Sleep away the weight!

It's Monday! I don't know what it is but something about Monday makes me feel re-energized. I look at it as a day to evaluate the week before, forgive myself any missteps and re-commit to staying on track. .....like a new beginning every 7 days. I'm in this for the long haul so looking at it that way keeps me focused.
As soon as my chiropractor's office opens, I'm going to give him a call to see if I can get in today. I'm hoping that he can 'fix' the pain in my hip and knee that has had me laying off the exercise the past few days. I don't know if I injured it ( maybe doing those 72 stairs at Long Pond) or if I am just out of whack! Hopefully, he can whack me back to normal and I can get back to my routine.
I've been limping around like an old lady. Although some of you might be saying, "you're 54- you are an old lady!", in my head I am about 35 and I want to get the healthy body to go with it. Now, that doesn't mean I want MY 35 year old body back....I am in better shape now than I was then. So, how was your weekend?

Recipe of the Day

Lettuce wraps are a great way to deliver a main dish meal. You can easily create lettuce wraps in an almost endless array of variations at home. You can use the same ingredients you use in burritos, tortillas, pita bread, spring roll, or phyllo dough as a good candidate for a lettuce leaf.

Leftovers work great as well. Chicken, fish or steak or vegetable combinations as filling bases are excellent choices. If you are watching your weight, fill your lettuce wrap with low-fat fillings and lean meat.

In short, the only limit you have with lettuce wraps is you imagination! Here are some recipes and tips to get you started, but do not hesitate to try anything that sounds good to you.

Here is a simple lunch I like

CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS
Spread 6 Big lettuce leaves with 2 tbsp.
hummus and top with 3 oz. sliced grilled chicken and 2 tbsp. walnuts.
( I grind them small so you use less but get a lot of flavor)
Also have 1 c fruit of your choice and 6 small whole grain crackers. Total calories: 405

Tip of the Day

Get Your Beauty Sleep

Is ravenously watching a Real Housewives of New Jersey marathon until 2 a.m. really worth it? A new study suggests that sleep deprivation can contribute to excess pounds. Researchers put 92 healthy people through an 11-day sleep-restriction experiment. Though all participants were given three meals a day and access to snacks, those whose sleep was curbed gained an average of 2.9 pounds during the study. Researchers suspect that the weight gain may in part be due to an extended period during which one can eat. So, if you must stay up past your bedtime for a good reason (a deadline, the night shift) make sure you have healthy noshing options on hand. Otherwise, slowly back away from the remote control: There will be plenty of daylight hours during which to watch the ladies overturn tables. I try to make it a rule for myself to not eat anything after 8pm.

Yesterday's Menu

Breakfast: 2 eggs over easy on toast with one tsp smart balance ,one slice of bacon, fresh pineapple--430 calories

Lunch: Big BLT salad with lettuce from my garden, tomato, one slice of bacon, crumbled and a tsp light mayo--200 calories

Dinner: 3 oz. lean steak, grilled potatoes, onions and carrots (from my garden....yum!)tossed in a tsp olive oil--400 calories

Snack: two gin and tonic-400 calories ( hey, it was the weekend!)
sweet potato chips-200 calories