More Shopping...UGH!

Another day of run, run, run. Unfortunately not how I wanted to run! I actually planned an outdoor run for this morning, but big daughter realized that she forgot an assignment and I had to meet her up at school to sign it. So, I ended up fitting in my run on the treadmill before taking little daughter to school - thanks to the husband who was able to attend to her while I ran. I did a good 40 min. and felt great after!

Once I got everyone set, I headed for the remainder of the shopping escapades. Before I left the house, I grabbed my breakfast to eat in the car -again! I don't love eating on the run, but the Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin English Muffin with 1 tbsp. lite cream cheese (3 POINTS) made it an enjoyable experience...


I finally sucked it up (more like sucked it IN) and bought myself two bathing suits. One-piece, basic black. No do-dads or patterns to draw attention. Boring, I know :( But, I got one at a major bargain at Target - it was on clearance for $8.74 !!!! Seriously, it's not hideous; it was just on sale!

After recovering from bathing suit shopping, I went to eat!! I met my sisters -in -law and mother-in-law for lunch at Bertucci's Italian Restaurant. The food is really good here, but the rolls are exceptional. They are made with pizza dough and baked in the wood-fired oven. Mmmm! But, I decided NOT to eat them because I knew I would have white rolls with dinner tonight and didn't want to bog down my system with too much junky bread. Wish they made them with whole wheat! Anyway, what I DID eat was a portion of the "table salad"...

Nothing special. Just bogus iceberg with cucumbers, tomatoes and an olive with an Italian vinagrette dressing. I only had a bit, so I counted it as 1 POINT for the dressing. I also ordered the Tuscan Minestrone Soup which was delish! I couldn't find any nutritional information for this anywhere on the internet, so I'm guesstimating it at 5 POINTS...

When the daughters came home from school, I was ready for a snack. I had a fuji apple with 1 tbsp. of homemade almond butter for 3 POINTS...

I did some extra snacking, too. Nothing too extreme- a handful of Peanut Butter Puffins and a handful of reduced fat Cheez-its. I wasn't hungry and I knew the whole time I was snacking that I was just using up some nervous energy. I guess being able to recognize that during the snacking instead of after is a step in the right direction. The next step would be to tell myself to KNOCK IT OFF! Baby steps ;)

Later, I got dinner going. I made mini burgers( or sliders as they are now called )with ground beef. My mom had seen these made on a cooking show by spreading the ground beef evenly on a cookie sheet, baking it whole and then, cutting it into squares to fit on the mini buns. I decided to give it a whirl and it worked out great! It took no time at all; way better than forming a bunch of mini patties! I served these on Pepperidge Farms soft dinner rolls (12 in a pack). For a side, I made Bacon Ranch Coleslaw using a package of coleslaw mix dressed with a mix of 1/4 c. Kraft Light Three Cheese Ranch Dressing, 1/4 c. buttermilk and 4 slices of crumbled center cut bacon. This was a hit with the daughters who NEVER eat regular coleslaw!

I had two mini burgers and 1/2 c. coleslaw for 8 POINTS...

No big dessert tonight since I had the "snack attack". I did indulge in a little bit of dark chocolate...

I needed the antioxidants :)

I'm off to give my attention to the Biggest Loser. I've been watching bits while posting and can I just say Ron needs to GO! UGH!

Have a great night =)

Shopping Escapades

What a day! I have been running around since early this morning. I had to be at big daughter's school by 7:45 for a presentation that she was giving on "Women I Admire" and she chose me! Very sweet and I was very dorky and teary the whole time. I am retaining a copy of the essay and making extra copies, laminating them and wallpapering her room with them when she turns 16. Just as a reminder for when she is banished to her room for saying, I hate you and the classic, You're soooooo mean! Not that I am expecting any of that to happen with her - she is very sweet and will remain so I'm sure. But, you always gotta have backup ;)

Anywho, I brought a Banana Date Breakfast Cookie with me since I knew I wouldn't be coming home for a long time after the presentation. A good portable 2 POINT breakfast...

After the presentation, I headed straight to one of the million stores I had on my list for the day. I needed to shop for summer clothes/bathing suits for the daughters and myself. I don't think I mentioned this yet, but we are going on a family trip to Florida and we all need updated summer things. I am thankful and happy that not many of my clothes fit from last summer. Some shirts are fine, but no bottoms fit. But for some reason, shopping was not a joyous event. I don't know what has happened to me, but I seriously dislike shopping. I KNOW! It's crazy! The only logical explanation I have is that the husband has been hypnotizing me while I sleep, chanting...you hate shopping...don't spend money...shopping is baaaad. If you knew him, you would know this could happen =] In the midst of my shopping torture, I stopped for an apple snack that I had stored in my handbag...

Two pairs of capris, a skirt, a shirt and two bathing suits(not mine) later, I was able to head home for a late lunch. I toasted a Kim's Light Bagel and topped it with baby spinach, roasted peppers and 3 sliced mini mozzarella balls. A side of carrots and a wonderfully ripe plum made up this terrific belated 5 POINT lunch...

A little later, I was feeling hungry, so I decided to have a real deal Larabar...

After making my homemade Larabar, I was interested to see how close they were in taste. I ate 1/2 which is 2 POINTS for the real deal and the homemade. Here's what the real Larabar looks like...

It was terrific and basically identical to the homemade recipe. Now seeing the real Larabar, I realized that I processed the almonds too much when I made it- there should be more chunks than when I made it. Since many of you have asked, here is the link to the recipe I used: http://www.cleaneatingonline.comhttp//www.cleaneatingonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=59:larabar-recipe&catid=39:snack-recipes&Itemid=59
Awesome stuff!

Dinner was chicken mushroom stroganoff using leftover chicken from last night. I used 3 oz. chicken breast and mixed it with a mushroom thyme sauce that I made from ...
I put the mixture over 2 oz. whole wheat noodles. It was a huge portion...


add a delicious green salad ...

And it was one filling 9 POINT dinner! But, you know, I always save room for dessert even when I go shopping for bathing suits and have scarred my retinas...

I still have no bathing suit :( Can't commit. But, I DO have chocolate marshmallow frozen yogurt :)

Have a great night =)

I'm Really Trying

I'm really trying hard this week. Trying hard to be On Program. Trying hard to eat as many "whole" foods as possible. It's going pretty well which always makes me feel better and more positive that I can get to goal :)

I woke up to a yucko day outside, so no 5K outdoor run. I decided to do some cleaning instead and save my workout for later. I finally got around to breakfast which was another open-faced omelette. This combo was 3 egg whites, 4 thin slices canadian bacon, 1/2 c. leftover chopped broccoli and 1 oz. Cabot 75% Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese. A yummy 3 POINTS...



This didn't hold me as long as I thought and I was ready for lunch earlier than I expected. I went with another Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Bun topped with 2 tbsp. homemade hummus, roasted peppers and baby spinach. Yum! With it, I had a fuji apple, some carrots and another 1/2 homemade Larabar. A very filling 7 POINT lunch...


After lunch, I did 40 weighted minutes on the elliptical and 20 tricep dips. I've been slacking on the strength training, but I like doing the tricep dips and Lord knows my "Miss America" wave could use the help!

I was getting a little hungry in the late afternoon, so I grabbed some grapes (1 POINT)...

Who IS this person that snacks on grapes in the afternoon???? I don't know, but I'm feeling like it's the right thing to do ;)

The in-laws came for dinner tonight. I decided to make a nice, healthy meal of roasted chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, salad with olive oil, red wine vinegar and a touch of honey. Of course, we had to have some amazing rustic Italian bread. I did well with my portions; about 3 oz. chicken, 3 oz. sweet potatoes, 2 oz. bread and big spoon of salad, all for 9 POINTS...

Everyone started digging into some cookies for dessert. I was planning on just having coffee, but the cookies were tempting, so I brought out the big gun...

Then, everyone wanted MY dessert! But, I'm not sharing. Nope. It's mine. All mine. muwahh haaa haaa!!!! =)

Hope you had a great weekend!

Enjoying The Day

It's been a nice low key Saturday. Despite the million things I need to get done before next week, I took the time to enjoy the day.

I started off on the treadmill this morning for a 45 min. run. I haven't run outside in a while, but it was too yucky out today, so the treadmill and mindless TV were a great substitute.

Breakfast was a simple bowl of 3/4 c. Trader Joe's High Fiber O's, 1/2 c. skim milk and 8 strawberries for 3 POINTS...



After tooling around on the computer for the rest of the morning, I got presentable and headed to the kitchen for lunch prep. I had to have another Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Bun today. Looks like this will be my newest addiction! I love how hearty they are; they really do satisfy me for a while. I had one with turkey, mixed lettuce and dijon mustard and a side of carrots with 1 tbsp. homemade hummus. And that small square in the front is a "homemade Larabar"! I found this recipe here and I thought I would try the Very Cherry version. I really liked it! I have only tried a Larabar once and it was a long time ago, so I don't know how it measures up to the original, but it's great anyway! I'd love to try some of the other versions, too. When I put this recipe through the Recipe Builder, it came out to 4 POINTS. A little pointy for a bar, but I only ate half (shown below) so it was 2 POINTS and good for you! Altogether, a delicious and healthy 7 POINTS...

I spent the afternoon shopping and sharing some one-on-one time with big daughter. It was so nice to spend this UNINTERRUPTED (little daughter) time together. We had a great time! We stopped at Starbucks for a quick drink- she got a spring water and I got a nonfat latte for 2 POINTS.

We got home close to dinner, so I got busy cooking. Pasta was on the menu - raviolis and meatballs for the family; pasta with chickpeas and mozzarella for me. I made a quick sauce using 1/2 c. diced tomatoes cooked with 1 tsp. olive oil and 1 clove of garlic. While this was cooking, I boiled 2 oz. whole wheat pasta until al dente. I added pasta, along with 1/2 c. chickpeas, to the tomatoes and heated through. I topped it with 1 oz. mini mozzarella balls and fresh basil. Delish...

and a side of steamed broccoli...

A great 8 POINT dinner:) It did leave me feeling a little hungry though, so dessert was a definite. I went with an old standby with a twist - Double Chocolate Vitatop with 1 tbsp. Almond Butter!!! I loved this combo, too! It was very rich tasting and the almond butter was a sweet alternative to icing. I still love my PB2, but this was a nice change. And still 2 POINTS of goodness...

I'm off to cuddle with the daughters and watch some TV. Hope you're having a cozy Saturday!

Healthy Eats

I was striving for healthy eats today. I think the junk foods trigger me to grab for more, so I'm going to try to focus on as much whole foods as possible. It will take some time, I love my junk and have a house full of it that I don't want to waste. Little by little, hopefully I can get to eating a "clean" diet most of the time. We'll see how it goes! You know I love to try these experiments in eating!

Breakfast was 1/2 c. Fiber One and 1/2 c. skim milk topped with 8 strawberries. I also had a mangled hard boiled egg white. I hate when the shell doesn't want to come off! A filling 3 POINT breakfast...


While I was eating this, I thought for a minute that the milk had gone bad. I had just bought this the other date and it didn't expire until April, but it didn't taste right to me. I had the husband taste it, too. Why do we ask someone to taste something when we think it's bad??? It's that weird? Who wants to taste something bad? But, the husband tried it and said it was perfectly fine. I don't know why it tasted weird to me; maybe I'm used to Almond Breeze now.


I had a hair appointment at lunchtime and some errands to run after, so I ate lunch a little early. I was excited to try these new Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Burger Buns...

They are huge and so hearty! One bun is 170 cal., 1.5 gr. fat, 6 gr. fiber and 9 gr. protein which comes in at 3 POINTS. I went with a Boca Bruschetta Tomato Basil Parmesan Veggie Patty and 1 tbsp. lite mozzarella to go on the hearty bun. I had just enough time for a side of carrots before heading out the door. A yummy 5 POINT lunch...

Lots of cleaning went on around this filthy house this afternoon. It feels so good to have things in order... for 25 seconds. The daughters came home from school. Snack crumbs and spilled drinks found their way back to the floor. Oh well, I tried. After re-cleaning some stuff, I stopped for a snack of 2 small plums for 1 POINT....

Pretty good, eh??? Fruit for a snack. Just fruit. No crunch = no munch. Could this be the secret to keeping from munching away in the afternoon???

And it was pizza for dinner tonight. I had originally planned on making pasta for myself, but it got too late and I was beginning to get a little too hungry. I decided to go with the pizza and a big salad of endive, escarole and radicchio dressed with a little olive oil, red wine vinegar and a drizzle of honey. I took my time eating tonight, trying to really enjoy everything on my plate. I found that one slice and the salad was enough to feel satisified. It was a great 9 POINT dinner...

After more cleaning, I'm calling it a night! I'm posting this while getting a fabulous new hairstyle by little daughter who is VERY rough and yanking out many of my hairs. Hopefully she will get some of the gray ones. YIKES! Ouch, I'm thinking she does not have a future in the world of cosmetology ;) I am also enjoying this Banana Date Breakfast Cookie for 2 POINTS...

Mmmm...works for me! Gotta go "tip" my hairstylist. Have a great night:)

Awards And The Carb Party!

I received this terrific award from my buddy, Kelly over at Happy Texans and I was so excited! What a great way to start the day!!


When receiving this award, you must list 7 things you love and pass the award on to 7 bloggers. My list of loves goes like this...

1. the husband
2. the kids
3. all the family
4. cooking
5. blogging!
6. reading
7. exercising (huh???-a new love for me!)

Blogging and being a part of the blog community has been such a blast! There are so many great ones; here's a few that I'm passing the award to...

• Cooking with Kate
• Fat Fitness Food
• Living Life Happy and Healthy
• Mom on the Run
• My Journey
• Snippets and Bites
• The Incredible Shrinking Family

Now that the award show is over, let's get to the party! The carb party that is. I have been craving carbs all day! It started with breakfast...

A Kim's Light Everything Bagel with Laughing Cow Cheese and a small dish of cantaloupe and blueberries for 4 POINTS...

Then I hit the treadmill for a 20 min.weighted walk (18 lbs.!) and another 20 min. weighted elliptical workout. I also did 20 tricep dips off my weight bench - whew, those are tough!

I put off my errands because it was just too dreary and rainy to go out today! The cold and dampness really gets to me lately. I hung around the house and worked on my closet of "expired" clothes! I have been getting rid of 13 years of clothes that don't fit any longer. Kinda fun, but kinda scary at the same time.

When lunchtime rolled around, I definitely wanted some type of sandwich. I decided on an eggplant meatball wrap made with Dominex eggplant meatballs, 1 tbsp. marinara sauce, 2 tbsp. lite shredded mozzarella in a La Tortilla Factory Smart and Delicious Wrap. I paired it with 2 oz. leftover sweet potato fries (and ketchup!) and a fuji apple for a yummy 7 POINT lunch...



Dreary days = munchies. This afternoon they were in full force. I decided to have a snack with lot of crunch (and carbs); Kashi TLC 7 Grain Crackers and 2 tbsp. PB2 for 3 POINTS...

It was dance night with little daughter, so breakfast for dinner was the way to go. I wasn't in the mood to fuss with making something fancy for myself, so I had the same. I went with a "fried" whole egg plus one white, center cut bacon, an Arnold Sandwich Thin with Laughing Cow Cheese and 1 c. cantaloupe for a 6 POINT brinner....

Mmmm...I forgot how awesome whole eggs are; haven't had one in a while! I'm posting a bit earlier than normal tonight, so no dessert pic. Not sure if I'll have one or not. Maybe I'll just have more BREAD!!!! Mmmmm......I heart Carbs <3

Have a great night!!!

Meatout Day

As I was uploading my pictures for this post, I realized I ate an all vegetarian menu today! So, I am taking part in a belated Meatout Day . This was originally on March 20 and is a day that this group asks for us to "kick the meat habit" for at least a day and eat a diet of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Done! I'm just a few (okay, five!) days late. Better late than never they say...

After a 30 min. run (all I had time for) this morning, I made a yummy breakfast of hummus-filled eggs. Remember the first time I made these? They really are terrific and packed with protein staying power. I had a fuji apple on the side for a 3 POINT breakfast...

I had to take Gram to a meeting at her new housing community and after that, we met up with my Mom for lunch at Ruby's Diner. I ordered the Vegwich which was avocado slices, lowfat cheese, tomato, lettuce, spinach and nonfat mayo on a whole wheat bun. I also got a side salad with lite Italian dressing. It was satisfying; nothing to write home about taste-wise though. It was a good healthy 9 POINT choice compared to some of the other menu items (Kobe sliders!!!!!)...

When we finished lunch, we went bathing suit shopping. While in the dressing room, I experienced severe trauma from which I will not recover without very expensive therapy. Nuf said.

I had the nerve to eat a snack after my shopping experience. It was healthy though, so I guess it's o.k. - Weight Watchers Berries and Cream Yogurt, 1/2 c. blueberries and 1/4 c. Fiber One for 2 POINTS...

More vegetarian-ness...dinner was 2 oz. barbeque baked tofu , 3 oz. sweet potato fries (with ketchup -my new fave!) and a bit of super garlicky spinach (sorry, hubby). A delicious 6 POINT dinner...

And for dessert....BROWNIE!! I wrestled with this one after my traumatic shopping, but these are legal ...

Lyndsay, a Weight Watchers rep, sent these out to me and I couldn't wait to break into them! The box contains 4 individually wrapped brownies with each brownie being 120 calories, 3.5 gr. fat and 4 gr. fiber. Only 2 POINTS and a decent size...

And nice thickness...

But, how do they taste??? Well, let's just say, that I am lucky that only 4 come to a box and that they are individually wrapped! They were chewy squares of goodness with bits of mini chocolate chips throughout. Very satisfying. I chose to eat mine plain tonight, but it would be great topped with whipped topping and strawberries or with a scoop of fat free ice cream. So many options....so little time...

before I have to wear an itsy, bitsy, teeny, weeny........... one piece bathing suit with a turtleneck and long sleeves attached and a cute matching skirt that goes to my ankles :(

Which Came First???

It still feels like winter out there! The sun was shining, but it was freezing. There was no running outside; I'm just too cold! I've been trying to change things up a bit this week, so I planned on working out later in the morning and eat breakfast first.

I went with another open faced omelette this morning. I made a mexican inspired one using 3 egg whites with chopped green pepper, 1 oz. Cabot 75% Reduced Fat Cheddar and salsa. Yum! I also had a toasted Ezekiel english muffin with some I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray. An eyeful for 4 POINTS...


A little while after, I headed to the elliptical for 45 min. of heart pumping and brain numbing TV watching! I wore my weighted vest with 15 lbs. which amped up the workout. I'm really enjoying watching TV while doing my workout. I was switching between Rachel Ray and The Real (Idiotic) Housewives of New York! Gripping TV! I love it!!!

I ran to the produce store to get some much needed fruits/veg; then came home and chopped up a bazillion carrot sticks. I buy the 3 lb. bag, chop them into sticks and put them in ziploc bags in the fridge so that I will chose carrots instead of cookies :) Sounds like a good plan, right???

I assembled a big salad for lunch. I used green leaf lettuce, carrots!, tomato, chicken and 1 oz. Cabot's 75% Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese(again). For the dressing, I mixed 1 tbsp. Kraft Light Three Cheese Ranch with 2 tbsp. salsa (again). A delicious 5 Point combo...

After the exciting task of scrubbing the bathroom, I fixed a snack for myself and the daughters. They chose fresh plums and hard boiled eggs! Aren't they healthy??? They really surprise me with their choices sometimes. If I were a kid, I would be getting out the cookies! This could be why I am overweight and they are not! They really do eat intuitively; I hope I can continue to honor that about them and not be a food pusher. I don't want them to lose that innate part of them and have food issues when they get older. Sorry for the tangent! Anyway, I wanted to be healthy, too, so I made a bowl filled with Weight Watchers Berries and Cream Yogurt, 4 strawberries and 1/2 c. Fiber One Cereal for a yummy 2 POINTS...

And for dinner.... more chicken! I made baked chicken thighs and drums seasoned with garlic, salt, pepper and onion powder. To go with it, I had 1/2 c. creamed corn and a side of tofu fries - yum! For the tofu fries, I used Nasoya Lite Firm Tofu, sliced it into fry shape and sprinkled it with a mixture of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and paprika. I baked the fries in the oven on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray for about 30 -35 min. at 400 degrees (along with the chicken). These were great, especially dipped in ketchup! The daughters even tried ONE and didn't hate :) A protein packed 8 POINT dinner...

I was pretty full after this dinner, but we ate on the early side tonight, so I felt like I wanted a little something later. I went with a nice cup of coffee with skim milk and a Weight Watchers Chocolate Chip Cookie for 2 POINTS...

Another day with not many munching feelings! Me likey :)

Hope everyone had an excellent day!!!

Recoginizing What Works And What Doesn't

My focus today is on getting in more filling foods. Weight Watchers classifies these foods as whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and lean meats. They are foods that keep you feeling satisfied for longer and keep hunger in control. I think it will also help with my cravings and munching in the afternoon. We'll see! I will keep tweaking and rearranging to get me to goal. I'm looking forward to get to my Lifetime status!



Breakfast was an open-faced omelette. I used 3 egg whites and topped them with canadian bacon, chopped green pepper and a Laughing Cow Cheese Wedge. Leaving it open-faced made it look like more food than it was; a great trick! It was suprisingly filling for 3 POINTS and left me full for hours...







After breakfast, I did a 45 minute weighted walk on the treadmill. I have a weighted vest that can hold up to 20 lbs. and I used to use it all the time when I was walking. Since, I have progressed to running, I haven't been wearing it. My Mom reminded me of it yesterday, so I decided to suit up today! I put in 12 lbs. (so heavy!) and did brisk walking while watching TV. I really enjoyed it. It was nice to do something different. Not sure if I burned as many calories as running, but it was still a good workout. I also realized I have been chintzing out on the workout time lately. I have only been doing 30 ish minutes running and I think I need to keep it at least 45 min. for weight loss.



More filling foods were on the menu for lunch. I went with some Stuffed Pepper Soup that I had in the freezer topped with 1 oz. Cabot's 75% Reduced Fat Cheddar, carrot sticks with 2 tbsp. homemade hummus and a Golden Corn Vitatop. A big lunch for 6 POINTS...



I started feeling a little hungry around 3:30, so I made a Strawberry Smoothie with 1/2 c. skim milk, 4 oz. container of Activia Strawberry yogurt and 1 c. fresh strawberries. Very yummy and very filling for 3 POINTS...

The daughters had dentist appointments (no cavities!) and we got home right around dinner time. They were starving! I fixed them a quick chicken, mac n cheese and peas. I had planned on salmon for myself and also, wanted to try this Shibolim Whole Spelt Couscous for my side dish...

These are the size of Israeli couscous which is more like a pasta. I was interested to try this because it was made with spelt which I have never tried. The nutritionals were impressive with 195 cal., 0.5 gr. fat, 7 gr. protein and 9 gr. fiber for a 2 oz. serving. That's a huge serving for 3 POINTS!

It was the perfect side for my Salmon Roulette and green beans. A wonderful 8 POINT dinner...

The husband and daughters were having leftover birthday cake for dessert, but I had enough yesterday! Well, not really, but I'm telling myself that!!! I did have a Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwich as a sweet 2 POINT treat...

Another realization that I came to today was that I am getting lax with my bites, licks and tastes. I recognized this when I was making the daughters' lunches, cutting off crusts and about to pop them in my mouth. And then again, when I was scraping the peanut butter off the knife and about to lick it off my finger. Yet again, when I was throwing away their plates and about to nibble on what they left on it. I used to not do any of that, but somewhere along the line, I got myself into this pattern of mindless nibbling. I became very conscious of that today and made it a point to stop myself before I ate those things.

Overall, I felt happy and satisfied with the changes made today. I'll try again tomorrow to incorporate the filling foods. I'm taking it one day at a time and I know the changes that I'm hoping for with the scale will come!!!

Oh, by the way, I am way overdue in updating my blogroll! I have so many blogs that I love to read and haven't listed yet. I hope to get to it this weekend; if you would like me to add you, let me know and I'd appreciate if you would add me to yours, too!

Have a great night!!