Today was eventful with a lot of changes to my planned meals for the day.  I made up chicken sausage fuisili for our lunches and dinners for today, however I forgot I had a new hire lunch today!  So I hurried online to look at the restaurants menu to see what my options were.  The choices were very limited, so I ended up having grilled chicken with roasted red peppers, onions and spinach.  It was originally served on a bun and smothered with cheese, but I made modifications and I think I did a pretty good job.  We then got tickets to the unveiling of the new MN Vikings stadium which meant we werent making it home to have dinner.  We opted for Chipotle which is always good, especially since we could have brown rice on it, instead of just a salad. 

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 153.2 lbs
Anthony: 245.2 lbs

Menu:
Breakfast @ 7am:
Steel cut oats with blueberries

Snack @ 9:45am:
Orange

Lunch @ 12:30pm:
Grilled chicken with roasted red peppers, onions and spinach; pineapple and strawberries

Snack @ 3pm:
Apple

Dinner @ 6pm:
Chipotle bowl with brown rice, lettuce, chicken, tomatoes and salsa

Workout:
None - I was supposed to do cardio but ended up with a huge headache after the unveiling and went straight to bed when I got home. Super bummed!

Notes on Food:
I made steel cut oats this morning - it took longer than I expected but I liked it - more texture than normal oats, but not a big change in taste in my opinion.  My husband thought they were ok - he didnt mind the texture but thought they had a blander taste. 

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Well today was the big dance competition day.  We were away from home for over 15 hours, we relied on the foods I brought from home and maintained extra willpower to stay away from those giant cookies and maui wowi smoothies they were selling at the concession stand!  There were a couple of changes in the lunch and dinner plans today, but we made it work and stuck as close as we could to the plan.  Although it was a crazy busy day, we got through it and Im proud of me and my husband.  Its been a long time since we havent binged on a Saturday evening.

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 156.0 lbs
Anthony: 252.2 lbs

Menu:
Breakfast @ 6am:
Oatmeal with blueberries, scrambled egg with red, green and yellow peppers

Snack @ 9:15am:
Cauliflower with hummus

Lunch @ 12:00pm:
Chipotle Chicken Salad (romaine lettuce, chicken, tomatoes and medium salsa)

Snack @ 3:30pm:
Cauliflower with hummus

Dinner @ 7:15pm:
Sirloin steak, 3 broiled shrimp, garden salad with Italian vinaigrette and vegetable medley

Workout:
Several walks and up/down stairs throughout the day

Notes on Food:
Eggs and peppers = yum!  I used the Target Archer Farms brand frozen red, green and yellow peppers, sauteed them in olive oil for a few minutes then added in the scrambled egg and sprinkled with sea salt - delicious!  Im not looking forward to going back to only egg whites on Wednesday - loving the whole egg right now!

Yes, we went to Chipotle!  I had a salad with no cheese - it was flavorful, because its Chipotle, but I did miss the cheese a little bit.  We can have healthy fats today, so I debated on getting guac, but figured the chicken was probably prepared with some sort of fat, so I was getting enough of it in the chicken and opted for just that instead.

Dinner - we went to Jensens Cafe (near the event center) to eat and kill time before awards.  They had a an egg white omelet that sounded good, but I went for the steak and shrimp (my husband ate part of my steak).  I had salad with Italian vinaigrette, however it seemed like it was cream-based, instead of oil based, so I only ate a tad - maybe just a teaspoon.  The meal also came with a veggie medley and a dinner roll - the roll went to my carb loving daughter!  I will say, that I need to do a better job of asking the waitress questions about the food and how they prepare it - I should have asked about the dressing prior to selecting it, instead of assuming.

Also, I should have ate a snack since I was up until 11, but did not - oops!

Preparation:
I prepped the veggies and nuts a couple of days ago, so those were easy to grab and through into the cooler.  I put together some containers of hummus and blueberries in the morning along with several bottles and a pitcher full of water.  Between my husband and I, we need to drink at least 200 oz of water and figured why have to go up to the concession stand to buy water?  Avoid temptation and bring as much as I could with.

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So this week has been extremely slow (or non-existent) for weight loss, which could be expected being the amount I lost last week.  But, its very frustrating knowing that Im eating well and working out and not seeing the scale budge.  I went out to Haylies blog (author of the book) and read about what to do if you get stuck or plateau (link below).  It looks like Ill try to mix up the foods Im eating a little more and perhaps try something new in the coming days.  Im following the plan to a T, I just have to stick to it and finish it out.  I still have a goal to make it into the mid-140s by the end of the month.  Heres the link to Haylies blog post about stuck metabolism:

http://www.fastmetabolismdiet.com/slowwww-metabolism-stuck-mix-it-up/

I guess both my husband and I had some cravings yesterday - and maybe it wasnt so much as a craving but more as thoughts of what I plan to eat on cheat day - Day 29!  Yes, I do plan to have a cheat day when we are done, but then the plan is to have home cooked meals as much as possible and have those cheat meals only every once in a while.

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 154.8 lbs
Anthony: 248.4 lbs

Menu:
Breakfast @ 6:45 am:
Turkey bacon and celery

Snack @ 9:15am:
Beef jerky and cucumber

Lunch @ 1:30pm:
Filet mignon and cucumber

Snack @ 3:45pm:
Beef jerky and cucumber

Dinner @ 7:15pm:
Grilled Chicken and broccoli

Workout:
P90X Legs and Back

Notes on Food:
We put the brocolli in a grill pan and grilled it along with the chicken for dinner.  I bought a salt-free seasoning called Smoke at Trader Joes. Its pretty tasty, though the husband thinks its a bit bland.  I put some sea salt on as well, which makes everything better!

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#52weeksofRoarke

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Today feels surreal - I cant believe we made it a week!  I feel more prepared for the upcoming week, or I guess, I feel like I know what to expect.  Today was a prep day.  I went shopping for the things weve come to like and hopefully did a better job at getting enough veggies - although I did stock up on lots of frozen veggies to make it easier.

Weigh in today was great and surprising for me, considering we ate out twice yesterday.  My husband was not too thrilled, he only lost 0.2 lbs.  We plan to assess his portions a little better this week to ensure hes having the right amount.  He was extremely hungry in the first few days last week, so we upped the protein, but I think he needs to increase the veggies instead. 

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 155.2 lbs
Anthony: 252.0 lbs

Menu:
Breakfast @ 8am:
Scrambled egg and peppers, Oatmeal with blueberries

Snack @ 11:30am:
Scrambled egg and peppers

Lunch @ 3:00pm:
Subway salad with chicken breast

Dinner @ 7:15pm:
Grilled chicken, frozen veggie mix and quinoa

Workout:
P90X Yoga DVD (just 30 mins)

Notes on Food:
We woke up later than normal (8am), so our day was a little off with timing of food. We opted to take out the second snack and only ate 4 meals. We tried out subways salad for lunch. It was pretty good and the Italian dressing was oil based!

Preparation:
I didnt really plan out this day too well, we pretty much winged it, but it turned out pretty well. I made sure that I prepared lunch for Monday and Tuesday. Back to complex carbs and fruit!

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EEK!  Both the hubby and I went UP on the scale - UGH!  I went up 0.4 and he went up 0.2 - so not by much but ever so irritating.  Part of me wishes I didnt look at the scale daily but part of me loves it.  On the FMD community board, there are others who have the same experiences - slow weight loss after the first week, up and downs on a daily basis, and some who have stopped looking at the scale daily and opted for once a week weigh-ins instead.  I may have to go for the later as well!

I felt hungry all morning - not sure why.  I probably should have brought some veggies with since those are unlimited - oh well.  But by the afternoon, I felt fine and actually didnt really feel that hungry for dinner.  Weird.

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 153.6 lbs
Anthony: 245.4 lbs

Menu:
Breakfast @ 6:45am:
Steel cut oats with blueberries

Snack @ 9:30am:
Strawberries

Lunch @ 12:45pm:
Chicken sausage fuisili and an orange

Snack @ 4:30pm:
Apple

Dinner @ 7:15pm:
Chicken sausage fuisili - brown rice fuisili pasta, chicken sausage, baby zucchini, onion and broccoli

Workout:
Insanity Max Cardio Circuit

Notes on Food:
I "made" the kids try the chicken sausage fuisili tonight and they liked it.  Everyone is coming around to this new way of eating - love it!

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Today I woke up 20 min before the alarm, which is annoying to say the least.  Im not sure if its this "increased energy" I should be seeing soon or what, but I like to SLEEP! 

Another bummer for the morning was the scale - no change from yesterday! I obviously start thinking of the whys and what did I do wrong? But I then go back to the chapter in the book about week 2 - my body is a different body going into this week than last and its going to react differently. And, I cant stress about it because that will trigger negative reaction with the hormones in my body which causes more harm. So, Im going to relax and let it be what it is!  Plus, I know that I wont lose another 8 lbs this week - but I am hoping for at least 3, maybe 4.  Well see how the week plays out. 

I feel good today, I got to work earlier since I got up early, its beautiful out and Im nourished with healthy, clean foods that I prepared. Which reminds me, our dishwasher runs DAILY now! Its kind of insane how many dishes are used to make homemade meals, but well worth it. 

Tonight was busy with dance and t-ball but once we got home, I started the pot for soup and went to work out while it simmered.  Since it had been a few  hours since I last ate, I had some pineapple right before exercising - "Dont fast before going fast!" (Haylie quote from the book)  I kind of felt like Super Mom with all the things I accomplished this evening!

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 154.8 lbs
Anthony: 149.6 lbs

Menu:
Breakfast @ 6:15am:
Oatmeal with blueberries

Snack @ 9:15am:
Pineapple

Lunch @ 12:15pm:
Chicken Sausage Fusilli and strawberries

Snack @ 3:15pm:
Apple

Dinner @ 6:00pm:
Broccoli and Chicken Rice bowl

Snack @ 9:00pm:Pineapple

Workout:
45 minute jog on the treadmill

Notes on Food:
I could of had that Chicken Sausage Fusilli for every meal today - it is so good!  Sorry, no pic - I ate it too fast!  LOL - next week.

Heres a pic of the Broccoli and Chicken rice bowl - still a favorite and the kids like it too!

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Well, we do it to ourselves - we went the movies AGAIN!  This time, however, I didnt have as big of an urge as the last 2 times to have popcorn.  Im more concerned about next weekend - there are 2 or 3 movies we want to see over memorial weekend.  Im hoping we can just go watch them all on Monday! 

Its getting hard with the weather getting nicer and the kids wanting to go out for ice cream or fro-yo.  Im excited to bring them there, but while we cant have dairy right now, its tough. My daughter (who is a very picky eater) is asking more questions about the diet, which has opened up a nice opportunity to educate her on healthy foods and what it means to make our bodies healthy - not just skinny.  I explained how we all need to eat fruits and veggies and to eat grass-fed organic meats and dairy.  Shes starting to understand and I believe as we continue to bring more diverse foods into the house, she will learn to love eating healthy as well.

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 152.4 lbs
Anthony: 244.6 lbs

Menu:
Breakfast @ 6am:
Oatmeal with blueberries, egg with peppers

Snack @ 9:30am:
Cauliflower and raw sunflower seeds

Lunch @ 1:30pm:
Filet mignon and vegetable medley

Snack @ 4:30pm:
Nitrate free chicken deli meat and carrots

Dinner @ 7:30pm:
Avocado quesadilla

Workout:
None

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Day 5 means a new phase for the next 3 days!  We get to introduce healthy fats and bring back in some grains and fruit - yeah oatmeal and blueberries!  And carrots that I can dip into hummus.  I truly cant believe Im actually excited to eat oatmeal!

Big challenge for the day was going to the movie theater!  Ugh the popcorn smell was amazing!  But I had my water and veggies, I stayed focused and made it through successfully! 

My husband is having a harder time with cravings than me, especially as the weekend approaches. We are used to going out, eating popcorn, chips, cookies, ice cream and cheeseburgers all weekend. But at this point, I think weve done so well this week that Im not interested in cheating - nor do I feel its an option. I want to get my metabolism up so I dont have to continue to struggle with my weight. We are 5 days down - only 23 more to go! Its really not that long, so MIND OVER MATTER!

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 157.6 lbs
Anthony: 253.6 lbs

Menu:
Breakfast @ 7am:
Scrambled egg, oatmeal with blueberries, celery

Snack @ 10:00am:
Carrots and hummus

Lunch @ 1:00pm:
Leftover steak, cauliflower and a pear

Snack @ 3:45pm:
Celery and almond butter

Dinner @ 7:00pm:
Steak, zucchini and quinoa


Workout:
None

Notes on Food:
Quinoa - this was new for the hubby and something Ive had before but had never made it myself. I used chicken broth instead of water and I think it turned out really good. Next time, I think Ill add some veggies into it instead of on the side.

Preparation:
Again, Im still getting the hang of this diet as it switches gears a little bit. Although fruit and grains are added back in, there are some limitations - no apples in phase 3 :-(! Im making minor adjustments and had a pear for lunch instead.  Tomorrow is the big dance day, so Ill be spending some time packing and prepping tonight or in the morning to ensure we have all the snacks we need to make it through the day successfully.

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Among all the foods, I have decided to pick the top five super foods which have been shown to lower cholesterol and can be included in a healthy diet on a regular basis.

1.            Oat for Soluble Fiber

Oatmeal and oat bran are rich in soluble fiber, a type of fiber which lowers the bad Low Density Lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol without lowering the good High Density Lipoprotein or HDL cholesterol. In 1997, the FDA authorized a heart disease risk reduction health claim for beta-glucan soluble fiber from oat products. Food products containing oat bran and rolled oats, such as oatmeal, and whole oat flour can bear this health claim.

How much do you need? Five to 10 grams of soluble fiber a day decreases LDL cholesterol by about 5 percent. Some studies showed that this amount can lower cholesterol by as much as 23 percent. One bowl of oatmeal contains about 3 grams of soluble fiber. Include other soluble-fiber-rich foods such as psyllium, apples, kidney beans, pears and barley.

2.            Fish for Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Fish is a good source of protein and omega 3 fatty acids - which has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol. In particular, omega 3 fatty acids are noted for its triglyceride-lowering power.

How much do you need? In 2002, the American Heart Association recommended eating at least 2 servings of fish a week, particularly fatty fish such as mackerel, salmon, sardines, trout and herring. If you have high triglyceride levels, AHA recommends 2 to 4 g of EPA and DHA (two specific types of omega 3 oil) as supplements under your doctors care.

3.            Nuts for Healthy Fats

Nuts rich in fiber, phytonutrients and antioxidants such as Vitamin E and selenium. These tasty snacks are also high in plant sterols and fat - but mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which have all been shown to lower the bad LDL cholesterol.

How much do you need? In 2003, the FDA recognized the benefits of nuts and their role in heart disease prevention by approving a health claim for seven kinds of nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, some pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts). Limit your intake to ~ 1.5 ounces a day, as nuts are high in calories. The best way to reap the health benefits of nuts is to eat them in replacement of foods that are high in saturated fats such as meat products.

4.            Foods fortified with Plant Sterols

Plant sterols or stanols are powerful substances naturally found in plant to have the ability to block cholesterol absorption. Studies showed that eating two servings of sterols-fortified foods daily result in a 10 to 15 percent drop in LDL cholesterol levels.

How much do you need? The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends that people who have high cholesterol eat 2 grams of plant sterols or stanols a day. You can find plant sterols in fortified foods such as margarine spread, orange juice, salad dressings, functional cookies etc. Most sterols-fortified foods contain at least 1 gram of plant sterols per serving. Please read the portion size and usage direction on the labels for details. It is important to note that plant sterols are not for everyone. The AHA recommends it only for people with high levels of LDL cholesterol.

5.            Soy

Soy products are great substitutes for animal products. In 1999, the FDA recognized the health benefits of soy and heart disease by approving a soy health claim. However, due to conflicting results from a large-scale review performed by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the AHA Nutrition Committee no longer recommends eating soy to lower cholesterol.

Should you avoid soy then? A simple answer is No. Although soy may not lower cholesterol to the extent we previously thought it could, the US Agency review showed that it can still lower bad LDL cholesterol by 3 percent. Since soy products contain high levels of polyunsaturated fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals and low levels of saturated fat, AHA does consider soy products a healthy replacement for meats and other foods high in saturated fat and total fat.

Written by  Gloria Tsang, RD of http://www.healthcastle.com/

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Oh, Phase 3 - YES!  I bought an avocado hummus from Trader Joes to dip the veggies in - yum!  Ive never really been into avocados but this was good, and far better than plain veggies. 
Its still really tough getting used to staying in on a Friday night or over the weekend. Weve not ever been to a "healthy" sit down restaurant and feel too tempted if we try to go to one of our favs and just get a salad - nor do we feel its worth it. We can make the food at home for cheaper and know whats going into it. But its still hard to get used to!
Its been a very frustrating week for me with the lack of weight loss. Im trying to keep my "head in the game" and remember the overall goal of repairing my metabolism.  It has just been very tough when Im eating and exercising per the plan but the scale is not moving. The cravings have increased today big time! But Im staying committed and seeing it to the end of the 28 days. 

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 154.8 lbs
Anthony: 247.4 lbs

Menu:
Breakfast @ 6:45am:
Oatmeal and blueberries, scrambled egg with peppers

Snack @ 9:45am:
Carrots and avocado hummus

Lunch @ 12:45pm:
Subway salad with spinach, tomatoes, green peppers, cucumbers and italian dressing; grapefruit.

Snack @ 3:45pm:
Carrots and Cucumber with avocado hummus

Dinner @ 7:00pm:
Avocado quesadilla - YUM!

Workout:
None

Notes on Food:
Tonight we made a new recipe from the book - avocado quesadilla - we added in chicken just because it sounded better and it turned out great. My friend Tana has posted about the Mississippi Market (co-op) in St Paul on FB, so I decided to check it out and was able to get the tortillas and mayo I was looking for earlier this week - thanks Tana for indirectly introducing me to a great store! 
We used a sprouted grain tortilla that was baked with grapeseed oil and several herbs. Then made a mixture of avocado, lime and safflower mayo. We topped it off with some grilled chicken slices, tomatoes and onions. It was so good! I would definitely make this again, and when the 28 days are over Ill try it with a brown rice tortilla - sprouted grain is ok but the texture is pretty tough. 

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Today is the beginning of week 2 - OMG we made it a week!  In my last post about the Week 1 recap - I lost 8.4 lbs and the hubby lost 10.8 lbs in one week!  AMAZING RESULTS!  Im so proud of us!  We stuck together and didnt let the temptations get to us.  We had our moments but we leaned on each other to get us through and now we feel good.  I feel great - Im back into my size 8 pants, my ring is starting to fall off again and overall I feel a sense of achievement.  My energy is about the same, perhaps a little better but its Monday and Im probably still recovering from an exhausting weekend. 

Im looking forward to trying a couple of new recipes this week, of which one of them I did tonight and it was delicious!  I feel more relaxed going into this week since I know what to do from a planning perspective.  Im also interested in what the scale will bring but I know that I cant possibly lose another 8 lbs in a week, so Im hoping for at least 3 to 4lbs.  We shall see! 

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 154.8 lbs
Anthony: 250.2 lbs

Menu:
Breakfast @ 6:45am:
Oatmeal with blueberries

Snack @ 9:45am:
Apple

Lunch @ 12:45pm:
Broccoli and Chicken Rice bowl

Snack @ 3:45pm:
Apple

Dinner @ 6:30pm:
Chicken Sausage Fusilli

Workout:
Insanity Max Interval Circuit

Notes on Food:
Broccoli and Chicken rice bowl is a favorite of ours from last week.  Its actually pretty simple, it just takes about 30 min to cook - just enough time to do some dishes and laundry!  There is some prep work in chopping veggies but its worth it.
Chicken Sausage Fusilli - this was awesome!  Ive never had chicken sausage and was skeptical of the recipe when I first read it, but we tried it and it turned out great.  Im so glad we have enough for leftovers for tomorrow.  Big plus - we got to have PASTA (we were both very surprised).  It was a brown rice pasta that I found at Kowalskis (No Wheat on this diet!).  The pasta was actually pretty light in texture and taste really good.  YUMMM!  This is definitely a recipe I will make forever!  It can easily be doubled to make for a gathering or to have more leftovers.  New favorite recipe!

Preparation:
I made lunch ahead for today and tomorrow - which is new for me.  Ive never made a meal for future days, that I hadnt ate for dinner that night.  So cooking at 9pm last night for todays lunch was so different, yet felt good to get it done on a Sunday night.  I may think about prepping more meals for the week on Sundays, but I get nervous that it wont taste right or that itll dry out from the fridge.  Anyway, something to consider for next week. 

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Roarke

We dont go back to the doctor until next month so I dont have any stats to post for you. As far as everything else goes, Roarke is doing great! He is becoming so alert and I am loving that we are getting a lot of interaction from him everyday. He is lifting his head more and more during tummy time, but still has not mastered being able to roll over yet. He smiles for us almost constantly and likes to tell us what hes thinking by cooing. As you saw in my last post he is grabbing objects and almost everything he wants to put into his mouth. Part of our nighttime routine is reading books and I am shocked each time how interested he seems in them. I know he doesnt understand what Im saying, but the pictures intrigue him I suppose. I read somewhere that parents who read to their children ensure that their kids will have 300+ vocabulary compared to parents who dont. So even though it might seem silly to some our story time in the evenings has definitely become one of my favorite times of day.
 
#52weeksofRoarke

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Its day 21 - woohoo!  I am truly counting down the days now.  Dont get me wrong, this has been a wonderful learning experience that I plan to incorporate into my life, but I just want to have some frozen yogurt with cookie dough!  Im looking forward to Monday, May 27th, but not looking forward to the stomach ache Ill have that very next day LOL!  I will try my best to eat in moderation on the 27th, but it is not guaranteed!  And then, back on the plan - eating clean and often throughout the day, working out and having a little treat every once in awhile!

Sundays are when I run to the store for the weeks groceries.  Im getting better at having various foods in the house at all times and I have a better handle of what we need for the recipes.  One irritation I continue to have is the limitation of foods at the grocery stores in the suburbs!  Super Target is getting better with their variety of organic foods, but there is not a single sprouted grain tortilla in this burb!  Ill make another trip out to the co-op later this week so we are prepared for next weekend - though Im unsure how much more of avocado quesadilla everyone will be up for!  It is good though!  And, I want to pick up some almond flour as Ive acquired a few gluten free baking recipes I want to try out in a couple weeks, when I plan to add sugar (or honey) back into my diet. 

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 152.4 lbs
Anthony:  Didnt weigh in

Menu:
Breakfast @ 8:30am:
Oatmeal with blueberries, egg with peppers

Snack @ 12pm:
Cauliflower and hummus

Lunch @ 2:30pm:
Subway salad

Snack @ 4:30pm:
Egg with peppers

Dinner @ 7:30pm:
Avocado quesadilla

Workout:
P90X Stretch DVD

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Well-planned, healthy snacks can complement your weight-loss plan. Here are creative and healthy ways to satisfy your hunger.

By Mayo Clinic staff

Your stomach is growling, but lunch is hours away. You could indulge yourself with a snack, but you think its best to grit your teeth and wait for lunch. Not so, if weight loss is your goal.

Although you may feel guilty about snacking, snacks arent necessarily bad. In fact, well-planned weight-loss diets, allow for snacks to help manage hunger and reduce bingeing. Eating a healthy snack of a piece of fruit or some raw veggies can tame your hunger without ruining your appetite for your next meal. The key to incorporating snacks into your weight-loss plan is to keep moderation and balance in mind.

Choose healthy snacks

Select foods that satisfy your hunger, supply your body with energy and provide important nutrients. Opt for snacks of 100 calories or less to stay within your daily calorie goal. You can eat more of foods with low energy density, such as carrots, grapes and air-popped popcorn, for your 100 calories. Choose snacks from these food groups:

§  Fruits and vegetables. Eating fruits and vegetables provides a feeling of fullness with little to no fat and only a small number of calories. Fruits and vegetables also provide vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients.

§  Whole grains. Whole-grain snacks are rich in fiber and complex carbohydrates, which give you energy with staying power. Look for items such as low-fat whole-grain crackers, whole-grain pretzels and whole-grain crispbreads.

§  Nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds provide protein, so you will feel fuller longer. They can be high in fat, but its mostly monounsaturated, a healthy kind of fat. Nuts and seeds are high in calories, however, so dont eat them in large quantities.

§  Low-fat dairy products. Cheese, yogurt and other dairy products are good sources of calcium and protein, plus many other vitamins and minerals. Choose the low-fat versions. Some yogurts have extra added sugar, so look for low-calorie or "light" varieties.

What does a 100-calorie snack look like?

Although snacks can contribute to a healthy diet, they can also be a source of excess calories if you arent careful. For example, a small handful of almonds (about 14 nuts) contains 100 calories. But eat a cup of almonds, and the calorie count jumps to over 800 calories.

So what are some smart choices? Here are several suggestions for 100-calorie snacks:

§  1 cup sliced bananas and fresh raspberries

§  2 cups of carrots

§  3 1/2 cups air-popped popcorn

§  5 melba toast crackers, rye or pumpernickel

§  2 tablespoons of peanuts

§  2 domino-sized slices of low-fat Colby or cheddar cheese

§  1 fat-free chocolate pudding cup

When a snack fills in for a meal

With todays busy world, healthy meals often lose out to busy schedules. A grab-and-go snack could be the difference between some nourishment and none at all. Youll find it easier to choose good-for-you snacks if you stock your refrigerator and shelves with foods that are fast — not fussy. These ideas for healthy snacks minimize fat and calories and maximize whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Theyre all around 200 calories.

§  Toast one-half of a whole-wheat English muffin. Top with one slice Canadian bacon, a tomato slice and one slice low-fat American cheese. Microwave until the cheese melts.

§  Spread 1 tablespoon part-skim ricotta cheese over one-half of a small cinnamon-raisin bagel. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired and top with a thinly sliced apple.

§  Top a small baked potato with 2 tablespoons fat-free plain yogurt and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning.

§  Layer a 6-inch soft corn or flour tortilla with 2 tablespoons shredded low-fat cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese. Microwave until the cheese melts. Slice into bite-sized pie shapes. Dip into some salsa if desired.

§  Mix 1/4 cup cold leftover chicken or convenience-type chunk chicken with sliced seedless grapes, 1/2 tablespoon sunflower seeds, 1 tablespoon plain low-fat yogurt or fat-free mayonnaise, and a dash of curry powder. Stuff into half of a whole-wheat pita pocket.

Heed your hunger pangs, but forget the guilt. With planning and a little preparation, you can have healthy foods on hand so that youre ready when temptation strikes.

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Happy Valentines Day!! 

Today is my 5th day following the Medi-Weightloss plan.  Im in ketosis and Im feeling great... If not perpetually hungry.

No chocolates for me this year.  On Friday February 10th I began eating a little differently.  Okay... a lot differently.  My diet this week consists of eating 600-700 calories/day of protein.  Thats it.  You may be wondering, "What exactly do you mean by "protein"?  Well the answer to that is complicated.

Imagine a week of eating nothing but rolled up deli meat, fat free cottage cheese, low fat/light cheese, chicken, pork, fish, beef, shellfish, soybeans, eggs/egg whites, turkey pepperoni, turkey bacon, fat free plain/vanilla Greek yogurt and chocolate flavored whey protein shakes.  Thats what I mean by "protein".

And water.  Lots and lots of water.  64-128 oz of water/day.  Plus an additiona 16 oz/day of Powerade Zero or Crystal Light Pure for electrolytes.  Im not sure if Im going to float away or sink to the floor.  But on the plus side, I do feel hydrated. 

The good news?  I should be allowed to begin adding veggies and fruit back into my diet starting on Saturday when I return to the clinic for my 2nd visit. 

The bad news?  Ive had to say goodbye to my good friends Ben & Jerry.  Then again... How good was that friendship in the first place if it was contributing to my obesity?  I have 127 lbs to lose to reach my goal weight and I have a feeling that the friendship I need to cherish most right now is my own. 

"Very often we are our own worst enemy as we foolishly build stumbling blocks on the path that leads to success and happiness."  -Louis Binstock

Youre probably wondering now why I allowed myself to become 127 lbs overweight in the first place... if I can indeed survive on 600-700 calories/day.  There are a lot of reasons why people gain weight.  I truly believe that my obesity is the result of a combination of poor eating habits and genetics. 

There are a lot of people in my family who are overweight.  I cant change that fact.  All I can do is try to find a way to stop myself from being one of them.  Thats why I joined the program.  Well, that and wanting to show off how absolutely adorable I am under all this fat.

I also suffer from Polycystic Ovary Syndrom (PCOS).  From what I know of it, PCOS can make weightloss extremely difficult.  I have found this to be the case for the majority of my life.  The only exception to that was the two times that I attempted to follow the Atkins Diet.  The first time I lost 63 lbs.  The second time I lost 58 lbs.  Both times, I gained it all back and then some.  I attribute that "regain" to not having the support needed when transitioning back out of the weightloss phase.  Im hoping that the Medi clinic will be the solution to that problem for me.

Aside from wanting to be able to shop wherever I want instead of only at plus size clothing stores, my main motivation to lose weight is that my husband and I want to start a family.  Soon.  And neither of us feels comfortable with me getting pregnant at my current weight.  Its too much of a risk to an unborn baby (and to me) for my body to be in its current condition while pregnant.  At 30 years old, the clock is ticking on how much longer I have to lose enough weight to have a healthy pregnancy and Ive wanted kids for as long as I can remember.  I think Ill make a great mother one day, as long as I can keep off enough weight to chase after my kids.

Tonight, when I get out of work, Ill be stopping by the clinic for my second B12 injection of the week.  Hopefully the extra energy so late in the day doesnt affect my sleep tonight... then again, its Valentines Day.  Who needs sleep when youve got a handsome husband, a romantic candlelight dinner and true love to celebrate?

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Step 1. Drink More Water.Drink water three times a day before meals.
Water also keeps you energized, so you’ll have the vigor needed to burn additional calories in the gym, on the tennis court, or wherever the day takes you. “Even being slightly dehydrated can lead to feeling fatigued,”.

Step 2. Say No to a Side of Fries or Potato Chips.
Replace these greasy sides with fresh veggies to save yourself hundreds of calories in a week.

Step 3. Cut Down on Added Sugars.

Eliminating added sugars could save you thousands of calories in a week. Other offenders included cookies, cakes, doughnuts, and dairy desserts. To trim hundreds of empty calories from your daily diet, check nutrition labels. “Look for anything that ends in the letters "ose,” the biochemical ending for sugars, such as sucrose, dextrose, fructose, and maltose, and the word syrup,”. If it’s sweetened, skip it.

Step 4. Watch and Avoid Hidden Calories.

Learn appropriate portions for common foods and skip calorie-laden condiments and dressings.

Step 5. Move More

Move it to lose it!!! Remember this mantra. Not all calories are lost at the kitchen table. Daily physical activity chips away at unwanted pounds.
“Choose an activity that you enjoy, whether it’s yard work, pole dancing, Zumba, or Pilates—anything that gets your body going.”
Integrate these activities into your weekly routine.

To burn…*
More than 100 calories, try:
Walking for an hour at 2 miles per hour (183)
Cooking for an hour (176)

More than 200 calories, try:
Raking the lawn for an hour (281)
Cleaning the house for an hour (246)
Bowling for an hour (219)
Leisurely bicycling (less than 10 mph) for an hour (292)

More than 300 calories, try:
Golfing for an hour while carrying your clubs (329)
Mowing the lawn for an hour (387)
Dancing for an hour (317)
Playing baseball or softball for an hour (365)

More than 400 calories, try:
Doing high-impact aerobics for an hour (493)
Hiking for an hour (438)
Stationary bicycling or rowing for an hour (493)

More than 500 calories, try:Playing basketball for an hour (584)
Jogging at 5 miles per hour (584)
Using a stair treadmill for an hour (657)
Swimming laps for an hour (511)From: fitbie.msn.com

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Im getting the hang of this diet as the days go on.  I do feel better today about having leftover steak and beef jerky for snacks.  Im also making mental notes on what meals were a success and which meals Ill need to swap out next week.  Which reminds me, I need to update my spreadsheet!

The scale was down, but not as much as each of the first two days - I blame this on the heavy protein intake and the weight lifting.  Either way, Ive lost more in the last 3 days than I have any other week on previous "diets".  Lets hope this continues through the weekend!

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 158.4
Anthony: 254.2

Menu:
Breakfast @ 6:30am:
Egg whites with garlic, onions and spinach, scrambled.

Snack @ 9:30am:
Leftover steak and celery

Lunch @ 12:30pm:
Chicken and vegetable soup

Snack @ 3:30pm:
Beef jerky

Dinner @ 6:30pm:
Steak and green beans

Workout:
P90X Legs and Back DVD - switched up the back exercises (since I did those yesterday) and did biceps and triceps during that time instead.

Preparation: 
I enlisted my husband to help me with cutting up all of the carrots, celery and cauliflower that we had and put them into containers so that they are ready to go for the next few days. I also put raw almonds, cashews, and sunflower seeds (healthy fats for phase 3!) in baggies so that those are ready to go as well.

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Oops, I missed a few days here of posts, so here I go. 

Today, the hubby and I were off of work for my daughters dance competition.  The day worked out pretty nice - after breakfast my sister came over and we did the P90X yoga video.  I then made up snacks for us to have during the competition and we literally ate lunch right before walking out the door.  After the competition and awards, we stopped at Panera and Subway for salads and subs for the kiddos.  While the diet may seem very labor intensive with having to make food at home most of the time, it is nice to stop and have it prepared by someone else.  And I love that Panera uses antibiotic free chicken and has really tasty balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

I think the best quote Ive heard while on this diet was from my son about the avocado quesadillas - "mom, these are the best thing Ive ever ate!  Well, except for chocolate because that is my favorite!"  Love that kid!

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 152.2 lbs
Anthony: 244.2 lbs

Menu:
Breakfast @ 7:30am:
Eggs benedict

Snack @ 10:30am:
Carrots and hummus

Lunch @ 1:30pm:
Avocado quesadilla

Snack @ 4:30pm:
Carrots and raw sunflower seeds

Dinner @ 7:30pm:
Panera salad

Workout:
P90X Yoga DVD

Notes on Food:
I made eggs benedict for the first time in my life and I think it turned out pretty good.  I received the recipe from the Haylie Pomroys email subscription.  I didnt care for the taste of the hollandaise sauce so I omitted it.  It was the first time I had poached in egg (I found a wonderful tutorial online) and they turned out great.  I used a brown rice english muffin (shh...were not supposed to have brown rice today - oops!), turkey bacon, steamed spinach and the poached egg.  Very good!

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I continue to feel more awake in the morning which is great!  Today was back to phase 2 and my least favorite morning food - egg whites with spinach.  Perhaps Ill do turkey bacon tomorrow instead, but that means I need to find a veggie to eat with it and I think veggies go better with eggs, so well see what I decide tomorrow.  I do know that I will be avoiding the hard boiled egg whites - Im eating beef jerky for every snack instead!

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 154.8 lbs
Anthony: 149.6 lbs before shower, 148.8 lbs after shower -- So, my husband first weighed the same as yesterday, then took a shower and weighed himself again losing 0.8 lbs.  Im not really sure what to think about why this is.  But going forward, hes doing only one weigh-in - none of this double check stuff!

Menu:
Breakfast @ 6:30am:
3 Egg Whites with onion, spinach and garlic

Snack @ 9:30am:
Beef Jerky and celery

Lunch @ 12:30pm:
Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Snack @ 3:30pm:
Beef Jerky and cucumber

Dinner @ 7pm:
Filet Mignon and asparagus

Workout:
P90X Chest and Back

Notes on Food/Preparation:
I made a big pot of soup again for this week, which I plan to freeze some of it up for next week instead of having to make it again.  And, oh filet mignon, how I love thee!  Super yummy with asparagus on the grill.
I probably should find another source of protein for snacks - but beef jerky is pretty tasty.

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