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Body for Life PSers--Come on down!

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Hey guys! Going good so far. I did cardio yesterday. FI is better in terms of no fever, but he's still tired and hacking/coughing with just a little activity, so he's not gymming yet. He is sticking to the food plan though. But I had to stick to being in the zone yesterday and go to the gym anyway, even though he wasn't going and the couch looked so nice and comfy.
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It's really satisfying though at the end of my day to lay down and know that I've done all I had scheduled for the day - work, tanning (I'm going very sparingly right now since I have 2 weddings in the next few months), straight to the gym, pack my next day's lunch, shower, cook dinner, eat, still have that hour I need to wind down at night in order to sleep well, and bed between 9 and 9:30. Wow, writing all that down, I can't believe I actually did all that yesterday afternoon. I am doing the gym in the afternoon right now, in hopes that I can go with FI (when he's better). But with the schedule I try to keep, he may not be home from work in time to go with me, so we'll have to see about that. We may just do the gym separately. Once we're both in the zone, we do pretty well regardless of if we go alone or together, since we end up doing our own thing anyway.

I'm also trying to get my dad onto the program, haha. He and my mom have both struggled for a long time to stick to something. Mom got on Atkins for a while, bless her heart. I tried my best to get her to understand that all carbs weren't bad, and bacon every day is not good. Thankfully they both don't do that anymore. But they can't seem to get in a good routine of eating well and exercising. So I'm thinking about getting the book for my dad and letting him read it - I think it'd make the most sense if they read about the food and exercise for themselves, instead of me trying to explain it over and over. He loved the recipe book when I showed it to him - haha Mom even said they all looked so yummy!!

I made the turkey burgers last Friday (side note - they aren't that good reheated in the microwave, haha). They were pretty good when eaten fresh. They didn't look anything like his picture though! Mine are a lot lighter colored. Maybe because I didn't use red wine or something, I don't know.

I really like meal planning - it makes things a lot easier, and his recipes are really easy to follow too. I made the American Turkey Goulash last night, and I think it was pretty darn awesome!! I used whole wheat pasta instead of egg noodles, since all the egg noodles I saw in the store were enriched and all that stuff. I did use a little onion powder instead of a real onion, as J doesn't like onions too much. I also didn't use red wine, or basil since I've never been a big fan of strong spices - I prefer just to taste the food itself, and basil is one of those overpowering spices to me. Also, I mixed in a little tomato paste I had left over from another recipe into the tomato sauce - normal sauce is always too watery to me. Anyway, it made 4 servings, so I kept 2 in the frig for another night. Here's my plate last night (pasta, ground turkey, red peppers, zucchini, tomato sauce):

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Haven - Haha your babies are too cute. Our dog at my parents'' house LOVES to sunbathe. I have so many pictures of her sleeping in the sun with her head still up in the air.

Please don''t get too frustrated. I know 7 weeks seems like a long time (definitely seems like forever away from where I stand right now!), but at least you can tell you''re stronger and healthier. And yes that is the most important thing, but I do understand that you''d like some visible results too. I know you know this, but just remember in terms of weight that you may have lost a lot of fat and replaced it with (heavier) muscle, in terms of not losing much weight like you said. I wonder why it is that most BfL women see the changes so late in the game - I mean, what is it specifically about that time period that makes such a difference? Haha does it take our bodies that long to wake up and realize what''s happening and respond or something? It''s strange. At least you do have that to go on right now though - I know I''d be wondering as well by the time week 7 rolled around, if I hadn''t noticed anything else.

I''m going to remember your pledge to keep with it!!
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Thank you for putting that out there.

Blackpaw - Thanks! Glad you''re doing well!! You seem to be adjusting nicely to the food and exercising! And don''t forget, hikes can definitely count as working out! At least I know they do for me, haha! It''s nice cross-training as well, so you don''t plateau.
 
So I just had to post this too - I made the Chunky Beef Stew this weekend for two of my lunches for this week, and I just had one of them. My GOSH is that stuff good!!! I didn''t use the exact same type of beef as the recipe calls for, but it''s still super yummy. I also used onion powder instead of a raw onion.

I know the pic doesn''t make it look that good, but it IS, I promise!!

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Hey guys!
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Just wondering, what different nutrition products are you using and when? Right now I have a whey protein shake with some fruit on the side for my morning mid-meal, and eat a bar in the afternoons, but I''m looking to change this up a bit and not use the whey protein in the mornings. So far the Myoplex Lite shakes sound like a good subsitute for a morning snack. So just curious what you guys are using!
 
Hi, luvthem!

I often drink a Myoplex shake in the morning and a protein shake with a banana after I workout. I haven''t found any bars that I like, so that''s really all I use.

I''m excited to make the beef stew now! I wasn''t sure if it looked promising, but after reading your review I''m converted! I made sloppy Joes last night and they were pretty good. I have a delicious sloppy Joe recipe that I usually use, but it uses brown sugar and other restricted foods, and we could definitely tell the difference. It wasn''t bad, though, especially for a healthy meal!
 
Oh yeah, Haven, the Beef Stew is great! I just had my second lunch of it. It''ll make your house smell good for at least a day after you cook it too, haha - I made it Sunday evening, and when I got home Monday afternoon the place smelled like I was still cooking it!
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You''d like the Turkey Goulash too - I made it again last night with the leftover ingredients, and I think it''s so yummy!

What Myoplex shake do you make? Is it the Lite shakes? I was on the EAS website earlier, but it doesn''t describe very well what the differences in all their shakes are.
 
Yuck! So sidenote - Powerbar Protein Plus bar is yucky. And instant brown rice (the only kind my store carries anymore!!
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) is not good reheated. And I don''t like blueberry Greek Yogurt. Haha, all this I''ve learned today.

Do you guys work out at home any for the weightlifting days? It''s an issue for me because I don''t have enought freeweights to separate the sets with more weight.

Also, on a more opinionated level, what do you guys do when events start taking up your life? For instance, I''m in my cousin''s wedding in a month. For the past few months, I''ve had multiple events to go to for this wedding, but thankfully they were just showers with snacks I could avoid if I wanted to (by the way, what is it with all shower food being mayo-based and sugary??). Anyway, the bridal luncheon is this Saturday. So, that means I''m going to be served food, that I don''t know what it will be... which means Saturday probably needs to be my free day. But I build up these cravings all week for the food I finally want on my free day, and being out of town will mean I can''t have the stuff I was looking forward to all week. Eh, big deal, I''ll wait till next weekend or something I guess. But when her wedding comes around, it''s literally the entire weekend that I have to eat things other people give me and I have no choice over, unless I refuse the meal and bring my own, haha. But in all seriousness, it will be the rehearsal dinner Friday, 9am "brunch" Saturday (I''ll have to find myself something to eat before then anyway), "snacking" lunch (???), the wedding dinner, then a breakfast on Saturday. Haha then some kind of lunch on the road home Sunday too. I guess my question is how to deal with this. I certainly don''t want to be rude, and I do realize this is not something that happens every week. But I do try my best to stick to what I''ve committed to. And weekends like this completely throw you off schedule. I won''t even get to work out that weekend, period, unless it''s Sunday evening in the midst of grocery shopping/cooking/laundry for the work week ahead. I know most people don''t realize there are folks out here trying to stick to routines. But to be dictated all the meals like that doesn''t even give me breathing room to find myself something that fits into my eating habits, unless there''s a buffet, and even that''s questionable. Whew!
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On a very different note, I was treated to this beauty yesterday when I left the gym - it was incredible...

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Gorgeous rainbow!

I love your run-down on the food products, so funny!

As for the events, I just eat my own meals right before and after the event, just in case there''s nothing "clean" to eat. DH was the best man in a wedding back in August and the RD was at a pizza place so I knew I wouldn''t be able to eat anything there. Then we spent the entire day-of at the location so I packed a bunch of food to eat then, too. And I saved my cheat meal for the night of the wedding, which in retrospect was *so* not worth it because it was yucky wedding chicken. But anyway, yes, I make my own food because you just can''t rely on being served anything clean.

I have found that lunches out are pretty easy, though. Most places can serve up a grilled chicken breast, which while boring, is definitely clean.

I''ve had a rough weekend. We at Chipotle for lunch yesterday, as it was my cheat day, and I got SICK SICK SICK from it. I hadn''t eaten anything in the morning, so the Chipotle was the only thing I ate (I ordered a chicken bol) and I felt nauseous and bloated all day. It was so bad that I canceled our dinner plans with friends, and good thing because I ended up throwing up all night. (TMI? Sorry.) At first I thought I was just feeling sick from eating so much bad food at once, but then when I really got sick I realized that something must have been wrong with the food. Needless to say, I didn''t do cardio yesterday, and all I''ve been able to eat today were some saltine crackers, white rice, and grape juice, my sick foods of choice. I don''t feel nauseous anymore, but I have this horrible pain in my lower abdomen which gets worse if I stand up, so I''ve been curled up in bed in the fetal position all day. I really hope I''m back to normal tomorrow, this is no fun.
And while Chipotle used to be one of my favorite places, I just don''t think I can ever eat there again.

Here''s hoping I can lift tomorrow!
 
Yuck Haven! I hope you get to feeling better! I know what you mean about not being able to return to foods and places after getting sick from them. For me, it''s hot pretzels. Used to be hot dogs too.

It''s been a rough weekend for me too. Had a bridal luncheon to go to on Saturday, and the food there was SO not worth it being my cheat day (I''d already gotten some yummy fast food hash rounds that morning on the trip there, anticipating it being my free day). But supper was BBQ, and boy was it good. Sunday was mostly ok for food, except for some high sodium items at dinner. I''m back on the wagon today though. And HOLY COW are these Myoplex Lite ready to drink shakes RIIIIICH!!! I''m having the chocolate one - whew!! I could only drink about 1/3 of it at a time. The rest is in the frig right now.

I''ve revamped my snacks, so hopefully I''ll do better this week with workouts. I had a rough time last week - since I work out in the afternoons, I try to do like he says in the book and have 3 hours before working out where I don''t eat, so I''m burning fat when I work out instead of the carbs I would have just eaten. But my snacks in the afternoons last week were NOT enough to hold me over that long - I was so hungry by the time I was heading home to work out that I was nauseous, which led to a few days of skipping the workout and cooking immediately upon getting home. So I''ve got some new snacks this week that are more filling, so I''m hoping they''ll hold me.

I think I will try what you talked about for the wedding weekend - it''s less than 2 weeks away now. I don''t know that I''ll have much control over the rehearsal dinner, but it''s out of town, so I guess I''ll have to either suck it up and eat picky while I''m there, or maybe find out if there''s a way to heat some food in my room and take some pre-made meals of my own. I feel bad doing that though, since I know the hosts are paying for each of us to eat the food there. Ugh, I don''t like food guilt.
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I found out this weekend that the brunch the morning of the wedding is optional, but I know people will think I''m anti-social if I don''t go. But I''m really particular about having my good breakfast to start off my day, and pastries and casseroles just don''t do it for me - more like they make my tummy upset and my blood sugar spike.
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She doesn''t even have a plan for lunch yet - she said her mom might bring "something" to the hair salon if we''re still there. And that we should eat up because it''d be the last time we''ll eat until about 7:00 that night!! Me =
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I told her I eat every 2.5 hours, haha - and she told me to stash a snack in my purse or something for after the 5:00 (hour-long) ceremony - riiiiight, haha. Looks like I''ll be packing myself a hearty lunch and snacks to munch on while getting hair done and photos taken, haha! I''m so serious when I say that I need food that often now, and people just don''t get it. I get weak and my blood sugar drops significantly if I go that long without eating. There''s no telling what food will be at the wedding dinner, but I''m sure it won''t be clean. Looks like that weekend will be a mix of a few unclean meals with clean ones I''ll have to bring myself.
 
Hi everyone

I am just checking in-I have some catching up to do!

Haven, I hope that you are less frustrated with your progress-is this week better? Well, except for your illness-I sure hope you are feeling better!
The pic of your kitties is SO cute. I love how they are all sacked out enjoying the sun! Are they all boys? I have 4 kitties, 2 boys and 2 girls.
To answer your question about teaching, I teach HS math in NY. I currently teach in a school district on Long Island. I love my job but the early mornings are rough!


Luvthem-thanks for the pics of your stew, it sure looks good! You mentioned the mioplex shakes-how do they taste?You also asked about home workouts-I used to do them on my own but I wasn''t sure about form ect. , so I have been using Cathe DVDS and she gives me quite a workout! I combine two of them: Gymstyle Chest&Triceps with Gymstyle Biceps, Back, and sholders. On cardio days I do a variety of Aerobics, lately I have been doing step and I love it. One of my personal fitness goals was to learn step, I have always wanted to do it but it''s hard because every gym i have ever belonged to has step classes, but no beginning step. My current gym offers step classes 3 days a week and hi/low 2days. So during the summer I could only go for a class 2 days a week, but next summer I will be able to joinn the step class for the 1st time!(well hopefully!!!) And I love step-the time flies by!!!
Thanks for telling me about the 3 hour rule-I didn''t know about it (I don''t have the book I just use the website) I am going to make an adjustment to my schedule. I want to burn as much fat as possible!!!


I have been plugging along, I could be better. Last week I was great, this week has been a little bumpy! We had a 3day weekend and I seem to be more tempted when I am at home!

I hope everyone has a great week!

Kasey
 
Hi Kasey! The Mypolex Ready to Drink shakes are quite tasty. I've had the chocolate and vanilla so far. I'm only buying those to taste them/try them out though - I'm going to order the powder mixes online once I decide which flavor I like the best. I do realize though that the powder mix is probably going to taste a little different than these regular ready to drink shakes do. These are reeeeeally rich though - the chocolate literally tasted like whole chocolate milk to me - very thick, and very sweet. Almost to the point of overload, in my book, since I'm not used to that anymore. But if you like that, I think you'd really like these ready to drink shakes. They are a little more expensive though. I would almost liken the vanilla one to snow cream - have you ever had that? Very creamy, thick, and sweet. I have the strawberry cream to try next - haha, I can only imagine how rich that's going to taste.

The step classes sound fun - I got to take an actual PE course in college for step aerobics, and it was really fun. It was intro, so it wasn't very challenging once you learned the basics, but overall I really liked the workout you got from stepping.

Just some food for thought - you might want to think about getting the regular book. (I way overpaid for mine now that I've seen it at other places for much cheaper. You can get it here for $18.95 - this is where FI and I purchase shakes and stuff from, because it's much cheaper at places like this online than in stores like Vitamin Shoppe.) Anyway, I say that only because you said you want to burn as much fat as possible. And I haven't found anywhere on his website that breaks down the program into detail like it does in the book. His workout programs aren't solely just doing cardio 3x a week and weights 3x a week. There's a methodology to them, mainly with a focus on intensity levels. You work up the intensity multiple times throughout your workout, to get your heartrate going faster and burn more fat in a smaller amount of time - I read somewhere that 20 minutes of intensity cardio training burns more fat than an hour of monotonous cardio. Anyway, I'm certainly not saying you won't burn fat by doing workout DVDs and classes in the gym. But I just wanted to make sure you were aware, since you don't have the book, that his workouts have specifics as far as raising the intensity at intervals throughout the whole time so that you burn as much fat as possible.
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Like I said, just food for thought. I'd try to explain it more so you don't have to go buy the book, but it's a lot to explain, and honestly much less confusing to just read. I tried explaining it to FI, and I thought I did a pretty darn good job, but he couldn't understand it. You could even just go into a local bookstore with about 30 spare minutes and sit down and read those sections if you want. I can even give you the page numbers to go read when I get home, if you want to do that! Let me know.

My last week was bumpy too towards the end. But I'm back on the wagon today, doing my best!
 
I also have a question for you guys doing the intensity weights - Haven maybe you or your DH could help me with this. I understand that for most of the weight training, you''re supposed to increase the weight and decrease the reps. But how do you do this for abs? It doesn''t help that I haven''t read through the ab workouts at the back of the book yet, because I didn''t get to do my lower body workout last week. But I understand that you can increase the weights in machines/dumbells. But I also ran into this problem at home last week, in the tricep workout for raising your body weight with your palms behind you on a table or something. There''s no way to increase the weights unless you weigh your actual body down with something more each time.
 
Found this - interesting reading. They make quite a few assumptions - doesn''t sound like they''ve really necessarily read the program all the way through.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/body-for-life-what-it-is

"If a person who by sheer force of will is able to do the BFL program -- and tolerate the injuries from such intense effort -- there is nothing wrong with it."
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"Intensity like this does produce both a functional and a cosmetic result, but nobody gets bodybuilder muscles just by following the basic program for 12 weeks," he says. "That takes more advanced training."
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(I tend to disagree, as I''ve seen that a major change in diet and exercise, combined with supplements, can make a HUGE difference... eh, but whatever.
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Haha, tip of the day: the Tex-Mex Burrito, when heated up, will make your paper plate soggy! This is the unfortunate thing that happened to between 1/3 and 1/2 of my meat from Monday. I had it yesterday for lunch as well, and I brought 2 paper plates for reinforcement AND made sure I kept my hand firmly under the entire thing - lunch was much more filling.
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Also, the Spaghetti and Meatballs were really good. I''ve never had turkey meatballs but they''re actually really tasty with the ingredients he gives to mix in them. It''s yucky work to roll them into balls, but it''s a cinch to cook them in our toaster oven under the broiler after that.


I also made this dessert last night as our nighttime snack - the Enriched Double Chocolate Pudding. SOOOOO yummy! Got the stamp of approval from FI as well. The only difference is that I used vanilla whey protein (still one scoop) instead of the Right Light stuff he mentions in the book. My pudding mix was sugar free/fat free chocolate fudge though, so I think that made up for the lack of the second chocolate item. The only thing was it could have used a little longer to solidify some more in the frig - I gave it over 30 minutes, and he calls for at least 20. It was good, but still not as firm as I''d like it. I put a little fat free Reddiwhip on top - voila! Totally healthy, yummy dessert/snack!



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That''s it for me for now - today is weights day! I didn''t work out on Tuesday because I had a late-night meeting, so I need to decide if I want to do upper or lower body today.

Hope everyone''s doing well!!
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I hope everybody's doing ok - not much action on here lately (or it could just be that my camera and I are way OVERactive lately, haha).
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I have been having the Greek pinwheels as a snack for the past few afternoons, and it holds me over wonderfully. My pita falls apart though, so I only cut the roll in half after rolling it up, instead of into all the little slices. It's easier to eat this way anyway. And very yummy dipped into a little bit of fat free zesty italian dressing.
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It's basically just sandwich turkey breast, a slice or two of fat free american cheese, and spinach leaves. Having one now!

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Hi, everyone! Sorry I''ve been so absent lately, I''ve let my frustration about my stagnating progress get the better of me.

Luvthem--Weddings are so tough, especially when you''re a part of them. Whatever you do, enjoy it! Those Myoplex shakes are great to bring along if you can keep them cool in a portable cooler or something. Do you like any bars, such as Fiber One or Luna or something? I know they''re not technically BFL food, but if you''re going to have to fend for yourself for that long, I''d throw some bars in your purse!
RE: The weights. I do my ab workout on those crunch machines where you raise your upper and lower body, they look like lifting benches with handles at the top. There''s a spot to add weight plates on at your feet, so that''s how I increase the resistance with abs. It''s so hard!
As for triceps at home, I would just put a heavy book or two in my lap, or if you have weights to use, even better.
All of your food looks so delicious, even the remnants of your burrito on the floor! That does stink, though, that it all spilled. I am totally going to make those Greek pinwheels, they look amazing!
That WebMD article is interesting, I''ve seen that before, I think. The biggest thing about starting any program is listening to your body so you don''t push yourself to the point of injury. I think a lot of people try to work through pain, which is when your problems begin. But I agree with you--if someone follows the diet and exercise program to the letter, they can and will see huge results. BfL is essentially a bodybuilding program, anyway, if you really look at it.

Kasey--Oh, I hear you on those early mornings. I am so not a morning person. Very cool to see another teacher here on PS.
I think the Myoplex Lite shakes tastes very good. They''re not watery, and although I prefer a shake I mix myself (so I can throw a banana in there) the Myoplex shakes are perfect for grabbing when you''re short on time.
Step classes look so hard! I''m always very intimidated by them, especially when they use multiple steps and fly around in different directions. How cool that you found a class you can take!

As for me, I had a couple rough days there so I didn''t exercise for several days in a row. I felt really awful about it, but I didn''t want to stress my body out and exacerbate whatever bug it was that I had.

The good news is that DH and I just got back from a killer legs workout, AND, I''m *finally* seeing some real weight loss!!!! I didn''t want to post about it last week because I wasn''t sure if it was just a fluke, but as of this morning I''m down to 162.4 from my start of 168.8. I''ve been in the 162s for several days, so I know it''s real!

It''s not a huge difference, but I started to drop a few pounds earlier this week so I think that the combo of everything I''ve been doing is finally starting to cause some real change in my body composition. THANK GOODNESS! So it''s only a loss of 6.4 lbs, but I can see some real muscle definition, too, so I''m hoping that means that I''ve lost more fat than just 6.4 lbs. DH is going to take my body fat measurements next week, so we''ll see then. I''m just really happy to be hovering so close to the 150s!
 
Haven: Congrats !!! You must be so happy!!! There is something about stepping on that scale and seeing a lower number that REALLY helps to motivate you to keep going KWIM! I was just talking to my hubby yesterday and I was telling him how frustrated I was because I have been working out almost everyday since the beginning of July and I have really changed my eating habits and I have only lost 2 pounds-and even those 2 pounds change sometimes I gian them back and more depending on the day! He was shocked, he told me that I have definately lost more than that-he couldn''t believe it! I know I have lost body fat because my clothes all fit better and my core is leaner-not muscular yet, but definately leaner. I can fit into clothes that I wore when I was about 15 pounds less than I am right now, which is great-but I would LOVE to see the actual weight drop as well! I know 3 months of working out does not seem like a long time, but I went from doing NOTHING to working out almost everyday I think I should have lost a little more weight!

Congrats to you again-sorry about my rant above! When will your program cycle be complete? Have you tried any more new recipes? Enjoy your free day!!!!

Luvthem: Thanks for the info on the BFL cardio plan. I didn''t know the specifics, but I have always known that during a workout you need to change your intensisty levels. I cannot run, my knees are shot, and I cannot use the elliptical for too long or too fast, as it really hurts my hip- I have arthritis in both knees and also my hip-I sound SO old don''t I! I am not as old as I sound!! I have always loved aerobics and it actually offers me a better workout than anything else. I used to be a runner,which is why my knees are shot-and when I started doing aerobics I stopped running because I enjoyed it more AND it gave me a more intense workout. The classes that I take at the gym, as well as my DVDs do vary the intensity level and each is quite a workout. The step workout can be altered by changing the height of the step, which I do throughout the workout. So, while I don''t follow the plan exactly I know I am making some kind of progress! And, I am really only following this plan to keep myself on track toward a healthier lifestyle and improve my over all health-which I think I have. I have more energy than in the past, I am in a much better mood and am much less stressed! I don''t want to be a bodybuilder, and I know I will not get optimum results-but I am OK with that! I would just like to loose some actual pounds!!!

Your dessert looked great, was it just regular suger free instant pudding with protein powder, or was it a special BFL recipe? And your rolll ups looked REALLY good. What do you use for the wrap?

I hope you enjoy your free day too!

Blackpaw: How are you doing? Are you still around?
 
I almost forgot-i am sorry to bother you guys, but is there any way that you can post the beef stew recipe? It looks so good!

thanks!!
 
Hi guys, glad to hear everything''s going well!!
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Haven - I think I''m going to bring along a few Myoplex shakes in a cooler with some icepaks. Then throw some almonds in my bag for the afternoon, and make a sandwich or maybe some fruit and a Greek pinwheel for lunch that day or something. There''s no concrete plans for lunch yet, and I can''t depend on them to bring junky snacks - it won''t last me all afternoon.
Thanks for the info on the weights too!
I''m so glad to hear you got over the bug you had. And even better that you''re seeing some progress!! Maybe your body just needed a little break to jumpstart itself or something.
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Hopefully the body fat numbers will give you even better news!

Kasey - No problem! I just wanted to make sure you were aware of that IF you were trying to stick to the plan exactly. But I totally hear you - I''m not even sticking to the plan exactly. And like I said, I loved step aerobics when I took it in school - it was so much fun that the time flew by. And that''s great that your classes and other workout videos involve intensity. Believe me, it is so great just to hear when people are actively striving to have a healthier lifestyle - it makes all the difference in the world!! Especially when YOU can tell a difference, like you said, in your energy, stress, moods, clothes, lean muscles... so great!!
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We''re using today as the free day. Had ChickFilA chicken nuggets, ranch dip, fries, lemonade, and a brownie for lunch! YUM! Don''t know what we''re going to do for supper yet, but something yummy! FI''s going to start back in the gym with me tomorrow. I''m thinking about changing my workout schedule a bit too - specifically, adding my weights to the cardio days and just having 3 days a week in the gym that are longer workouts. I''ll see how it goes this week. I''ve just got some commitments on weeknights sometimes, mainly work meetings with town councils, and missing those days really throws off my workouts and makes me miss some critical things - mostly weights. This past week, I was only able to do cardio. So I might try that so that I''m not beating myself up over those days I''m unable to go to the gym.
 
Haha sorry we forgot the beef stew recipe!! Here ya go...

Chunky Beef Stew
Servings: 4
Prep time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
4 portions top round steak, cut into 1-inch chucks (about 1 lb)
2 1/2 cups low-fat, reduced-sodium beef broth
4 portions potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 lb baby carrots
2 celery stalks, sliced
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup red wine (optional)
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:
1. Lightly coat a large pot with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Add beef chunks and saute until browned on al sides, about 6 minutes.
3. Add beef broth, potato chunks, carrots, celery, tmoato paste, black pepper, worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, and red wine. Bring to a boil over high heat.
4. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, unti the meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove bay leaf with a spoon or tongs and discard.
5. Spoon beef stew into bowls, dividing it into 4 portions. Sprinkle with parsley, serve and enjoy!

Tasteful Tip (from the book, not me
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):
Cooking with wine (adding it to ingredients, not drinking it while you're cooking) is optional, but it does indeed help create full and satisfying flavors. Keep in mind that the alcohol content evaporates during the cooking process.


(Like I said before, I used onion powder instead of a real onion, just because I didn't have one at the time. I've gotten my food processor back out now though, so I'd use a real onion now if I made it again. I also didn't use a bay leaf, red wine, or celery.)
 
Aaaaand because this stuff is just soooo good...
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Enriched Double Chocolate Pudding
Servings: 2
Prep Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 cup cold skim milk
1 packet chocolate Right Light
2 tbsp fat-free, sugar-free chocolate instant pudding mix

Directions:
1. Pour skim milk in blender. Then add Right powder and blend on medium speed for 15 seconds.
2. Add the pudding mix and blend on high speed until thick and creamy, about 45 more seconds (stopping blender to stir with spoon and scrape down sides as needed).
3. Spoon into 2 dessert bowls and chill in refrigerator for at least 20 minutes, then serve and enjoy!

Tasteful Tip:
This nutritious pudding is made with Right Light nutrition shake mix, which contains a very high-quality blend of protein, vitamins, and minerals. If you prefer a different brand of nutrition shake mix, it''s a-okay to use that, too!


(I googled Right Light, and it''s hard to find - just to see what it had in it. And I used 1 scoop of vanilla whey protein, which had about the same amount of protein and carbs in it as the Right Light. And my pudding mix was the chocolate fudge flavor, so I think that added a little more chocolate flavor. And like I said before, I think it could have used more time to chill and become more solid... but I gave it about 45 minutes the second time I made it, and it was about the same - maybe this mix just doesn''t solidify as much as normal pudding does. I also added some Reddiwhip, haha - yum yum! His picture shows a few raspberries and a mint leaf on top, so it''s nice and pretty too.)
 
Kasey just let us know if you''d like anything else!
 
Kasey--Thank you! I definitely understand how you feel when you say even though you *know* you''re making progress, it''s really nice to see some progress on the scale.
Congrats on fitting into clothes you wore 15 lbs ago! That''s awesome.

Luvthem--I think your three-day-a-week plan sounds great if that the best way for you to get all those workouts in. I definitely know what you mean, it is so hard to get in to the gym six days a week. I missed two lifting days last week, too. I wish I could work out at home, but I feel like I get a much better workout at the gym.

I''m down to 162.0 pounds today! We had our Apple Fest celebration yesterday, where we made so many delicious apple desserts I was sure I''d gained ten pounds, so I was excited to see the scale this morning. And motivated. Now I can''t wait to get down into the 150s! The interesting thing is that the last two weeks I''ve been consistently dropping weight, which is unusual for me because I normally go up and down a bit. That''s encouraging, too!

Have a great week, everyone!
 
Yay for progress Haven! Bring on the 150s!

Have you tried the Greek Pinwheel yet? I made one today and followed the recipe more - I used the oregano and cream cheese - no olives though, haha
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. Anyway, I have to say I seriously liked the one I made before so much better than this one. I don't know if it's because I can't taste the cream cheese much, or the oregano is too overpowering, or my lettuce was too thick or something, I don't know. But I really liked the other one better where I just had turkey, lettuce, and fat free american cheese, and dipped it in some ff italian dressing. Much, much better.

I had the sloppy joes today - not too shabby! I forgot to put lettuce on it, but I had a salad on the side, so that was pretty yummy. The sloppy joe made a very filling meal though.
 
I just made the Taco Pasta Salad - you guys HAVE to try it!!! Oh my GOSH it's so good. A few things I did differently: I didn't have beef, so I used some canned chicken breast I usually use to make chicken salad, etc. I also had some chopped red pepper/onion mixture left to make a few more servings of Tuna Rotini Salad, so I used that instead of the green pepper. I also had some black beans left over from my Tex-Mex burrito last week, so I threw that in too. And my pasta was single-colored, haha. But oh my GOSH was this good!!! That salsa and sour cream on top MAKES the meal - I didn't mix it together first, but man it was so good. Haha, that one will definitely be made again. (Haha I have to, since I have lots of taco seasoning left from the packet!)

That's something I really like about these meals - they're easily adaptable. I can switch out some ingredients if need be, based on what I have in stock, or what I don't like. Or I can throw in something extra, like the beans, that fits the general feel of the meal.

Kasey, here's the recipe if you like taco stuff:

Taco-Pasta Salad
Servings: 2
Prep Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:
2 portions rotini pasta (about 4 oz uncooked)
2 portions lean ground beef (about 1/2 lb)
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp taco seasoning mix
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 tbsp salsa
2 tbsp fat free sour cream
2 tbsp reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:
1. Prepare rotini pasta according to its package directions.
2. While the pasta is cooking, brown ground beef in a medium skillet over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain the beef of any excess fat and return to the skillet.
3. Add water, taco seasoning, and bell pepper to cooked ground beef; simmer until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.
4. While the beef is simmering, combine salsa and sour cream in a small bowl.
5. Place a portion of pasta on two separate plates Top with a portion of ground beef mixture. Sprinkle each with half of the cheese and a dollop of salsa-sour cream sauce. Serve and enjoy!

(Like I've said before, 2 oz pasta always turns out to be WAY too much for me to eat in one sitting. I think about half that would be a much better serving for me. Maybe 2/3. I've also found that Kraft makes a fat free cheddar cheese in the sprinkle bags now, and it still tastes great!)
 
Oh man, the taco pasta salad is SOOOO delicious! My husband even loved it, and he''s not normally a taco kind of guy.

I''m going to make the Greek pinwheels this week, they look so good! I''ll omit the oregano on your recommendation, luvthem.

I''m feeling very run down today so I skipped my workout. I feel guilty about it, but I''d rather rest today than make myself sick and miss out on the rest of the week''s workouts.

How is everyone''s week going?
 
Yay Haven - glad you guys liked the Taco Pasta! Man I thought it was great.

I had a meeting yesterday and couldn't work out. I have lots to do between today and tomorrow before we leave Friday for my cousin's wedding weekend, so I was going to try to go either today or tomorrow. First I've got to get rid of this killer headache today though. But FI and I went Sunday and did upper body, and I went Monday and did cardio. I have to say that I was really frustrated after Sunday with the upper body machines in the gym. I'm not that used to them, since I've always preferred lower body exercises and free weights for upper. But I gave the machines a try, and their range of motion is just totally out of line with mine. And I'm honestly pretty good at making sure I'm positioned right and all on the machines. Plus another big frustration is that the 5 and 10 lb incremental weights you can add to the machines make the motion feel like it's on a completely different pulley system or something, because when I go up to the next weight on the main set of weights, it's even easier, even though it's more weight than when I had the 10lb increment on before. I hope that makes sense. Anyway, I'm going to have to get creative and try to find time to get in the gym to do free weights for upper body, when all the meatheads and creepy guys aren't hogging the whole freeweight section. I wish I could do it at home, but I don't have enough different weight increments in dumbells.

I've also decided to throw my pilates back in the mix. I did one of my videos a few weeks ago before I started the program over, and it made my core feel great. I could even feel the soreness for the next few days. So I'm going to figure out some way to throw that back in, since it's my favorite way to work out my core, plus it's a good way to get some muscle confusion in there.

Just out of curiosity - what pasta do you guys like to use? I tried a lot of whole wheat pastas, and lot of them were very earthy-tasting to me, if that makes any sense. And I'd cook them so much longer than the directions said, but I could never get them to be as soft as white pasta. They always felt a little uncooked/tough to me. But I finally found one I like - Ronzoni Healthy Harvest. It tastes great. There's also one I like the in the grocery store called Dreamfields - I don't know that it's 100% whole wheat, but it's got a super-low GI, so it's great as far as pasta goes for not spiking blood sugar.

Oh yeah Haven - for the pinwheels, I did think the oregano was a bit much. But if you think you'd like to try it, sprinkle it on a few bites maybe and see if you like it. My other gripe was that I couldn't taste the cream cheese. Maybe I didn't have enough on there, I don't know. I'm making them again with fat free american cheese. I'm also going to get some better turkey meat in the grocery store next week - the real kind from the meat counter like I used to do for sandwiches, instead of the cheap-o packaged meat I've been getting. There is no comparison when it comes to flavor there, so I think the better meat will make the pinwheels even better.
 
Well guys I''m off tomorrow for my cousin''s wedding weekend. I''ll check in when I get back. I haven''t been able to eat as well the past few nights as I''d reeeeally like, just due to being so busy with errands. But I did go to the gym for cardio this afternoon, and that was nice. Hope you guys have a great weekend!!
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Let me know if you make any good BFL meals or if you have any awesome newsworthy free meals!
 
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