tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37539345140055072022024-03-05T19:20:46.864-07:00hCG and Me...a 6 week program designed by Dr. ATW Simeons... and my journey overcoming my biggest problem.She-Shehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15849724786974033985noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753934514005507202.post-75872914069828332302010-07-20T01:04:00.002-06:002010-07-20T01:09:40.386-06:00So....I had a really great day today then someone had to go and ruin it and now I can't seem to calm down enough to want to go to bed.... so here I am writing a post. About what though? I'm not sure.... maybe an explanation as to where I've been the past little while? Sure. Why not, right?!<br /><br />Well... after becoming seriously frustrated with not being able to lose anything I decided, "It's summer, I really don't want to be on a super-strict diet right now." I want to enjoy BBQ'd burgers and hot dogs and smoked ribs and delicious steak and corn on the cob and all the other yummy food that comes with Summer-time. Now you California people don't understand this. You can BBQ outside almost any day of the year... here in Utah, you can't. Especially when Winter seems to last from Oct - May/June. So I'm taking advantage of it while I can. Maybe once Summer is over I'll start up again, but that's a huge maybe.<br />Plus our sister is coming to visit us this weekend! Party time! (For those who don't know.... the 24th of July is a HUGE Utah Holiday. I'd say they celebrate it more intensely than the 4th. )<br /><br />But I'll keep you posted....<br /><br />maybe now I can get some sleep....<br /><br /><br />Happy Pioneer Day everyone!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753934514005507202.post-47064084259867428342010-07-08T20:50:00.002-06:002010-07-08T21:02:19.974-06:00A recipe! A recipe!So this may not be a great HCG recipe, but I just made it up for dinner tonight and it was sooo good. And it's quite healthy for you, so say the guys from "Eat this, Not that."<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Salmon with ginger-soy butter, sauteed mushrooms and onions in a lemon-grape-seed oil sauce with Quinoa. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">For the salmon:</span><br /><br />Salmon filets<br />Olive Oil<br />Salt and Pepper<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">For the ginger-soy butter:</span><br /><br />2TBS. unsalted butter, softened<br />1/2TBS fresh-grated ginger<br />1/2TBS low-sodium soy sauce<br />1/2TBS chopped chives<br />juice of one lemon<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mushrooms/Onions:</span><br /><br />1pkg Cremini mushrooms, halved<br />1 onion, diced<br />Juice of 2 lemons<br />Olive oil<br />Salt<br />Pepper<br />Grape-seed oil<br /><br /><br />1. Combine butter, soy sauce, ginger, chives and lemon juice. Cover and set aside.<br />2. Sprinkle Salmon filets with salt and pepper on both sides.<br />3. Drizzle about 2TBS olive oil into large skillet and when hot, add onions. Allow to soften and then add the mushrooms, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Sautee for about 2 minutes, then move to the sides of the pan, making a hot spot. Add the salmon filets to the hot spot.<br />4. Flip filets once to brown both sides and let cook through. Once cooked, drizzle a bit of grape-seed oil over them, and then add a spoonful of the butter mixture.<br /><br /><br />Cook Quinoa according to package directions and place 2 spoonfuls onto a plate. Top with Salmon filet and serve mushrooms to the side.<br /><br /><br />Super yummy!! I especially love the mushrooms. And did you know Quinoa is one of the MOST healthy carbs you can eat? It has so much protein and other vitamins and nutrients it is so good for you!! It's actually really good too!! It's a new favorite in my home!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753934514005507202.post-19086088132326539342010-06-30T12:20:00.003-06:002010-06-30T12:24:00.033-06:00Bad. Bad. Bad.Yesterday was Bad. Well, actually it was a GREAT day, but I made a BAD choice. My mom came and spent time with us then we went to the Midnight showing of Eclipse. What was my bad choice? We had Panda for dinner. We both love it... and I don't get to see her very often... so it had to be Panda. I don't regret it, it was delicious. And honestly, I prepped all day for it by not eating anything else (well I did have Popcorn and Licorice and Dippin Dots at the theater!) But I still gained 3lbs. Yeah. Apple Day today! But it was such a fun day with her! My little boy just absolutely loves her, as do I.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753934514005507202.post-84998937485421699412010-06-29T11:15:00.002-06:002010-06-29T11:32:28.115-06:00Hello!When I stopped my last round of HCG the beginning of May, I was at a 21lbs loss total from January. I went to San Diego, enjoyed a day at Disneyland and spent much-needed time with family. All the while only gaining 5lbs back. 5lbs I could handle. My pants still fit nicely. I still felt great.<br />Then we came home and I don't know what happened. I just gave up, I guess. Ice cream, cookies, and chips set me back another 4lbs. 4lbs doesn't seem like much, but it was just enough to make my pants a little tight.<br />So with another month rolling around, I decided to start one more round, with hopes of losing another 20lbs. That way when it's over, if I gain some back, it won't make my pants uncomfortable. Last time I had a hard time dropping below 190 and when I finished I bobbled between 190-200. If I can get to 180 this time and bobble between 180-190 I'll be good! I may even get down to a size 12! Those numbers seem awfully high... but you have to take into account I'm almost 5'8" tall. Normal for me is 160, so says the BMI scale. Which, by the way, I hate. I will be perfectly happy with 180ish.<br /><br />So that's my story for today.... I'm back on the program. I feel great, and I'm super excited! I started last Tuesday, and so today marks the end of Week #1. I've lost 6.5lbs so far. Funny thing is, during my Load Days, I actually LOST weight! So I took an extra Load Day to try and gain extra.... but I still ended up losing. It was very strange!<br /><br />Here's to two more weeks of 500 Calories, and the return of fruits and veggies to my diet! They really do wonders to your self-esteem and over-all health!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753934514005507202.post-31206151386856415772010-06-10T11:56:00.002-06:002010-06-10T12:01:56.702-06:00I'm in love....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNKQFhDvqA8bBcFDxlZ3E89KmSp9hO57AIr-S4da8x8t7qggpUVW7RhKgV7HOkYlHkTqcu4uv_DjEw6fKY9QRa0CCiu7fwNELJIVjd1BH3r34PB8TlZ9q01gUp1qXCAwDw-tqoMayfX6i/s1600/coconuts.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 242px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNKQFhDvqA8bBcFDxlZ3E89KmSp9hO57AIr-S4da8x8t7qggpUVW7RhKgV7HOkYlHkTqcu4uv_DjEw6fKY9QRa0CCiu7fwNELJIVjd1BH3r34PB8TlZ9q01gUp1qXCAwDw-tqoMayfX6i/s400/coconuts.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481205442940591426" border="0" /></a>Have you tried it yet? It comes in many different flavors (which I tried this week... all are decent, but my favorite is the Original). Did you know Coconut water is the next best thing to Water itself? It's full of NATURAL electrolytes, more potassium than a banana, no fat, no cholesterol, and no preservatives! It helps hydrate you and it's good for babies and toddlers with upset tummies! Great for kidney stones also! I had no idea!!<br /><br />I've always loved coconut.... coconut cream pie, coconut ice cream, EVERYTHING. Now I love the water too! Yum!!<br /><br />Go, try some! If you live in the same little town as I do, you can find it in the "Hippy" aisle of Smith's for about $1 a carton, less than soda! :)<br /><br /><br />Mmmmm.... I need to get me some more. I drank my last one this morning!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753934514005507202.post-12285108664286703432010-06-06T00:21:00.002-06:002010-06-06T00:25:11.061-06:00HCG Works!Wow, it has been about a month since I posted last.<br /><br />Since I've stopped using HCG I've taken a trip to San Diego, including a day at Disneyland. I've visited my mom in Arizona, and I've eaten pretty much anything I want.<br /><br />I've only been checking my weight on a weekly basis... and I'm nervous each time I do.<br /><br />BUT.... It really hasn't changed much! I'm staying right within 3-4lbs of my ending weight! I was so afraid once I stopped and started eating normal foods I'd gain all of it back. I'm super excited that I haven't! This craziness really does work! Hurray!!<br /><br />I do miss the super healthy foods I was eating... but I have no desire to make them right now! lol.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753934514005507202.post-36895663876542776052010-05-13T14:07:00.002-06:002010-05-13T14:16:06.322-06:00I'm back!Hello blogosphere! Have you missed me?<br /><br />Well my trip to San Diego and especially DISNEYLAND was fabulous! Best trip yet! We accomplished so much and had such a great time!<br /><br />I was a little scared. I jumped on my MIL's scale while we were bathing our wee-lamb and it said I had gained 10lbs! I wasn't following any protocol, but I was trying to make good choices and not indulge too much. I didn't think I had been THAT bad...<br /><br />I think a lot of it was due to the circumstances surrounding the time I checked:<br />A. I weighed myself around 8pm.<br />2. I was fully clothed.<br />C. It wasn't my normal scale.<br /><br />So when we got home I was a wee bit hesitant to jump on the scale right away. Then I got sick. Real sick. All of us were actually. Our son definitely got the worst fever, but I had a bit of stomach flu with mine. Luckily we're on meds now and doing much better. But hey, one good thing did come from spending most of yesterday in the bathroom...<br /><br />The scale this morning said I only gained 4lbs during my trip!! That's much more realistic.<br /><br />Now is the hard part. I'm having a hard time deciding if I want to start another round of HCG or take a hiatus for a time to pursue another chapter in my life.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753934514005507202.post-26749440667285061642010-04-27T21:54:00.001-06:002010-04-27T21:58:08.473-06:00It's Tuesday?!Wow... where did Monday go? This week has just started and it's already been SUPER BUSY.<br /><br />I didn't want to post a Recipe Monday because honestly, I wanted nothing to do with food yesterday, especially Recipes. I've been working on recipe cards for the past 2 weeks and I want nothing to do with them for a long, long time! lol.<br /><br />It seems my body has decided to kick back into LOSE mode this week and so far I'm down another almost 3lbs! It's such a yo-yo right now... but I gotta lose as much as I can before Disney so when I get home it's not a complete shocker (and so I can still fit into my pants!).<br /><br />You may not hear from me for a while... I'm not gone... just busy.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">Oh, I've had a few inquiries... I still have 6 boxes of GRISSINI BREADSTICKS left. They need to be sold ASAP. Let me know if you need some. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753934514005507202.post-71776006653208832032010-04-20T11:51:00.002-06:002010-04-20T11:58:47.490-06:00Yesterday was a rough day. I just felt icky... and thought I had gained a ton of weight over the weekend. I didn't want to do ANYTHING.<br /><br />So I was a little nervous when I stepped on the scale this morning. Not really much of a change, which was good. Then I looked at the past couple of days. Friday night I gained 3lbs. I know, right.<br />BUT I know why, one word, Wendy's. I hate you Wendy's. I can go to McDonald's and order a Filet-o-Fish sandwich and share my son's fries and nuggets and not gain anything, but still lose. But not with Wendy's. Arrrgh.<br />So that started the bad pattern. You already know what happened Saturday and Sunday. So I've gained back about 4lbs... BUT... here's the good news:<br /><br />I had an awesome workout this morning!! I did the Wii Fit PLUS for about an hour, lost about 270 calories AND BEAT all my records! I even did the extra long run, running the entire way. It's probably not quite a mile... but I started with the basic run (probably 1/4 mile) and then did the long-distance PLUS run. I feel great!!<br />I love the Advanced Step. I do pretty good on it, I've had the highest score in our home for the past year. But today... I was damn-near perfect 100%. I only missed 11 steps, getting OK's 11 times. No misses... almost perfect! I felt pretty good!!<br /><br />My stomach feels tighter, my back is a little sore and my legs are feelin it too... and man, I stink!! Time for a shower!! Until Friday....Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753934514005507202.post-66805308118694504242010-04-19T13:57:00.002-06:002010-04-19T14:05:06.643-06:00It's Monday already?Such a great weekend! So sad to see it go... the weather was WARM and SUNNY!! We played outside, we played in water... so. much. FUN.<br /><br />But I was bad... it was like I couldn't feel full. I had granola, a sandwich, smoothies, popcorn, candy... all throughout Saturday and Sunday. It was awful. Grr... I'm pretty upset. So this week has to be SUPER Strict to make my bi-weekly goal. Let's hope that I actually reach it this time!<br /><br />And the recipe this week comes from Cooks Country TV. Love them. Love this dish!<br /><br />SMOKED PORK CHOPS<br /><br />1/4C brown sugar<br />1TBS ground fennel seed<br />1TBS ground cumin (or 1tsp. chili flakes, 1tsp. chili powder, and 1tsp. ginger --- I didn't have cumin!)<br />1TBS ground coriander (my fav!!)<br />1TBS paprika<br />1tsp salt<br />1tsp pepper<br />4 bone-in blade-cut chops, about 2 inches thick (I used boneless chops, 1in thick)<br />2C wood chips *optional*<br /><br />1. Combine sugar and spices and rub mixture all over pork chops. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hr to 24 hours.<br />2. Arrange chops, bone side toward fire, on grill. Cook until chops register 145-150 degrees, turning every few minutes. Transfer to platter and let rest for 20 min. Serve.<br /><br />So yummy!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753934514005507202.post-91469218395130241552010-04-16T11:27:00.001-06:002010-04-16T11:28:22.999-06:00Friday UpdateIt's been a great week! I feel fabulous!! I lost another pound yesterday, and am down 22lbs.<br /><br />Happy Friday everyone!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753934514005507202.post-24971836879817499922010-04-13T21:51:00.001-06:002010-04-13T21:53:11.337-06:00UpdateSorry this is so late tonight.<br /><br />Yesterday I lost 3.5lbs!! I didn't make it fasting completely, but I did last until 6pm. Then I ate a green salad with grape tomatoes and later made a fruit smoothie for my son and I. Good day all in all. I felt great after learning how much I had lost. I'm back to my 20lb total loss... and will hopefully lose another 5lbs this week.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753934514005507202.post-11481504018486483962010-04-12T11:52:00.003-06:002010-04-12T11:56:05.350-06:00Disappointing WeekendI don't know what happened. I was so good. And yet, since Friday, I've gained 2lbs. Now I have to lose 11lbs by TOMORROW! Yeah... it's gonna be rough.<br />At least I got in a good Pilates session this morning, and will hopefully do some more Wii Fit Plus workouts later. Plus, I have to run errands today, so that will help. I think I'm going to take today and fast. Hopefully that will help my weight out a bit, and give me a little emotional boost as well.<br />I have until the 30th to lose 10-15lbs. Although, I'm out of hcg drops and am doing 500 calories for another 2 days, then on to 1000 calories. That seems like so much! I don't know if I can eat that much!<br /><br />Any ideas of how to lose those extra pounds in 2 weeks without the help of the drops?!<br /><br /><br />And keep reading for my Recipe Monday!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753934514005507202.post-45977741686952724762010-04-12T11:47:00.002-06:002010-04-12T11:52:18.538-06:00Herb Marinated ChickenThis recipe comes from JamieOliver.com, of The Food Revolution, on ABC Fri nights. Watch it. Love it. Do it.<br /><br />• 4 chicken breasts<br />• a bunch of summer savory<br />• a bunch of fresh rosemary<br />• 8 cloves of garlic, skins left on<br />• 8 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil<br />• a thumb-sized piece of fresh root ginger<br />• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper<br />• 2 lemons, washed and thinly sliced<br /><br /><br />Place chicken in a roasting tray. In a pestle and mortar or with a rolling pin and a metal bowl, bash and bruise the flavour out of the herbs, squash in the garlic cloves and pour in the olive oil. Mix and rub all over the chicken, then lay them out flat, skin-side up, and grate over half the ginger.<br /><br />If you have time, leave it for a couple of hours to marinate.<br /><br />Preheat your oven to 425°F. Season the chicken well after marinating and place it in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove and lay the lemon slices over the chicken, then grate the rest of the ginger all over. Tilt the tray and spoon over all the lovely cooking oils before cooking for another 20 minutes or until nice and golden and cooked through – the juices should run clear.<br /><br />Remove from the oven and rest for 10 minutes before serving.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753934514005507202.post-24498041921936505742010-04-08T16:12:00.002-06:002010-04-08T16:25:01.182-06:00I've been doin' some thinkin'...... scary I know...<br /><br />On Wii Fit, it asks you to make a goal deadline. Usually mine is to lose the most amount of weight (22lbs is the limit) in a certain amount of time (usually 2-6months). I never reach it. So lately, I've been setting my goals at 2 week increments of around 10lbs. My deadline is next Tuesday. That just so happens to be my last day of 500 calories. So far I have 9lbs to lose to meet that deadline. That's 2lbs a day from today until Tuesday. It's crunch time, baby! I know I can do it!<br /><br />Yesterday, I went into D.I. (Utah's version of Goodwill) to waste some time before an oil change appointment. My baby boy and I spent a good chunk of time searching his size clothes for some goods. We found some pretty cute stuff... then it was on to furniture and shoes... eh, nothing there that caught my attention. Then I noticed some women's capris. They were kinda cute, and I thought that would be perfect to wear to California in a few weeks!<br />So I started looking through the denim capri section and grabbed 2 pair of size 16's. I also found a khaki pair, and two adorable skirts (one without a tag, and the other size 14!). We went into the fitting room, and to my amazement, one of the <span style="font-size:130%;">sz 16 capris was way TOO BIG</span>! While the sz 14 skirt fit perfectly! The khakis were also a perfect fit and the other demin capri was just a tad too loose. I decided to get the four(two skirts, khaki capri and denim capri) and see if I could find another denim pair in a sz 14. I did, but didn't have time to try it on there...<br />When I got home and tried them all on again, I was in heaven! I fit perfectly in the sz 14 ones... but was glad I kept the bigger size (a few weeks ago while up in Orem, my fat jeans were gettin a little snug... ), for just in case purposes! My diet will be completely over by the time we leave... and I don't see myself eating super junky food... so hopefully I won't gain 6lbs again!<br /><br />Not sure where I was goin with this post... but I had some thoughts I wanted to share!<br /><br />Here's to<span style="font-size:130%;"> losing</span> <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">ONE PANT SIZE</span></span>, and hopefully having one more gone in a week!! WOOHOO!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753934514005507202.post-45613435809986928172010-04-05T18:08:00.005-06:002010-04-05T18:35:18.827-06:00Update...and Recipe!So Easter weekend is over and done. I was a bit scared, I have to admit. Here's why:<br /><br />Saturday night we had BBQ'd chicken under a brick, Corn on the Cob, Salad and Baked Squash.<br />Sunday morning we had mini cinnamon rolls, potato/sausage/egg/pepper burritos, and orange juice.<br />Sunday night we had BBQ'd steaks, asparagus rafts, corn on the cob and more salad.<br /><br />I didn't eat any cinnamon rolls or corn, luckily... but I did eat my fair share of candy. So when I stepped on the scale, I was terrified. BUT... I did step on the scale late at night, so I knew that in itself would make my weight off. It said I had gained over 5lbs since Friday morning!<br /><br />This morning I jumped back on (PS Big thanks to the hubs for the new Wii Fit PLUS... love it!) and I was down 2.5lbs! That means I really only gained just over 2lbs during Easter. Whew.<br /><br />And today... here's my recipe of the week: <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chicken grilled under a brick.<br /><br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ6s5H0TjGtFKSudT7UhCf5fXf30EWhSideajf2InSqGmEQfTT8NOrH0BDjOzg4z0S825YYf-2iNYViQxnJSgDMUe9j2rYHZLaeMjO-r8IcpwBLXLcuum0OwVuDdj-XS9NusysEGrQOwfa/s1600/100_2460.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ6s5H0TjGtFKSudT7UhCf5fXf30EWhSideajf2InSqGmEQfTT8NOrH0BDjOzg4z0S825YYf-2iNYViQxnJSgDMUe9j2rYHZLaeMjO-r8IcpwBLXLcuum0OwVuDdj-XS9NusysEGrQOwfa/s400/100_2460.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456815997908688962" border="0" /></a><br />You'd think the brick would smother it and make it tasteless and dry... but it actually creates just the opposite affect.<br /><br /><br />4 Chicken Breasts<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Marinade:</span><br />1tsp. coarse sea salt<br />1tsp. cracked black pepper<br />1/2 - 1tsp hot pepper flakes<br />1TBS chopped fresh garlic<br />1TBS chopped fresh rosemary<br />1/4C lemon juice, freshly squeezed<br />1/4C EVOO (cooks off, don't worry)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Special Equipment: </span><br />4 Bricks, each wrapped in foil<br />Oak chunks for building the fire, or 2C oak chips, soaked in cold water to cover for 1 hour, then drained.<br /><br />1. Combine all marinade ingredients into small blender or food processor, and blend until paste-like. Arrange chicken in baking dish and pour marinade over. Allow to sit 1 hour to overnight.<br />2. Set up grill. Brush and oil grill grate. Arrange chicken on grate and place brick on top of each. Grill until cooked, 3-5min per side, turning after 1.5min to create cross-hatch marks.<br /><br />And now... my <span style="font-weight: bold;">SECRET STEAK MARINADE RECIPE: </span>(shhhhh... don't tell!)<br /><br />Place steaks in baking dish, cover with Pepsi or Coke ( I prefer Pepsi... coke makes me sick!). Sprinkle with Season salt or Creole seasoning and pepper. Add a few dashes of Worcestershire Sauce and place in refrigerator overnight. Grill to perfection. Yum!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753934514005507202.post-78992047080974295882010-04-01T17:07:00.002-06:002010-04-01T17:11:37.196-06:00Great Workout program!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN9yntsCHnzV7dkbEIF5DKvJbPjC9ExxerfJCQBrL3EVUk2e22eFWY6WTzZEH2j2Iq1bByn6DPF9Wg6t8TIsG2QA4AC3TnG1xp7XDQKoE5y-oPbb9FStcz6c-r5Y4SUFUfTUwo0T7X-vHK/s1600/images.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 114px; height: 114px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN9yntsCHnzV7dkbEIF5DKvJbPjC9ExxerfJCQBrL3EVUk2e22eFWY6WTzZEH2j2Iq1bByn6DPF9Wg6t8TIsG2QA4AC3TnG1xp7XDQKoE5y-oPbb9FStcz6c-r5Y4SUFUfTUwo0T7X-vHK/s320/images.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455309762027706754" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I just love Winsor Pilates! The past two days I've been doing just the 20min workout and I can feel my buns getting tighter and my stomach getting flatter. It really is amazing. It's hard to get motivated to do it because she can be slow and boring... but once you start, you don't wanna stop!<br />Even though you only get 500 Calories a day, you can still do a simple workout like Pilates or Yoga, or whatever! I definitely wouldn't go running or anything super-strenuous like that. But Pilates can definitely help tone those areas where the fat is falling off!<br /><br />Since Monday, I've lost over 3lbs! Just 10 more to go!<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753934514005507202.post-26028551987326196822010-03-29T14:20:00.002-06:002010-03-29T14:35:23.849-06:00Recipe Monday is BACK!Woohoo! I made this for dinner yesterday and it was SO good and definitely hCG-approved.<br /><br /><br />GARLIC ROAST BEEF<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients:</span><br /><br />BEEF<br /><br />8 lg. cloves garlic, unpeeled (I didn't do this step this time... not a big fan of chunks of garlic)<br />1 top sirloin roast (4lbs)<br /><br />GARLIC-SALT RUB<br /><br />3 lg. cloves garlic, minced<br />1 tsp. dried thyme<br />1/2tsp. table salt<br /><br />GARLIC PASTE<br /><br />12 lg. cloves garlic, peeled, cloves cut in half lengthwise<br />2 sprigs fresh thyme (I used dried thyme)<br />2 bay leaves<br />1/2 tsp table salt<br />1/2 C olive oil<br />ground black pepper<br /><br />JUS<br /><br />1 can beef broth<br />1 C chicken broth<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Instructions:</span><br /><br />1. <span style="font-weight: bold;">For the beef</span>: Toast unpeeled cloves in small skillet over med-hi heat, tossing frequently, until spotty brown, about 8 min. Set aside. When cool enough to handle, peel cloves and cut into 1/4in slivers.<br />2. Using paring knife, make 1-in deep slits all over roast. Insert toasted garlic into slits.<br />3. <span style="font-weight: bold;">For the garlic-salt rub</span>: Mix minced garlic, thyme, and salt together (I added pepper here also) in small bowl. Rub all over meat. Place roast on large plate and refrigerate, at least 4hrs or overnight.<br />4. <span style="font-weight: bold;">For the garlic paste</span>: Heat halved garlic cloves, thyme, bay leaves, salt and oil in small saucepan over med-hi heat until bubbles start to rise to surface. Reduce heat to low and cook until garlic is soft, about 30 min. Cool completely. Strain, reserving oil. Discard herbs and transfer garlic to small bowl. Mash garlic with 1TBS garlic oil until paste forms. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Cover and reserve garlic oil.<br />5. Adjust oven rack to middle position, place nonstick roasting pan or broiler pan bottom on rack, and heat over to 450. Using paper towels, wipe garlic-salt rub off beef. Rub beef with 2TBS garlic oil and season with pepper. Transfer meat, fat side down(my roast didn't have any fat), to preheated pan and roast, turning as needed until browned on all sides, 10-15min.<br />6. Reduce oven temp. to 300. Remove pan from oven. Turn roast fat side up and coat top with garlic paste. Return meat to oven and roast until internal temp reaches 125(for rare; I left mine in until 155 and it was a PERFECT Med-well), about 50-70 min. Transfer roast to cutting board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 20min.<br />7. <span style="font-weight: bold;">For the Jus</span>: Drain excess fat from roasting pan and place over high heat. Add broths and bring to boil, using wooden spoon to scrape browned bits from bottom of pan. Simmer, stirring, until reduced to 2C. Add accumulated juices from roast and cook 1min. Slice roast crosswise against grain into 1/4in slices.<br /><br />**I added two large sliced (1/4in slices) onions sprinkled with salt, pepper and tarragon to the pan when the temp came down to 300. Could also use Fennel with salt and pepper.<br />For the non-hCG dieter: great with side of mashed potatoes and/or carrots/fennel/celery.<br /><br />ENJOY!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753934514005507202.post-12180109031326541092010-03-27T11:41:00.001-06:002010-03-27T11:42:19.565-06:00Grissini BreadI still have 6 boxes of Grissini left. I need to sell these! $2.50 per box; $10 to ship all 6 anywhere.<br /><br />Email me for more info: stacilee84@gmail.com<br /><br />Thanks.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753934514005507202.post-10353653203097089452010-03-26T10:27:00.002-06:002010-03-26T10:41:03.881-06:00Last post of the week, I Promise!Here's what I ate yesterday:<br /><br />2 pieces of bread (was more like 1/2 a piece with the crusts because my bebe is a little porker!)<br />an extremely large tortilla (thank you BB!) with less than 3oz Roasted Chicken, 2 Pickle spears and 1 string cheese... sooo yummy! Definitely my new fav!<br />about 1/2C of Devil Cheesecake. It. Must. DIE! (going in the trash as we speak)<br />3oz steak (different seasonings this time: ginger, salt, pepper, cajun... not my fav mix)<br />1 tomato (cut in half, then each half cut in 3rds, then in 4ths; salt and pepper (generously) and a little chives and red wine vinegar... mmmm<br />1 bag of popcorn<br />5 Dove Chocolates<br /><br /><br />And guess what?! I LOST 3.1lbs! That's right. I'm awesome! :)<br /><br />I've come to a conclusion. I think they make this diet so strict so you can lose your maximum weight loss. But because each body is different, everyone reacts to it differently. I have a friend, who is older than me, she has weekly cocktails. Her daily loss is usually less than a pound. But she is very strict in other aspects of it. So why is our loss so different? Could be age, could be our body types... I'm not sure.<br /> I've always had an easy time losing weight (THANK GOODNESS). And I'm grateful for the opportunity to be able to lose it this easily at this point in my life. I also gain weight easily.<br />Growing up I never had a belly. I took pride in my gorgeous flat stomach. I used to show it off by wearing belly shirts and spaghetti straps. Then the Prednisone hit and all my hard work was gone.<br />I think you don't have to be as super strict as they tell you to be, you just need to be smart. I gave up my fruits yesterday because of that devil cheesecake. And I didn't eat the whole thing, just a few bites. <span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Everything in moderation</span></span>. If you must go overboard, do it with veggies, not junk. Veggies contain very little calories, enjoy them! And honestly, I feel so much better after having eaten 3 large tomatoes with salt than I do a whole bag of potato chips.<br />I'm really scared to end this diet for fear that all my hard work will be gone with one regular meal. And that's why the 3 weeks after the drops are over are so critical. You have to allow your body to settle and reset. Then the loss should be permanent.<br /><br />It's ok to make a few mistakes. Just don't dwell on them and continue making them. Make one little mistake and be better the rest of the day. Usually by Fridays I'm starving and would have taken Wed or Thurs to cheat... and then I'd be regretting it all weekend and have to start all over on Sunday. I think I've finally figured it out! I eat tomatoes when I'm hungry.<br /><br />Try it. And in the meantime, have a great weekend!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753934514005507202.post-86018418397657117842010-03-25T21:19:00.003-06:002010-03-25T21:20:47.296-06:00No Changetitle pretty much sums up my weight check this morning. No change. I have been losing quite a bit... so one day without any loss isn't too bad.<br /><br />Check back tomorrow, I've been much better today. I need to throw out that dang cheesecake in my fridge. It's not helping the situation.<br /><br />Bye-bye Cheesecake devil!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753934514005507202.post-86504726241568266352010-03-24T17:54:00.005-06:002010-03-24T18:05:14.706-06:00Two posts in a week? I must be crazy! :)Yesterday I felt like such a porker! I was petrified to get on the scale this morning after what I had eaten:<br /><br />2- 3oz steaks (lunch and dinner)<br />4 small tomatoes<br />1 lg. tomato<br />5 little Special Dark Dove Chocolates (at least they're good for your heart, right?!)<br />A whole bag of popcorn with a little melted butter (my husband makes the BEST popcorn... which we share every night. Lately, I've been asking for my own bag as my 17mo old likes to share with me!)<br />A Piece of bread<br />A bowl of strawberries<br />teacup of chocolate milk<br /><br /><br />But to my amazement, I had LOST another 2.6lbs!!<br />I really need to become more strict. But the nightly popcorn really settles my cravings for anything else, and the chocolate keeps the headaches away (usually I try to stick to 3 pieces).<br /><br />And remember that Pulled Roasted Chicken? Well, I tried it for lunch today. Here's what I did:<br /><br />Placed about 1.5oz on a small flour tortilla and micro-zapped it for 1min. Then I added about 1tsp of Mayo w/ olive oil and a Dill pickle spear. I made two.<br /><br />IT WAS SO GOOD!! I know the Mayo and tortilla are big NO NO's, but it just sounded so good. And at least I didn't use bread, right?! And if you figure out the calorie intake, for 2 little "tacos" I only exhausted about 150 calories (100 for 3oz of chicken, 30 for 2tsp mayo, and I'm assuming 20 for two little tortillas).<br /><br />I know, I'm bad. I will try to be better... we'll see what the scale says about my cheats tomorrow!!<br /><br />Until then...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753934514005507202.post-10380413962085430702010-03-23T12:15:00.003-06:002010-03-23T12:24:47.102-06:00What happened to Recipe Mondays?Here's my dilemma:<br /><br />I usually only eat a steak and cut up tomatoes. That is so satisfying to me that I have no desire to try anything else. Maybe this week I will, though. But all the recipes I know that I would LOVE to share, are NOT hCG-friendly... and I wouldn't want to be the cause of someone's cheating! :)<br /><br /><br />As an update... I spent last week eating normal, not-so-healthy food, as I was out of town most of the week. As a result, I gained 6.4lbs (I knew it was bad when my "fat jeans" were getting tight!). I know it sounds like a lot... but in comparison with everything I ate, I was actually impressed.<br />It was so nice to be back to 500Cal yesterday. I didn't feel frumpy and yucky like I had during last week. So when I stepped on the scale today, I was extremely excited. As I should be... I DROPPED 2lbs exactly! Woohoo! Go me!<br />I did have two pieces of buttered bread with my dinner (a LITTLE Creole seasoning goes a LONG, long way!), but luckily I didn't have lunch. So it kind of evened itself out.<br />(Side note, do NOT follow my example!)<br /><br />I purchased some Roasted Pulled Chicken from Schwan's today and I'm super excited to try it out tomorrow with some Zucchini. I will let you know how it tastes!<br /><br />Remember how I said I wasn't doing anything or going anywhere for 6 weeks? Well... I lied. You see, Easter is smack in the middle of those 6 weeks and we invited our dear sister to join us. Luckily she likes healthy food, so we're planning on BBQ'in some steaks and asparagus. Shouldn't be too bad!<br />I did go overboard on the candy I bought for my son and husband, though. I may have to hide it until May. Wish me luck with that!! :)<br /><br />Until next time... keep up the good work!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753934514005507202.post-45721444707182384012010-03-16T12:16:00.002-06:002010-03-16T12:22:13.501-06:00Update...I really need to just take 6 weeks and not plan anything. Then I might actually be able to stick to this without cheating or worse... gaining what it took a week to lose.<br /><br />I totally messed up those 3 very crucial days. You know, the 3 days when you stop taking the drops but are to STAY ON THE 500 Cal Diet. Then once those 3 days are over, you're then onto 1000 calories. Yeah, messed up... AGAIN.<br /><br />So here's my new plan. Starting tomorrow, I'm going to do my "load days." Only, I'm going to be careful in what I eat and not totally engorge myself. Then on Monday, it's back to 500 Calories for 3 weeks. By the time May 1st hits, I will have completed a full 6 week program again, hopefully losing an additional 20lbs and then I can celebrate with a FREE Disney Day! :)<br /><br />I'm determined to fully complete my final cycle with no cheating. So, I'm sorry to my dear friends, but I will not be making any plans during the entire month of April (and the final week of March). I will see you when I get back from Disney, and 20lbs lighter! Woohoo! :)<br /><br />Love you all!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753934514005507202.post-44721618365679366212010-03-10T14:25:00.002-07:002010-03-10T14:27:50.474-07:00Check this out...Vicky @ <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://thecitycradle.com/">The City Cradle</a> is doing an awesome challenge; 30 different parties before she turns 30. She is also having a Giveaway with this journey... head on over <a href="http://thecitycradle.com/30x30"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THERE</span></a> to check it out and enter for yourself!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1