To Le-Fit, Too Le-Fit to Quit

Outside motivation

2010-04-10T09:29:00.002-04:00

So for the last 5 weeks, I have been exercising at least 5 hours a week. I started because my company offered the incentive that if we did the YMCA March madness challenge for at least 3 weeks we would get one PTO day. Well, that was incentive enough for me. In addition, if we were able to make it to the final 4 teams out of 28, we would get our company medical contribution paid for two pay periods. Well, I am happy to say that I made it to the final four. I love some competition and my teammates do too. In the process of exercising, I have been exposed to many different classes at the YMCA. I have done Yoga, Body Step, X-Factor, Spinning, & FIT. I will have to say that most of the classes were quite enjoyable. I wasn't much of a Body Stepper though. It's like dance steps and I have two left feet when it comes to dance.

The good news is that a byproduct of the exercising has caused me to lose around 11 LBS! I certainly didn't set out to lose that much weight but I guess I have accumulated some extra weight over the past few years. I hope that I can continue the motivation to keep exercising even when the competition is over. Because the best benefit is that I feel so much better now then when I started over a month ago. Staying healthy is a lifestyle change that can be hard to keep up. So I hope along with me you can find some motivation to do whatever you can to feel better and stay healthy.

I am the Queen of the World!!!

2010-02-23T11:40:00.001-05:00

So my fitness goal for the year is to run a 5k with my dad when he gets back from Iraq (I’ve been promising him this for years and have never done it). I haven’t fully mapped out my plan of action, but I feel like I have a good start. I’ve been running/walking a loop in my neighborhood that is about a mile. I get up at 6am, stretch, run it, and stretch again… simple, but it’s a start. Well, let me tell you that first week (which was last week, yes I am late getting this goal going) was hard! I am out of shape in a bad way! But, today I ran the whole thing and I felt awesome. The wind was blowing in my face, the temperature was perfect, and birds were chirping as if to cheer me on. I even circled the court afterwards and pumped up my speed. YES! So, I’m feeling pretty good today. Any other success stories out there???

Happy New Years!

2010-01-02T09:46:00.002-05:00

It is time to start the new year out right! So have you set any New Year's goals to help you to get healthy?

There is a great article about setting goals here. Some of the highlights are:

#1. Determine a long term goal.

#2. WRITE IT DOWN - studies show that you will be more likely to stick to your goal if you write it down

#3. Create a timeline for the goal, with short term goals along the way to help you achieve it.

#4. Be realistic in your goals. Make sure they are achievable.

#5. Be specific. Very specific. The more specific the better.

#6. Determine a reward for achieving your goal and little rewards for all the short term ones along the way.

#7. Be forgiving of yourself. Have a contingency plan in case something gets in the way of your goal.

So I'm going to help you out with the second step of the goal setting process. Write down your goal in the comments and let us know what you are planning for this year as your health goal. Happy goal setting!

Okay, how did you do?

2009-11-30T13:41:00.004-05:00

Thanksgiving... probably the worst day of the year for eating healthy. I read once that the average American eats 5000 calories on Thanksgiving, whoa! So, is it time to regroup in preparation for Christmas?

Weight goals?
Exercise goals?
Healthy food goals?

Don't falter now, you can do it!!!

Friday Weigh-In

2009-11-06T13:12:00.002-05:00

I haven't been doing very good at keeping up with this, but I'll try to do better!

How have things been going?

I'm struggling right now, but I don't think I've really gained any, so that is good!

Chasing Time...

2009-11-02T09:29:00.005-05:00

Happy Monday everyone!
I hope you're all having a beautiful start to your November.
As usual I'm still in the race to a healthier mind, body and spirit.
However, I've had a break though as to what keeps me feeling like I'm constanting running...I'm chasing time :(
The HARDEST part of trying to living a healthy life through exercise is finding the TIME!
I can't set a certain "time" of day and then expect to always have that little block of time.
Between taking care of children, housework, church callings, cooking, laundry and jobs we have to be willing to take whatever time we can.
So for all of you in the chase...put on your running shoes and pace yourself...we're in it to win it!!!

Eating Tips

2009-10-28T08:50:00.001-04:00

I just read a terrific article on natural eating at Simple Mom. I found it really inspiring and great simple advice.

Hoorah For Me (and hopefully you too)!

2009-10-23T12:43:00.004-04:00

I just need to pat myself on the back because I have been walking every day (except Sunday) since Fall began. How about you? Are the cooler temperatures inspiring you? If you haven't experienced it yet, take a step outside and breath in the Autumn goodness... maybe then you will feel like a little stroll, or jog, or *gasp* run!

Keep up the great work, you can do it!!!

Hello Monday!

2009-10-12T09:09:00.002-04:00

Welp, it's Monday again and you know what that means...a whole new world!
WAIT...Aladdin, get out of here :)
I don't know about you but this weekend was a TERRIBLE one!!!
Ate LOTS of yummy but VERY unhealthy foods and ZERO exercise (yikes!)
However, it's a new week and a new chance for everyone...including all of us going through FOOD REPENTANCE...ooooooh :( LOL!
Weighed in this morning to know what I was up against this week, from a splurge weekend, and I gained ONE POUND... waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

We're all entitled to falling off the wagaon...or being pulled behind it in some cases :)

The question is..."WHAT WILL WE DO ABOUT IT STARTING NOW?"

FRIDAY WEIGH IN???

2009-10-09T11:25:00.002-04:00

Hello all!!!

Hope this week's been a productive one full of happiness and healthiness :)
How's everyone weighing in?
With two days of no exercise whatsoever in a row, I'm sad to report...nothing for me!
No weight gain :) ...but also no weight loss either :(

Just remember, when life's got you down or your goals haven't been met, it's ok!
Perfection can never be reached in this life, but that can't keep us all from trying.
Keep you head up, stick with it and know you've got others sweatin' it out with you!!

It's Monday...and I BELIEVE IN YOU!

2009-10-05T12:09:00.002-04:00

Hello there!

How's everyone's Monday starting off???
Monday's can sometimes be rough...a new week, new challenges, new trials :(
However, there are people who believe in and are rooting for YOU!

"Come on y'all we can do it put some exercise into it...
if hard, it's ok eat some healthy food today!"

I heard a quote at conference that I feel applies to overcoming our hardships and can help in achieving our goals. It is as follows...

Elder Richard G. Scott say:
Spirituality yields two fruits:
1) Inspiration, to know what to do
2) Power, or the capacity to do it

If you just can't find the energy to exercise pray for the inspiration to know what to do. Maybe it's walking, maybe it's wii fit, maybe it's taking the kids to the park and playing with them...whatever you feel inspired to do 15 minutes of something is better than 24 hours of nothing :( GET INSPIRED!

Once you get inspired...KNOW that you have the power to DO IT!

I was SOOOOOOOO not feeling good this morning :( Feeling down, feeling tired, worried there was not enough time in the day! I said a prayer and put on my shoes. I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT! I ended up walking for 1 HOUR, 3 miles and burned 535 CALORIES!!! If I can do it...
"MRS LAZY" herself...then anyone can :)

I'm rooting for you...

Friday Weigh-In

2009-10-02T10:14:00.000-04:00

So how have things been going this week? We know that Carrie is doing well. Congrats on reaching 5 lbs!!!!!!!

How about the rest of us? Is your hard work paying off?

You Are What You Eat...

2009-10-01T16:17:00.003-04:00

My dad always said tackle one thing at a time...so I guess that's what I'm continuing to do. Giving up soda wasn't too bad, although I do miss the occasional Doctor Pepper on a really hard day. Hey, it's the closest thing we Mormons can get to instant gratification...we don't drink alcohol :) LOL! It was a little harder giving up huge plates of yummy mashed potatoes, fried foods and Sugary Cereals. Oh, but the hardest is my want to indulge in chocolate cakes, fresh baked cookies and TWISTED FROSTYS! Oh, the pain...

However, I have found a new love for Cheerios (Honey Nut are the best), fresh fruit, yogurt, Lien Cuisines, fresh subway sandwiches, veggies and Ice Cold glasses of water. I have found that when I'm not eating all the time and counting my calories more closely I make A LOT healthy choices. My problem is not what I eat necessarily...just how much of it I eat at one time and how often I eat it. I never realized I was stopping by Wendy's like EVERYDAY one week to get a .99 cent frosty :(

I am happy to report that while continuing to make healthy decisions in food choices and using my Wii Fit EVERYDAY that I have dropped another 2 POUNDS!!! It's a VERY SLOW work in progress, but I gained it a little at a time I guess I've got to lose it that way too. Hope you're all doing well!

Well I'm off to do some cardio & yoga on the Wii Fit!

Workout Wednesday

2009-09-30T08:54:00.000-04:00

The weather is cooler. Perfect for exercising outside! I'm going to exercise today. Are you?

Friday Weigh-In

2009-09-25T09:00:00.000-04:00

So have you kept your commitment this week to eat well and excercise?

I've been a work in progress...

2009-09-22T11:34:00.002-04:00

This trying to get healthier and stay motivated has been WAY harder than I ever expected! I've had lots of ups and downs and fallen off the "wagon" a few times. However I'm taking it all in strides and one day at a time and FINALLY found my nitch. I bought lots of fruits, veggies and healthier snack options to have in the kitchen. It sounds kind of silly but instead of buying a fridge full of food to cook for dinner every night we've been doing the "subway diet"...obviously something we can do while the little one is still little and it's actually pretty inexpensive with the five dollar footlong deal giving us lunch and dinner for only five dollars.

This is only to buy us time until I put together the ultimate healthy food resource menu so that I know how to shop and prepare healthier meals everyday and not just when I have the stuff. I realize now that living healthier is not a pick and choose, it's a lifestyle change. It means having grapes, apples and yogurt instead of chips, cookies and icecream. It's eating in moderation rather than filling your plate to the edges with food and grazing over that plate for an entire evening until you realize you've eaten the whole plate...yuck!

The only part of this puzzle I've still got to put together is...EXERCISE! I've got to find something I can do that I can work into a schedule of diapers, bottles, highchairs, laundry, dusting, cleaning and so on! It's so tough when you KNOW a load of whites needs to be done and a baby needs your undivided attention but the day is slipping away without any exercise...not to mention the scriptures that need to read and the Church calling that needs some time and attention...oy!

TIME MANAGEMENT IS THE KEY...good thing we're all doing this together!

P.S. I've lost 3 pounds and am going to keep going!

Bummer!!!!

2009-09-19T10:45:00.002-04:00

Since I hurt my ITB I have not been able to exercise. It was getting better then I reinjured it. I have gained an alarming 8 pounds!! I do enjoy reading other's success stories. Have we just fallen by the wayside? I am looking forward to cooler weather and wellness. Meanwhile I cannot keep eating the amount I was eating when I was active. I hope everyone else is having success.

Friday Weigh-In

2009-09-11T10:55:00.002-04:00

Tell us how your week has been. Did the scales bring some good news this week?

Workout Wednesday

2009-09-09T09:48:00.002-04:00

Have been exercising this past week?

If you feel like you are in an exercise rut this is a great article from Fitness magazine about jumpstarting your workout!

Friday Weigh-In

2009-09-04T08:33:00.004-04:00

How have you been doing this week? Have you eaten all your fruits and veggies? Or have you been tempted and seduced (like me) into eating some not so good for you things?

There is a great motivational article on Spark People (thanks Jaren for telling us about that website, I love it!). It is called "Finding Inspiration in Your Biggest Temptations." I really hope you'll read the whole article, but I thought I would share a few excerpts that motivated me.

Instead of viewing temptations as roadblocks, think of them as motivators--the devil on your shoulder, if you will. If you stop, they'll get you; if you stay one step ahead, you'll always come out on top.

On eating out:

Follow the same rules at a restaurant that you would at home: Choose whole grains when possible, fill half your plate with vegetables and fruit, and opt for lean cuts of meat and low-calorie preparations.

Munching on Junk Food:

Are you stressed or upset about something? Instead of reaching for the
chocolate bar or the chips, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Eating your feelings leaves you feeling worse than when you started. Go for a walk, get out of the kitchen, remove trigger foods from the house--whatever it
takes.

On being lazy:

You get home from work and gaze longingly at the sofa. You had a long day,and a bit of rest sounds much better than socializing or spending time with others. You just want to be alone with your feet up, mind empty and the TV on. Instead of punishing yourself for being lazy, anticipate this respite from the hustle and bustle of your life and plan for it. Watch your favorite TV show, paint your nails, ask your partner to give you a foot rub. Reward yourself for being motivated, sticking with your healthy lifestyle plan and working out regularly. A bit of time spent doing nothing can help carry you through the rest of your hectic and action-packed life.

When temptations step in your path, don't cower. Confront them and enlist them as your allies. Soon you'll be stronger and more determined and will have traveled a little farther in your healthy living journey.

Workout Wednesday

2009-09-02T09:27:00.003-04:00

Have you been exercising this week? What have you been doing? Have you tried anything new recently?

Friday Weigh-In

2009-08-28T08:58:00.000-04:00

How has it gone this week? Has the scale budged for you?

Workout Wednesday

2009-08-26T10:38:00.002-04:00

Have you been working out this week? Tell us all about it!

If you are like me, you probably spend a few hours each day either sitting watching TV, sitting at the computer, or doing some other sitting activity. These are a few tips from e-how on some simple exercises that you can do while sitting.

Step 1
Practice good posture. This, alone, is one of the best exercises you can do for your body. By keeping your spine as straight as possible, it puts less pressure where pressure doesn't belong.

Step 2
Stretch. Make sure to regularly stretch your muscles. By stretching your calves out, you increase blood flow, reduce the chances of blood clots and increase the strength of your muscles. Stretch your neck by moving it slowly forward and backward and side to side. Stretch your back by stretching your arms out wide and then lean back, pulling your arms back.

Step 3
Roll your wrists. This will help reduce chances of carpel tunnel syndrome and general stiffening incurred from arthritis.

Step 4
Contract your stomach muscles. Tighten them up, hold them for a few seconds and release. Do this five or more times.

Step 5
Exercise your knees. Place a rubber ball behind your knee and squeeze it eight to 12 times. Switch knees and repeat.

Step 6
Do leg lifts. Lift your legs using the balls of your feet. Repeat this as many times necessary to make your legs feel a little tired.

Step 7
Lift weights. Using one- to three-pound weights, lift them with your arms. Do lifts to work your biceps and triceps. Lift the weights above your head.

Step 8
Move. While working, talking on the phone or typing, move your body. This could mean bouncing or swinging your foot while sitting. Switch your weight in your chair. Do things to increase your movement while sitting.

Friday Weigh-In

2009-08-21T09:16:00.001-04:00

Did you meet your weightloss goals this week?

Workout Wednesday

2009-08-19T08:33:00.002-04:00

So have you been exercising? How has it been going?

Did you know that for most people, if you are not exercising regularly, you begin to loose muscle mass at age 25? The loss can be as much as 1/2 a percent of muscle weight per year, which can add up quickly as you age.

One of the best ways to maintain or build muscle mass is weight or resistance training. Do you include weight training in your exercise program?

Reward yourself!

2009-08-17T08:03:00.004-04:00

One good way to motivate yourself is to come up with rewards for specific goals completed. Set a reasonably attainable goal and then reward yourself with something special when you attain it! Some examples might be:

1. If I loose 10 lbs then I will buy myself a new pair of shoes!

2. If I eat healthy every day for three weeks then I will buy myself that new book I've been wanting to read.

3. If I exercise 4 days a week for 4 weeks then I will treat myself to a pedicure.

4. If I loose 1 inch off my waist I will have a night out at the movies.

Just be sure to make your intermediate goals reasonable and very attainable. And make your reward something that you've been wanting to have/do that will make you feel happy when you get it. So now tell me, what are somethings that you would like to reward yourself with?

Do the right thing FIRST

2009-08-16T16:12:00.002-04:00

Well, after a grand last week where I jump-started my walking goal and dropped 4 pounds I have hit a wall. Bummer!!!!! I developed Ilio Tibial Band Syndrome!!!! So I've got to lay off the walking until the inflammation goes away. Of course there are other things I can do meanwhile. Eat right but less and include anti-inflammatory foods. Stretch, stretch, stretch. Something I should have been doing all along but wasn't. Looks like a lot of water and a prayer will be in my health program this week :) But.....I'LL BE BAAAAAAK.

You guy keep me inspired with your results and I will be joining you shortly. I hope we all have a great week.

Advice from a professional about exercise

2009-08-14T10:46:00.002-04:00

I got this email from a website I subscribe to and thought I would share:

Hey Becky,Over the last few days I've been thinking about the ridiculous excuses most people make for not exercising.

Do you fall into this trap? I know I certainly do at times!Perhaps you sound a bit like this..."I've no time to exercise, I have to pick the kids up at school, cook dinner, tidy the house - there's simply not enough hours in the day!"Or, maybe you say, "I've got a demanding new job, I simply can't balance my career, my family, AND my workout needs."In truth, these or variations of these, are challenges most people face, and exercise seems to be one of those things we can easily put on the back burner.But, be assured there **are** ways to have a family, career AND good health, WITHOUT losing your sanity!

=================================
How to Make Exercise Part of Your Routine
=================================

Here are my top 3 tips for making your fitness routine work with a busy schedule...

#1 Level with yourself
Isn't it possible that if your spouse, your kids, or your job didn't give you a reason to skip your workout, someone or something else would?So, let's get to the bottom of this...what is REALLY standing in your way?~ Taking on too much responsibility?~ Trying to please others at your own expense?~ Feeling stressed or emotional?~ Perhaps you just don't care enough?~ Or, maybe it's something else?? Once you've worked out what's **really** standing in your way,
you'll be able to start making progress in the right direction.So, what **has** been holding you back?

#2 Choose family-friendly workouts
If you have young children, try to find activities that will allow you to watch them while working out. For example, brisk walking or jogging with your child in a stroller or baby jogger, or pop a fitness DVD into the player at home. Or, if you have older kids, try combining exercise with some family bonding. Choose a time on the weekend, or in the evenings and plan a family outing, such as a bike ride, a walk at the beach, or some outdoor games in your backyard.Check out my previous article on this subject, Fitness Fun for the Whole Family.

#3 Don't make excuses
Most of us are full of excuses for doing or not doing things, wouldn't you agree?So, next time to go to excuse yourself for not exercising that day, remind yourself that EXERCISE IS NON-NEGOTIABLE!

This will help you stay on track and make you think twice about making MORE excuses.The added bonus is that you'll be setting a great example for your children and other family members.

Friday Weigh-In

2009-08-14T07:46:00.001-04:00

Time to weigh-in! How did things go this week? Did you eat all your veggies?

Progress not perfection

2009-08-12T09:24:00.003-04:00

Well, I have made progress this week. It has been a concerted, conscious effort. Today will be the day that I finally reach my walking goal of 10,000 steps per day. Thanks Too Le Fit for getting me back on track (so far). I am doing better on my eating, too so I should see some results when we weigh in Friday. Come on gang...lets do together what we could not do alone.

*From Katheryn

Let's just make this our exercise check in post. We know Aunt Becky is doing pretty good this week. How about you?

GREAT resource

2009-08-10T09:51:00.003-04:00

Katheryn's post inspired me to visit Dr. Ann's website (I've been meaning to for a while). I listen to her program on Your Day, and love the advice she gives. She agrees with the path Katheryn was talking about this morning, that feeding yourself the healthy way will take care of the majority of weight issues. She has a book about it, but you can also read the "Cliff Notes" version for free of her website, here. I read it this morning and I feel recharged on my goal of eating healthy. Check it out, I think you will all love her too!

Feed the Machine

2009-08-10T08:32:00.002-04:00

I have now read several different articles that suggest feeding your body what it needs first and then allowing yourself a treat as a diet strategy. The idea is if you eat all that you are supposed to eat first and are then still hungry you allow yourself to have a little something that you are craving. It’s kind of like what you tell little kids, “Eat your veggies and then you can have dessert.”

Based on what I’ve read, for many people, after they eat what they are supposed to eat, they often find that they are not even hungry anymore and very often can easily make the choice NOT to have the treat at the end of the day.

We all know essentially what we are supposed to have each day to make our bodies run properly, right? But just as a review, this is the minimum of what a 30 something women is supposed to have daily. Your specific minimum may be different depending on age, gender, height, weight, and activity level. You can find out at mypyramid.gov.

8 – 8 oz glasses of water (or more if you are exercising)

6 – 1 oz servings of grain (a minimum of 3 servings should be whole grains; a serving is 1 slice bread, 1/2 cup cooked rice, pkg instant oatmeal, 1 cup ready to eat cereal, 3 cups popcorn, etc.)

5 servings of vegetables (a serving is 1/2 cup of most veggies or 1 cup of leafy vegetables)

4 servings of fruit (a serving is 1/2 cup of fruit, i.e. a large banana or apple could be considered 2 servings)

3 servings of dairy (8 oz milk, 1.5 oz cheese, 8 oz yogurt, etc. – or get your calcium from some other source)

3 oz of protein (=88 grams, try to get at least half of your protein from plant sources such as beans or nuts)

So after you have eaten all that, you might just find that you really aren’t that hungry after all!

Ready, Set, Go!!!!!

2009-08-09T20:34:00.003-04:00

OK!!! Watch out gang, I am feeling like this is going to be a successful week for me. I have been gradually adding 500 steps per day and am almost up to my goal of 10,000 steps per day. I just made a large bowl of fresh mangos, peaches, pears, and strawberries that I can grab instead of some type of heavy sugar. I also made a huge bowl of marinated veggies (tomatoes, cukes, vidalia onion, celery, cauliflower and broccoli) that I can just eat or throw on top of some lettuce, add an egg and some cheese and voila...a great low calorie salad. I use any type of Kraft's Lite done right. I have tried the fat free and don't care for it. By the way, when the veggies are placed in marinade in the fridge they last up to 10 days and still taste fresh so make plenty. I find that if I have "grab food" ready I will eat much more sensibly but if I have to make something I will go for something quick that is usually much higher in calorie.

Good luck to all you friends.

Water and a Prayer

2009-08-08T10:52:00.002-04:00

Many times I feel like I am hungry and start craving something - especially sweets. If I take the time to drink a glass of water and say a sincere prayer and resolve that if I am still hungry in 20 minutes I will eat something, I usually forget that I am hungry at all.

Friday Weigh-In

2009-08-07T08:53:00.001-04:00

Time to report your progress! Have you met with success this week?

Recovery Cookies Recipe

2009-08-05T11:42:00.006-04:00

First let me tell you that I did an experiment with the Chicken and Dumplings I served for dinner last night. I defatted all broth used but made one pot of C&D with the Fat-Free dumplings and the other with the dumplings that had fat in them. Those that taste tested said that they could not tell any difference.

This cookie recipe is a little labor intensive so I always make a double or triple batch and freeze them...actually they are better after being frozen. I just reach in and get 2-3 and eat the frozen. I also make up "mixes" that contain the dry ingredients so that I don't have to drag out every thing in the kitchen again. Caution....these are very high fiber so don't eat too many!

CACA COOKIES x2 x3
Sift together:
¾ C All Purpose Flour 1 ½ C 2¼ C
1 C Whole Wheat Flour 2 C 3 C
¾ C Oat Bran 1 ½ C 2 ¼ C
¼ C Ground Flax Seed ½ C ¾ C
1 teasp Baking Powder 2 teasp 1 Tablespoon
½ teasp Baking Soda 1 teasp 1 ½ teasp
¼ teasp Salt ½ teasp ¾ teasp

Combine:

¾ C Smart Balance Oil 1 ½ C 2 ¼ C
½ C Brown Sugar 1 C 1 ½ C
½ C (equivilant) sugar 1 C 1 ½ C
Substitute
Add:

2 Eggs (or eggbeaters) 4 eggs 6 eggs
1 Tblsp milk (FF or Soy) 2 Tblsp 3 Tblsp
1 teasp Vanilla 2 teasp 1 Tblsp

Beat well and blend in dry ingredients gradually. Batter is VERY stiff

Add:

1 C Coarsly Ground Pecans 2 C 3 C
1 C Finely Chopped Dates 2 C 3 C
(or raisens)
Drop by teaspoonfuls into crushed dry cereal (corn flakes, bran flakes, etc)
Roll into a ball and place on parchment paper or non-stick sheet. Make thumbprint and fill with jam or cherry.

BAKE AT 375 for 10-12 minutes.

Workout Wednesday

2009-08-05T08:22:00.002-04:00

Time to check in again with how your exercise is going. Have you been meeting your exercise goals?

After exercising you are supposed to have a small snack composed of protein, a small amount of fat and a larger amount of carbohydrates. If you eat it in the 30 minutes after you exercise it can help your muscles recover better from the work that you just put them through. So what is your favorite "recovery" snack?

Veggie Couscous

2009-08-03T08:47:00.005-04:00

Someone mentioned that they were looking for some vegetarian recipes. So am I. Not that I plan to become a vegetarian, I just want to reduce the amount of meat that I eat to only a few times a week. I found this one here.

1 box plain couscous
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 zucchini, cubed
1 can diced tomatoes, including juice
1/2 can drained garbanzo beans
1/2 cup craisins (optional)
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
salt to taste

Heat olive oil over medium heat in large sauté pan. Sauté garlic, onions, and red pepper for 3-4 minutes. Add zucchini. Sauté until tender crisp. Add diced tomatoes, garbanzo beans, craisins, and spices. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Make couscous according to package directions.

I really liked this recipe. Nathan liked it too, but said that he probably would have liked it better without the craisins. Personally, I loved the burst of sweetness and flavor that the craisins added. The only thing I think I will do different when I make it again is increase the spice level. Maybe double the amount of cayenne pepper or perhaps add some curry.

Nutrition Facts

4 Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories
291.8

Total Fat
1.7 g

Total Carbohydrate
69.4 g

Dietary Fiber
8.5 g

Sugars
13.9 g

Protein
10.7 g

Making it a Le-Fit Recipe

2009-07-31T19:38:00.002-04:00

OK...I am resolved to do better. Thanks for the encouraging words and honesty thrown out there.

Next Tuesday I am having the Missionaries, Jaren & hubby, Kylia & hubby and some Gentrys and a Gause over for Supper. Jaren requested Chicken & Dumplings so I started today. It is not labor intensive but takes a while to make it more healthy without surrendering taste. Most people boil the chicken and leave the fat in (they say it tastes better...NOT!) and also use dumplings made of lard, flour and water. I skin the chicken before boiling it, and then leave the stock in the fridge overnight. I defat it completely before adding the dumplings. I do not make my dumplings from scratch, but buy the frozen ones. If you check the lables you will find one type that is made from just water and flour. They are much lighter and I actually like them better. By taking these small additional steps the fat and calorie content is drastically reduced. They freeze better and longer, too since it is the fat in foods that goes bad first. For those die-hard southerners that want the fat left in I serve a container that just has chicken fat in it that they can add to their bowl...usually when they see it they go "eeewwww" and pass on it:)

Kylia is bringing dessert...If there is any left over it will not be allowed to stay in my house.

Friday Weigh-In

2009-07-31T08:33:00.003-04:00

So how have you done this week? Did you make really good healthy food choices (we're going to exclude Ice Cream Cake in that question for this week, right Aunt B)? Did you maintain or loss pounds or inches this week?

There are only three ways to lose weight!!!!

2009-07-29T17:41:00.002-04:00

The only proven ways to lose weight:

1) Take in less calories than you burn up.
2)Burn up more calories than you take in.
3)A combination of #'s 1 & 2.

This week I have failed to do anything I know that works. I didn't do my 10,000 steps per day but continued to eat as many calories as when I do...actually more calories than I usually do. Jaren made a wicked ice cream cake and left a VERY large portion in my freezer. I could not sleep knowing that it was sitting in there all cold and alone so I inhaled it. I fell asleep and slept off the sugar low but when I woke up this morning felt sluggish and with a headache. The food felt so good going down but the hangover from the sugar is just not worth it. I wish I could remember that feeling BEFORE I eat something instead of AFTER...oh, well...never give up. Today is another day and I can start it over anytime I like.

Workout Wednesday

2009-07-29T08:27:00.002-04:00

It's time to check with how you have been doing with your exercise goals. Have you followed your exercise plan this week? What do you have planned for the rest of the week?

And just for fun - What is your favorite thing to do for cardio?

Supplements

2009-07-27T08:05:00.002-04:00

Do you take a multi-vitamin daily? Do you take other vitamins, minerals, or herbs? If so which ones and why?

If you have a lot of information about a particular supplement and why you take, we'd love to read a post about it!

Grass Drills

2009-07-25T12:22:00.002-04:00

So I have found that Yard work is great exercise and I seem to burn lots of calories. I feel so spent afterward that I believe it is almost as good as a 3 mile run. So I have a good start to the weekend and hope to maintain first thing Monday morning with a run and some upper body weight lifting at the YMCA. Hope everyone else is doing well with their goals.

Friday Weigh-In

2009-07-24T11:27:00.003-04:00

Looking at our poll, we have two votes for Monday, one vote for Wednesday, and six votes for Friday. So we'll go with Friday. If in the future, we find that a different day works better, we can always change things up. One of the nice things about a group like this is we can be as flexible as we want to be!

Since this is our first Friday, maybe we could take today as the day to determine our starting point. So today, take a second and step on the scale and set your starting point. Or if you don't want to use the scale as your measure of success, use your method of choice. In addition to using the scales, I am also going to measure my waist and hips and try to track inches lost in those areas since they are my worst problem spots.

I am so excited that so many of you want to work on this together. Like several of you mentioned, I want being healthy to be a lifestyle change for me.

How has exercising been going this week? Has everyone put in the time they had hoped to? What do you think about also having an exercise check in day to see how things are going and encourage each other? I was thinking of maybe having "Workout Wednesdays" for us to check in with what we've been doing and what we're planning. What do you think?

BBQ Chicken Fajitas

2009-07-23T09:43:00.005-04:00

I decided to go ahead and share the first low-fat, low-calorie recipe that I’ve tried so far. I am looking forward to all the recipes that you all will share on here in the days and weeks to come! (Oh and there really is no need to have a picture with it, you all just know that I am a camera freak, right?)

This is a slightly modified version of a recipe I found at KraftFoods.com.

4 Whole Wheat Tortillas

8 oz boneless skinless chicken, cut into pieces, salted and peppered

2 cups frozen fajita veggies (onion, red pepper, green pepper) - or use fresh

1/3 cup barbeque sauce

1/4 cup cheese

Sauté chicken and veggies in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. When chicken is cooked through add BBQ sauce. Put 1/4 of the chicken mixture on a whole wheat tortilla. Sprinkle with a little cheese. And viola! A super quick very yummy healthy meal! Dallin loved them. Me too!

I paired it with some fresh mango and it was delish!

Nutrition Facts

4 Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories
251.5

Total Fat
6.5 g

Sodium
649.0 mg

Potassium
250.1 mg

Total Carbohydrate
30.2 g

Dietary Fiber
5.0 g

Sugars
2.7 g

Protein
19.7 g

*To get the nutrition info, I used a recipe calculator at this website (which also happens to be one of the ones that Jaren mentioned, Thanks J). You just enter in the ingredients, put in the number of servings and it calculates the nutrition information per serving. Very handy!

Weekly Weigh Ins

2009-07-22T09:08:00.004-04:00

Do you have a preference for when we do our weekly weigh-ins? (Remember, our weigh-ins don't require you to post your actual weight unless you want to, it is really just sharing your loss or gain for that week so that we can offer pats on the back for success or commiserate with you if it's been a rough week.)

At first I was thinking maybe on Mondays, but then I thought maybe Fridays would be better because I know for me, I tend to do my best healthy eating and exercise during the week. Weekends tend to be rough! Or do you think it would be better to do it mid-week?

Anyway, I created a poll so that we can decide what day we want to do it on. Please vote!

Goals and a Title

2009-07-22T08:00:00.002-04:00

I thought maybe we should start out by each sharing some of our health goals so we know what each of us are looking for in this site and can hopefully find a way to support each other based on each of our goals. Some questions to ask yourself might be:

1. Are you wanting to lose weight, maintain weight, or is weight not something you are worried about right now?

2. If you will be starting a diet plan, which one will you be using? Or will you be creating your own and are just looking to make healthier food choices?

3. What are your exercise goals? Cardio? Strength training? Days per week? Time per session?

4. Are there any dietary restriction that you plan to make? Eat less meat? Lower or cut out sugar intake? Eat only low fat dishes? Avoid processed foods?

And lastly, we need a good title for our blog. Please make some suggestions and then we can do a poll and vote on which one we like best. Thanks!

Digital Tracking

2009-07-22T07:59:00.002-04:00

I am a technology freak. It is one of those things that has rubbed off on me from my husband. So I love being able to track success online and being able to see graphical representation of progress made. So if you are interested in keeping a food journal, monitoring weight/inches lost, tracking exercise details then I found a great website just for you (and me)! It is called FitDay.com. You simply register and begin tracking. It is nice because the food analysis breaks down the about of fat, protein, carbs (sugars and fiber) that you eat, so you can see where you need to make improvements. Have fun!