The Last Weigh-In

Hey everyone!
So this is my last blog here. I will continue to blog on this BLOG. But it won' t be strictly about weight loss. So here my results since January 1st.

• I have lost 11 pounds. Not much...but I'm more than satisfied.My goal was 15 pounds. But I am happy with my results.
• I have lost one inch from my chest.
• I have lost 3 1/2 inches from my waist.
• I have lost 3 inches from the area under my belly button!

And that is amazing, to me! WOO!

I can now also finish Jillian Level 1 and 2 without feeling like I am dying! My strength and endurance is a lot better than it was before. I just feel and look much better! Doing this challenge has also made me feel like I can accomplish ANYTHING!

Here are some fun result pictures!

This is me at my heaviest, around 175

This is me at the beginning of the challenge.
January

February

March

April

And here are the most recent pictures.

I am going to keep working out, doing Jillian and C25k, and rating healthier but I am not gonna worry about losing anymore weight. If I do...great, If I don't...no big deal.

Good Luck on your journeys, and please keep reading my other blog!

I am starting to feel like I just don't have anything new to blog about on this particular blog. I still love reading your blogs, but I feel like my blogs are getting repetitive. I think it's because I limited myself to writing only about health/fitness, etc. So I think I am done with this blog.

BUT....I am just starting a brand-new BLOG! I am making it broader...more about goals and challenges than JUST health. I also switched to word press in the hopes that I will get more comments. You can check it out HERE. I have already posted a new blog. So please don't stop reading...I am just ....renovating!

But before I go...here are some things I have learned about weight loss while on blogspot.

1. Start slow...if you push yourself you will end up quitting. Just start slow.
2. Challenge yourself. This may sound contradictory to the first one but convince yourself that you can do a little more everyday.
3. Watch what you eat. I found that the weeks I lost the most weight was the times when I tracked my calories
4. Friends and support. This is possibly the most important thing. You need to vent your frustrations, celebrate your successes...and friends to do this with you.
5. Variety. Don't be afraid to try something new and switch it up, if you get bored...you will quit.
Here is everything that I have done on my weight loss journey

Walking
Hula Hooping (great workout)
20 minute dance parties! (just turn on the music....and dance)
Wii Fit
Yoga
Strength Training
The Biggest Loser for the Wii
Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred (my favorite!)
C25k (my most recent love)


So I know this is kinda a short and boring blog but I am going to post my final blog and pictures in few days. So stay tuned! (for a little bit longer)

And don't worry...I will still be reading your blogs and commenting!

The end is near...

Hey everyone,
WOW...it's been a rough week. My mind is blahhhhhhhh....so if this doesn't make sense....sorry.
Harliegh is starting to feel a tiny bit better. it's still been a rough day, though. We are going on day 6 of this and all the nights and days are blurring together. She is on antibiotics now adn teh dr. said she should be almost back to normal within 2-3 days. So there is an end in sight!

On fitness related news...my sister randomly called me today and asked if I wanted to run. I haven't worked out since last Wednesday and I am actually getting to the point where I enjoy working out so I was very happy that she called me. She is on week 2 of C25k and I was a little scared of starting on week 2. We had to take Harliegh in the stroller (it was nice outside and she had a jacket and a hat) and my sister's yorkie, but it went great. i was actually surprised that I didn't get too tired during the run and I am thinking that if my brother won't start running with me again I might try to finish C25K on my own, I actually thought it was fun and relaxing. But maybe it was just a nice break from being trapped in a stuffy house with a sick baby! I am glad she came and got me to run though because I was actually starting to feel unmotivated and slipping into old habits. Now, though, I am planning on attempting Jillian...if my poor, sick little girl will let me! I also haven't weighed myself in over a week...so it will be interesting to see what damage I have done!

Sorry guys,
I am not going to be posting real blogs right now. It turns out Harliegh and I did not just have allergies like I thought, but something much worse. I am assuming a terrible cold or the flu. Harliegh has had a fever since Saturday and last night it peaked at 104.5. It scared me to death but it was about 11pm and I didn't want to take her to the ER and expose her to worse things unless I absolutely had to. I called my sister, who is a nurse, and she told me to just keep giving her motrin and tylenol alternately and to watch her temp. It was a loooong night. Her temp, started to drop and I finally got her to go back to sleep around 12:30. Then she woke up again at 2am, when I stood and rocked her in my arms until about 3:30 when my husband came in and tried to take her, but she just wanted mommy. We took her for a ride in the car to calm her down and when we got back she finally went back to sleep....until 5:30. I took her into my room and put in Sesame street and I dozed for awhile, she actually fell asleep for a few minutes. At 7:30 we came out to the living room, I gave put her in her highchair and gave her some Motrin...which she then vomited everywhere. At this point I think I was pretty much covered with my daughter's snot, drool, sweat, pee and vomit. Nice way to start the day!

We are taking her to the dr. at 11. Hopefully they can help her. I have been lucky and at 20 months, she has only been sick twice before this ...and both times were mild colds with a low fever. This has been tough. I would do anything to take her illness away. It's heartbreaking!

I know this has nothing to do with my health and fitness, but this is more important. iw ill blog more when I am back on track.

FLF-late edition

Sorry guys that I haven't posted in a few days. My allergies have gotten really bad the past few days. I honestly can't remember it ever being this bad. My eyes itch and are puffy, my nose is runny and sneezy, my ears itch, my Eustachian tubes itch, my throat itches and feels swollen. Even my skin itches. It's horrible. To make matters worse, I have discovered that Harliegh has inherited my allergies! She has had all the same symptoms as me the past couple days. :( I gave her some zyrtec and will give it to her through the weekend and if she is not better by Monday we are making a trip to the doctor. I wish I could take away all her suffering and pile it on to me. She looks miserable!

So I guess I missed Fun-Loving Friday. Can I just say that I would LOVE to not have allergies?

No? That doesn't really count? Ok, fine...

Hmmm....well, today I am going to go shopping to get stuff for the Baby shower I am throwing for my sister. I actually have two sisters pregnant at the moment! My sister, Misty, is due in August and she is having a girl. They are going to name her Natalie Paige ( I thought you might like that Nathalie!) She is the one I am throwing the shower for. My other sister, Shalene, is due in July and is having a boy. I am not sure if they had settled on a name yet, but the last I heard it was Raiden Charles. Someone else is throwing her shower.

Last night I ran to Target to get out of the house and bought a present for Misty's baby, and today I will also look for a gift for Shalene's baby. Shopping for new babies are so much fun! I am also going to attempt to make a diaper cake for the shower. Wish me luck.

I am also getting Harliegh a bed today. I think she is ready, I hope she is. We are going to leave her crib up for a while just in case she's not. But its a big step and I am excited...and a little sad! My baby is turning into a big girl. She even will climb up the stairs at the playground and climb through a tunnel and go down a slide. ALL BY HERSELF. In fact, she refuses to let me help! :( She is way too brave and independent!
So this is my late edition of FLF! Have a nice weekend!

Wednesday

Happy Wednesday everyone!

I would like to give a big shout out to my best friend, JESSICA! We have been friends since the 3rd grade! I am happy because Jessica has finally entered the modern world and got a laptop...so I can finally chat with her online! Jessica has recently started Jillian, too! A couple weeks ago we started a little friendly competition to see who could lose that last 5 pounds. Our deadline is May 15th. I am totally gonna kick her butt!! Haha...ok...honestly, I haven't lost a pound since we made that goal and I only have about three weeks left. Based on my track record, I'd be lucky to lose 2 pounds by then...but, oh well. You never know, right?

Yesterday I didn't get to go on a run with my brother. I had all plans on running...but I forgot American Idol and Glee was on. Yes, I am a nerd and watch both of those shows, I can't help it. So hopefully tonight I will get in my run with my brother.

I am making my absolute favorite tofu recipe tonight. Brooke, you said you needed another recipe and you are trying to eat 2 meatless meals...I would check this out. It's soooooo GOOD!

Crispy Tofu and Veggies

I use stir-fry sauce in place of the teriyaki and have it with brown rice. YUM! (Jessica, you should try this,too!)

And since Jessica is online...

You should check out these blogs...These are the blogs of some absolutely amazing and inspirational people!

Sarah
Nathalie
Brooke
Have a great day everyone!

Yesterday was the first day I actually succeeded in doing moderate/intense workout for an hour. i ran for awhile in the morning with my brother and then did Jillian later that evening, and let me tell you....I had the absolute BEST sleep I have had in a loooooong time. It was fantastic. Today I have already did Jillian Level 2, went on a short walk and am planning on running with my brother tonight if he's up to it.

I don't have much to talk about today..same old, same old, really! if you are bored, I have posted a sample chapter from the book I am writing here.

Also, have you heard of this website? 1000 Awesome Things I am probably out of the loop but I just recently heard about this on the Post Secret website (another awesome site) It is pretty.....well.....awesome! So everytime I blog I am also going to list an awesome thing. Today i am listing two....

When you get a letter from a friend via snail mail! What a great surprise!

and...

That perfect day after a long winter you can finally wear a skirt and flip flops and feel the sun soaking into your skin.

I hate my brother

Ok...so I don't really hate him, I love him. But I didn't like him very much this morning. If you remember I wanted to start C25k today. Well, I showed my brother (who is in the Army Reserves) and asked him if he wanted to do it with me since he will be staying with me the next few weeks. He took one look at the program adn decided it was "too easy" and somehow talked me into just letting him train me. So this morning we stretched, did some jumping jacks and started jogging. After a few minutes ( I am guessing between 4 and 5) I wanted to stop already ...ho wouldn't let me! He yelled some Jillianisms (yes I just made that up) at me...things like "Pull through, you can do this Ladies!" "Don't Phone it in" etc. What made me mad was I could barely breathe and he was saying all this in a normal voice! GRRR...He also made me sprint....TWICE. Ugh, I thought I was going to die! Overall, we probably only ran 3/4 of a mile or so. YIKES! So right now I am pretty tired...and he wants to do Jillian later this evening!

So how are you guys doing? It was a pretty slow blog weekend for us all! If you are interested...I posted a new blog on my writing blog. Just click here!

Can't wait to read YOUR blog!

HAIR!

HAPPY BLOG FRIDAY!
I am really started to look forward to happy blog Fridays!I would like to start this Happy blog by saying...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SARAH!!!!

Sarah turned 24 today, so hop on over to her blog and wish her a Happy Birthday! Love you Sarah-dipity!
So I was happy to see Miss Brooke expose herself, and check off one item on her Bucket List! Congrats Brooke! I also checked one thing off of my Bucket List today....sort of.

I have always wanted to dye my hair a funky color. I mean like a streak of hair, not my whole head. Well, my way hip Aunt who is also a hairstylist, is visiting from Florida and she brought me.....colored hair extensions. This is even better than dying my hair because I can take it out, switch it, put two in....you get the picture.
So....for my happy blog...I am going to post some pics with my funky hair! :)

ENJOY!!

BLUE HAIR!

PINK HAIR!

Purple Hair!

And that concludes this weeks edition of...

HAPPY BLOG FRIDAY!

Picture day...again

Hello bloggerettes (most of you are girls)

How goes it today? Today is the 15th! Which means.....picture day.

This week I have seen no results. Well, technically....I gained three pounds and have lost three pounds. So I am back where I started. OH WELL. Like I said before, I am not so concerned about the number anymore. Just staying healthy.
So here are my latest pics. I wasn't going to post these, cause honestly I don't think they are much different from my last pics. But Sarah wanted me to since she did. :)

So here is the last pic from the 1st-ish I think?











And here is me now. It's hard to compare because these are on my cell phone and my arms were up.






















Believe it or not, I did have a some stretch marks and they have faded almost completely! I am excited to go shopping soon! I need new clothes! And....this body is from Jillian, walking, yoga, and eating right...oh and drinking a ton of water. Pretty soon I am going to post a long blog about what changes I have made since January 1st. I know that we all have different journeys but I really feel liek you can learn SOOO much form reading other peoples blogs. I learn a lot of new cooking things from Nathalie, I learned about C25k from Brooke and learned that support is the number when thing when it comes to new challenges from Sarah, who honestly has been one of my biggest supporters!
Here is a pic of me just being me since most of my pics are me right after a workout when I look gross....LOL

Buckets and buckets...

So Brooke and Sarah have both posted great Bucket lists so I was inspired to do the same. But Before I do that , I wanted to talk about challenging yourself. I am really trying to get to know myself again. After you have a baby, a lot of your identity gets temporarily misplaced. You suddenly just become a "MOM". I love being a mom, but sometimes I can't remember who I was before being a mom. When I started this "Get Healthy" challenge I honestly didn't think I would do it...but I have and when I hit 100 days, I was so impressed with myself. I never finish anything. Ever. And here I am ....100 plus days later, still going strong and looking for more challenges! On April 1st I challenged myself to write 10 stories in 100 days because I love to write and I want to write, but I hold myself back because I am scared of what other people will think. But I don't care anymore, I just want to do things because.....well, because...I want to..it's as simple as that. Why not? Why not live my life without regrets? So I think when I finish my 10/100 challenge(and I will finish it) I will start a new challenge...maybe learning guitar, taking a Kung Fu class...I don't know. I just know I want to challenge myself this year, to see what I can do. That is the kind of role model I want to be for my daughter, someone who is not scared to take a chance. Another challenge I MIGHT be doing is this thing called Urban Dare. I say might because I technically have class this day. Urban Dare is kind of like the tv show "Amazing Race" in Minneapolis. It's a race...5 miles long...you have to stop at different check points and do fun dares like climb a rock wall or eat something weird (no bugs). AND you wear fun costumes! It raises money for breast cancer research. My sister and I are thinking of teaming up. I am excited and hope I can get out of class.

I was looking at my Bucket list from a few years ago and realized I have completed some (like going to a Paul McCartney concert.) and some I still need to do. So here is my new bucket list, I am making it up as I go...

1. Dance in the rain with Harliegh (to show her its okay to do things like that)
2. Dye my hair a funky color at least once
3. Learn to play at least one song on the guitar
4. Take a Kung-Fu, Tae Kwon do, or Karate type class
5. Take a dance class ( I always wanted to be a ballerina)
6. Run a marathon
7. Go to NYC for Christmas with just Tyler and my kids
8. Go on a beach vacation ( I have never been on a real vacation)
9. Read all 100 books on the classics list (at last count I think I had 40 or so)
10. Watch all the classic movies ( I love Casablanca and Singing in the Rain!)
11. See old friends and meet online friends
12. Paint a picture I am proud of
13. Write a book
14. Publish something...a book, a story, a small paragraph...
15. Randomly and anonymously send money to someone who needs help
16. Write letters to all my friends and family telling them how much I love them
17. Plant a garden
18. Learn to knit
19. Stand in the front row at a concert
20. Get a Bachelor's Degree
21. Get a Master's Degree
22. Go canoeing
23. Go camping with my kids
25. Be a good role model for my kids
26.Be somebody's muse
27. Go to the Ellen Degeneres Show
28. Go to a Conan show...if he ever gets back on tv :(
29. Visit all 50 states
30. Have a huge dinner party with all my family and friends


I can probably think of a million more...but that's all I've got for now!
Goodnight y'all!

Stormy Day!

What a wonderful day for a break day! There are many reasons why today is a great day to take a break. It's raining...with thunder and lightning, who doens't love to just be lazy on rainy days? Plus, my allergies are horrible when it rains so I can't breathe. Also, you might remember several weeks agao i think I pulled a muscle in my left calf. Well, for the most part it has gotten better, but I noticed whenever I do Jillian Level 1 it starts hurting again. it's those damn lunges! i think I just try too hard and end up hurting myself. Well, yesterday my calf started hurting A LOT! It might be because of teh combination of doing my run and Jillian Level one. I don't know, but I think resting will help, and next time I am going to replace the lunges from Level one with the lunges in Level 2...they don't hurt as much!
So today I am going to lounge and clean a little. Maybe do some laundry, work on some homework, etc.
I keep forgetting to post some recipes. So here are soem great recipes I have tried recently. The first one is Chicken and Noodles. A great homey, comfort food...but...it's LOW FAT! It was really yummy!

Chicken and Noodles Recipe

And this next one is a vegetarian recipe. I was pleasantly surprised with how flavorful it was, especially the yummy avocado spread!

Portobella Burgers with Avocado Spread

Hope you guys all have a fantastic day!

I did it!

I did it!

I got up and ran this morning. I didn't do the c25K routine because I wanted to just see how much I could do non-stop, to kinda figure out where I was. I got up stretched, did a few jumping jacks to get my heart rate up and started running down the cul-de-sac by my house. I ran the whole thing and back again. It turned out to be 4 minutes and 20 seconds. Which doesn't sound like much but my calves were sore from doing Jillian yesterday. After running, I started walking and honestly, after a minute of walking I felt like I could run again. Maybe I should have, but I really just wanted today to be a practice run. It felt pretty good to run though, minus the feeling that all my neighbors were watching me out their windows. I also realized I need to invest in a new sports bra. LOL.

I also forgot that this was the week when I was going to attempt working out for an hour a day. Well...when I start the C25k routine on Wednesday, that will be 20-30 minutes, plus Jillian Level one...which is another 30 (including warm-up and cool down) That is an hour on MWF. So on TTH I will try Jillian Level 2, walking and yoga. I know walking and yoga is not really supposed to count...but...baby steps, right?

This is also my 100th blog post! YAY! Now I am going to go stretch out my calves and make a smoothie.YUM

Goals

It's Sunday night and I just realized I haven't made next weeks goals.


I think Brooke has talked me into this C25K. Maybe....I don't know why but I am so nervous about trying to run. Silly, right? Since I have been doing Jillian? I should be able to run, right? And I take long walks everyday...I don't know...I just wish I had someone to run with me.

So.....next weeks goals

Try to do C25k MWF
Do Jillian Level 1 MWF...if I am up to it after c25k
Do Jillian Level 2 TTH
Track calories...I have had a bad food week :( but I may up my calories a little since I am more active now
Keep track of water (it's been a bad week for this, too)

Well...that's my health goals, I also have to write another story and work on homework...and don't forget Spring Cleaning!Ugh, my mind hurts just thinking about it.

Sorry, this is a boring blog...I am just not feelin' it tonight. I am a much better blog writer in the mornings!

Happy Blog-Day

Well...it's Happy Blog Friday!

WOO!


Some things that make me happy:

My daughter and all the new words she is learning lately.

Writing...and believing that I can accomplish my 10/100 challenge.

My husband and good news from his work!

Friends...especially all you blog readers.

Flats and Flip-Flops, yes the shoes. The closest thing to barefoot I can get.

Yummy nut mixes. (Planter's NUTrition Energy mix)

Possibility of being in a writing group and making friends.

My maid. Ok, I don't really have a maid but the thought of one makes me happy.

The feeling I get after a good workout, you know...once the "OMG, I think I am dying" phase has past.

Nieces and Nephews...I will be getting one more of each this summer!

Jimmy John's sandwiches.

My daughter's cheesy grin.




So that is a pretty good list..it could go on and on and on....

Tomorrow I start Spring term in school. Ugh. I am not looking forward to ALGEBRA! But I am taking a class called "Human Identity through the Creative Arts" yes, it's a mouthful. It sounds pretty easy and fun, though.

OH! And if you are wondering...I have finished my first story for my 10/100 challenge. I will be posting it later on THIS BLOG if you want to read it. If you don't see a new story...check back tomorrow.

Well, will ya look at that...an entire blog without talking about weight.

Silliness!

So Yesterday Sarah Posted some great pictures of herself after her workout so I was inspired to do the same. Call me crazy, but it just sounded fun! So the picture you are about to see it me minutes before stating my daily Jillian workout....













AH! Look at me...so optimistic and ready to tackle the day. So fresh-faced and innocent and naive. So bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
And this is me minutes AFTER completing my Jillian workout.Are you ready for this?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.












Jillian, what did you do to me? You ruined me! Destroyed me! Corrupted my innocence! I will never be the same!

So since I was taking silly pictures I just kept taking them. What can I say, I was in a silly mood after my workout. So here are some silly, humiliating pictures of me showing you how tough Jillian has made me (HA!) ENJOY!!


Flexing my ummm....muscles?























You want some of this??Haha...I might make that my profile pic! LOL.

Ok...that's my silliness for the day!Oh other health related news....

Guess what? When I started 30 Day Shred I could barely do 3-4 real push-ups before switching to the easy ones. After awhile I just gave up even trying the real ones. Well, I decided to give it a shot and guess what? I did 25! Without stopping! I didn't even feel like it was hard until after 15, so Jillian must be doing something! For those of you who are thinking of locking dear Jillian away out of fear...don't! Take it slow, and you will see results eventually!

And...I have another recommendation for you. Lately I have been eating about an ounce of nuts every day. Especially right after my workout., because it helps build muscle and fight the cravings and hunger you get after a good work out. I usaully get Blue Diamond plain Almonds because I love Almonds and it has the ounces premeasured. Well...today I tried Planter's NUT-rition Energy mix. It was sooooo yummy! You should try it! It has Almonds, honey-roasted peanuts, honey-roasted sesame sticks, dark chocolate covered soynuts, walnuts and pecans. This may be my new favorite healthy snack! Of course it is high in fat....like nuts usually are...so I can only have a little, but seriously....YUM. And it's the good kind of fat! I would gladly have this over m&m's!

Enjoy your day!

It's raining compliments!

Today I was thinking that I love to get compliments. Who doesn't, right? Sometimes when people are negative towards me it will spurn me to try harder to prove them wrong, but it;s done out of anger. But when I get a compliment, I want to move on because I know people are paying attention. It makes me happy and one compliment can give me fuel to keep going for at least a week. Compliments are powerful stuff.

So today I am going to take a moment to shower you , yes YOU, with compliments because I think you deserve it, and I think people should let each other know how they truly feel. So sit back, relax, and bask in the compliments. ENJOY!

Sarah- We started this together so I am going to start with you. You are a great friend and a great listener. Sure, you can vent for hours...but what matters is that when you are done...you are always ready to listen to me. That's a sign of a great friend. I envy you for your eyes. You have big, beautiful, gorgeous eyes. My eyes are tiny and boring. I wish I had your eyes. I also think you an amazingly talented photography, too. Your writing is great, too. Your poetry very lyrical and I think you could be a songwriter. You and your husband should write music together. I don't know how talented he is on the guitar but you guys could learn and grow together. But your photography......it's amazing! I can really see the depth of your passion in your photos. Even the dark adn depressing photos...I can see your happiness in each picture. You know on the movie Hook when they are looking for teh real Peter Pan? And they find it in the corner of his mouth? I can see the real you in your photos. Do something with that talent.

Nathalie-I knew you in high school and I am so grateful that we are friends again. I never told you...but I love your smile. Even back then, with your braces in, I thought you had a great smile. You still do of course! And you can SING. I never knew you could sing in high school. But I heard you sing in that video you made and I was amazed. Why didn't you try out for the musical in Waynesville? I would have given you my spot as a villager...I can't carry a tune to save my life. i wish I would have talked you into it. I am jealous of your knitting ability. I can barely crochet, and as it turns out, I crochet wrong to begin with. But your knitting is beautiful. I am also impressed by your writing ability. I knew you could write in high school. When I read your short story (and hopefully will see more soon) I wanted to put my pen down and quit my attempt at writing. You make it seem so effortless. Your details and subtle humor are great. You understand that your readers are not stupid and will figure out things are their own (something I struggle with-I want to expalin EVERYTHING). You are so talented!

Brooke- I don't really know you outside of your blog. But I know you like Garden State...so you must have great taste! You are an inspiration. I read your blog and feel so motivated...not just to lose weight...to do ANYTHING I put my mind to. Nothing seems to get you down. Even when you have an obstacle you seem to take it and move on. And you have done AMAZING things in one year. AMAZING. I also love your photography, you need to post more blogs on your photography. I think your pics are bright, cheery and hopeful. Just like you! I love your bold use of color, too. Also...you are just plain adorable!

Tyler- (yes he reads my blog daily) My husband. I am one lucky girl. You are a great husband, Tyler. No matter what I look like, no matter what I weigh, you always say I look great. You support me in anything I do and seem to be truly interested in everything I do. You are also a great father. I am jealous that Harliegh calls for you, several times, every day. and sometimes I am jealous of how much she loves you. I know she loves me, too. But you guys have a special connection that it amazing and beautiful. I know I nag you to be healthy but it's only because I want to share a nice long life with you!


Now I was going to make a longer list of a lot of other people...but I figured I would just focua on my most loyal readers and commenters. (Is that a word?) Thank you all for being there for me and pushing me to be a better person.

Ok...now on to something a little less sappy. As you know, I am getting closer to reaching my goal. As a reward I am getting my hair done and buying new clothes. I need your advice. I am torn with what to do to my hair. I am keeping the length, because I want to grow it out. But I am going to get more choppy layers put in to give it more shape, it's kinda shapeless right now. But I am trying to decide how to color it.









This is my hair as of today. Kind of a cinnamony color. This is my natural hair color. So option 1 is to leave it like this and maybe get some subtle honey colored highlights to lighten it up for the summer.









And this is me a few years ago when my hair was always bright, strawberry blonde. So Option 2 is to get my hair dyed back to this blonde color and get some fun, funky color streaks...liek the picture below...Just a little taste of color.














Here is my argument for both:
Option 1: I do like my natural color, and the blonde will brighten it without doing anything drastic. Plus it will be easy to maintain, don't really have to worry about roots for while.

Option 2: I like me as a blonde, too. I feel I look younger and in a way it fits my personality. Ever since I can remember I have always wanted soem funky color in my hair and have NEVER done it. Right now would be a good time because I am a SAHM and student and don't have to have a "professional" look.

So what do YOU think? Put your votes in now!

Have a great day!

BONUS BLOG!

Hey guess what time it is?

Time for an amazing, awesome, totally rad BONUS BLOG!

Yes, I already blogged today but you can have a free one just for being you. Air High-Five!
But...If you haven't read the first one, shame on you...and make sure you go read it...NOW. Go on, do it.

Sorry...my brain is a little bonkers right now.
So I tried out a little more of The Biggest Loser Wii game. Another thing I don't like...I couldn't figure out where to go to weigh myself. Maybe I am only allowed to weigh myself on weigh-in days, like the show? I don't know...but I think that should at least be an option. But I randomly chose a challenge to do just to see how it was. YIKES! I shouldn't have done that.
First...keep in mind that I already did Jillian Level 1 this morning...and we all know how much that can take out of you. So, I picked this challenge where you have to "cycle" to light up ten bulbs. Of course, I am not on a bicycle, my character was. But this is what you have to do. You switch from doing high-knees, (like butt kicks only you are bring your knees up to 90 degress instead of back to kick your butt) and football runs ( legs spread a little outside hips, and you "run" really quickly, while barely lifting your feet off the ground-think of any football movie you have ever seen) Ok...so you switch back and forth between these two exercises until you light up all ten bulbs. The faster you go, the faster you light up the bulbs but on average this seemed to take one minute. That is one round. THEN...you continue doing this for TEN freaking rounds. UGH! I was drenched in sweat and thought I was going to die! But I survived...and I actually don't feel too bad right now. I will tell you one thing, though...I love Bob...he is so much nicer than Jillian. Do they make Bob's 30 day Shred?

So....I haven't weighed myself in quite a few days. I pulled out the Wii Fit and stepped on it..and I have officially hit the ten pounds lost mark! I am really excited about that! When I started this my goal was to lose 15, so only 5 pounds to go! WOWZA!

I was also thinking about something today. Everything I have heard/read lately says women should exercise one hour a day to stay healthy and maintain a healthy weight. This does not include light workout...cleaning, walking, etc. This is moderate to intense workout. This sounds sooo hard to me, especially being a stay at home mom. But NEXT week I think I might challenge myself to try it for one week. Just to see how it feels. I will probably go back to 20-30 minutes workout after that, but I want to challenge myself. I was thinking...20 minutes of Jillian in the morning, 20 minutes of wii fit or biggest loser in the afternoon and I figured 20 minutes of yoga combined with a 20 minute walk will probably make up for the rest. What do you think? Tell me if you think this sounds insane. I may not be thinking clearly after that crazy challenge!

Tuesday, Rainy Tuesday

Hello everyone,

I am in a pretty good mood today. I don't know why, it's rainy and overcast and my allergies are always horrible when it rains. But I am feeling pretty good.

So yesterday I browsed through the Biggest Loser for the Wii. I must say, I was pretty impressed. it SEEMS like a good program....but it does take a littlt while to get into it. This is to be expected though. i had to input all of my stats and my personal goals. Then after you do all this you have the option to pick your exercise level. Beginner, Intermediate, etc...I picked Beginner, but in hindsight I should have picked a higher level since I am used to working out. I only did the warm-up just to try it out and it was pretty easy. They let you customize your own work out or you can do one of there routines. I recognized some stuff from Jillian, too! The game also tells you your recommended calorie intake and you can track your calories, too.

So at first look...here is what I liked so far:

You can customize your workout.
There are levels! (this would be good to do before starting the Jillian DVD)
YOGA! WOOHOO
Calorie tracker
Pick your trainer: Jillian or Bob. I picked Bob and he seems so much nicer than Jillian!

Here is what I don't like:

Time consuming, I was on for 30 minutes but I only managed to do a 6 minute warm-up in that time!

That's about it so far.
I will let you know more about it as I try more!

I tried a new recipe last night and it was scrumptious! I LOVE fish but I am always nervous to cook it myself because I am scared of under or over cooking it. It seems so easy to mess up. But this recipe was perfect! And so healthy for you! I had it with brown rice and broccoli. YUM

Crispy Oven-Fried Fish
(from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook)

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh or frozen skinless fish fillets, 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dillweed
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

1. Thaw fish, if frozen. Rinse fish; pat dry with paper towels. Cut into four serving-size pieces, if necessary. Measure thickness of fish; set aside. Place milk in a shallow dish. Place flour in another shallow dish. In a third shallow dish combine bread crumbs, cheese, dillweed, and pepper. Add melted butter; stir until combined.

2. Dip fish in milk; coat with flour. Dip again in milk, then in crumb mixture to coat all sides. Place fish on a greased baking sheet. Bake, uncovered, in a 450 degree F oven for 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2-inch thickness or until fish begins to flake when tested with a fork.

3. Makes 4 servings

Nutrition Facts

• Calories 242,
• Total Fat (g) 9,
• Saturated Fat (g) 5,
• Cholesterol (mg) 71,
• Sodium (mg) 423,
• Carbohydrate (g) 13,
• Fiber (g) 1,
• Protein (g) 24,
• Vitamin C (DV%) 2,
• Calcium (DV%) 14,
• Iron (DV%) 8,
• Starch (d.e.) 1,
• Very Lean Meat (d.e.) 3,
• Fat (d.e.) 1,
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Oxymorons

Hey hey everyone.
Happy Monday....that's kind of on oxymoron, isn't it? Like Icy/hot?

I have been pretty moody and grumpy the past few days...and it seems like most of you are in the same boat. Is there a full moon? haha. But I am trying to tell myslef to be happy and go on with my usual routine, though it is very hard! Today I did get up and do Jillian Level 2. This was dumb. I know that after a weekend of visiting family, eating lots of bad food, drinking little water adn getting less sleep is going to have a huge affect on how much exercise I can manage. BUT... for some reason I got up and said..."Do it, Quinn, it will help you release some stress." Well, ok to be honest, it did. I do feel a little better now...but it was a LOT harder than usual. i had to take several small breaks and I just got tired a lot quicker. ICK. But I did it. At least it's better than binge eating my stress out, right?

This afternoon I am going to check out the Biggest Loser Wii game. I am probably not going to do to many workouts, but I do want to see how it works before I jump into it head on. I will let you all know what I think of it. The problem with wii games, for me, is that I can't do it when Harliegh is awake. I can do the Jillian DVD and she will just try to do it along with me or start playing somewhere else. But the minute I pull out the wii balance board she is all of it and I can't really work out that way. And to be honest, I don't want to give up nap time to working out. Maybe I can sacrifice 30 min or so, but that's all I am willing to give up. Especially since I am going to school and need that time to work on school work.

I have a lot of potentially yummy and low-fat recipes I will be trying soon. I will be sure to post them soon!

Hope you guys all have a great Monday.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone!

I hope everyone is taking it easy on the Chocolate Bunnies! So this weekend has not been so healthy for me, but I am not going to dwell on it. Why? Because I know that I am starting to know my body, and I now how bad foods effect me so I know I won't fall back into old habits over just one bad weekend. I just know that I will have to continue working out, eating healthy and smiling. That's all that matters.

I was at the MIL's yesterday. If you don't remember, she is the one who told me about Jillian's 30 Day Shred. Well, yesterday she told me about a The Biggest Loser Wii game. She bought it a month ago but decided she didn't have time to do it. I mean she works full-time, golfs, works out EVERY day...it would be crazy for her to fit in another workout! So....she just gave me her game. So YAY! I got a free workout game. I am going to try it out tomorrow and see how I like it.

So I think next week I am going to do Jillian Level 2 Tuesdays and Thursdays. Depending on how I like this new wii game, I will either do that or Jillian Level 1 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I have decided to give up on the idea of walking every morning. When it comes down to it, I value the extra sleep more than I value that time to myself and light workout. I like the idea of it...but it's not working so much for me at the moment.

On other news. I have seven days to finish my first story in my 10/100 challenge.YIKES! I have an idea cooking though, so I am confident I can do it. I also start my next term in school next weekend. I am taking Human Identity through the Creative Arts, which sounds easy and interesting. And Applied Algebra.....wish me luck. :(

Hey Hey

How is everyone doing? Well, today, once again, I did not get up to walk. I am thinking about just shelving this goal for now.It's just that I get my best sleep the last few hours of the morning, I now I can adjust that...but it's hard. Today I went to a taste testing. It's something you can do around here (and maybe where you live to...who knows) where you can go in and taste something, today it was a banana nut muffin, take a quick survery...and just like that, in less than 15 minutes...you have made $30! The downside is, I only get called to do it a couple times a year. So I dropped Tyler off at work and then Harliegh and I went to Target, and yes, I spent that money. I bought a new shirt for myself since all of my old shirts are a bit stretched out and too big, I am pretty excited about that. I also bought something for Tyler...I can't tell you cause he reads my blog daily, and I bought Harliegh some cute summer shoes that were on clearance! Yay for good deals! After running around for awhile we stopped for lunch, Harliegh and I shared a kids meal because she never finishes them anyway. It was nice having a day of shopping with just the girls! When I got home, I put Harliegh in bed for a nap and got in my workout clothes with all intentions of doing Jillian. I stepped on my patio for a minute and thought, wow....it's perfect outside today. I laid down on my porch swing, and I was out. Yep, I fell asleep! By the time I woke up I figured it was way too late to workout if I still wanted to shower, blog, clean, get dinner ready all before picking up Tyler at work. So....oops. Oh well.
Tomorrow I am headed to Iowa to visit family for the weekend. I am planning on fitting in Jillian at my usual time...about 9:45...because we aren't planning on leaving the house until 11 and it will be my last chance to get in a workout until Monday. Maybe Sunday.....

On another note- I am starting a 10/100 creativity challenge. I originally started this for myself to try to get myself to write more, but I think I may have talked Nathalie into it, too. Any other takers? Sarah? Brooke? I know you are both artistic. I am challenging myself to write 10 stories in 100 days, but it can be anything, poetry, photography, etc. We shouldn't focus on just being healthy, we need something to be passionate about in our lives. Not that we aren't passionate about being healthy, but ...you know what I mean. If you are interested just mosey on around my other blog Bookwormquinn and check it out. Maybe we can work some reward program out...or we can ALL start new blogs. I don't know...just an idea.

And back to the health topic, I have a lot of fun, new recipes planned the next two weeks. I will be sure to post the good ones!

Have a healthy weekend and a Happy Easter!

Picture Day

Well, hello!
I know this is a day early...but I had time, so I thought it I would do this today. So this is my progress pic from 2 weeks ago.


And this is my pic from today. Jillian is fantastic. She should pay me for promoting her video, but I am proof it works!

I only have 7 pounds to lose to reach my goal. But honestly, that's just a number and I am starting to feel comfortable with my body now, I don't even check my weight like I used to. I really just like being healthy and working out and trying new foods. I am so excited to go clothes shopping on May 1st with my sister. I was going through my clothes the other day when I realized....all of my skinny clothes are gone. I remember thinking last year when I was edging near 175-180 that I probably would never fit into anything again and I got rid of MOST of my pre-pregnancy clothes, what was I thinking? I won't make that mistake again now that I know I am in control of my body, not the other way around. But, yes...I have NO CLOTHES. My clothes are getting too big, and just hang on me. My jeans slide right off. In fact, I have one pair of jeans that fit ok and those are even getting loose. I did keep some old pre-pregnancy jeans, and those are too small. I honestly don't know if I will fit into those again...pregnancy can do amazing things to your hips. Even if I lose more weight, my hips just aren't as slim as they used to be, finally I have a little curve!
For all of those out there working hard and making lifestyle changes ...keep it up, you will see change! Just as a reminder....here is me on Mother's Day LAST year....so not even a whole year ago. See what a difference a few months of hard work can do? Those jeans don't even stay on me anymore!



Before I go...I big shout out to my sister, Darci. She is starting Jillian and walking more, too. She is one of those girls that look cute at all times, so now she is going to get all fit and be even cuter. Damn her! :)

(100)Days

Good morning!

Well, I had a doctor's appointment this morning and since I HAD to get up and get dressed I went on a quick ten minute walk. It was refreshing and I feel more awake now than I usually do at this time. So I will try to do it again on Thursday and maybe work my way up to longer walks and possibly jogging. So my appointment was just a follow-up appointment for the GERD. Everything is looking good and my doctor even complimented my TEN pound weight loss since the last time I was in. I also paid attention to my blood pressure, thanks to Nathalie and her blog a few weeks ago. It was 110/60....I have no idea what that means...but that's good, right? I should refer back to Nathalie's blog. My doctor was also pretty impressed with my exercise and eating healthy! YAY ME!

Guess what today is? It is been 100 DAYS since I started using my Wii Fit! WOW! Now, of course, I didn't use it EVERY DAY but....it's been 100 days since I stepped on the balance boaurd and said "I need to get in shape and be healthier". I have lost ten pounds and a few inches and I am healthier all around. My wii fit age went from 50-ish to 23-ish. I have better balance and better body control. In just 100 DAYS. It makes me wonder waht else I could accomplish in just 100 days. Write a book? Write a few short stories? Learn to play Guitar? Train to run in a marathon? I feel like I can accomplish ANYTHING. Why not, right? I thought I would have quit this already and I am still going strong! So today I am going to make a new goal, non-weight related, because not everything has to be about weight. As you know I have another blog, Bookwormquinn, so my new goal is to write ten short stories in 100 days. That doesn't sound too bad, about a story every ten days. So keep an eye on my other blog and encourage me to keep going, because I need encouragement, and I couldn't have made it 100 days without YOU. (Sarah, Nathalie and Brooke especially) So Happy 100 to me! YAY!

On another note, I had another success....I got my husband to take a walk on Sunday and Monday! This is big for me because, well.....he just doesn't do outdoors and he likes to sit and play games all the time. Now that I am living a healthier life I am trying to encourage my family to do the same, because I love them and I want them to live a long, full, healthy life. I have also gotten Tyler (the hubby) to eat healthier for dinner and I am hoping to squeeze another walk or two out of him this week because it is supposed to be BEAUTIFUL this week. It's supposed to be 70 + for the next three days! WOO!

You may have noticed, I didn't post my portobello mushroom recipe last night...it was not so good. I think the red wine vinegar just made it taste bitter...so yuck. But the point is I am trying to make new recipes, so it's ok that this was a FAIL!

Today is my yoga day and I am looking forward to it. I just feel....blah and tired and some yoga and a short nap sound PHENOMENAL!

A big shout out to Sarah, who is feeling a little down and could use some cheering up!

Mondays

It's Monday....yay. Can you hear my excitement?

So I am not feeling so hot today...but we must go on, right? After I finish this blog I am going to do Jillian Level 1, but I have already decided that I am going at a very slow pace. Then I will take a quick shower and Harliegh and I will go for a walk. Then maybe I will get in some yoga when she goes down for a nap and possibly take a nap myself.

I know most people hate Mondays, but I kind of like em. It gives you a chance to start over fresh, make new goals and throw out old goals that didn't work out.

I really don't know what else to talk about today. My brain is in kind of a fuzz. Blah.

I am trying a new Portobello Mushroom recipe tonight, I will be sure to post the recipe...maybe some pics If I can find my missing camera!

Have a great day!

So I know I didn't post a blog yesterday, but i have one busy little mama. You see, this Saturday is my FINAL class for the term and I have been busy, busy, busy putting together one massive portfolio for my Creative Writing Class. I have revised and edited 7 poems, 1 flash fiction, 1 mentor project and 2 short stories so many times that my head is spinning and all of my characters are all mixed together creating little mini stories. It's pure havoc in my brain! But....I only have to revise one story one more time, and write a two page self-evaluation, and put everything neatly into a folder....though I am running out of hours in the day!

You will be happy to know that I have been working out everyday. I have done Jillian Level 2 every other day and yoga in between, as well as walking once or twice a day every single day. I managed to make it through Jillian Level2 today without the overwhelming need to vomit. ha. I just worked at a slower pace then they did on the screen, but I made it though it all!

So...I usually do this on Sunday, but I am going to do it now.

Last week's goals

1. Count calories, stick to my 1250 a day plan. (stuck to this for the most part, a couple minor setbacks but I usually compensated by eating less or skipping snacks...no biggie)
2. Try Jillian Level 2! (I'm a little scared) if my leg feels better, that is...( Tried this, went semi-well)
3.Do Jillian every other day and Wii Fit the other days (Yep....succeeded)
4. Bedtime: 11 (hmmm....for the most part, yes...Level 2 wears you out!)
5. Get up early and walk/jog by myself twice(uh......no)


And here are next weeks goals:

1. Stay on calorie counting
2. Jillian...I am going to do Level 1 on Monday and Friday, Level 2 on Wednesday
3. Yoga on Tuesday and Thursday (maybe more since a certain visitor is on the way)
4. Bedtime:11 (don't laugh but I can't figure out how to take the italics off)
5. (ooo...no italics) Get up on Tuesday and Thursday to jog/run (I have an early dr. appt on Tuesday so I need to get up anyway)

That's all.....basically the same as last week with some minor tweaks.

I haven't lost any this week....but....see the parentheses in goal number 3. So I am not discouraged.

Finally...it's friday...and I am trying to say something that I love on Friday...soooooo

Free Time

I love free time sooo much, and it has been something I have seen very little of this week. In fact, I really don't even have the time to go into detail about how much I love free time. So this will just have to do.

Have a great weekend!

Tired

Hello everyone!

So I tried Jillian Level 2 today and had to stop after the strength part of circuit 3. Not because I couldn't do it, but suddenly I had the need to vomit. I didn't...but it was close. Once I thought about it, I think this must be from my GERD I remember reading that I have to be careful not to workout too soon after eating with GERD. I had waited an hour, but maybe I should wait two. PLUS, I am sure all the jumping up and down and bouncing while in the plank position does not help with the reflux! I think on Friday, I will just wait the two hours adn see if that helps, if not...I am going back to Level 1. I don't really want to induce vomiting. Other than that, I really like Level 2.

I saw on the news this morning that women age 20 and up should do a minimum of one hour of moderate exercise a day to fight the weight gain after 50. Did you know that? I didn't but it makes me glad I am making lifestyle changes now!

So this is a pretty short blog...but I am tired.

Later!

Good morning!
Well....I forgot to set my alarm this morning. I hate alarms, so I guess I was hoping I would just wake up on my own. I didn't. I woke up at 7:15 and nestled down into my warm bed and pillow. A few minutes later, Harliegh woke up. I really do want to try to get up because I think once I get a taste of walking/jogging and being 100% by myself I will want more and more! The hardest part is just doing it. But I still have time...my goal was to get up and walk just two days, and it's only Tuesday!

I wasn't as sore as I expected this morning from doing Level 2. I guess the aleve really helped. I am a little sore, but nothing bad at all. Guess what today is? March 23rd? and guess what March 23rd is? Free Cone Day at Ben&Jerry's! AH! Now...please don't throw your shoes at me in disgust. They are only tiny cones and I have to walk down a huge steep hill just to get one...then back up again. But who can pass up a free ice cream cone? Not I.

I am watching Ellen...she has a segment about weird inventions. Some idiot actually invented something called a" The Spoon and Fork Lift"....an actual spoon and fork that is weighted like a dumbbell so you can work out your arms while you eat! SERIOUSLY?!?!?! WOW. Just....WOW.

I woke up this morning and opened my patio door to let in some fresh air. Within ten minutes my eyes were red, itchy, swollen, watery. AHHHHH....SPRING! Gotta love allergies, huh?? So maybe I won't be enjoying my cone as much as I had hoped!

I was reading Nathalie's blog this morning and she was talking about how unhealthy America is. It's true...makes you not so proud to be an American. BUT I am PROUD to say that Minneapolis, Minnesota ( I live in a suburb) is one of the healthiest American cities! YAY!We have to focus on something to get us through the winters, right? Might as well be health!

This blog is soooooooo random and jumping everywhere. I hope you enjoyed the ride. LOL. My brain must be swelling from my allergies! hahahaha....ha....ha.

okiloveyoubuhbye!

Level 2

I did Jillian Michaels Level 2 this morning! YIKES! Level 2 makes Level 1 look like a walk in the park! Really...my head is in a fog right now! It's all a blur to me! LOL The one positive about Level 2 is that it seems to go by much quicker than Level 1. I only stopped once for a 5 second break. In that 5 seconds I blubbered like a fool and nearly started bawling than I told myself to "man up" and keep working so I did. I had to do the "easy" version of most of the workouts, I felt so wimpy!
Luckily, I had the great foresight to take an aleve beforehand so I am not feeling it so much right now. Tomorrow is a different story...but the yoga will help that.
I was going to go into detail about the workouts...but I don't even know how to explain them. Right now, though, I am missing punches and side-lunges. :(

I sat down and made my meal plan through Friday! This really helps me stay on track! I also have been keeping track of my water intake! Today I have already had 4 tall glasses of water (about 14oz of water each) so I will try to get one more down before the day is over. How do I do this when I hate drinking? One tall glass with Breakfast, one before Jillian, one during/after Jillian, one with lunch and one with dinner. I also mark each glass on a paper on my fridge to remind me how many I have had and how many I have left to go.

Tomorrow I am going to TRY to get up and go for a walk/jog and then do YOGA! I am sure my body will thank me for the yoga!

Have a great day!

Sunday's Goals

Hello Everyone!
I haven't posted since Thursday! OOPS! But don't worry, I have been reading all of yours. So it's Sunday and that means it's time to evaluate last weeks goals and make new goals.

Here are my goals from last week:
1.Try to go to bed even earlier...maybe 11?
2. Try to do Jillian every day
3. Get up early twice and take a walk



Going to bed early....didn't work out so well. The time change screwed me up and for some reason I couldn't sleep at all last week. I stopped taking my vitamins because I was worried they were causing it but I haven't seen a difference so I might start them up again and just keep trying to go to bed earlier.

I did Jillian everyday up until Thursday. I think I pulled a muscle and I want to give it time to heal. Actually I did Jillian on Friday, too...I just skipped the workouts that I knew would hurt my leg.

I didn't get up early, but I did go on several walks. So I kinda half did this goal!

I weighed myself today and I have gained 1/2 pound. Nothing to be upset about...but a huge difference form the 3 lbs lost the week before! The only difference was that I didn't count calories....even though I hate doing, counting calories has proven to be effective over and over again.

So next week's goals:

1. Count calories, stick to my 1250 a day plan.
2. Try Jillian Level 2! (I'm a little scared) if my leg feels better, that is...
3.Do Jillian every other day and Wii Fit the other days
4. Bedtime: 11
5. Get up early and walk/jog by myself twice

I really want to reach my goal by May 1st, so I gotta focus and stay on track!

Seems like a couple of you are trying Jillian this week. I am excited to see what you think. Be prepared to hate Jillian (and probably me for recommending it) and to be SORE...but it's a good pain, right? RIGHT! Of course it is!

Crispy Tofu and Vegetables

So my tofu recipe for tonight......A-freakin'-mazing. Seriously....It was sooo good. I couldn't stop eating it!I cut the tofu into smaller strips so it was more like chicken finger size and I used Stir-Fry sauce instead of teriyaki. If you want to try tofu..this is the recipe for you. Some tips: After you drain the tofu wrap it in several layers of paper towels and press between two heavy plates ....put in fridge for a few hours before cooking. Also...you have to be really careful when turning the fried tofu. Oh....and look at the awesome calorie count!

Crispy Tofu and Vegetables

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh sugar snap peas (8 ounces)
• 1 12- to 16-ounce package light, reduced-fat, or regular extra-firm tub-style tofu (fresh bean curd), drained (see tip, page 00)
• 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce or soy sauce
• 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 medium red sweet pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 medium yellow sweet pepper, cut into thin strips
• 8 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 teaspoons cooking oil
• 1 tablespoon white or black sesame seed, toasted (optional) (see tip page 000)

Directions

1. Remove strings and tips from pea pods; cut in half. Set pea pods aside. Cut tofu crosswise into eight 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices in a single layer in a 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Pour 2 tablespoons of the teriyaki sauce over tofu; turn slices to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.

2. In a shallow dish combine cornmeal and ground red pepper. Drain tofu, discarding marinade. Carefully dip tofu slices in cornmeal mixture; press gently to coat both sides. Set tofu slices aside.

3. Pour 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil into a large nonstick skillet. Preheat over medium-high heat. Stir-fry sweet pepper strips for 2 minutes. Add pea pods and green onions; stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes more or until crisp-tender.

4. Remove skillet from heat; stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce. Transfer vegetable mixture to a serving platter; cover and keep warm. Wipe skillet clean.

5. In the same skillet heat the remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil and the cooking oil over medium heat. Cook the coated tofu slices for 2-1/2 to 3 minutes on each side or until crisp and golden brown, using a spatula to turn carefully. Serve tofu slices over vegetable mixture. If desired, sprinkle with sesame seeds.

6. Makes 4 main-dish servings

Nutrition Facts

• Calories 151,
• Total Fat (g) 6,
• Saturated Fat (g) 1,
• Monounsaturated Fat (g) 1,
• Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 1,
• Cholesterol (mg) 0,
• Sodium (mg) 473,
• Carbohydrate (g) 15,
• Total Sugar (g) 2,
• Fiber (g) 3,
• Protein (g) 9,
• Vitamin A (DV%) 0,
• Vitamin C (DV%) 196,
• Calcium (DV%) 6,
• Iron (DV%) 14,
• Starch (d.e.) .5,
• Vegetables (d.e.) 1,
• Lean Meat (d.e.) 1,
• Fat (d.e.) .5,
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

The Ice is Melting

Here are some pictures from my walk yesterday. I will post some more when it gets nicer outside!

The lake is still partially frozen.

This is the killer hill I walk up and down!

Beautiful, huh?


I think I may have pulled a muscle or something. My calf is killing me! It started hurting when I was doing lunges on Monday and it has just gotten worse since. So I am going to give it a rest for a few days and see if it feels better.

I am trying a new tofu recipe tonight. I will be sure to post the recipe!

Portobello Mushrooms in Boursin Sauce

This was my delicious dinner! It was YUMMY!

Pasta Shells w/ Portobello Mushrooms and Asparagus in Boursin Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound portobello mushrooms, stems removed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (5.2 ounce) package pepper Boursin cheese
• 3/4 pound uncooked pasta shells
• 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed

Directions

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and heat the olive oil. Cut the mushroom caps in half, and slice 1/4 inch thick. Cook mushrooms in the skillet 8 minutes, or until tender and lightly browned. Season with salt. Stir in the chicken broth and Boursin cheese. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring constantly, until well blended.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add shell pasta and cook for 5 minutes. Place the asparagus into the pot, and continue cooking 5 minutes, until the pasta is al dente and the asparagus is tender; drain. Toss with the mushroom sauce to serve.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 380 | Total Fat: 16.6g | Cholesterol: 35mg

I got this recipe off of Allrecipes.com. Of course....I made some changes. First, I used the Light Garlic Boursin Cheese. I also sauteed onions and garlic with the mushrooms for some extra oomph! It was delicious. Even my husband loved it. And did you check out the calorie count? If you absolutely hate mushrooms you COULd replace it with chicken. But the mushrooms were AMAZING! And the boursin cheese is a little on the expensive side but I am sure you can replace it with some garlic cream cheese for a similar taste!

ENJOY!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Hellooooooooooo Nurse (in true Animaniacs style)
I would like to start out this blog by giving a HUGE shout out to BROOKE. She has hit 100 pounds lost! Isn't that amazing? Go Brooke!

So far this week I have manage to do my Jillian workout and even went on TWO walks on Monday, it was rainy on Tuesday. Today I WAS going to skip my workout but I got inspired by both Brooke and Nathalie and their great blogs! I am so close to my goal and living a healthier lifestyle, no breaks for me! So in a minute I am going to eat breakfast, do my Jillian and take my daughter on a walk. Then maybe I will take a break...for an hour or so.

The reason I wanted a break day is because I have not been sleeping well at all. This is normal for me, I have never been a good sleeper, but lately I just toss and turn all night. It could be the time change that has thrown me off, who knows? I think I am going to get some tylenol pm and try that for a day or two. I need SLEEP. This morning, Harliegh woke up at 7:15 and I could not get up, I physically COULD NOT fully wake up. I had a dream THREE times that I woke up my husband and told him to get up. Finally realized I was dreaming and it wasn't real and woke up just enough to wake up Tyler and beg him to get up. He did, and let me sleep until 8:45 when he had to get ready for work. He's such a good hubby.

Of course, that extra sleep only resulted in me having scary nightmares about kidnappers and weird religious cults. But that's another story!

Have you checked out my writing blog? it's Bookwormquinn and I have no followers and have yet to get a comment, so show some love. I am trying to write more and need some encouragement. I am currently working on a Flash Fiction piece (less than 750 words) and it has proved to be a challenge....a lot harder than any short story. In fact, that is one thing that has been keeping me up at night!

So this hasn't really been about anything health related....no I take that back. I talked about sleep...and that has a LOT to do with health! I am also planning on trying a NEW recipe tonight so I will post the recipe. I am trying to get a recipe exchange together soon. I will keep you updated on that!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Wear your green....and eat some green!

Recipes!

Hello Blogateers!


I have had a good day so far. I didn't go to bed early though so I am kind of tired...darn time change. But I did my Jillian workout this morning and Harliegh started doing it with me! It was the funniest thing ever. She was trying to do the jump rope exercise, then after jump rope you do bicycle crunches. So she laid down on the ground and sighed "AHHHHH" and then put her feet up and grunted "Argggggh" it was too cute. After the workout I was stretching and she looked at me weird, walked over to me and pulled on my shirt to get me to stand up. So I did. She gave my a gruff look then started doing jump rope...So, how can you say no to that? I did about 30 more jump ropes! What a great motivator! After workout we went for a walk. It was soooo nice and beautiful outside! 53 degrees! So we went down to the lake for the first time this year. Hardly any snow left and not too many muddy puddles! It was nice, but now I am really tired.

So I was sitting last night writing out some recipes, I have a huge binder for recipes....and it's pretty much empty. I am horrible at writing down recipes I have tried and liked. So I ws thinking of trying a recipe exchange. Would you be interested?

This is how it would work, I think, I would write down a recipe on a index card. Then I would send that recipe to a list of interested people. Once you get your recipe, you have to write down a recipe on an index card and send it to me and whoever else you want to include. Every time you receive a new recipe you have to return the favor and send that person a new one. What do you think? Would it work? Or should I try something else? Comment me and let me know if you are interested and any good suggestions.