book that Izzie wants to read. Brian's going to work in Framingham today and stop at Target to get the girls the new Taylor Swift album on his way home.

I think something's wrong with my elliptical. I believe the tension is stuck on 4 or 5. It was very difficult to do. I did 1/2 mile though it took me 18 minutes. Gotta try and fix it so I can do more later also might do some Wii Fit or XBox!

Gotta go fix Ash's lunch!

TTFN

Prayers going up that everything is okay with Ashley. Hope your girls enjoy the new TS album. I know that DD was looking forward to a few of her new songs. I'm not a big fan, but at least it is music I don't have to ban!

*************************
Happy bright and sunny Monday everyone! It was a busy but nice weekend. Enjoyed spending some time with my folks and it was reassuring to see that Dad looked well (although I'm sure his energy level is taking a hit). I managed to stay OP all weekend as well, but allowed myself a late night mini-splurge last night.

Today's schedule is crazy with swim practice 3:30 - 5:30 (we won't make it there on time, as school ends at 3pm and we are nearly an hour away.... oh well), followed by 6:30 - 8pm Rainbow girls meeting. And of course, somewhere in there is dinner and home work. I will be packing up dinner to take along and eat in the car for all three of us. Not sure what it will be yet. I wouldn't mind sandwiches, but DS has one every single day for lunch, so I'd like to find something a bit more exciting. I'll see what kind of "kitchen magic" I can create!

I'd love to say I was spending some time scrapping today, but that will not be happening. Somehow the laundry monster got away from me (plus a toilet overflow Friday night that took all of my clean towels....) and so today is LAUNDRY day!! I've already folded and put away two loads, have two on the clothes line, one in the dryer, and one in the washer, so I am well on my way. DS's bed got stripped, but that will probably be the only one for today. Plus I picked up the kids rooms just a bit as I was waking them this morning, so that is checked off. I will run around and do some basic picking up downstairs when I am done chatting here with you all, get the kitchen spiffy looking, decide on the "dinner-to-go" for tonight, and then see what crops up. Need to be dressed (in my workout gear) and out the door by 2:40pm.

As I said above in one of my replies, my Mom made a delightful low sugar apple crisp for me this weekend. It was really yummy. She did use an all-natural sugar substitute. It was certainly not as crazy rich as my regular apple crisp recipe, but it was really delightful.... especially knowing it wasn't going to take all of my remaining Points for the day!

I'll share the recipe in a few minutes!

Off to PM my weight to Kollerbear.... I've been TERRIBLE about doing that lately. Hope you all have been better than me! TTYL..............P

 

[pjlla]

LINDA'S LIGHTENED-UP APPLE CRISP

8 med. apples, peeled, cored and sliced
Generous 1/2 cup PurVia (baking sweetener that measures like sugar and is made from Stevia, available at Shaw's)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Dash of salt

Mix sweetener, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl. Mix in apples (with your hands) so that apples are well coated.
Place in 8" pie plate.

Topping:
1 cup quick oats
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp PurVia
1/2 tsp or less cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts if calories are not a concern.

Mix topping ingredients together and spread over apples.

Bake about 1/2 hour at 350 or until apples are tender.

When made without the nuts, 1/8 of pie equals 150 calories.

***************

I know it is tempting to eliminate the butter in the topping if you are watching calories, but this breaks down to less than 1 tsp. per serving and it makes a tremendous difference in the taste and texture of the topping. You could do this with part apples and part pears also. I could also foresee doing this with peaches in the summer!

ENJOY!! I will post this on the BL recipe thread as well...............P