Check Out This Easy To Make Enchilada Casserole

Easy Enchilada Casserole

1 pound ground turkey breast

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cups each: tomato sauce and enchilada sauc

1 can (15 oz.) pinto beans and juice

12 corn tortillas

3 cups grated fat-free cheddar cheese (10 oz.)

1/4 cup sliced black olives

In a large, heavy skillet sprayed with nonstick spray, brown ground turkey and chopped onion over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Add tomato sauce, enchilada sauce and beans with juice. Heat until simmering. Put a layer of meat sauce in a large casserole sprayed with nonstick spray. Add a single layer of 3 tortillas. Add another layer of meat sauce. Cover with 1/4 of the cheese and olives. Repeat three more layers of 3 tortillas, meat sauce, cheese and olives. Bake in a preheated 325º oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until hot.

Check Serves 10.

Try Making This Low Calorie Meatball Sandwich !!!!

Low Calorie Meatball Sandwich Recipe

Ingredients:
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs, Italian-flavor
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup liquid egg substitute
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tbsp dried basil
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp granulated onion powder
- 1/2 tbsp sea salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 24 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 1 Point rolls, like Sara Lee Delightful Hot Dog Buns or Orowheat Sandwich Rounds
- 8 slices of light Sargento Reduced Fat Provolone Cheese
OPTIONAL: garnish with fresh shredded basil


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place oven racks in top 1/3 of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or foil that’s been coated with non-fat cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine turkey, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, egg, oregano, parsley, basil, garlic and salt & pepper. Scoop out turkey mixture and gently shape a small meatball (about the size of a tablespoon) and place on a prepared baking sheet; repeat with remaining ingredients to make 32 meatballs. Bake about 10 to 15 minutes. Make sure to shake the pans every 5 min to promote even browning of the meatballs.
Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan, heat up can of diced tomatoes. Feel free to mix in additional garlic, parsley, oregano, basil, salt and peeper for extra flavor. It won’t affect the points value.
When meatballs are done, remove from baking sheets. Place rolls on same baking sheets; top each piece with 4 meatballs. Spoon about 3 tablespoons sauce over meatballs in each sandwich; top each with 1 slice of light provolone cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and sandwiches are heated through, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Entire Recipe makes 8 servings

Serving size is 1 meatball sandwich

A Great Recipe For Baked Ziti Pasta For All To Enjoy

Baked Ziti Pasta Recipe

Ingredients:
- 12 oz Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta (I used the penne noodles)
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
- 1 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 4 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup yellow onions, finely chopped
- 1/2 lb extra lean ground beef (96/4)
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp fresh basil, finely chopped
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp rosemary
- salt and pepper to taste


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add onions and garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add beef and cook until browned, breaking up meat with a spoon as it cooks, about 3 to 5 minutes; drain off any fat and set pan back over medium heat.
Add the oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Cook about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and mushrooms and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Spoon a small amount of beef-tomato mixture into bottom of a 4-quart casserole dish (just enough to cover surface); top with half of cooked pasta. Next, layer with half of remaining beef-tomato sauce and half of mozzarella cheese. Layer with remaining pasta and then top with remaining beef-tomato sauce; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Cut into 6 pieces.
Entire recipe makes 6 servings
Serving size is 1 piece

A Great tasting And Very Healthy Recipe For CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

Ingredients:
1 chicken whole, no skin, cut up
2 medium Carrots — peeled and chopped
1/2 cup onion — peeled and chopped
2 Stalks celery — coarsely chopped
2 1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoon parsley
3/4 teaspoon marjoram
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon Poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
1 Bay leaf
2 qt Water
2 1/2 cups egg noodles

Directions:
Place the first 4 ingredients in a 3 1/2-quart slow cooker in the order listed. Combine salt and the next 6 ingredients; sprinkle over vegetables. Add 6 cups water; cover and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours. Remove chicken and bay leaf; add remaining 2 cups water. Stir in noodles and cook, covered, on high setting for 20 minutes. Meanwhile remove bones from chicken and cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Add to slow cooker, stir to mix. Cook for 15 minutes on high setting, covered or until noodles are tender. Makes 3 1/4 quarts.

 
Entire Recipe makes 13 servings
Each serving = 1 cup

Check Out This Great Recipe For CHICKEN BURRITO SOUP

Chicken Burrito Soup

2 cups fat-free chicken broth (one 16 ounce can)
1 cup water
2 teaspoons taco seasoning
1/4 teaspoon dried minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced cooked chicken breast (5 ounces)
6 ounces red kidney beans, rinsed and drained (8 ounce can)
1 cup stewed tomatoes, coarsely chopped and undrained
1 1/2 ounces uncooked noodles (1 cup cooked)

In a large saucepan, combine chicken broth, water, taco seasoning, garlic, and parsley flakes. Add corn, red and green peppers, onion, chicken, kidney beans, and undrained tomatoes. Mix well to combine. Bring mixture to a boil. Stir in uncooked noodles. Lower heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until vegetables and noodles are tender, stirring occasionally.

Freezes well.

Servings: 4 (1 1/2 cup) servings

TRY THIS GREAT RECIPE FOR "TACO CHILI SOUP" ON A COLD WINTER DAY!!!

Here is an outstanding recipe for Taco Chili Soup which I like to have for lunch, dinner, or as a snack in between meals!!!  For all of you that are Weight Watchers 1 Cup = 3 points.

TACO CHILI SOUP

Brown 1 lb Ground Turkey With 1 Large Onion

Add 1 package Taco Seasoning

1 Package Hidden Valley Buttermilk Dry Ranch Dressing

1 28 Ounce Can Stewed Tomatoes

1 28 Ounce Can Mexican Style Tomatoes (Rotel)

1 28 Ounce Can Pinto Beans (Undrained)

1 28 Ounce Can Hot Chili Beans (Albertsons Brand Undrained)

1 28 Ounce Can Corn (Drained)


HEAT AND SIMMER FOR 1 HOUR

1 CUP = 3 WW POINTS  

Eating Healthy During The Upcoming Holidays!!

Hello everyone I sure hope you are looking forward to the upcoming Holidays and enjoying some time off from work and enjoying time with friends and family, I sure am!!  I do know that from Thanksgiving through New Years it can be very difficult to eat healthy and exercise so I thought I'd give you some ideas on what has helped me out for the past 4 plus years.

In the past I have just thought that I will start or continue to eat healthy and exercise at the beginning of the year.  This made it ok for me to eat whatever I wanted  and not to exercise because it was the holiday season. 

Over the past 4 years I have realized that it's not about how much food that I can throw down my neck and how lazy that I can be but it's really about friends and family.  I have still been eating with friends and family but just with healthy choices and enjoying the time spent with my friends and family just as much as always.  Also I've been keeping up with daily exercise since it's now just part of my healthy lifestyle. When I'm invited to go somewhere and am asked to bring something to eat I have been making or bringing healthy foods that I like.   This makes it a bit easier for me to eat healthy since I know that their will atleast be something healthy to eat for sure.  Also since my family knows that I eat food that is healthy they have actually been making or bringing healthy dishes because they all know that I eat healthy and have come an incredibly long way on my weight loss journey.  After eating instead of laying on the couch I will let everyone know that I'm going for a walk (No I Don't Make A Loud Announcement Annoying Others)  and more times than others their will be others go along.  This doesn't have to be a super long walk but just a nice relaxing walk through the neighborhood which also helps in the food digestion.

So A few tips that I would give is when invited to a party or family gathering this holiday season bring a healthy dish that you like so their will be atleast something their to eat that you like. Another tip would be to go for a nice walk after eating at a party or gathering and invite others as well.  Most importantly have a great and very healthy holiday season spending time with friends and family.

ONLY TRACK ON DAYS THAT YOU WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT!!

This has been so incredible important in my weight loss journey and maintaining my 230 pound weight loss that I think it would be beneficial for everyone if I wrote about it once again.  This may seem like a lot to do in writing down everything that you eat on a daily basis and also to track how much you exercise on a daily basis but the benefits have been life changing for me.  For starters I would suggest that you go out and buy a 5 x 7 inch notepad that you can use to track on a daily basis.  This is also a great tool to use when you are struggling to look back and see what you have ate and how much exercise you did when you were doing good.  At night before going to bed I get my breakfast, lunch and snacks ready for the upcoming day which I bring to work with me.  I track down all the food that I have for the upcoming day so I don't have to write it down as I eat during the next day.  Then when I get home I write down how much exercise I did during the day and also write down in my tracker what I have for dinner and dessert if I have any in the evening.  This makes it easy for me because I have my food journal at home all the time so it will not be misplaced.  If I happen to eat something different during the day while I'm not at home I write it down on a piece of scratch paper which I keep available and then when I get home I transfer it onto my food journal.  On the weekends since I do not work I just write down the food that I eat during the day and evening and also track any exercise that I do.

ARE YOU EATING BECAUSE YOUR HUNGRY??

All my life I have ate like most people because of what time of the day it was and not because I was necessarily hungry.  For instance in the morning when I woke up I would have breakfast, then in the afternoon I would have some lunch, and in the evening I would have dinner followed by dessert before going to bed.  During my weight loss journey and now as i am maintaining my weight loss I listen to my stomach and eat when I'm hungry regardless of what time it is.  I still have breakfast, lunch, and dinner followed with dessert but not at a set time.  In the morning when I wake up and if I feel hungry then I have breakfast.  For lunch instead of eating right at when most people have lunch around noon I listen to my stomach and if I'm hungry then I eat and if not then I wait til I'm hungry.  The same thing goes for dinner and snacks during the day, I eat dinner and snacks throughout the day the same way by listening to my stomach and eat when I'm hungry.  This has really helped me out on my weight loss journey because I realized that I was eating because of what time of the day it was and not always because i was hungry. I tend to eat less often now and only when I'm hungry so my food consumption has dropped dramatically.  I also eat til I'm satisfied and full instead of when all the food is gone off my plate so I very rarely am stuffed and uncomfortable after eating.  So my tip for today is to try eating when your hungry and listen to your stomach instead of eating because it's a certain time of the day.  Have a very healthy day and upcoming week :o)

WHY BEING PREPARED WHEN GOING OUT TO EAT IS SO IMPORTANT

I know first hand from experience that when I go out to eat and have no idea what I'm going to eat how hard it can be to get something healthy.  In the past when I was not paying attention to eating healthy I would just order anything from the menu which looked or sounded like it may be good to eat and not worry about it. Now that I'm health conscious I pre plan what I'm going to eat ahead of time so there are no surprises and I know that it's a healthy meal.  In this day and age we are very fortunate to be able to go to most restaurants website and see what they have on there menu.  They usually have how many calories, fat, carbs etc that are in their meals and appetizers that make it very easy and simple for us to plan ahead.  What I do when I know I'm going out to eat is go to the website of the restaurant and find a healthy meal and maybe an appetizer that is on their online menu and write it down.  This way when I go out to eat I already know exactly what I'm going to order and dont have to wonder if it's a healthy meal or not.  This also makes my dining experience more enjoyable since I am not thinking or wondering how many calories, fat, carbs etc. are in the meal.  So a simple tip that I would suggest is if you know ahead of time that your going out to eat and you know where your going to eat is to check out the restaurants online menu. This way you will know exactly what your going to eat and how healthy it is before you get there.  Hope this helps you all out!!!  Have a great week everyone :)

CHANGE UP YOUR EXERCISE ROUTINE AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE!

I have found myself getting pretty bored with doing the same workout routine at the gym for the past year.  I have an excellent exercise routine that I got after seeing a trainer for 3 sessions last summer and have stuck with it religiously.  The problem is that it has gotten to be a bit stale and I know that I need to see him again to change it up and start doing more advanced workouts for 3 days a week.  In the meantime while I get enough funds for the personal trainer I have changed up my cardio exercise which has been great for me and something new. In the morning before i go to work I have been turning on exercise T.V. which have a lot of great 10 minute exercises with trainers that you follow.  I have been doing beginner/intermediate exercises that target the abs, back, and core. This gets me off to a great start in the morning and then I head off to work during the week.  In the evenings I have been going to the gym on my days off from lifting weights and been shootings baskets indoors which is a lot of fun and doesn't seem like exercise at all.  Another form of exercise that I have been doing is going to the mall near my place and walking around.  This is great exercise and is a great way to get some walking in and staying cool especially on those hot days that we have been having in southern california lately.   So a tip that I would suggest to everyone trying to drop a few pounds or maintain a weight loss is to change up your exercise routine as often as possible so that you don't get burned out from doing the same routine all the time.  Have a great and very healthy week everyone!!!

IT'S OK TO ASK FOR HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT!!!

This was a topic which I thought was outstanding in a recent weight watchers meeting that I attended. I know for myself that I often just try to keep it to myself on my new healthy lifestyle but it's best to ask for help from others which makes it much easier to eat healthy.  At work when they have pot lucks or get togethers when their is food it's a good idea to tell your co-workers that it would be very much appreciated if their was some healthy food available and you can also make a healthy dish.  For me the weekends are incredibly difficult because the people that I live with are not thinking about eating healthy and they tend to eat whatever sounds good at the moment.  So speak up and let others in your family know what you would like to eat instead of just eating whatever everyone else decides on, this is also something that I need to work on myself.  Many times when going out to eat I tend to dread it because it seems like it's very hard to have a healthy meal out.  What I will be doing from this point forward is asking the waiter or waitress how the food is prepared and what's in the food.  We can always tell them to cook the food the way we want to eat it especially since we are the ones paying for our food.  Substitutions are also a great way to eat healthy when at a restaurant. For instance we can get a healthy bowl of fruit instead of a muffin or buttered toast which tastes much better and is much healthier to eat.  Something else that I do while at restaurants is get salad dressing on the side so that I can decide how much I use instead of them.  Another tip at restaurants is that if the meal comes with something that is unhealthy or that you just don't want to eat it's ok to tell them not to bring it to the table and leave it out of the meal even if you have to pay for it.  So I would highly suggest to ask for help in many different situations while eating which will make it much easier to stay on your new healthy lifestyle!!!  Have a great healthy week everyone  :)   

A Great Healthy Recipe I Received For Summer Vegetable Stew Gratin

  
Fresh herbs and garlic say summer. Serve this summery stew as a side dish to grilled meats or fish, or as a delicious vegetarian main course with a crisp green salad and crusty whole-grain bread.



Weight Watchers points = 2
Servings 4
Preparation Time 15 Minutes
Cooking Time 26 Minutes

Ingredients

 

1 medium onion(s), thinly sliced

2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced

14 oz canned stewed tomatoes, with basil, garlic and oregano

2 tsp fresh oregano, chopped or 1/2 tsp dried

2 tsp rosemary, fresh, chopped or 1/2 tsp dried and crumbled

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 cup(s) dried bread crumbs, sourdough  

3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450°F

Coat a large, nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Add onion, zucchini and garlic and sauté until softened, about 6 minutes. If pan becomes too dry, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water.

Stir in tomatoes, oregano, rosemary and cayenne, increase heat to high and boil until almost all liquid has evaporated.

Put vegetables into a shallow, 1-quart baking dish and sprinkle with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.

Bake until bubbling and nicely browned on top, about 10 minutes. Cut into 4 portions and serve.

How I Had A Very Healthy Labor Day Barbeque This Weekend!!

Hello everyone I hope you all had a great Labor Day weekend, I sure did :)  This year I decided to have a Labor Day Barbecue at my house which was a big hit.  I was very prepared to have healthy food available for all of the guests at the Barbecue which was on sunday.  I went to the grocery store and bought honeydew melons, a watermelon, a veggie tray, whole grain hamburger buns, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, chicken, and ground turkey to make turkey burgers.  For drinks we had bottled water and some diet sodas for everyone to enjoy.  I cooked the chicken and turkey burgers on my charcoal barbecue which came out excellent and very healthy.  Their were raw veggies and cut up fruit to snack on before the food was ready to eat that everyone enjoyed a lot along with the drinks. A tip that I would give to you is to have a gathering or barbecue at your own house so that you can have control over the food that is there.  So we had a great day, ate very healthy, and everyone had plenty to eat on a great summer day in Southern California!!  I hope you all had a great Labor day Weekend and are relaxed for the upcoming 4 day work week.

PERFECTIONIST - WHY THIS IS TOUGH FOR ME!!

So by now many of you may know that I have lost 230 pounds and maintained the weight loss for well over a year now.  I am finding out that maintaining the weight loss has been much tougher believe it or not than the journey of losing the weight.  This has been tough for me because I'm a perfectionist which means that I eat healthy and exercise on a daily basis or after one bad meal, snack, or day of not exercising I just eat whatever and completely fall off the wagon.  Their is just no middle ground for me and it's either 100% or 0% which has really kicked into high gear after I got to my goal weight.  During my weight loss journey I lost weight consistently on a weekly basis which was great since I needed to drop weight.  Now that I am working on maintaining my weight loss and staying the same weight it has been very difficult because I'm not trying to go up or down in weight.  I do know that I am a perfectionist because in college when I was in sports we had a sports psychologist come in and test all of us and the results were that I was a perfectionist.  This isn't just in what I eat but in competing sports and at work I'm the same way in that I either give it my all or give it pretty much no effort at all.  So if you are struggling with maintaining your weight loss or are having a tough time on your weight loss journey then I would highly suggest that you find out if you are a perfectionist.  If you are then you can do your best in finding the middle ground and not have the do or die mentality.  As far as weight loss goes I was told several times by someone that I look up to that it's like when your driving your car and miss the off ramp.  We don't just throw our arms in the air and say oh well and keep on driving until we run out of gas but we wait for the next exit and then get back on track with a little detour.  I hope this helps you all out and have a great and very healthy Labor Day Weekend!!!

TRY THIS OUTSTANDING WEIGHT WATCHERS FRIENDLY BLUEBERRY COFFEE CAKE!!!

cakes

POINTS® Value:    3Servings:  8Preparation Time:  12 minCooking Time:  240 minLevel of Difficulty:  Easy

Pick up some sugar-sweet blueberries at a farmers’ market and then whip up this scrumptious coffee cake in no time. It bakes while you’re out enjoying the summer sun.

Ingredients

	3/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
	1/4 cup(s) whole wheat flour
	1/3 cup(s) sugar
	1/2 tsp baking soda
	1 1/2 tsp baking powder
	1/4 tsp table salt
	1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
	1 large egg(s), beaten
	1/2 cup(s) plain fat-free yogurt
	2 Tbsp canola oil
	1/2 tsp vanilla extract
	1 cup(s) blueberries
	2 spray(s) cooking spray
	1 Tbsp powdered sugar

Instructions

• Combine both flours, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Combine egg, yogurt, oil and vanilla extract in a small bowl; stir well. Beat egg mixture into flour mixture with a wooden spoon until smooth; stir in blueberries.
  
• Coat a 2-quart round soufflé dish with cooking spray; spoon batter into dish. Coat a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray; cover dish tightly with foil, coated side-down, so no water seeps in.
  
• Pour 2 cups of hot water into a 5-quart or larger slow cooker; place covered baking dish in slow cooker. Cover slow cooker; cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Remove baking dish and cool on wire rack for 5 minutes. Turn cake upside down onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar before slicing into 8 pieces. Yields 1 slice per serving.

Notes

• You can substitute fresh or frozen and thawed raspberries or chopped strawberries for the blueberries, if desired. You can also switch to a berry-flavored fat-free yogurt.

WHY I GOT RID OF MY OLD CLOTHES THAT WERE TOO BIG ALONG MY WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY

When I started on my weight loss journey as I have stated in past blogs I wore an 6 XL shirt and had a 64 inch waist.  When I began to drop weight and smaller clothes began to fit me comfortably I  got rid of my bigger clothes and donated them to charity or to relatives that could have use for them for several reasons.  The first reason is so I would have room in my closet which isn't much because my wife takes up 3/4 of the closet space (lol) to buy new smaller size clothes that fit properly.  This was a great feeling to be able to go out and buy smaller clothes knowing that I had been successful on my weight loss journey.  The other reason which is very important is because I knew that I had to atleast stay the same weight and size or my clothes would be very tight and uncomfortable.  The last thing that I wanted to do is go shopping for bigger clothes because my new clothes no longer fit me.  So in doing this I kept on dropping weight slowly and remained on my new lifestyle change of eating healthy and exercising on a daily basis.  I kept on doing this until I reached my goal weight which I have now been at for over a year.  In my closet now are XL size shirts and 36 inch pants/shorts which I plan to keep on wearing until they wear out or I buy new clothes at the same size or smaller.  So a big piece of advice that I would like to give out is not to keep your clothes that no longer fit because you have dropped weight and inches for the above reasons.  Have a great and very healthy week everyone :)  

ONLY TRACK WHAT YOU EAT ON DAYS THAT YOU WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT!!

Tracking what I eat in a food journal that can be bought at any grocery or stationary store has been the number 1 reason for my weight loss and maintaining my weight loss over the past 4 years. It may take some time to get used to doing but it's so very important.  It's more than just writing down what you eat on a daily basis.  A lot of time before I eat anything I know that I'm going to have to write it down and then I think twice if I really want to eat that certain food or meal and track it.  This is a very useful tool to use when I may be struggling because I can look back on what I have been eating and compare it to what I have ate in the past when I was doing good and dropping weight.  When I don't track what I eat I tend to just eat whatever I want at the moment because I don't have to write anything down.  What tracking does for me is to keep my self accountable for everything that I put in my mouth.  So if your struggling or need to get over a plateau that your experiencing then try this out which I'm sure will help greatly.  I also write down how much exercise I do daily in the tracker which is also a great incentive for me to get out and exercise.  So as the title of this blog states I only track on days that I want to lose weight or maintain my weight loss which is everyday!!  I hope that everyone is having a very healthy week so far...   

MAKE DAILY EXERCISING FUN THIS SUMMER!!

This summer I have been having a lot of fun doing different activities outside which is a great source of exercise.  What has helped me out a lot is that I'm doing things that I really enjoy and it doesn't feel like I'm exercising at all.  I have really been mixing up what I do each day instead of doing the same thing day after day which has really helped.  Here is an example of what I did last week for exercise which was fun for me.  Of course when I do these activities I have my mp3 walkman on with my favorite music that gets me pumped up!  On monday I went to the beach and walked down the main street and looked through the shops which was a lot of fun and had a healthy lunch while I was down there.  On tuesday I went back to the beach because I just love going there to see the ocean and all of the people down there enjoying the sun like myself. I walked down the pier and back which is about a 1 mile walk, then went down the stairs to the boardwalk and walked for about 60 minutes before heading back to my car.  On wednesday I went to the gym and did a great full body workout which I try to do atleast 3 times a week which helps me to get stronger and afterwards I get the endorphins pumping in my body which feels awesome.  On Thursday I turned on exercise t.v. and did my favorite 10 minute back and abs workout.  Later that night I had to work on the graveyard shift and instead of dreading it I made it go by quickly by walking through all the buildings which took about 3 hours, plus it makes me look like I love my job to my employer which I do!  Friday was a day that I went for a long 90 minute walk around my neighborhood and at my local park which was great for a change in scenery.  On saturday I went golfing for the first time in a long time and instead of taking a cart for 18 holes I walked the course with the bag on my back which was a lot of fun and excellent exercise.  On Sunday I went bowling with my wife and some others which was fun and a total different kind of exercise plus I got to spend some quality time with my wife.  Bowling isn't a ton of exercise but it's a lot of fun and I like to take it easy on Sundays and not worry too much about eating perfect and doing tons of exercise.  So this is a good example of how we can mix up our exercise routines and make it fun especially in the summer months when the weather is so great for most of us. 

A GREAT MOTIVATOR WHICH HELPS TO KEEP ME LIVING MY PERMANENT HEALTHY LIFESTYLE!!

A great motivator for me to keep living my new healthy lifestyle is simply an old picture of myself that I have on the refrigerator and the same picture at work.  This is a great reminder to myself of how far I've come since may of 2006 when I was at my heaviest weight ever 442 pounds.  When I go to the refrigerator to get something to eat that may not be very healthy I look at the picture and know that I sure don't want to fall back into old unhealthy habits and usually eat something that is healthy instead.  The job that I now have I've been at for 15 months where I do security bike patrols which is great exercise and I get paid to do it as well which is great.  I have the picture in a little nylon bag that is on the back of the bike and if I'm feeling lazy or unmotivated I'll take it out for a moment and that encourages me to keep on going.  It's also a great conversation piece to have when I mention to co-workers that I used to weigh over 400 pounds and they never believe me because ever since I have worked there I have been thin.  I often show them the picture and they can't believe that it's really a picture of me and they have to look real hard to see any similarities of the old me and the new me.  This gives me a great feeling of how far I've come over the past 4 years and keeps me motivated to keep up my permanent healthy lifestyle.  If you are lacking in any motivation then I would suggest that you try this out and see how it works for you by having an old picture of you on the refrigerator or somewhere in the house and also bring an old picture of yourself to work to show your co-workers and prove that with hard work and perseverance anything is possible!!   Have an awesome weekend everyone :)  

HOW I HAVE MAINTAINED MY 230 POUND WEIGHT LOSS FOR OVER A YEAR NOW.

For 3 years I was on my 230 pound weight loss journey from 442 pounds to 210 pounds.  During this time I  adopted a permanent healthy lifestyle which has helped me in keeping the weight off.  In the past I have lost large amounts of weight but didn't have any clue on how to keep it off permanently.  In the past I pretty much starved myself and exercised for very long periods of time which I could not keep up and eventually gained the weight back plus more which was very discouraging.  This time as I dropped the weight off I developed healthy eating habits and did exercise that I could continue doing permanently which has been a huge reason why I have maintained the weight loss for over a year now.  So it may have taken me a lot longer to lose the weight this time but it's permanent and I now have a healthy lifestyle which feels great!!  I would highly suggest for anyone that is trying to lose weight permanently to take it slow, develop healthy eating habits, and exercise at a rate that can be maintained for the rest of your life. This has really helped me out and I'm sure it will help you as well on your weight loss journey and adopting a permanent healthy lifestyle.  Have a great and very healthy weekend everyone!!

HERE IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW I GOT BACK ON THE WAGON TODAY!!!

So I fell off the wagon for a few days which I do every now and then but this has been a good learning experience.  I was feeling pretty tired an unmotivated from not eating or exercising like I know that I should.  This morning as I woke up I knew that I wanted and needed to get back on track so instead of hanging around the house before work this is what I did which really helped me out.  I had a healthy breakfast of 2 Jimmy Dean turkey sausage patties and toasted a whole grain sandwich thin for a tasty breakfast sandwich.  I also had a protein shake which I have on days that I go to the gym.  I then left the house and went bowling for 3 games which is fun and a little bit of exercise.  Then I went to the gym and did my wednesday full body workout which took me about 90 minutes and I really started to feel much better.  After that I went to the beach which is a 20 minute drive from the gym and walked around for 1 hour.  After doing this I really felt great and didn't have any urges to eat anything unhealthy.  I then went home and got ready for work, had some taco soup and another protein shake, and packed my dinner and snacks for work with healthy food.  This evening at work I have not had any bad unhealthy food urges like I've had for the past several days and got back on track which feels really good. I ate a healthy dinner at work with some fruit for snacks and also hasd quite a bit of water.  I believe that the reason that I fell off the wagon was because I had my schedule changed for the week and the stress of doing the supervisor duties lead me to make unhealthy food choices. So if you have fallen off the wagon recently or if you do in the future then here is what I have done today which has helped to get myself back on the wagon.

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!!! TRY THESE DELICIOUS RECIPES!!

Today I thought that I would post some great tasting and very healthy recipes that I really enjoy and I'm sure that you will as well.


Taco Soup

Brown 1 LB Ground Turkey and a large onion.
Drain and place in a large soup pot.

Add the following ingredients.

1 package Hidden Valley Ranch Mix
1 package Taco Mix
1 can Pinto Beans un-drained
1 can Caribbean Spice Black Beans un-drained
1 can Whole Corn un-drained
1 can Mexican Tomatoes un-drained
1 can Stewed Tomatoes un-drained

Simmer for 1 hour
2 WW Points Per Cup

"ENJOY"



PUMPKIN MUFFINS

1 Box of Spice Cake mix
1 can of Pumpkin
1/2 Cup of Egg Beaters

Mix together and place in muffin tin sprayed with PAM spray.
Bake at 350 degrees for 17 minutes
Makes about 18 muffins

"These are awesome right out of the oven"
"For an extra special treat top with Fat Free Whipped Cream"

1 WW Points Per Muffin

COWBOY STEW

2 bags Morning Star Crumbles
1 TB Minced Garlic
1 Large Can and 1 Small Can of Low Sodium Kidney Beans
1 Large Can and 1 Small can of Diced Mexican Tomatoes
3 bags of Mixed frozen Vegetables (your choice)
1 TB Ground Cumin
1 TB Chili Powder

In a Large Stockpot on medium heat cook Garlic and Crumbles until heated.
Stir in 1/2 TB of Cumin and 1/2 TB of Chili Powder
Stir in Kidney Beans with liquid
Stir in Diced Tomatoes
Add remaining 1/2 TB of Cumin and 1/2 TB of Chili Powder
Stir in one bag at a time of Frozen Vegetables.
Cover and cook on medium heat for 30 minutes stirring occasionally.

*You can substitute 1 1/2 LB Ground Turkey instead of Morning Star Crumbles*
*Use more or less Cumin and Chili Powder depending on how spicy you like it*
*Mix and match your vegetables*

*Serve in 2 cup servings*
*Makes about 10 servings*

2 WW Points Per Cup

PUMPKIN PUDDING

1 Small Package Sugar Free Vanilla or Butterscotch Instant Pudding
1 Cup Canned Pumpkin (not mix)
2 Cup Skim or 1% Milk
1/4 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

Mix together and refrigerate

Serving Size 1 Cup

*Tastes just like Pumpkin Pie*



PUMPKIN MOUSSE

1 Cup Pumpkin
1 Cup of Cool Whip
1 Package of Fat Free Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate

*Makes 4 servings*

HAVE A GREAT AND VERY HEALTHY WEEK!!!

WHO HAS INSPIRED YOU THAT ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE?

When I was younger their were several people that I considered to be huge inspirations in my life.  As I now look back after losing 230 pounds and keeping it off for over one year, I have realized who my one and only true inspiration really is.  One day many many years ago I received a phone call from my favorite musician in the world Mike Muir.  As soon as I answered the phone and he started talking to me I told him that he was my inspiration and that was when I heard the greatest advice that I had ever received.  He simply told me that we inspire ourselves and then we continued on with our conversation.  I never really understood what he meant until years later and many failed diet attempts where I had lost and gained massive amounts of weight.  In May of 2006 I weighed 442 pounds and was starting to have serious medical problems due to being as the Dr's called it severe morbidly obese.  That was when I remembered what Mike Muir said to me that we inspire ourselves.  I looked in the mirror one day completely devastated by what I looked and felt like and knew that no one but me was going to inspire myself to adopt a permanent healthy lifestyle.  That was when I began my incredible weight loss journey and knew that I was going to be successful and change my life for the better.  I began by making small goals of losing 5 pounds at a time and over three years I eventually lost all the weight because I believed in myself and was my own inspiration and still am to this day.  So for those of you out there that are struggling then I would tell you that you have to believe in yourself and be your own inspiration and absolutely anything is possible!!!       

HOW MUCH WATER SHOULD WE DRINK ON A DAILY BASIS?

Lately I have had quite a few people asking myself how much water that I drink on a daily basis.  During the winter, spring, and fall seasons I work very hard at getting 60 to 80 ounces of water in each day.  It's tough in these months because the weather is not very warm outside and what I do is drink at least 3 bottles of water each day even if I don't feel really thirsty.  This has many health benefits as well, one of which is detoxing our bodies.  I exercise every day so it may be a bit easier for me but I would highly suggest to get in the 60 to 80 ounces of water during these seasons.  In the summer months it seems much easier at least to me because I work outside and always have water with me because I get thirsty quite often during the day.  In the summer I get in at least a gallon of water each day.  When I workout all year long I drink an extra bottle of water and a 32 ounce low calorie gatoraid which helps to keep me hydrated throughout my workout.  So I would suggest for you all to get in between 60 to 80 ounces of water in the winter, fall, and spring seasons.  In the summer I would for highly suggest that you get in a gallon of water a day to keep you hydrated and feeling great all day long.  Also if you go to the gym then I would suggest that on those days for you to drink about 50 more ounces of fluids to keep you hydrated.  I hope this helps you out on how much water that you should drink on a daily basis which has helped me on my 230 pound weight loss journey.  It also would be a great idea for everyone to see your Dr. to see what he or she says about how much fluids you should have on a daily basis.

BE PREPARED FOR THE UPCOMING DAY!!!

Hello everyone I hope you all had a very healthy and enjoyable weekend!!   I have been planning my daily meals for several years now which makes it much easier to make healthy choices for everything that I eat while I'm not at home.  I always make sure that I have a dinner planned as well so I don't have any temptation to grab something on the way home which is more than likely unhealthy.  Before I go to bed at night I get out all of my food and beverages for breakfast, lunch, and snacks that keep me going throughout the day.  I put this food, snacks and beverages in a plastic grocery bag and place it in the refrigerator before going to bed.  When I wake up the next morning and am ready for work I get the bag out of the refrigerator and have my breakfast that I have all ready to eat.  After I have breakfast I then get out my lunch bag and put the rest of my food inside of it from the refrigerator along with an icepack which keeps everything cool for the entire day.  By doing this it makes it very simple for me to make healthy choices while I'm at work since I bring all of my food and snacks with.  This also saves a lot of time and money since I don't go out to eat on any of my  breaks.  Here is an example of what I did just a little while ago to prepare for what I'll be eating tomorrow.  I grabbed a plastic grocery bag which I always keep in my pantry and put the following items in for tomorrow.  For breakfast I put one sandwich thin and one turkey sausage patty inside the bag which I will warm up and eat at home before leaving for the day.  I also put a 2 cup container of cowboy stew, 1 cup of blackberries in a small ziplock bag, 2 fat free yoplait yogurts, 1 sugar free applesauce cup, 1 fat free pudding cup, 1 oats and chocolate fiber one bar, one small bag of baby carrots, and 2 bottles of water and a low calorie gatoraid  to keep me hydrated throughout the day.  I hope this easy tip can help you out on your weight loss journey  which has been a huge part of my success in dropping 230 pounds and keeping it off.

ARE YOU OBSESSED WITH HOW MUCH YOU WEIGH ON A DAILY BASIS?

When I started on my weight loss journey 4 years ago I was constantly weighing myself on the scale to see if I had lost any weight during the day.  I was becoming obsessed with how much I weighed every day and knew that I had to do something about this.  What I finally did after several months was throw away my scale and only weighed in once a week at my weekly meetings.  This helped me out tremendously because I was no longer obsessed with how much I weighed on a daily basis.  I also looked forward to weighing in once a week to see how much weight I had lost for the week instead of already knowing because I weighed myself constantly. What I also learned from this during my weight loss journey was that if I ate healthy, exercised, drank plenty of water, and most importantly stayed positive on a daily basis then the weight would come off even if I only weighed in once a week.  So if you are constantly weighing yourself on a daily basis like I had been doing at the start of my weight loss journey then I would highly suggest that you ditch the scale and concentrate more on adopting a healthy lifestyle!!

A FEW DINNER SUGGESTIONS TO TRY OUT WHICH HAVE HELPED ME ON MY WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY!!

I have always enjoyed mexican food and A meal that I really enjoy having are tacos.  I use ground turkey because it's much healthier than eating ground beef and I really enjoy the taste of turkey with some seasonings to spice it up. When I do eat ground beef now it just tastes really greasy and I do not enjoy the taste like I did for most of my life. For the turkey tacos I cook about one pound of ground turkey in a skillet on the stove and spray pam on the bottom instead of using oil to cook the meat in.  I also warm up fat free refried beans in the microwave and cut up tomatoes, lettuce, and onions for the tacos.  I use fat free shredded cheese, fat free sour cream, and hot sauce fot the tacos which makes for a great dinner. I warm up corn tortillas or whole wheat tortillas in the microwave when all the food is on the table and ready to eat which are much healthier than eating flour tortillas. I usually have about three tacos which satifies me for the evening.

Another meal that I really enjoy for dinner are turkey burger sliders.  I use the mini whole wheat buns with mustard, ketchup, onions, and tomatoes.  I usually have three of them because they are small, one serving of tator tots and a glass of fat free milk. One serving of tator tats can be found on the nutritional information on the back of the bag and so I just warm up however many are one serving in the oven.  I cook the turkey burgers on the barbecue, my george foreman grill, or in a skillet using Pam spray instead of oil so it's much healthier.  This is an excellent meal that fills me up and is a great change of pace.  I have learned along my journey to try my best not to have the same meals all the time.  By doing this I don't get bored from eating the same food and meals all the time.


Turkey burgers, french fries, chicken flavored rice, and a vegetable like green beans or corn is a dinner that I enjoy and is very filling which keeps me satisfied until the next day.  I cook the turkey burgers on the barbecue, my george foreman grill, or in a skillet using Pam spray instead of oil so it's much healthier. The french fries are warmed up in the oven on a cooking tray instead of in a skillet.  I cook the rice in the microwave which takes about 20 minutes in a glass container. The vegetables are also warmed up in the microwave which usually only takes a few minutes. I will usually have one turkey burger on a whole wheat bun, one serving of french fries, one serving of chicken flavored rice, and one serving of green beans or corn with a small glass of fat free milk.  I do have french fries or tator tots on occasion but what I do is look on the back of the bag where the nutritional information is to see how many french fries or tator tots are in one serving and I have that many for dinner. The reason that I have french fries or tator tots is because this is a lifestyle change and not just another diet which we all know don't always work. What has really helped me out a lot is that I don't feel deprived from not being able to eat food that I enjoy.  

THE BENEFITS OF SLOWING DOWN HOW FAST YOU EAT!!

All of my life I have always been one to eat my food really fast for no good reason at all.  I suppose that it was because I just wanted to eat fast enough so my brain wouldn't realize that I was full.  Since I have started my weight loss journey it has really helped me out a lot to eat slowly and enjoy the food that I'm eating instead of devouring it.  In May of 2006 when I began my lifestyle change I began to eat slowly and actually enjoy the food that I have been eating.  After I take a bite now I put down my eating utensil until the food is swallowed and then I pick up the utensil and have another bite.  This has several benefits which has really helped me out in my lifestyle change and weight loss journey.  The first benefit that I now have is that I enjoy each bite of food of my meal or snack and actually taste the food instead of just eating really fast without fully enjoying my food.  The other benefit that I now have is that I get full after eating much less food because I'm eating slower and my brain has time to let me know that I'm getting full.  I also now feel satisfied after eating my meal or snack instead of feeling stuffed like i did before.  This is something that took some time to get used to doing but now I do this each time I eat.  So a tip I would suggest doing is to eat slower, enjoy your food, and you will feel satisfied after eating much less food.

GET YOURSELF PREPARED FOR THE UPCOMING 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND

The 4th of July is now less than a week away and for most of this it means that we will be going to barbecues with family and friends to celebrate on this upcoming three day weekend!!  What I have learned over the past four years is not to attend these barbecues and parties very hungry because when I have done this in the past I would eat pretty much everything in sight without thinking about how healthy or unhealthy the food is.  What I have been doing over the past four years which really helps me out a lot from over eating is to have a small meal or snack just before I go so that I'm not too hungry when I show up.  When I'm at these gatherings where food is almost always available I then make much smarter food choices that are healthy without feeling deprived.  It is also very important not to deprive ourselves of food that we like so If we do have some food that is not the healthiest then we can have small portions that keep us satisfied.  I also bring along a large bottle of water or low calorie beverage to drink and some healthy snacks in case their are not any available at the barbecue or party!!

TRY THESE SIMPLE TIPS THAT HAVE HELPED ME ON MY WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY!!

Hello everyone I hope you have all had a great week and will have a healthy weekend.  Today I thought I would give you all some tips that I have used over the past few years which saves a lot of calories and only takes a few seconds to do. 

Since I always bring my breakfast, lunch, and snacks with me to work I eat quite a few canned foods.  I put these foods in small plastic containers the night before so I'm prepared for the upcoming day.  What I do is drain the liquid from the cans which cuts out a lot of the sodium, sugar, and oil which makes the food much healthier and cuts out a lot of unnecessary calories. 

When I have a salad instead of loading it up with salad dressing I have been using salsa which actually tastes real good and cuts out all of the calories from the dressing. 

While cooking in a skillet on the stove Instead of using regular oil which has a huge amount of calories I use  PAM cooking spray which  pretty much has no calories at all. 

When I have turkey burgers, turkey sausage patties, and other meats after they are cooked and ready to eat I pat them down with a paper towel which gets rid of a lot of grease which you can tell by looking at the paper towel after your finished. 

Making tuna or deli sliced turkey, ham, or roast beef sandwiches I use just mustard on the bread and tuna instead of mayonnaise.  By doing this it cuts out a tremendous amount of calories most of which are fat.

I have also cut out virtually all butter which has a ton of calories and enjoy the food I'm eating instead of tasting the butter with the food.  A good example of this would be corn on the cob which tastes great without anything on it.

These are a few examples of what I have been doing over the past several years to cut out a lot of calories while still eating the foods that I like so much.  I hope that these tips will help you out while you continue on your weight loss journey!!

ADOPT A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE FOR YOURSELF AND NO ONE ELSE!!!

Many of us during our lifetime will try to lose weight to make others happy for one reason or another.  I have been guilty of this as well and it's why all of my past attempts have failed.  I have tried to lose weight in the past to make my parents happy, hoping that a girl would like me, have more friends, fit into a certain crowd etc.  The reason that all of these attempts have failed at least for me is because they were all for the wrong reasons.  It's like telling an alcoholic to stop drinking, a smoker to stop smoking, and a drug addict to stop using drugs.  Just like drinkers, smokers, and drug addicts we have to want to change our habits for ourselves and no one else.  In May of 2006 when I weighed 442 pounds I decided that I wanted to lose weight and adopt a permanent lifestyle change for the right reason which was for myself and no one else.  When I began my journey I wore an 6XL shirt and had a 64 inch waist.  That was when I began my incredible weight loss journey that many thought was impossible but has been a huge success that I'm very proud of!  As I sit here behind the computer in June of 2010 I have maintained my 230 pound weight loss for over a year, wear an XL shirt, and have a 36 inch waist because I did it for my self and not to make anyone else happy!!!

HOW I BEGAN EXERCISING ON A DAILY BASIS

When I first began my weight loss journey in May of 2006 at 442 pounds I knew that starting to exercise on a daily basis was going to be a huge challenge for me.  I was in no condition to go on long walks or to hit the gym hard everyday for long periods of time so I knew that I had to start off slowly.  What I did was walk for only about 5 minutes each day which may sound like baby steps but that is exactly what it took.  For the first few weeks I walked for 5 minutes until I had the stamina to increase the time that I could walk.  This helped me out a lot because it got me into the routine of exercising everyday.  I didn't dread exercising at all because it was only a short walk that I could handle without any problem.  I slowly increased the time of my walks  every week or two depending on how comfortable I felt with increasing the time.  Today as I write this blog I can walk for well over 2 hours at a time without a problem which took me over 3 years to work up to.  In the past I would start out by exercising for long periods of time like 30 minutes a day or more which I would dread doing everyday because it was very difficult.  I would eventually quit exercising altogether and go back to my old habits because I wanted to see results immediately.   So the best advise that I can give you is to start out by walking for just a few minutes each day, adding time at your own pace.

THEIR ARE NO EXCUSES NOT TO EXERCISE ON A DAILY BASIS!!!

We all can come up with some great excuses why we don't or can't do some kind of exercise on a daily basis.  When I weighed 442 pounds I had a great list of excuses why I could not exercise and I'm sure that you do as well.  For example it's too cold outside, too hot outside, looks like it may rain, my back hurts, my legs are knees are sore, etc.  I'm pretty sure that I could write a book on excuses not to exercise daily.  Now I'm the opposite and have many creative reasons why I can exercise without it always feeling like I'm exercising at all.  A few examples are as follows.  Parking my car far away where ever I'm at, on hot and cold days walking inside the mall, store, or working out at the gym, at work taking the stairs because the elevator is always breaking down, walking at the beach because it's a nice day out, going on evening walks to unwind for the day, and walking to the nearby store because I'm tired of spending 3$ a gallon for gas etc.  Daily exercise is extremely important in losing and maintaining permanent weight loss so what I'm trying to say is that THEIR ARE NO EXCUSES NOT TO EXERCISE DAILY!!!!  I hope you all have a great and very healthy Father's Day weekend  :)

LOVING MY EVENING WALKS

Lately I have been going on evening walks after dinner when the sun goes down which has been very beneficial.  I have been walking for about 30 minutes to unwind after a long day and It's the perfect time of the day since summer is upon us.  At this time of the day the weather is really nice since It's not too hot or cold out.  They have been nice relaxing walks where I can enjoy being outside and not think about the stresses of life. I have noticed that after I'm back from my walk I feel relaxed, happy, and ready to get a good nights sleep for the upcoming day.  Before I would have dinner, watch some t.v., and then have dessert before heading off to bed.  I have been sleeping much better since I started my evening walks and feel well rested when I wake up in the morning. The exercise that I have been getting is very beneficial as well since it also speeds up my metabolism which helps me burn calories while sleeping. So the advise I would give is to go on an evening walk to unwind for the day.

PICKING OURSELVES UP AFTER WE FALL OFF THE WAGON!!

No one is perfect and every now and then including myself we will fall off the wagon.  We just need to get back to living our healthy lifestyle and not get down on ourselves for having an unhealthy day or two.  Were only human and this will happen many times during our weight loss journey and maintaining our weight loss.  It was once described to me that when were driving somewhere in our vehicle and we miss our off ramp or street we do not just keep on driving because we messed up.  If we did that then we would end up in who knows where when we finally ran out of gas!!  We find our way back to where we are going with a little detour and eventually find our destination.  The same goes for when we fall off track of eating healthy and exercising daily.  When we  have a rough day or two or three we just need to find our way back to our healthy lifestyle and get back on the wagon.  Over the past 4 years this has happened to myself many many times and I have managed to stay on track with my 230 pound weight loss.

HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW I TRACK IN MY DAILY FOOD JOURNAL

I am posting an example of tracking in my daily food journal.  I will put spaces in between my meals and snacks so that everything is not all bunched up together which will make it mush easier for everyone to understand.  I eat 5 or 6 times a day so that I'm satisfied throughout the day and do not get too hungry or full throughout the day.  This will give you an idea of what I do on a daily basis which should help you out greatly on your weight loss journey which has helped me out greatly.  This does take a little bit of time to get used to  but it's worth it and over time you will do it out of habit.  If you that have access to a computer throughout the day then you could track on the computer which may be easier and more convenient.  




BREAKFAST

Sandwich Thin
Turkey Sausage Patty

MID MORNING SNACK

Apple
Fat Free Yogurt

LUNCH

Sandwich Thin
Deli Sliced Ham
Lettuce
Tomato
Individual Bag Of Baby Carrots
Poweraid Zero (32 oz)
Fat Free Yogurt
Fat Free Pudding Cup
Sugar Free Applesauce Cup

AFTERNOON SNACK

100 Calorie Snack
Fiber One Bar

LATE AFTERNOON

VU-TEK PRO 5 Protein Shake (After My Full Body Workout At The Gym)

DINNER

Taco Salad -Ingredients Below
Lettuce
Tomatoes
2 Boca Burgers Cut Into Small Pieces
Fat Free Refried Beans

DESSERT

Weight Watchers Ice Cream Cup

THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING A DAILY FOOD JOURNAL

What has helped me the most in dropping well over 200 pounds and keeping it off for over 1 year now is tracking what I eat.  I have been writing down everything that I eat throughout the day for over 4 years now. This makes me accountable for everything I eat and is also great to look back on when I'm struggling to see what foods I ate when I was losing weight.  I still do this and will continue to do so to maintain my current weight.  I use one page per day in a daily food journal which you can buy at any store of your choice.  In my next blog I will give an example of food that I eat and how I track it in my daily food journal.  It's always best to have a wide variety of food that you eat each day so that your not always eating the same food day after day.

ADD SOME BRIGHT COLORS TO YOUR PLATE FOR HEALTHIER MEALS

A little tip I thought I'd throw out there for everyone this morning is to have a nice colorful plate of food at your meals.  The more colors that you have on your plate the healthier the food is most of the time.  Also when their isn't much color on your plate then the food most of the time isn't very healthy.  I have noticed while eating that most people around me have plates that are white and brown and mine is much more colorful.  A few examples would be red, green, purple, and orange just to name a few.  For red you could have tomatoes, apples, watermelon, cherries, strawberries, bell peppers etc.  Green could be granny smith apples,  honeydew melon, grapes, lettuce, spinach, green beans, avocados, bell peppers, etc.  For purple try having plums, eggplant, beets, grapes, red cabbage etc.  Orange could be squash, bell peppers, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, yams, oranges, cantaloupe, etc.  These are just a few examples of colorful foods that are quite obviously much healthier than plain colored foods.  So I would suggest for everyone to add some color to your meals which are in most cases much healthier and in my opinion a lot better tasting!!!

THROW THE RULES OUT THE WINDOW

When I first started to exercise I naturally thought that I could only exercise one time a day.  A short time later when I was seeing a therapist for my weight problem I was told something that never crossed my mind.  At the time I was unemployed so I had quite a bit of extra time on my hands and she told me that their is no rule or law that states it's illegal to exercise more than once a day if you have the time and are up to it!!  I'm sure that many of you along with myself are very busy and it may be tough to find some extra time to get in extra exercise.  Tonight after returning from work (where I am very physically active) and having dinner instead of watching T.V. I felt like getting outside to clear my mind after a crazy day at work and went on a 45 minute walk which felt great.  So if you have some extra time every now and then instead of sitting in front of the T.V. go for a nice walk which will benefit you much more!

HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING TO ADOPT A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE?

I can fully understand how difficult it is when you begin to change so many things about your life at once.  At first eating healthy, tracking my food intake, and exercising was a lot to deal with especially since I had never did this in my life successfully before.  I began to walk several minutes a day at first which was not too bad since it was very short distances and I did not track or eat all that healthy.  This does take time and will not automatically happen overnight so patience definitely plays a huge roll in adopting a healthy lifestyle.  So as I mentioned earlier I began to walk daily for a few minutes which was a great start since I was not doing anything before.  I would then eat like I always did which was not too healthy at all.  Eventually what happened was that I felt like the exercising was not doing much good since I was not eating healthy.  I finally started to get tired of exercising daily without losing a single pound.  As time went by I slowly began to eat healthier foods and that was when I noticed that I was starting to lose weight which was a great feeling.  So if eating healthy, tracking your food intake, and exercising on a daily basis is just too much to change all at once then I would highly suggest that you start out by walking for a few minutes each day!!  

THE FIRST STEP IN ADOPTING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

A great way to begin the process of adopting a healthy lifestyle is to write down everything that you eat during the day.  This may take some time to get used to doing but it's a great way to track exactly what you are eating every day.  The reason that I do this is so at the end of the day I can look back to see what I ate and if it was really necessary.  You can also look back on what I call my food journal to see what you ate on successful days when you are struggling which can help to get you back on track.  A lot of times we will eat when were not really hungry at all and writing down what we eat will stop us for a moment and let us think to ourselves if were eating because were hungry or for other reasons.  4 years later since I began my weight loss journey I still write down everything that I eat every day which has helped to keep me on track.

DROP THE WORD "DIET" FROM YOUR VOCABULARY!!!!

For most of my life I have been overweight and have tried just about every diet that there is unsuccessfully.  Yes I have lost hundreds of pounds over the years on different diets but have gained the weight back that I lost plus more.  This has been very discouraging for me and I've realized that diets do not work because they deprive me of eating foods that I enjoy which made me want to eat those foods even more.  Also in the past I have been an exercising fanatic and was doing an incredible amount of exercise that was impossible to maintain on a daily basis for the rest of my life.  4 years ago I learned to drop the word DIET from my vocabulary and understood that I needed to adopt a permanent healthy lifestyle change.  This involves both eating healthy and exercising on a daily basis without depriving myself of eating foods that I enjoy!!    

A FEW TIPS ON EATING HEALTHY AT BUFFETS

Eating at buffets had always been very difficult for me in the past because I felt like I could not choose what I could eat.  I would just grab a plate and go down the line of food and whatever looked good I would slap on my plate not thinking if the food was healthy or not.  Over the past four years I have learned how to eat healthy even at buffets which I thought was next to impossible in the past.  What I now do before grabbing a plate is to walk through the buffet and scan over everything to see what healthy foods they have available.  I then grab a plate and usually start at the salad section and make a nice healthy salad with lots of vegetables and low calorie dressing.  After I eat my salad which usually fills me up quite a bit I go back with a clean plate and get some healthy foods like fish, chicken, steamed vegetables, and lean cuts of meat.  If I'm still a bit hungry I then go up for my dessert and get some fruit like honeydew melon, cantaloupe, strawberries, grapes, watermelon, etc.  After eating the fruit I am very satisfied and know that even though I went to a buffet I made smart choices and had a very healthy meal.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BOTH EATING HEALTHY AND EXERCISING TO DROP WEIGHT PERMANENTLY!!

As I began my weight loss journey over 4 years ago I tried to just eat healthy and thought that's all it would take for me to drop weight.  I would lose a pound then gain a pound and became very discouraged until I began exercising on a daily basis.  As I have mentioned in past blogs I started by walking for 5 minutes a day and then gradually increased the time I would walk everyday.  I increased the amount of time I would walk about once every week or two depending on how comfortable I was with increasing the time.  Once I began doing this I noticed a big difference in how much I would lose on a weekly basis.  I also realized that every week as I weighed in I was either losing weight or maintaining my weight loss which let me know the importance of both eating healthy and exercising on a daily basis.

ACTIVITIES THAT I NOW ENJOY DUE TO MY WEIGHT LOSS

Since my weight loss I have been able to engage in physical activities that I have not been able to do since I was much younger.  When I was younger I used to golf 18 holes, lift weights, play basketball, baseball, football, soccer, snow ski, and stand for long periods of time at concerts just to name a few.  About 8 years ago when I began to gain weight I was unable to enjoy these activities that I have done since I was very young.  As the weight started to come off I slowly started to enjoy these activities once again.  About one year ago when I reached my goal weight of 210 pounds after dropping 230 pounds I have been able to enjoy all of the activities that I did when I was much younger which is a great feeling that I'm very proud of.

THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF LOSING WEIGHT I NOW HAVE

Before I began on my weight loss journey I was having medical problems and wanted to lose the weight so that I would become healthy and put many many extra years back on my life.  I was having bad back pain, knee problems, achy feet, shortness of breath, and sore legs when walking or standing for short periods of time. I also was a borderline diabetic, had high cholesterol, high blood pressure, a fatty liver (due to being obese), and had elevated triglycerides from eating unhealthy and being inactive.  About 3 years later after I had lost 230 pounds I no longer had body aches and pains and all of my blood tests came back to the normal range which made me incredibly happy.  I have now kept the weight off for over a year and still do not have any body pains or aches and all of my blood tests are still coming back in the normal range.

HOW TO STAY ON TRACK DURING THE WEEKENDS

The weekends can be difficult for some of us because we get out of the daily routine of preparing healthy food for the upcoming day.  What  I have learned to do over the past several years is to treat the weekends like it's just any other day of the week.  As we know the most important meal of the day is breakfast so I make sure that I eat a good healthy breakfast when I get up which helps to keep me on track for the rest of the day.  In the past I would sleep in late and then skip breakfast which would leave me very hungry for lunch.  I would then have a large lunch eating pretty much whatever sounded good at the time without thinking about how healthy or unhealthy the meal was because I was so hungry.  I would also do the same when I ate throughout the rest of the day and evening.  So I would highly suggest eating a good healthy breakfast on the weekends to get you off to a great start of the day which will keep you away from getting too hungry when you eat the rest of your meals throughout the day.

SEVERAL DESSERTS I ENJOY TO SATISFY MY SWEET TOOTH

Several nights a week I like to have a small dessert about an hour or so before I go to bed. I enjoy several different desserts and I will list some of my favorite ones that are guilt free and satisfy my sweet tooth. Single serving healthy popcorn, weight watchers giant sorbet & ice cream bars that come in different flavors, weight watchers single serving ice cream cups that come in different flavors, weight watcher individually wrapped chocolate chip cookies, smart ones individual wrapped frozen sundae's, and weight watchers giant fudge bars. These are all excellent tasting desserts that I enjoy a lot and can be found in most grocery stores for when you are in the mood for a healthy treat before you go to bed for the evening. 

Healthy afternoon snack ideas

I usually have a small afternoon snack around 3 p.m. which keeps me satisfied until I have my dinner especially on days that I go to the gym to lift weights which is 3 days a week in the afternoon.  My afternoon snack that I have varies but is always something filling and taste good. As of late I have been eating one or two of the following snacks. a small bag of wheat thins, small bag of baby carrots, apple, sugar free applesauce cup, strawberries, grapes, fat free pudding cup, fiber one bar, and an individual bag of healthy popcorn. On the days that I go to the gym I bring with a low calorie gatoraid that gets me through the workout to keep me hydrated and replenishes my electrolytes. 

A FEW IDEAS FOR A HEALTHY LUNCH

 I have my lunch between noon and 12:30 p.m. during the week and always make my lunch along with my other snacks the night before so that I'm prepared for the upcoming day. For lunch I like to have a healthy sandwich using whole grain bread that is high in fiber and around 100 calories for 2 slices of bread. I eat tuna, deli sliced turkey, ham, or roast beef and put lettuce, tomatoes, and mustard on the sandwich which makes for a very tasty and healthy sandwich.  On days that I prefer to have something else besides a sandwich I have recently been having a turkey hot dog which is low in calories on a whole grain hot dog bun with mustard which tastes great. To go along with the sandwich or turkey dog I have a fat free pudding cup, a fat free yogurt, a 100 calorie snack, and a fiber one bar which is very filling along with a 32 ounce bottle of low calorie gatoraid.  I also like to have some fruit with my lunch like a banana, orange, apple, grapes, strawberries, or some mixed fruit.              
   

MID MORNING SNACK IDEAS

I like to have a mid morning snack in between breakfast and lunchtime which keeps me satisfied until lunch.  I do this because It prevents me from getting too hungry at lunch which can lead to a unhealthy meal.  I like to have a few small snacks a few hours before my lunch.  Snacks that I enjoy are apples, suger free applesauce, fat free yogurt, bananas, grapes, fiber one bars, 100 calorie snacks, and a small bag of baby carrots.  I also like to have a bottle of water with these snacks which helps to fill me up and get my fluids in for the morning.  These are just a few examples of what I like to have for a mid morning snack but any healthy snacks that you like are great to have to get you through until lunch time. 

THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY

Breakfast should be the biggest meal of the day that gives us energy and helps speed up our metabolism throughout the day.  I have found that eating fruit, filling foods, and protein are a great way to start the day.  For fruit I enjoy bananas, apples, strawberries, and mixed fruit but any fruit that you enjoy is great.  As far as filling foods go I like to eat whole grain bread, cheerios, sandwich thins, and eggos.  Try to find filling foods that are high in fiber and low in fat which will satisfy you.  For protein I enjoy turkey sausage which I often have inside of 2 toasted whole grain eggos, sandwich thins, or whole grain english muffins.  Eat what you enjoy for breakfast with fruit, filling foods, and protein along with a glass of milk to get yourself off to a great start of the day while speeding up your metalabolism.  Doing this will also prevent yourself from getting very hungry around lunchtime.  I have found that when I don't have breakfast I usually don't make healthy choices for a mid morning snack or at lunch time because I'm hungry

MAKE EXERCISING FUN DURING YOUR WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY

As I began to build endurance as the pounds dropped, there were many activities that I enjoyed which were fun, and they did not feel as though I was just exercising. I hit golf balls at the local golf course, shot baskets at the park, went swimming (which is great for the entire body), joined the gym, and began to lift weights to build strength. Eventually, I have been able to play a full round of golf, full court basketball games, swim for long periods of time, and do full body workouts for 90 minutes or more. These are just a few examples of activities that I did, and still do, that are a lot of fun and are a great source of exercise. So I would suggest to find many different forms of exercise that you enjoy and have fun during your weight loss journey.          

MAKE SHORT TERM GOALS ON YOUR WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY

As I started to eat healthier, exercise, and slowly drop weight off I began to make short term goals for myself that we're very attainable.  When I first started out at the beginning I knew that my ultimate goal would be to drop well over 200 pounds and to go from wearing a 6 XL shirt to a XL shirt and from wearing a size 64 inch waist shorts and pants to a size 36.  This sounded and seemed almost impossible so I decided to make small goals along my weight loss journey that were attainable and within reach in short periods of time.  So what I did was set a goal of dropping 5 pounds at a time which didn't feel like I had a huge mountain to climb. With each 5 pounds I lost, I would then set a new goal of dropping another 5 pounds. I continued to set these goals throughout my entire journey which helped me out tremendously. As the weeks went on, I was gaining confidence that dropping the weight was not impossible at all. I would suggest for anyone that has a large amount of weight to drop, make short term goals along the way.

A FEW TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE DAILY EXERCISING FUN

What has helped me out a lot is changing up my exercise route so that I do not get bored with always doing the same exact thing everyday, so if this is a problem for you then try to mix up where you walk or exercise daily.  A change in scenery still to this day helps me from getting bored which is probably one of the top reasons that most people quit exercising so mix it up and make exercising something that you look forward to.  I like to go to different locations to exercise away from my neighborhood often like the beach boardwalk, local park, high school or college track, gym, mall/shopping center, or anywhere different to change up the scenery.  On rainy or hot days it's great to walk through the mall, go to the gym, or anywhere that is indoors so their really isn't an excuse for not doing some form of exercise everyday.  Listening to your favorite music on your ipod or personal portable music player while exercising is also a great way to keep you from getting bored and is a great motivator which I use most of the time while exercising.