It's Friday-moment of truth!

It's Friday and that means I have to hop on that scale and see if all that calorie counting had any effect! Be right back......
Okay.....2 lbs down! That is just perfect....although it would be instant gratification if it had read 10 lbs....like on The Biggest Loser....but I want to be slow and steady ....and actually be able to enjoy my food! If I do the math, it worked out just like it said it would. I ate about 800 to 1000 calories less than my BMR of 2409, plus burned off a little more with my daily walks. A 550 calorie deficit each day equals about one pound lost in a week, so 2 lbs is exactly what I should expect. If I want to lose more each week, I have to eat less ( not gonna happen) or burn more calories by doing more exercise. I'll keep doing what's working on the food front and I think I'll add in some daily strength training......so follow along.....

This week's Exercise challenge

Hopefully you've been wearing your pedometer and trying to get your 10,000 steps in every day.

This week, I'm adding in some strength training. There are a lot of reasons for women to add it to their to-do list. Here are just a few that should convince you to get started:


Increased Metabolic Rate - Here is one of the most important benefits of strength training for women. We always want to discover the secrets to weight loss... well here is the first secret! Strength training increases your metabolic rate by increasing the calories you burn on a daily basis. The more calories you burn, the more chance you have to drop body fat.

Increasing and Restoring Bone Density - Strength training prevents and fights osteoporosis. After I began strength training, my bone density test showed an Increase in bone mass! Very important for someone my age

Increased Lean Muscle Mass - Note: You will not get big and bulky by strength training! You simply do not have enough testosterone in your body. Simply lifting weights as part of a regular strength training routine will not cause women to bulk up. With that said, for every pound of lean muscle mass that you have, you burn 35-50 calories per day!

Injury Prevention - Strength training strengthens our muscles and tendons. The stronger we are the less chance of an injury. This is especially important as we grow older. The benefits of strength training for women and men are highly touted for injury prevention.

Improved Balance - Especially important as we grow older. Strength training builds a strong foundation. Strengthening our legs and core section means an increase in overall balance and coordination. Anything that will help me stop stumbling into things is a good thing!

Decreased Risk of Coronary Disease - Strength training can reduce your blood pressure. It can also decrease your cholesterol levels. These benefits of strength training for women alone are a great reason to begin your program today. Heart disease is one of the highest (if not the highest) killer of women in America every year.

Do you have 15 minutes a day to reap all the benefits listed above?

You can build muscle and burn fat in just 15 minutes a day — no cardio and no gym! After a few weeks of this compound strength program, you'll end up with lean muscle tissue, which burns more calories than fat does, even when you're just sitting in a chair. It's a no-fail weight-loss workout, and here's the only catch: You need to do it four to six days a week. Grab your hand weights and set your timer ...... See the photo of that woman having so much fun with her weights on the right? To find this 15 minute a day workout go to Good HouseKeeping Fitness

Recipe of the Day

Making your own salad dressing adds a fresh taste to a boring salad and is a great way to get creative. Here is a favorite of mine.... I'm having it for lunch:

Turkey Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

1/4 cup orange juice
2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons finely chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon salt dash of pepper
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 cups torn salad greens
2 cups cooked turkey breast - cut into julienne strips
1 can (11 ounce) drained mandarin orange segments
1/2 cup sliced celery

In a jar with tight-fitting lid, combine all vinaigrette ingredients; shake well. Or mix well with a whisk.

In large bowl, combine all salad ingredients; toss gently. Serve with vinaigrette.

Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups.
Calories-200 Carbs-13g Protein-23g Fat 6g sat fat 1g

Tip of the Day

Potato or potahto...who needs it? Well I do love potatoes but these days it is a sweet potato at least twice a week. Center for Science in the Public Interest ranked the sweet potato number one in nutrition of all vegetables. The reasons the sweet potato took first place? Dietary fiber, naturally occurring sugars, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron and calcium. The sweet potato received a score of 184; the vegetable ranked in second place was more than 100 points behind with a score of 83. The numbers for the nutritional sweet potato speak for themselves: almost twice the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A, 42 percent of the recommendation for vitamin C, four times the RDA for beta carotene, and, when eaten with the skin, sweet potatoes have more fiber than oatmeal. All these benefits with only about 130 to 160 calories! And they are so quick and easy to make! I microwave two sweet potatoes for about 8 minutes till they're nice and soft. I add a little Smart balance spread and some cinnamon....very yummmy. If you think you don't like them ( maybe you are remembering those gross candied yams from a can from Thanksgivings past) just try them and I think you'll change your mind.

Yesterday's Menu

Breakfast-2 egg on toast, fruit- 400 cal
Lunch- turkey burger on roll, onion, red pepper, pineapple-500
Dinner- chex cereal ( nice light dinner!) with strawberies, blueberries and banana, 1% milk--300
small handfull of almonds--170

So, how did you do this week? Just click on the word'comments' below to post your thoughts

What is my BMR and why do I need to know it?

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the mimimal caloric requirement needed to sustain life in a resting individual. This is the amount of energy your body would burn if you slept all day (24 hours). This includes the body functions such as circulation, breathing, generating body heat, transmitting messages to the brain, cellular metabolism, and the production of body chemicals.

Let's look at some factors that affect BMR:

* Age: In youth, the BMR is higher; age brings less lean body mass and slows the BMR.
* Height: Tall, thin people have higher BMR's.
* Growth: Children and pregnant women have higher BMR's.
* Body Composition: The more lean tissue, the higher the BMR.
* The more fat tissue, the lower the BMR.
* Fever: Fevers can raise the BMR.
* Stress: Stress hormones can raise the BMR.
* Environmental Temperature: Both the heat and cold raise the BMR.
* Fasting/Starvation: Fasting/starvation hormones lower the BMR.
* Malnutrition: Malnutrition lowers the BMR.
* Thyroxin: The thyroid hormone thyroxin is a key BMR regulator; the more thyroxin produced, the higher the BMR.

If you are trying to lose weight by counting calories, knowing your BMR is essential.

The Harris Benedict equation is one of the most accurate methods of BMR estimation. This formula uses factors such as age, weight, height and sex to determine BMR and is accurate with the exception of pregnant women, extremely muscular and extremely obese individuals. The Harris Benedict formula is as follows:

women--BMR = 655 + (9.6 x weight in kilos) + (1.8 x height in cm) - (4.7 x age in years)
men--BMR = 66 + (13.7 x weight in kilos) + (5 x height in cm) - (6.8 x age in years)

But, you don't have to do the math...You can use this BMR calculator .

Using the calculator, ( make sure you choose inches and lbs instead of kilos), my BMR is 1554....but remember that is just to sustain my body at rest....so then this chart came up to show me how many calories I can consume to sustain my present weight at different levels of activity:

Lack of activity or very small activity	1865 Calories / day
Small activity 1 – 3days / week	2137 Calories / day
Moderate activity 3 - 5days / week	2409 Calories / day
Big activity 6 - 7 days / week	2681 Calories / day
Very big activity i.e. training 2x a day	2953 Calories / day

To lose weight, I have to create a deficit of calories, which I can do in a number of ways....

Eating Less Calories than you Burn each Day.
Eat anything less than what you use each day consistently, and you will lose weight. So, if I eat 1859 calories a day ( 2409 calories a day, moderate activity- 550 calories), all week long , I will lose 1 pound (3500 calories) in about a week.

Exercising More
I can keep my caloric intake the same (2409) and create my deficit by burning extra calories. So, if you burned 550 calories through exercise alone, you will still lose 1 pound in about a week.

A Combination of Both Diet and Exercise
This is the most effective way to lose weight and keep it off. Say you cut your calories by 300 and burn 250 calories with exercise. There is your 550 calorie deficit—with much less deprivation and work.

You could speed it up by cutting more calories and exercising more—whatever works best for you. Some people hate to diet, others hate to exercise, so maybe you’ll do more or less of either one.

Of course, the example above was just for simplicity. You can cut any number of calories from your diet (more or less than the 500 in the example) and you can burn more or less than the example illustrates. As long as you are consistent, your deficit will "add up" over time…and you’ll slim down.
One point I want to stress to you no-breakfast eaters ....not eating breakfast slows down your BMR so that you will have to eat even less or exercise even more to lose weight. Losing weight is challenging enough, don't make it more difficult. Take the time to jump start your metabolism in the morning and EAT! It's better for your brain too.

Recipe of the Day
Healthy Makeover--Spinach artichoke dip

You know that yummy dip you get with pita chips at your favorite restaurant? Well it has about 28 grams of fat per serving! Here is a great recipe that has only 8 grams of fat and half the calories but it also has 7 grams of protein because it features tofu. Don't be afraid of tofu, it has no taste, it absorbs the flavors of what you cook with it, but adds great texture and volume.

Remember portion control!
This makes 20 servings, which are 1/4 cup, so don't eat the whole bowl!

Ingredients:

• 1 package (16 ounces) soft tofu, drained
• 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 1 can (14 ounces) water-packed artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and chopped
• 2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 3 garlic cloves, minced

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Spoon into an ungreased 9-in. deep-dish pie plate. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Serve warm. Yield: 5 cups.

Nutrition Facts
One serving:1/4 cup

• Calories:109
  Fat:8 g
• Saturated
  Fat:2 g
  Cholesterol:11 mg
  Sodium:317 mg
  Carbohydrate:4 g
  Fiber:1 g
  Protein:7 g

Tip of the Day

Know what you eat!
Here is a link to a great site called Nutrition Data. You put in the food in the search area at the top of the page and it brings up all kinds of info on that food. Besides nutrition stats, it gives you their opinion on how healthy it is, inflammation index, protein quality...lots of things you need to know to help you make good food choices.

Yesterday's Menu

Breakfast: Chex cereal with fruit and soy milk--230 calories
Lunch:--salad with tons of veggies, 1T dressing--150 calories
Dinner: Hot Dog , no bun--275
3 glasses wine-400
sweet potato chips with spinach artichoke hummus-250
snack: pineapple-30 cal
Total- 1335
Okay not the greatest nutritionally, but for dinner, my son and his GF were visiting and we sat out on the deck for 3 hours with wine coolers and a veggie dip. We decided to order pizza and I can't eat that ( has gluten) so I grabbed a hot dog and threw it on the grill. We had a great time!

Boost metabolism!

Do you wake up too bleary eyed in the morning to think about breakfast? There’s an old saying, which says, “Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dine like a pauper!”

The truth is however that most people don’t eat a suitable breakfast, never mind eating “like a king!”

Breakfast has that particular name because it is "breaking" the "fasting" of the night. While you are asleep your body goes in to a calorie conservation period because you are not providing additional fuel to your body. This is done because you are in a period of fasting. When you eat a healthy breakfast, you end this conservation period and your metabolism returns to it normal levels. This increased metabolism rate accounts for an increased energy level.
Actually, if you are dieting and worrying about the calories, skipping breakfast actually has a negative effect. By not allowing your body to return to its normal metabolism rate, your body is not working efficiently and therefore is not losing weight. I never skip breakfast. I'm not necessarily hungry first thing in the morning, and I know I have plenty of fat cells to provide enough energy to my body....but my metabolism is slow enough as it is and skipping breakfast makes it slow down even more.

5 key reasons not to skip breakfast:

1. It kick starts our metabolism - speeding it up, and therefore burning calories rather than storing them.
2. It boosts our nutrient intake - breakfast eaters have a lower fat intake, a higher fiber intake, and significantly higher intakes of vitamins and minerals, especially calcium, iron and magnesium.
3. It helps prevent binge eating - hunger will be better regulated and therefore less calories are consumed from unhealthy foods.
4. It improves our memory and concentration - people who eat a healthy breakfast concentrate better, are more efficient, and have improved mood, in comparison to those who skip breakfast.
5. Weight maintenance - those who eat breakfast are more likely to maintain a healthy weight.

What should breakfast consist of?

• One serving of a whole grain carbohydrate.
• One serving of calcium containing food.
• One serving of fruit.
• It’s also fine to have a protein serving, for example meat, or an egg, but it’s not necessary for most people.

If you don’t eat breakfast every day, why not make it a new goal?

Recipe of the Day
Breakfast doesn't mean a bowl of Rice Krispies....
with a glass of skim milk, this makes a great breakfast!
and at 182 calories, have 2 servings!
Today's recipe comes from Eating Well Magazine
Blueberry/peach Cobbler

I always like to use what is in season and blueberries and peaches are abundant now. This is a healthier version of a traditional cobbler, with canola oil in place of some of the butter and whole-wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour. Unlike more classic biscuit-topped cobblers, the peaches and blueberries are nestled into a tender batter that swells around the fruit as it bakes. Other fruits may be substituted. It’s especially beautiful when baked in and served right from a cast-iron skillet.

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup reduced-fat milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ripe but firm peaches (about 1 pound), pitted and sliced into eighths, or 3 1/2 cups frozen
2 cups (1 pint) fresh or frozen blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Place butter and oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Heat in the oven until melted and fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add milk, sugar and vanilla; stir to combine.
4. Add the melted butter mixture to the batter and stir to combine. Pour the batter into the hot pan. Spoon peaches and blueberries evenly over the batter.
5. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the top of the cobbler is browned and the batter around the fruit is completely set, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Remove to a wire rack to cool for at least 15 minutes. Serve warm. You can dust it with a little confectioner's sugar too.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 182 calories; 8 g fat (3 g sat, 3 g mono); 11 mg cholesterol; 26 g carbohydrate; 3 g protein; 3 g fiber; 212 mg sodium; 140 mg potassium.

Tip of the Day

If you've been looking at my menus, you see I eat a lot of pineapple.....not the stuff in a can, but freshly cut....there is no comparison! I leave it in the fridge and it's always handy for a sweet and refreshing and healthy snack.You can find pineapples in the grocery store for 2 or 3 dollars now and when you cut it up, it makes about 4 cups of chunks. Don't be daunted by the the idea of cutting up a whole pineapple, it's easy and takes me less than 5 minutes. Just watch this video

Yesterday's Menu

Breakfast: bowl of in-season fruit, one piece toast with Smart balance-300 calories

Lunch- veggie egg omelet with one egg and one egg white, mushrooms,peppers, onions and 1 T cheese-350 calories

Dinner- I made the fried chicken recipe from Cooking light that I posted earlier this week. It was yummy! I had 3 pieces instead of 2! With beans from my garden and 1/2 a corn on cob, 2 tsp Smart balance, total cals was about 500

snacks-1/2 cup pineapple-30

2 itty bitty cookies-150

TOTAL-1330

Set straight!

I just got back from Dr. Mike, the Chiropractor. He told me ...and showed me....how my hip and knee pain were from my hips being twisted....and, my hips being twisted were from my improper gait. I have the flattest feet in the world and no arch to speak of and now I have bunions too! He explained that the bunions are not caused by pointy shoes ( which I never wear) or heredity. They are cause by your feet rolling inward, called pronation, which put pressure on that part of the foot.....And, in doing so, your whole alignment is messed up causing problems in your other joints. He took a long time, using his skeleton model and showing me exercises to strengthen my thigh muscles and align my hips. He did an adjustment and he had me try on these orthotic flip flops .....the second I put them on, my feet and my whole body felt great. They look just like normal flip flops but the built in orthotic aligns your ankles and body correctly. So I bought a pair and I feel great! Now I can get back to my walking routine. So, thank you Dr. Mike! Dr. Mike is also a nutrition specialist so I'm a big fan!

Recipe of the Day


Healthy pan- fried chicken
click this link From Cooking Light

Tip of the day

When you're craving something sweet and there's nothing in the house, take Hershey's No Sugar Chocolate Syrup and add it to a big glass of skim milk. It satisfies the craving and makes you feel really full. For myself, I don't eat much dairy and My very favorite is Silk light chocolate soy milk. It tastes like a liquid fudgsicle and satisfies the chocolate craving. And better yet, it has 6 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber per serving!

Yesterday's menu

Breakfast: omelet made with one egg and one egg white filled with mushrooms, red pepper and red onion, 1 tablespoon of cheese, topped with tomato--210 calories

Lunch: lean turkey burger, seasoned with 1 tsp Madras curry powder, on bun with red onion, red pepper and djon mustard-- 390

dinner: Gluten Free Cafe frozen dinner, fettucine alfredo-400

snack sweet potato chips w with spinach and artichoke hummus--185 calories
nectarine-60
pineapple-30
2 small cookies-150

Total-1425 calories

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

San Gria!

It's Sunday, it's a gorgeous day outside and I'm taking the day off from blogging!! I'll see you tomorrow!!

But, I'll leave you with a recipe for a yummy sparkling San Gria

Talk about motivation...

I like to take photos and I'm usually the one you can count on to have my camera ready at an event. I'm also known for taking those photos of myself and my friends and "photoshopping" them to fix those things the camera does to us .....like adding all those pounds and wrinkles that aren't really there ( well, we wish they weren't there!)
I think I had been doing that so often to my own pictures ( shaving off a few pounds in strategic places....like my butt!) that I started to believe that's how I really looked! ( by the way, that's not me on the left. I wish I looked as good as her before pic!)
It only took a photo of me that someone else had taken that was not 'enhanced' that brought me back to reality and made me face the truth....and it's what pushed me to start this blog.
But, what I wanted to share with you is this very cool site weightmirror.com. It is an instant weight loss visualizer. You upload a full frontal photo of yourself , put in your weight and height and then using a sliding scale, you see how you would look after losing a certain amount of weight. Sliding the bar to 20 lbs lost, then 30....is a real motivator to keep on track. But an even better motivator is sliding it up to 20 lbs gained and seeing how I would look if I keep gaining! So, have someone take a photo of you this weekend and see your future self!

Recipe of the Day

Blueberry muffin makeover

Have you ever had one of those giant muffins you get by the 24 pack at those big warehouse stores and felt pretty good because when you looked at the nutrition info label, it said it only had 180 calories.....so you had two on the way home? Well, if you looked a little further you would have read that a serving size was 1/3 of the muffin! So that muffin is really 540 calories, the same as a Big Mac ! And let's not even mention the saturated fat ( okay, it's 16,grams a whole days worth......). Here is a recipe makeover from Good ( enough) Housekeeping for blueberry muffins:

• 1 cup(s) oats
• 1 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup(s) packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup(s) low-fat buttermilk
• 2 tablespoon(s) low-fat buttermilk
• 3 tablespoon(s) canola oil
• 1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
• 2 cup(s) blueberries
• 1 teaspoon(s) granulated sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Place oats in blender and blend until finely ground.
3. In large bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder and soda, and salt. In small bowl, with fork, blend egg, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla; stir into flour mixture until flour is moistened. Fold in berries.
4. Spoon batter into muffin-pan cups; sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake 23 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of muffins comes out clean. Invert onto wire rack; serve warm, or cool to serve later.

Calories	165
Total Fat	5g
Saturated Fat	1g
Cholesterol	19mg
Sodium	250mg
Total Carbohydrate	--
Dietary Fiber	2g
Sugars	--
Protein	4g
Calcium	--

Tip of the Day

Don't assume "Healthy" Means "Low-Cal"
The label trumpets "low fat," "zero trans fats," or "no carbs." But these virtuous pronouncements don't tell you a thing about calories — which is what you need to pay attention to in order to lose weight and keep it off. "My rule of thumb is to look first at the calories per serving, then check the serving size," says Marion Nestle, Ph.D., professor of nutrition and food studies at New York University. You might be surprised by what the manufacturer considers a serving: For some cereals, like Grape-Nuts or certain brands of granola, it's only a half cup (compared to a cup and a quarter for Rice Krispies, say). "Once you match the product's serving size to what you'd actually eat, the calories might be considerably higher."

Yesterday's menu

Breakfast: Chex cereal with blueberries, cut up nectarine and 1/2 cup 1% milk-233cal

Lunch: Lean Turkey Burger on a bun-243

Pre-dinner reception at art gallery: 2 glasses chardonnay- 260 1 oz cheese-100
Dinner: 1 1/4 lb lobtstah, hardly any of the butter, 1/2 baked potato, tsp sour cream
1 glass chardonnay, 1/2 cup ice cream- 550 cal

Snacks- popcorn-250
watermelon-50

Almost 1700 calories, not bad for going out to a reception and dinner.

10,000 steps to healthy....

If it's your first visit, scroll down to my welcome message first!

Here we are....it's Friday and time to get started!

And it's time for my first weigh in. But, it's only a number, right? And I can make that number on the scale a little less if I wiggle my left foot and lean just a bit to the right...oops...wait a minute....it's time to get real, that's what this blog is about.

Now, I don't think it's necessary to weigh in each week if you don't want to. If you are trying to eat healthy following a sensible plan and you are exercising, then you'll start to notice yourself shrinking in those pants. But, I find that I like having little number goals to work toward. I've been at this long enough that I don't have a fear of the scale and I don't get obsessed by what number comes up. And, in that light, I'm not going to post the numbers here. I'll report in with results of my progress though. If you are the type who gets too obsessed with those numbers, then pack that scale away for now!

I'm basically following a Calories in/Calories out plan using the Calorie Count website over there on the right. It has a tool that tells you how many calories in a food and how many calories you burn off with certain activities. You journal whatever you eat and it has a really cool pie chart analysis that evaluates the nutrition in what you eat for that day. I find it very motivating when I see that I stayed within my calorie goal but that 60% was fat and it gave me a grade of C-!
I've always been a teacher's pet type of girl, so I strive for the A each day. That way it's not just about losing lbs, but giving my body what it needs and achieving overall health.
I plan to stay within 1500--2000 calories a day. I'm being less rigid because I am happy to have the lbs come off slower if it means I can still enjoy my wine and dark chocolate! Besides we all know that slow and steady weight loss is better for our health and makes it more likely that we'll keep on track. So, most days I'll stick to the 1500. My goal is to lose at least 1.5 lbs by next Friday.

This week's Exercise Challenge...Step it up!

Now, if you don't love to exercise, ( and I am betting most of us do not...who are those people?!) I find the best way to get started is to walk....with a pedometer permanently attached to your waistband. ( that way going from your desk to the coffee machine counts too!) Your goal for weight loss is 10,000 steps a day, which is 5 miles. Just wearing the pedometer will make you aware of how much (or how little) distance you cover in a day. The first day, just wear it to see how many steps you take in a usual day. Unless you have a job that involves being on your feet all day, my guess is it will be way below the 10,000 steps goal. So, should you immediately run out the door and walk the 5 miles to work? Of course not....there is a link on the right sidebar to the Walking Site and they have a page that will take you step by step, ( yes, I do puns as often as I can) through a Beginning Fitness Walking Program.

It's an easy to follow beginner schedule that starts with 15 minute walks and will have you walking 60 minutes in 12 weeks. Warm up and cool down time are included in the scheduled minutes. Be sure to stretch after your walks. You can get a simple pedometer at any sports store or most chain drugstores too. But I like this one....it is very accurate and simple to use, just a reset button.
If you are new to fitness walking ( whaddayamean, I walk all the time!) it is different than regular walking. It's important that you warm up and cool down. And I have learned that everything that hurts gets all warmed up by the time you hit a half mile and it starts to feel good.....so remember that as you begin.
Walking essentials: an ipod or other music player, bottle of water and your cell phone ( as my Mom would say, just in case.....)
Ok, I've got the sneakers on my feet and my pedometer hooked on my waist. I'm off for my walk. The dog is staring at me longingly, but he just can't keep up. ( I'm sorry, but stopping to sniff every blade of grass to find the perfect place to pee really puts a damper on my target heart rate!)

Recipe of the day

Okay, the weekend is upon us so today's recipe is for a cocktail!!

As you know, I like my wine, but in the heat of summer, a nice frosty margarita really hits the spot! But there are over 500 calories in a margarita....fine if I'm not having food for lunch too ( it's happened!). So this refreshing drink is a perfect substitute. My sister Nancy introduced me to this:

Wine Cooler
In a nice glass, pour 6 oz red wine over ice
add 6 oz. ( or more) flavored sparkling water ( I use a no-calorie blueberry/raspberry flavor)
add a lemon or lime wedge and enjoy!
Try different wines and different bubbly stuff.

It's 160 calories, not as sicky sweet as the pre bottled stuff and it is very refreshing! And, you'll be enjoying all those great anti-oxidants and health benefits in red wine!

Tip of the Day

Have you noticed that bagels are bigger than they used to be? A typical bagel is no longer equal to two slices of bread -- it's more like four to six slices! Switch to a mini-bagel, and you'll save at least 180 calories . It may not look like much the first time you have one, but a mini-bagel really is satisfying after you get used to the smaller size. Thomas' makes whole wheat mini bagels that are 120 calories but even better, they have 4 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein. A great snack when you need a carb fix!

Yesterday's menu

Breakfast:

Gluten Free Chex cereal with strawberries, added a cut up nectarine (out of bananas but this was delicious!) 1/2 cup 1% milk...all that for 210 calories!

Lunch:

3 tacos made with 1/4 lb ground lean turkey with chipotle pepper, diced tomato, 1/4 cup shredded cheese, lettuce, 1T sweet chili sauce....500 calories and very filling!

Dinner:

3 oz. grilled boneless lean Pork chop, baked sweet potato with 1 tsp Smart Balance spread with cinnamon, 1 Cup steamed summer squash, 1/4 cup fresh pineapple chunks....500 calories

Snack: watermelon in the morning and a gluten free granola bar in afternoon.....180 calories

Only 1400 calories, so I have to make sure I eat more...but I did get an A in the nutrition analysis!

Welcome!

Thanks for coming to check out my Blog! I hope after you have a look around, you'll join me on my quest to Shrink myself into all those pants in my closet that don't fit me! But, in all seriousness, this blog is a tool I hope to use to share information and support as we try to get strong and healthy.... To learn and practice healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle to live our longest, best life. I hope with the support and encouragement of other women, we can reach our goals.

I've spent the better part of my 54 years struggling with my weight. I've done Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, low carb, low food......and on and on. Along the way I learned a lot about nutrition; what works and what doesn't. I am a firm believer in not looking at it as a DIET. Yes, I need to kick it up to drop these stubborn pounds, but even after reaching my weight loss goal, I want to keep the good habits forever.

As I approached my 50th birthday, I promised myself I would start the second half of my life as a slimmer, healthier person. I joined a gym, purged the pantry and started eating healthier. Four years later, I have a vast amount of knowledge from what I have learned and by doing research on the web and although my body is stronger and less flabby, I am only about ten pounds less than I was then. As I am approaching my prime years, I know that less weight on my joints and heart will keep me stronger and healthier longer....and dammit....I'm running out of time to look hot! For you younger gals, now is the perfect time to set your health goals for life!
So I've made this blog where we can all meet for support, for recipes and for a few laughs.
Some of you may be battling that crappy, slow, menopausal metabolism like me....some of you younger ladies may be battling the leftover baby weight ( I still have baby weight from Kevin....and he's 25!) or you just want to get in shape and learn the skills for a healthy life.
I am very content with everything I can control in my life right now....except for this one thing.
I wish I knew back then what I know now.....but that was before we had these cool tools like the Internet! I want to share what I've learned and I want to learn from you, to help us all achieve the healthy lifestyles we want.

Over on the right sidebar are links to helpful resources. Under Healthy Living are some great sites to find a good healthy eating program. I've only put up links to sites I trust that promote healthy eating and exercise....no fad diets allowed! Any of these programs are great and all the sites have terrific tools to help you. There is lots of good info out there on the web......and lots of bad info too! I'll weed it out and only post the good stuff! I'll be adding more links as I customize the blog . I'll be posting my own recipes and tips and advice. You will be able to leave comments to share your ideas, stories and challenges, encouragement and support.

To get us started.....

• I'm going to be posting my weekly weigh in and my daily exercise...being accountable is the first step to keeping it real! You don't have to do this, but I hope you will. Weigh in day will be Friday. ( before the weekend!)
  
• I enjoy good food! I don't plan on eating carrots and 6 walnuts for lunch! I'll be posting a daily recipe of yummy healthy foods and snack suggestions and I hope you'll share yours too.
  
• I'll post an exercise/activity challenge each week. I'll make suggestions but you can choose your own activity and try to meet the challenge
  
• I'll be posting a Tip of the Day...things I've learned about what works for me and might work for you too.
  
• At first, most of us will be here for help in weight loss, but even if you don't want to lose weight you can join us to share lots of info on how to keep healthy for life.

So, I think this will be a wonderful journey where women of all ages can meet for motivation and encouragement and share the challenges and the laughs ( oh, I guarantee there will be laughs!). You can choose your own weight loss program from those on the right or you can do your own thing. Everyone has different needs and likes...that is what is so great about this, we are here to support and encourage each other in whatever method you choose whether it's calorie counting or something else. Your level of participation is up to you. You don't have to comment or post your weight. There is no "being good" or "being bad" here. I won't be giving out any little gold pins for pounds lost! And if you get off track ( it will happen!) we are here to commiserate and help you get back on.

Please feel free to invite your friends and family members......no guys....this is a Sisterhood...just tell them we might be talking about our periods and hot flashes, then they'll steer clear!

If you want to join the fun, just post a comment below to join in. It's easy to do. ....just click on the word "comments" below this post and the place to write will pop up.... and you can see what everyone else has written too. .....but you can send me an email if it's too confusing for you and we'll deal with that later.
Just first names are fine. We begin this Friday, .....so what are you waiting for?